My Fulbright Experience – Renee Flasher

«My Fulbright experience sowed seeds for future transformation for both my family and me. My family grew closer together as we navigated and learned about Portugal. There were many firsts throughout the Fulbright, starting with my children’s first international flight.We explored Portuguese culture and history in depth during our time in Lisboa and the surrounding area. Whether it was sampling ginja at Óbidos, traveling to Fort of São João Baptista das Berlengas, hearing a fado performance at Casa-Museu Amália Rodrigues, or listening to a guided tour of Casa Fernando Pessoa, the children experienced the musical, literary, and natural history of Portugal. My son enjoyed eating the caracóis and learning how to make pastel de nata. My daughter’s favorite museum was the Centro do Terramoto de Lisboa. My middle child enjoyed beach days at Praia de Carcavelos. My personal favorite memory is learning about the use of chickens as life preservers on the Dom Fernando II e Glória.

The depth of our experience stretched far beyond the museums as we participated in the neighborhood’s O Dia da Crianca celebration, explored activities such as Kids City at Spacio Shopping mall, and the children attended swim classes for four weeks at the municipal pool. We experienced intimate moments in the city as we explored the various Lisboa neighborhoods using the trams, ferries, buses, cable cars, and metro. The neighborhood restaurants, shopping at Continente and Pingo Doce, and apartment living contrasted with our typical American suburban car-centric lifestyle, where everything is on 24-7 demand (not closed between 3-7 pm). This cultural difference and the requirement to navigate daily life in a different country resulted in a shift in my perspective.

The perspective shift motivated me to seize unusual and different professional opportunities. Opportunities to participate in general conferences/presentations, such as Europe as a Global Actor and Breathing with the Oceans, helped my comprehension of human rights within a European context. My understanding of the social and societal rationale for the design of the enforcement mechanisms I examined as my main research project increased along objective and emotional dimensions. In addition, I expanded my professional network with workshops and conference participation, such as the USP & ISCTE Doctoral Colloquium in Accounting Research. My proposed research project moved forward with initial descriptive result presentations at both ISCTE and the Fundação Luso-Americana as part of the Fulbright 65 initiative.

While my research was the main focus of this Fulbright, I also experienced significant growth in my teaching knowledge and skills. I participated in an artificial intelligence seminar, reflecting the worldwide academic struggle with adapting to new technological influences. I also participated in a local government conference around decentralization that provided a great opportunity to reflect on how I teach my American local government accounting class. Finally, my sensitivity for any non-native English speaking student in my classroom exponentially grew. After my Fulbright experience, my personal and professional growth has been immense. I look forward to seeing how this experience fundamentally transforms me, my career, and my family in the future.»