Embarking on Fulbright: Navigating Uncertainty, Discovering Resilience

Picture this: a 38-year-old researcher, on the edge of a journey that was once uncertain, now certain. After four months of anticipation and challenges, during the visa waiting period, my Fulbright journey is about to begin. These past months have been a rollercoaster of emotions, marked by the anxiety of waiting and the difficulty of planning research and life without a clear departure date.

During this uncertainty, I found comfort in writing, a constant companion during challenging times. As I awaited my visa, I channeled my energy into three papers that had been lingering on my to-do list. Writing became a source of stability, a way to navigate the unknown. 

 

Yet, the anxiety of the past four months also prompted reflection. It led me to consider the significance we attribute to work, career plans, and research pursuits. The meticulous plans I had made for the year, centred around the Fulbright Program, were disrupted. It led me to question the feasibility of maintaining a career development plan, especially when confronted with constant setbacks and the unpredictable nature of funding opportunities (at least in Portugal!).

 

The experience also shed light on the struggles of countless students waiting to study abroad, losing precious time that could be spent exploring alternative opportunities. 

Time, an irreplaceable resource, often slips away unnoticed.

 

But now, as I embark on my Fulbright program, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment. The journey, though challenging, feels like crossing the middle lands toward a destination that holds promise and potential. Like Bilbo in The Hobbit, who declared, “I am going on an adventure,” I have faced obstacles, and the adventure is just beginning. 

Here's to the blockbuster that awaits, and to the resilience that pushes us forward, even when the path is uncertain. Onward to new challenges, new discoveries, and the fulfillment of long-awaited dreams.