My Fulbright Experience: International Teaching during Times of Pandemic and War

Abstract

This paper provides a first-person account of my experience in the Fulbright Scholar program and the lessons learned about teaching internationally, responding to crisis, and understanding the role of faith in seeking guidance and direction during uncertain times. My Fulbright experience took place during the 2021-2022 academic year. During my Fulbright, I was able to live in both Chisinau, Moldova, and Bucharest, Romania. I was able to visit 15 additional cities in Moldova, five additional cities in Romania, and one city in Ukraine. Teaching and research were an important part of my experience, but I learned so much more about myself, about people, about language, about culture, and about history.