Tema Milstein
University of New Mexico
Fulbright to New Zealand
I was lucky to receive a Fulbright Scholar award for 2012 to the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. I’m here now, gazing beyond my computer screen across emerald green hills and listening to the melodious calls of tui birds. The experience of doing my research here, getting to know colleagues and friends, and introducing my family to a different way of life is unmatchable.
There are basics the application requires, such as having a host institution. I had met colleagues in New Zealand by attending an international conference several years earlier that focused on one of my study topics (marine tourism) and when I approached a couple of them later about their university acting as my host institution, they were supportive. Many universities, and many countries, don’t have communication emphases, but many are interested in the kind of work communication scholars do as it relates to their shared topic area, so expanding one’s paradigm beyond the confines of communication can broaden Fulbright destination possibilities.
There are also things you can do to help your application stand out and rise through the different steps of the selection process. One is to do your homework about your country of choice so you can accurately represent cultural and social issues and show how your work might matter or positively contribute. Another is to show how your former studies (the one I highlighted was an environmental communication study on North American ecotourism) might culturally compare to your proposed study (for me, ecotourism in New Zealand).
One thing to note is that each country has its own spin on the awards with different amounts of time and different purposes. New Zealand’s 5-month research award perfectly matched the time I had for leave in my pretenure research semester at the University of New Mexico.
Thanks, Noemia – I’ve passed your email on to Tema and she’ll reply directly. Wendy
My name is Noémia Bárbara and I teach Leisure and Recreation to a Master’s in Ecotourism in Portugal, at Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra. I met Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz at a workshop recently and asked her about so many things and she gave me your contact to ask you about particularities of Ecoturism. I hold a PhD in education, in English language teaching, but due to budget cuts I find myself teaching tourism course units, for which I am getting prepared by reading on my own. I will be attending a congress in Wellington, next August but on my vocational area and I plan to visit the two islands in 2 weeks. Nevertheless, for me and for my students NZ is a haven destination for ecotourism. Could you tell me whether it is easy to find papers on recreation activities in nature in New Zealand? I am also having difficulty in finding papers that deal with the developmental psychology of adults and play, especially what makes them search extreme activities. Finally, I would love to know what you are doing in your research at Auckland University. I have one student that is working in marine tourism and he would love to do his PhD in NZ.
Sorry, if this is too much and I am bothering you. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards