How to make the most of an English Teaching Assistant Fulbright award

April 1, 2019 4:38 PM

I've just been offered an English Teaching Assistant Fulbright for Jordan in 2019-2020! I'm really excited and grateful for it and I will likely accept, even though I don't know all the details yet. My question is a little about whether it's worth it, but more about how to make the best use of this opportunity so that it will continue to help me in the future if I do indeed accept it.

For some context, I taught 5th grade English in Palestine for two years after studying Arabic and the Middle East at a fairly anonymous state university. I also graduated in 2015 when I was 25 years old. As you can imagine, I found teaching rewarding and exhausting. I applied for the Fulbright after that experience, but since then I have been working in the US in a different field (homelessness prevention). I've really liked my job so far and I'm able to use Arabic daily as part of my work, which is really exciting. But there's no real growth in it and the financial compensation is not great...

I know Fulbright is a prestigious name in itself, but I feel a little self-conscious that this is "just" an English teaching Fulbright, not a research project. I'm also self-conscious that I'm not 22-24 like most Fulbright English teachers. I'm wondering if I kind of missed the boat for the Fulbright name to help me with future career or academic aspirations, or if that is inaccurate.

BUT I'd love to return to the Middle East and do this, especially if I would be teaching a college course (again, don't know the details yet)! My future aspirations are also not concrete (maybe grad school, maybe not, maybe teaching, maybe not... etc). Beyond doing my best in whatever teaching role is given and being involved in the local community, what are some other ways I can make the most of this opportunity? Did you do a Fulbright? What stands out about the experience when you apply for jobs/schools? What do you wish you had done more of? Did you take up some kind of professional internship or start a project that made the experience much more beneficial? If I didn't accept it, could I still put the award offer on my resume and explain my reasons for turning it down? Or would that look funny? Was there something you got involved with that really made a difference in the experience?

Even though there are loads of non-professional and personal reasons for me to go, for better or for worse I feel the need to prove to myself the professional, or at least academic benefits, for doing this.

posted by Corduroy to Work & Money (19 answers total)

Former Fulbright er here.

It is prestigious and will mark you as a "high-achieving" person for the rest of your life.

No one will ever take the time to figure out what kind of Fulbright it was. Most people won't know the difference.

You will be improved as a human by this experience and your career will be improved. Unless someone is offering you a high-paying job in the states, or you are at high risk for health/mental health issues, you should probably go and do it. If you aren't sure what you want to do next, this is a great year to take to think about it.

I do think it would be weird to put it on your resume if you don't go.

The purpose of the Fulbright program is to increase connection between Americans and other countries. Make friends, join groups, volunteer, and you are achieving that goal. I volunteered at a community cafe, kept a blog, and got involved with the queer student group at the local university.
posted by thelastpolarbear at 5:16 PM on April 1, 2019 [13 favorites]

Even if you don’t end up going, you are still a Fulbright awardee and can put it on your resume. I’d put it in the “Awards/Honors” section rather than the “Experience” section, in that case. It indicates that your experience and background made you a successful candidate for a prestigious competition.

You can put aside your squidginess at the “only” the teaching assistant instead of research part. If you were planning a career in academia, the research Fulbright would indeed be useful, but it sounds like your strengths lay in working with people, especially young people, and helping the less fortunate. A teaching Fulbright will be a wonderful experience for you!

I was offered the chance to take some classes at the local university, and it was interesting to see the difference n academic culture. I was encouraged to do after school activities (think knitting club, baseball, etc) with the kids, but I didn’t. Mostly I just enjoyed living in another country and traveled as much as possible.
posted by Liesl at 5:18 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Liesl, thanks for clarifying that for me! Yes, I was imagining putting it an Awards/Honors section, with a parentheses saying "Declined for professional reasons" or something along those lines. Still arguably strange looking, though.
posted by Corduroy at 5:25 PM on April 1, 2019

Nah, I think a Fulbright ("even" a teaching one) is sufficiently prestigious that mentioning a declined one wouldn't look weird to me on a resume in anyone early to mid-career. And I'm someone who reads resumes with a very critical eye.

I note that your bio says you're married--I assume you've thought through whether your spouse would be comfortable in the Middle East. That for me would be the only big hesitation.
posted by praemunire at 5:30 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I note that your bio says you're married--I assume you've thought through whether your spouse would be comfortable in the Middle East. That for me would be the only big hesitation.

Definitely. We met while teaching in Palestine, and she is so far more intent on us going than me! It will become more complicated if her application to a grad program is accepted, but we'll just have to cross that bridge then.
posted by Corduroy at 5:36 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Please note that the way that Fulbright pays can be really difficult on your taxes. They'll mention it in orientation briefly but be sure to hire a CPA that can help you with your taxes. You'll likely owe money.
posted by k8t at 6:01 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

I was a Fulbright TA in Germany. It was wonderful!! Definitely do it! A lot of Fulbrighters are young but there are others of different ages. I did mine at 22 but, honestly, it might have been easier socially had I been a bit older since most teachers in Germany are 30+. People were great but I felt a bit inexperienced.

I assume your position is part-time? That gives you so much time to explore other options, including a research project of your choosing. What did I do in my free-time? I studied art at university, joined a capoeira club, participated in an improv team, volunteered at a fair trade shop, did weekend day trips by train in the surrounding region, and more. Being married with a spouse who is as excited as you is perfect; you'll have each other's company and an extra person to meet new people with.

As others have said, a Fulbright grant is very prestigious and a great experience. I deferred starting grad school for a year because of it and had no problems; should your wife get in, she can likely do this as well. Even though she's not the one with the Fulbright, the schools certainly know it's something special.

Finally, the fact that some people would call it "just" a teaching position shows how ignorant we are about the value of education in the US; fortunately, no one in the real world actually cares or thinks that and, if they did, it would be a sign of their issues, not yours.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:08 PM on April 1, 2019 [2 favorites]

Additionally, my mentors and co-teachers were amazing and helped me become the strong educator I am today. My students were 5-10th grade and absolutely delightful; the younger ones would literally clap and cheer when I walked in. The older ones liked being seen and treated as young adults. The middle schoolers were squirrelly and mischievous but also the sweetest. College students are rad, too. You will likely be a bit of a local celebrity, and that's a nice thing to experience once in life. Also, with Trump in office wrecking havoc internationally and domestically, we need strong ambassadors of American culture. You know, the good stuff: tolerance, curiosity, friendliness, and open-mindedness. You will be doing important diplomatic work on a one-on-one level, both in the classroom and when out and about. I mean, think of how meaningful and good it would be to have a Jordanian TA come to the US to share their culture and language? Fulbright scholarships are seen as a huge honor in the US because they are just that, work that is hard but also rewarding and of great value to many.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:14 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Former Fulbrighter here. I think the prestige helped me get funding in grad school, but beyond that I'm not sure it's helped much in any practical way (I guess I don't advertise widely that I've done one unless it comes up organically, e.g. when speaking with someone else who also did). I also am not sure I made optimal use of the year; I spent a lot of time in my lab, and I got to know my housemates and my labmates, but really nobody outside that set. But I'm an introvert and that's how I am, wherever I am, and I learned things from those people that would have been harder to learn here, like what it means to be American in a world where America is hegemonic, and what it feels like to be a foreigner. Those things feel like inestimable benefits to me, and I wouldn't trade them.
posted by eirias at 6:29 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Fulbrights are awarded at various ages and levels. It is worthy in of itself and definitely can be included on the CV. Regarding your spouse and graduate school, it is reasonable to defer graduate school entry due to a Fulbright. Lord knows that is a better reason than some that have been offered previously.

To maximize the Fulbright, you must be sure to attend all Fulbright functions and ceremonies in the host country. Do not miss the scheduled orientations or reduce your time commitment in such a way that you lose impact. I Knew someone who was late into her Fulbright and lost a lot of momentum because she did not get to network with the other Fulbrights or the hosts, such as administrators and ministers of the host country.
posted by jadepearl at 6:40 PM on April 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Former Fulbrighter here. You're getting a lot of good advice (including the caution about your taxes). It is absolutely a major honor, no matter what kind of award it is. Nothing you've said seems to me like a reason to turn it down -- in fact, if you're not sure what you want to be doing in life, then this seems to me like an ideal opportunity to figure some of that out. And no, 30 is not at all too late to be doing this.
posted by pleasant_confusion at 7:17 PM on April 1, 2019 [3 favorites]

Holy Fulbright, Batman. I'm a Fulbright DAST (distinguished award short term consultancy) recipient. I chose not to go but have it on my resume under awards. I got in when I was in my late 40's, so you're not THAT old.

Congratulations!
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 3:03 AM on April 2, 2019 [2 favorites]

I've known Fulbright recipients from both sides of the Atlantic and it is so definitely worth fully exploring (see jadepearl's comment). As others have said, it marks you out as someone special and it sounds as if it has come at a perfect time in your life. Go grab it!
posted by humph at 4:46 AM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

Just to provide some counterbalance as someone who doesn't have a connection to Fulbright, since most of the answers so far are from people who have been involved with the program themselves-- I don't know what kind of field you're looking to get into, but I work in government and would find it odd and a little off-putting to see a declined opportunity on someone's resume if I were hiring.
posted by dusty potato at 6:46 AM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

Wow, congratulations on the award! It warms my heart (and surprises me not at all) that there are so many Fulbrighters in this community! I also did a Fulbright ETA in Germany. It led to grad school and what I thought would be a teaching career, but I swerved and landed in my current position advising university students on their applications for Fulbright and other awards.
Is it worth it? I think yes (mine was absolutely worth it and a phenomenal experience), but ask yourself what it will cost you.
How to make the most of it? I think getting really involved in your local community and contributing to the Fulbright community at a larger scale can help you maximize the potential impact - which on some level is about the human connections you make during your time abroad. I got involved in some local teacher groups and did some volunteering, but all kinds of engagement work. It sounds like the Jordan Fulbright folks are very supportive and involved, which will probably help. You may find this resource by and for ETAs helpful/interesting: https://fulbridge.org/ I wish it had existed during my ETA year.
Only put Fulbright on your resume if you accept it OR you're prepared to explain why you declined it. FWIW I typically see this when the applicant has been offered some other opportunity and has to decide (think Rhodes).
Finally, the ETAs are 100% Fulbrights and every bit as prestigious as other types of grants! ETAs can be more competitive than study/research grants in some countries - including Jordan. So be proud of this accomplishment, because it is pretty darn impressive!
posted by phisbe at 9:39 AM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you all for the thoughtful advice (and affirmations!). Sounds like the CV thing is a risk and depends on how well I could answer the question of why I turned it down (which I don't plan on doing).

If anyone has any more thoughts on how to make the most of the time professionally, I'd be very grateful. Or if you know about interesting projects that former ETAs did that really made their Fulbright time more well-rounded and set them up better for future opportunities, I'm all ears! Looks like the Fulbridge website is a good place to start!
posted by Corduroy at 10:49 AM on April 2, 2019

I do Fulbright interviews for my university and in my experience, ETAs that have a particular hobby/interest and that have done a bit of legwork getting connected to that hobby/interest community tend to do well. For example, someone that was really into karate found a dojo online and chatted with them about being involved upon arrival. This allows for more cultural interaction outside of the classroom. Similarly, one of my graduate students is currently doing a research Fulbright and she got involved with a dance team. Of course it can be hard to do this legwork before arrival, but it cannot hurt either. This is all about overall happiness with the experience.
I've never heard about an ETA taking on an additional internship or formal project... in part because I suspect being an ETA can be super overwhelming and the schedules are stricter than research Fulbright.

But as far as concrete things that will help you in your future career?
- Fulbright is a widely recognized name in many sectors. (I have had 2 and it always impresses people.)
- I don't know if it is going to do much for you career-wise otherwise though, since you already have the language skills, the time spent abroad, and teaching experience from your previous gig.

In my experience as a graduate advisor, I've found that the biggest assets that ETAs have is better language skills than the average student, some teaching experience, and probably some broader adaptability. But you also bring that to the table already with your previous experience. ETAs don't have the additional research experience that a research Fulbrighter would. But the Fulbright name on your CV would probably catch an eye or two on an admissions committee, so that's good if you're thinking about applying to some sort of graduate program in the future. Also maybe taking a bit of a life break would give you some time to apply to graduate programs? I would suggest taking the GRE or whatever before you leave though, as that can be quite a pain when abroad.

Overall, if you want a little life break and your current job isn't making you happy, do the Fulbright. But if your bigger goal is to find a job where you make more money, maybe investing your energy into something else would be a better way to spend a year?
posted by k8t at 12:37 PM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: - Fulbright is a widely recognized name in many sectors. (I have had 2 and it always impresses people.)
- I don't know if it is going to do much for you career-wise otherwise though, since you already have the language skills, the time spent abroad, and teaching experience from your previous gig.


I think this hits the nail on the head regarding my hesitation. I know Fulbright is unquestionably a good thing to have on my resume, and I think it could show positive growth, like graduating from my previous "non-prestigious" teaching experience to a teaching experience with more name recognition. There is no doubt in my mind that taking this opportunity would be valuable in all sorts of ways, I just think I need it to be valuable in different ways than the average 22-25 year old English teaching Fulbrigther. I think that's why I'm trying to come up with practical ways that can make the experience more impactful, since in some respects I've already had a similar experience.

For me, I think that means spending some time thinking of a sustainable, realistic project that I'm passionate about and can work on while teaching part-time. And making sure to put effort into networking in meaningful ways, especially early on (or even before going).

Thanks again for the help!
posted by Corduroy at 2:03 PM on April 2, 2019

I used to live in Jordan a while ago and tended to hang out with the Fulbrighters. They seemed happy they did the program, and it seemed like a good experience with a great community. However, Jordan is a very boring country to live in. You will absolutely need a hobby or an internship on the side or you will go crazy. The most successful Fulbrighters were the busiest ones. I went to the gym every day, took Arabic classes, and taught an English class part-time and I was still going out of my mind with boredom most days. I've heard it's easier to find things to do in Palestine.

As a woman I found it very difficult to make friends with locals because the people I met in public spaces were pretty much always men who were sexually interested in me, but who didn't particularly care who I was as a person. Expat men had a way easier time meeting people and more interesting experiences, so use that as an advantage especially because your SO might have a much more difficult social life.

All that being said, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and if you're interested in starting a career in humanitarian work in the Middle East, Jordan is a great place to get those internships.
posted by Penguin48 at 3:59 PM on April 2, 2019