I am both excited and humbled to be one of a contingent of 16 American educators selected by the US Department of Education (USDOE) for a Fulbright fellowship to study and travel abroad in the month of July in Turkey--the first group invited there in five years! Through a competitive vetting process that began during the summer of 2008, applicants were selected and finally notified of their awards in the spring of 2009.
Initially, I opened a large manila envelope from the USDOE one afternoon in late March, but was not particularly surprised that the form letter informed me that I had not been selected to receive a Fulbright. I assumed that my age was a factor; after all, I am approaching retirement. However, as I read the copies of peer reviews, I realized the department's mistake when references were made to my Hispanic heritage and my sole trip out of the country to Thailand. The USDOE's response was that mistakes are invariably made when many hands stuff envelopes. I remained in suspense until late that same night when I was emailed word that I had qualified for the Fulbright-Hays Summer Abroad experience. Receiving a Fulbright distinguishes any recipient. Indeed, I am honored to be part of this select group of educators. In return for this experience, I have 90 days to complete a middle school enrichment curriculum for use in my school division and elsewhere.
Orientation is scheduled at University of Texas, Austin, in late June. We fly as a group via Delta Airlines to Istanbul and begin our first week of seminars on June 28 in Ankara, Turkey's capitol. Our final week of study is scheduled in Istanbul, the ancient Silk Road city that straddles two continents. The two intervening weeks consist of cultural explorations to some 30 sites in the southwestern part of Turkey including Cappadocia (fairy chimneys), Konya (whirling dervishes), Ephesus (famous ruins and stop on St. Paul's missionary journeys), Parmukkale (travertine shelves and mineral water pools), and Gallipoli (where Lt. Col. Mustafa Kemal became a hero).
