Thank you Fulbright!

It is such an honor for me to be part of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program and I am so delighted to have been given the opportunity to be here and meet so many wonderful people from around the world. It is so amazing to see how people from different corners of the world with different cultures mingle so well. Everyone in the group is so friendly and nice and without being awarded the Fulbright scholarship, I would probably have never been able to meet them!

So thank you Fulbright!

I wish everyone the best of luck in their careers!

Fulbright: The Village of Potential World Leaders

Fulbright is not just a program where one can get the scholarship to proceed his/her education in his/her respective field of study, but it is the village where future leaders of all corners of the world meet in an atmosphere where understanding and regarding each other’s values such as culture, religion, history, customs, languages and et… is the core attention.

As the founder of this program Senator J. William Fulbright said, “The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.” Obviously, William Fulbright had the idea that it’s necessary for the world nations being led by their leaders to have knowledge, reason and compassion to deal with the world affairs in a way that enhances the opportunity to coexist and accept each other with understanding and without conflicts.

Eventually, the Fulbright program was born after the bill was signed on August 1^st, 1946 by President Harry S. Truman to become a law and provide the platform required for the international individuals to learn and exchange their ideas with others. According to US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, so far 53 Fulbright alumni from 13 countries have been awarded the Nobel Prize. 28 alumni are MacArthur Foundation Fellows. 80 alumni have received Pulitzer Prizes. 29 Fulbright alumni have served as heads of state or government (http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-alumni/notable-fulbrighters)

After evaluating the grounds behind Fulbright program we reach the conclusion that indeed this program works as a platform where future leaders gather and meet and learn how to serve and save their countries. And they know that their countries are in fact part of this village where tolerance, acceptance and respect paves the ground for a peaceful and friendly environment.

It worth mentioning that none the above Fulbright scholars knew what would future bring to them but they all aimed high and achieved them. I believe every Fulbrighter will not be head of a state or a noble prize winner but I believe that the opportunity exists equally for every individual. Therefore as part of Fulbright program it is the responsibility of every Fulbrighter to think of himself/herself as a leader not an individual and act as he/she is to lead his/her nation or part of it towards a prosperous and nonviolent future. And that is what Fulbright program aims. Therefore, we aren’t just learners but the potential leaders of our country in the village of Fulbright.

Hi

I am here in the U.S to change my life. It is a great opportunity as well as a stepping-stone event for me to be able to move forward in my career with the knowledge and experience gained from this prestigious Fulbright program. It has been a wonderful moment to be with all of you in the NYC filled with diversity, unity and freedom. 

I was looking through the window of plane to grasp the first sight of United state after a long trip of 23 hours... I felt like the greens, the routs and the wind of New York is waiting for me. The helpful behavior of the taxi driver, senior students and staff of St. George Residence made me happier. I felt like the city is going to embrace me...

Walking through different streets
Surrounded by amazing buildings
Looking at people who have a lively life
Laughing faces and screaming cries
Rushing for work passing slowly walkers
Mingled subway playing hide and seek
Trains with poems and paintings in them
I hear a music from one corner which means
New York is a moment of everything!!!

New York for Young Economist

Many economists who are Keynes believer always want to study economics in the United States. That what I have been observing so far from my peers and that is the strongest reason of mine coming to the US. Knowing that I would be sent to New York city was very exciting for me. Once I got here, there were several things impressing me most in NYC: its subway train and its activity.

I am coming from Jakarta, the biggest and the busiest town in my country, as well as the capital city of Indonesia. That is why I am quite familiar with train and busway transportation. We don't have to be afraid of getting lost in the subway train since we’re actually playing in the single system once we get into the train. All we have to do just read a map, follow the route or, in the worst case, ask people. As an economist, reading Wall Street Journal always becomes one of my pleasure activities in spending my leisure times in the train or plane. Now it just a dream after knowing that Wall Street itself is just few stops from the nearest subway near my dorm. I am very excited. But what really impress me a lot is not about Wall Street, but is that all subway trains in NYC are built under the ground. This is very cool that reflects the ability of the US to harness every detail of its resources to be economically effective. As we know, from the economy perspective, underground subway has reduced the traffic jam and make people easier to do their economic activity, also increase consumption and eventually its GDP itself. Furthermore, when I read the article written by E.B White about New York from our professor, Danielle, explaining if the subway was once above the ground and the government pulled those down was driving me more amazed.

New York is famously called as one of the busiest city in the world. When I arrived here, I still couldn't find any relevant situation related to that statement. All I found was just empty space and only few people passing my sight. But after visiting Times Square few days ago, I could understand why this city is called so. Everything was very crowded in Times Square. The people, the cars, the stores, they are connected together in forming one of the busiest market area in the world. And as the economist, I couldn't imagine how fast the flow velocity of money here. Many similar stores sold the same goods and services in the area, which it must have made the price very elastic and the market very competitive. This condition then recalled me to imagine the situation when Lehman Brothers collapsed and put this country in the recession, is NYC as busy as I am watching now? or may be less busier? how the impact the crisis to the sellers in Times Square at the time? This might be an interesting topic to investigate.

As an economist, NY has given me a small portion insight of economic vocabulary in my head by comparing the theory and the reality. I cannot wait for other experiences I’ll have in the next two years studying in the US. 

Learning in American classroom

I was dreaming and waiting for a long time for this moment. The comment when I could sit and study in American university with many people from different cultures. And I'm finally here in America - St. Johns University.

I was so blessed and excited about coming to America as a Fulbright international student. However, when the first class started I find it hard to catch up with the lecture as Danielle (our Listening teacher) started to discuss about New York History (New Amsterdam) then drill down to the details dated back to the Dutch Empire. To me, it's a brand-new topic and somewhat quite complicated but very interesting. Many vocabularies, names, places, and ideas were pushed into my brain at the same time which make me frustrated to some extend.

After a few classes, I realize that, in American university it's not just attend class, but one must do a lot of self-studying, reading, research, and participating in class and more importantly remember to ask teacher questions to get in-depth understanding on the topic and make the most out of the lecture and your time.

Enjoy and have fun!

All the way from Cambodia to The United States

It was Saturday 26, 2014, the day my dream is realized and another chapter of my life begins. I know it has been very hard for them to see me off but at the same time they look so delighted. "I'm so glad to have you because you always make me so proud", said my first man in a shivering voice. I hugged him and I almost couldn't hold my tear. He made me so emotional in that fine evening. My flight departed at 8.35 pm, but we left home very early just to avoid traffic jam and some other unforeseen accidents that may happen. We arrived at the airport three and a half hour earlier.Yeah I know it was pretty early. But early is better than late. After an hour of waiting for the check-in counter to open, I get my bag checked-in. And now it's almost time for boarding. I still remember very well the moment I hugged my mom, dad and my two best sisters [in the world] very hard in my arm. It was so heartwarming, touching and of course emotional. This is the second time I left home for a long time. The first one was when I won the PETRONAS scholarship to study Information and Communication Technology at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia for four years. And now it's gonna take another two years. Alright! Time to say good bye to my beloved ones for two years. Let's call it a "see you" instead. I walked inside, and when I looked back, I saw them watching me without blinking. The plane took off. I was now at Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. It was my first time in Vietnam and you know what? something unforgettable happened to me on the first stop. I never took that long flight before, so I didn't know what I am supposed to do during the transit. I asked the lady at the airport, okay I was unlucky to ask the wrong person, and she told me to go to the immigration post. Only when the immigration officer stamped in my passport for entering Vietnam, he realized i was not here to visit. So he shouted in this language. I wasn't nervous because I know it was not my fault but I was curious what was going on. He went to his friends' desk and kept talking in his own language. I asked "What happened? Can you speak English?" he didn't say anything, then he brought me to the transit counter. Only then I know he shouldn't stamp on my passport. I didn't know how serious it is, but he really acted like the sky is about to fall. But he was very funny and kind indeed. He escorted me all the way to the gate I'm supposed to board. I had to wait for about 2 hours for the next flight. Another hour later, he was searching for me all over the place because he realized he forgot to give me another stamp for the exit. Lucky, I came back to the old place after walking around the airport. So he brought me to the immigration and sent me back to the gate. I still remember his face. My next stop is Narita International Airport, Japan. I was waiting and waiting for the final flight. It's time to board the last flight. Finally, after almost 13 hours of flying, I make it to America. Yay! Finally! it was a culture shock at the airport. I didn't know that I have to pay $5 to get the trolley when I never did so. I couldn't get access to the airport free wifi to inform my family that I arrived safe and sound. They were very worried as there were so many plane accidents happening these few weeks. I asked around, people said there is nothing free in America. You gotta pay. I want to get a pre-paid phone card which was in a kind of "vending machine", but I didnt know to use it. People were very unfriendly and in rush. So I decided to use the public telephone to call to my friend in California. Dang! I don't have any coins. I tried to exchange with the mini mart at the airport but she asked me to exchange with the money exchanger. I was like "can I just have 1 dollars exchange with you? " because nobody was there at the money exchange.  After walking here and there and found no way to reach my family and friends, I took the subway to the dorm, yeah that's the horrible experience ever I have in New York. I know I should take taxi direct to the dorm, but I thought it wouldnt be so hard because I get used the subway in Singapore and Malaysia. Oh man! It was nothing near at all. It was scary. I couldn't catch the announcement. I took the wrong line. I didn't know where to take off. People in the train don't know the station I wanna get off. What should I do? But thanks god. I met a guy who knows the station I wanna get off well and he told me to get there. I am inally at High Street station. I have one big bags and two small bags but there is no lift at all. I learn that Americans don't like to have elevator at the station but it comes very handy at this moment. I brought my big bag up and with the little help from the girl who was waiting for the train to come, I am HERE.

Hello America!
Hello New York City!
Hello St. George Residence!
Hello Fulbright fellows!

I'm glad to be here.