Many Fulbright scholars are accompanied by their spouse/partner. Some bring their children too.  During their stay abroad, the person with the grant is focused on his/her work - research, teaching and professional development.  The accompanying family, meanwhile, is in a new country - sometimes in a place where they don't even speak the local language well.

During the 2008-2009 academic year, the Fulbright Academy is working with individual alumni to create a spouse network.  This network will help the family address some of the issues and challenges that can be part of an international experience. Challenges may include local schools for children, family health insurance or pregnancy, ongoing professional development for your spouse, driving licenses and government bureaucracy, and vacation planning.  By sharing knowledge and experience, this network may be able to help your family to be more successful in their temporary home, so that the Fulbright scholar can be more successful in his/her work.

Here are some of the locations of Fulbright spouses, followed by their home country.

CA - Stanford:   Thailand
DE - Newark:   Brazil
FL - Melbourne:   Brazil
FL - Tampa:   Malaysia
MI - Ann Arbor:   Brazil
NJ:   Sri Lanka
NY - Binghamton:   Palestine
NY - New York:   Pakistan
NY - New York:   Poland
NY - Valhalla:   Nepal
OK - Norman:   Zambia
WA - Seattle:   Sri Lanka 

To join the network, please click here and fill out the membership form

Please that this network is only in the early stages of its creation, so we may not be able to immediately respond to all of your needs.  Also be aware that we are looking for individuals to help lead this initiative during the 2008-09 academic year.

If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please send a note to the Academy:  ehoward@FulbrightAcademy.org.