I got back from my trip to Paraguay just over a week ago. I cannot stop raving about how wonderful it is to have the support of the Office of Global Engagement to friends, family, colleagues, and peers at TC. I’ve also emphasized to my sponsor about how fortunate I feel to have been able to go down this summer in advance of my full year stay next year. 

As it turns out, being in Paraguay this summer, I discovered that the scope of my dissertation/Fulbright needs to shift slightly. The original plan was for me to facilitate co-design workshops at the team’s laboratory space with children and community members. Now, though, the team has had to shift and purchase a different plot of land than expected (in a low-income, yet hugely historic neighborhood) for the Museum. There, they need to do more community work and community building within the neighborhood as opposed to bringing people to their laboratory. I am now working on a proposal with colleagues there to retrofit a motocarro for community programming we will develop with kids in local neighborhood schools. I would not have been able to reformulate and prepare adequately to start this up come February without having been there. [The nature of] my dissertation research is very grounded in the ongoing building of relationships/trust with the MuCi Team. Being there this July allowed me to spend time in conversation with each team member individually, and as a group too. I was able to collect observations in their laboratory space for three days, conduct informal interviews with six team members, participate in two community outreach events, and immerse myself in the city and specific neighborhood where the Museum is set to be built next year. 

I recommend peers at TC highly consider an international travel grant, particularly in the service of deepening relationships toward research and practice abroad. It is so important for us to spend time with our research colleagues, and this grant helps make that time and energy possible. I’d be happy to speak with any/all peers about ideas and opportunities!