Sara Pereira da Silva
The program of the seminar was extremely well designed and I have enjoyed every part of it. I had the chance to meet other Fulbrighters that one way or another are involved in the Arts. Throughout my experience here in the Us I met other Fulbright participants with interests in multiple areas, including forensic sciences, law, engineering and others, however, it was rewarding to share ideas and network with people directly involved in the arts world. During the four days of activities in Philadelphia we were introduced to meaninguful art projects around the city. This included the project of mural painting that started in the 80´s as en educative project to clean and solve the city´s problem with grafitti. We learned about this project directly from the person behind it since its creation. This was one the most touching lectures I have ever experienced and the speaker got a standing ovation from almost 150 Fulbright participants. Moreover, participants engaged in a practical workshop that consisted in helping to paint one of the murals for city of Philadelphia. The fact that we were creating something together brought us together in a deeper way and allowed us to engage in meaningful intercultural dialogues. At the same time we had enough time to explore the city and learn about the history of the first capital of the United States. The dining experience hosted by an American family was a good opportunity to have an inside perspective on American culture and to share a little bit of ours. We discussed education, politics, sports and we all had a nice time. I learned a lot in these four days and was happy to meet extraordinary people that I keep contact with. Compared to the gateway seminar in the beginning of my experience, the enrichment seminar was much more engaging and I truly believed that was due to the topic. The arts do have an important role when it comes to bring cultures together and enhance dialogue amongst them. I am deeply honored to have had this experience. Thank you Fulbright!