#academicfellowship

[essentialise]

Receiving a Kavli Fellowship from the National Academy of Sciences. Priceless. #businesspsychology #nationalacademyofsciences #academicfellowship #scienceleadership #irvinecalifornia #britishscientist #futureofscience #stemchampions #scienceaward #blackscientist #ukscience #emergingleaders (at Beckman Center Of The National Academies Of Sciences And Engineering) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpk4AlvIbyj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[youngsoutheastasianleaders]

Hard to Analyze Love When You’re in it.

“I’m in the land of pine and air

Of mountain, squirrel and grizzly bear,

In the land of bitterroot and sagebrush, too.

Where trout filled streams are not a few.”

I’m in Montana and it is LOVE. And I give a nod to John Steinbeck when he said it’s hard to analyze love when you’re in it.

My YSEALI experience can’t be written in 140 characters. IG stories can’t speak enough about this 5-week academic institute. It’s more than just an Fb photo, more than just a blog. While all these can’t capture the littlest details of my journey, my heart can never lie on how much love this program can ever bring. Indeed, there’s no better way towards self-discovery than YSEALI.

And since it’s overwhelming, let me squeeze these countless experiences in 10!

The American University

I never thought that university settings in American movies would come to life! We just felt so privileged to be hosted by the University of Montana (UM) which is on the top 2.4% of Universities Worldwide (Center for World University Rankings). Over a couple of nights, our consciousness grapples with book chapters and case studies to prepare us for an exposure inside a “legit” American classroom, joining both bachelor’s degree and graduate school classes.  Every morning was colder than expected but we have to get our bikes unlocked and cross a bridge to reach school. Two well regarded UM courses –“Conservation Without Borders” with Dr. Len Broberg, and “Introduction to Climate Change” by Dr. Nicky Phear- were participated in by the fellows. We experienced watching a Shakespeare in the park play while sitting on our picnic mats, studied inside Montana’s largest 5-level library, enjoyed free food and souvenirs during the welcome feast, felt amazed by their Star Gazing Room, and joined an exclusive supplementary discussions at Davidsons Honors College. Students are very welcoming and bubbly but turns focused when it comes to studying- something that everyone should ponder in striking a balance.

Good Food, Good Mood

Bacons, eggs and patties wake us up with vigor! While most Asians are rice-eaters we took the time to enjoy a wide variety of salad and a daily vegetarian selection. The Food Zoo which is the university’s primary café serves rotating choice s of entrees, fresh fruits, desserts, and traditional fast food favorites. We were also introduced to cuisines from China, India, Vietnam, and Thai while savoring the flavor of fruits from Downtown Farmers Market up to the Cajun fries and Po Boys of Louisiana.

Service Projects

Roll sleeves and we’re ready to serve! Americans are sympathetic and openhanded.  They don’t only share; they assure the quality of what they share, since community involvements and civic responsibilities are known to be key aspects of American society. We harvested produce in the PEAS Farm which is also used for personal rehabilitation of troubled youth and adults through service education; repacked pretzels in Missoula Food Bank for distribution to school children; contributed to the maintenance of young poplar trees in Misssoula Hybrid Poplar Water Reclamation Project; and finally volunteered in D.C. Central Kitchen which uses food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds and build communities.

Educational Study Tour

Authentic learning is also found beyond classrooms. While based in Missoula, we enjoyed a variety of field trips throughout Montana. Lips can’t lie when it says “The snow glows white on the mountain tonight”, because the Glacier National Park handed to us our first trail, first slide, and first snow fight. I must say, the cold never bothered us anyway. Meanwhile, evening lecture on Apex Predators and Wildlife Conservation in th e Crown of the Continent as well as the Nat Geo’s Geotourism Project gave us a glimpse of their preservation initiatives. We also visited the state capitol in Helena, Anaconda Company mining of Butte and Miltown, and the Flathead Indian Reservation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Jam-packed as it may seem, all these tight schedules and long travels were unfelt when you just have karaoke buddies singing out loud over a carpool!

School Visits

I admit I missed home. But whenever I visitt other schools, I miss my own workplace, colleagues and my students even more. There’s a legit High School Musical feels as we paced along the hallways of the Arlee High School where we also played a Native American sport called “Lacrosse”. Also, the visit in Montana Tech University provided us with discussions on mining technology. What’s most interesting though is that young American students in Lewis and Clark Elementary School seemed to be native Filipino speakers after learning our language and culture. In fact, it wasn’t hard to handle them because they have such inquisitive minds and are ever curious about the world.

Outdoor Exploration

Our adventure spree kicked off by riding a chairlift to see the scenic view of Snowbowl Mountain Resort miles above the ground. This serves as ski resort during the winter and popular location for outdoor pursuits such as mountain biking and hiking in the summer. Most of the days may be freezing cold, so we look for ways to sweat a lot! We went on foot for a hike to the “M” on Missoula’s iconic Mt. Sentinel; conquered our fear of heights with the ropes course and climbing wall; and sailed the Clark Fork River in a whitewater rafting. There are a lot to explore from First Friday gallery night in Downtown Missoula to a Saturday Market with local artists and producers. “Go Griz” is our battle cry! We can’t help but scream in awe to show our support for UM’s Grizzly football game in America’s most popular sport. Indeed, our “Touchdown, Montana!” yell was more than literal!

One ASEAN

YSEALI is United States’ signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. And as chosen representatives of our countries, we discussed environmental concerns we face at home which made us reflect on our social responsibility and illuminated the many issues that transcend national borders. All of us were exposed to an array of seminar-workshops on climate change, forestry, water resource management, environmental impact assessment, ecological restoration, food security and transboundary issues where our speakers are the book authors themselves.  I must say, thi s US program went beyond just learning from every other ASEAN young leader—it forged linkages and created bonds which time can never erase. In fact, we don’t worry much anymore in travelling the world because we know at least one passionate leader and best friend who thrive in each of the ASEAN countries!

Homestay Experience

We definitely found a family away from home! We spent quality time with our host families over a weekend to experience first-hand how Americans live in a daily basis. Eating home-cooked dishes, hiking and biking for a hilltop picnic, exploring local restaurants and markets, discussing politics and similarities among countries, playing gamelan, and most especially taking the longest sleep in the whole program duration, were only few of the many experiences that made us feel at home amidst distance.

To the “Big Easy”, New Orleans

Big Hello to the Big Easy! This nationwide educational tour took us to New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana in order to study watershed management, natural disaster mitigation, and coastal climate change after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which was an extremely destructive and deadly tropical cyclone that hit the gulf coa st of US. Meanwhile, we grabbed the chance to venture French Quarter which reflects the neighborhood’s deep history seen in its beautiful 18th-century architecture, strolled the streets of Central Business District, and discovered Tremé which serves as a hub of African American and Créole culture in New Orleans. Also, the swamp day tour by boat through the Atchafalaya Basin took as into adventure through moss-draped trees and lingering alligators, while the Cajun culture got as dancing in a full night of music that keeps “joie de vivre” alive and flourishing.

US Capital City- Washington D.C.

We spent the final stop of our program in D.C. to learn about the formulation and enforcement of environmental legislation. The formal feels and busy vibe around the city brought our feet to the iconic memorials of the late presidents Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, while reading all remarkable quotes of Martin Luther King, Jr. Moreover, our visit in the Ocean Conservancy and the Greenpeace wrapped up our exposure with the most successful environmental organizations worldwide; and of course, the experience won’t be complete without a glimpse of The White House and the US Capitol.

All these myriad escapades taught me how to love a country that’s not my own. And this same love translates into a mission to serve my home. As a young millennial leader, 140 characters, IG stories, Fb posts and blogs can never fully express how grateful I am to have witnessed the brilliance of the outside world, the brilliance of drawing lines from the dots that connect us, and the brilliance of life that made these days happen.  I have had lots of stories to share. And these stories shall give life to little dreams built by love.