Fulbright Alumni Indaba Conference

With my students "writing" their exams this week and next week, it was a relatively low-key week at Wits (it's odd to say "writing" exams - another South Africanism). I spent time working on a few projects and preparing for a presentation for the Fulbright Alumni Indaba Conference later in the week.

On Thursday morning, Mariann (the other Fulbrighter) and I went to the US Consulate in Johannesburg to be picked up by a State Department bus to take us to the conference. The conference was about an hour northwest of Johannesburg, in Magaliesburg. Magaliesburg is a little village in a mountainous region - a good escape from the city. We (about 300 conference-goers) stayed at Mount Grace Country Home & Spa, a beautiful resort with conference facilities. I had never been to such a resort: each person had their own bungalow (see pictures) and the bungalows were scattered along the hillside, with golf cart tracks for the staff to taxi you to-from your room.

The aim of the conference as to bring together Fulbright Alumni in South Africa, current American Fulbrighters in South Africa, South African Fulbrighters getting ready to study in America, and other Fulbright programs (like President Obama's Young African Women Leadership Initiative). On Thursday, the Fulbrighters in South Africa (from the US) presented their research and/or what they've been doing so far in South Africa. I enjoyed presenting - reflecting on the last five months and refocusing on the next five months. I also appreciated hearing about what my colleagues have been doing in their respective institutions. The remainder of Thursday, all of Friday, and Saturday morning consisted of guest speakers, break-out sessions, and networking. Overall, I was impressed with the caliber of attendees - some of the leading business people and politicians in South Africa. We heard speeches from the former Chief Justice of the South African Supreme Court, the CEO of the South African Football Association, and a famous South African journalist (all alumnae).

In the evenings, after the sessions, I enjoyed talking to the other Fulbright Scholars (both current and former). I spent a good deal of time talking to a researcher from the University of Florida, who busy modeling elephants in Kruger National Park. An engineer by trade, he is setting up computer models to best track and analyze elephants' behavior to maintain biodiversity (elephants are notoriously destructive to the environment). We talked about the "solution" to elephants and maintaining both populations and the environment (elephants are gaining numbers exponentially). Oddly enough, one suggested method is to shoot elephants with chili-filled paintballs, to discourage (and annoy) the elephants from going to watering holes during the day (supposedly they linger and cause more damage). It was also nice to catch up with all of the other ETAs - all of whom were flown in for the conference from Stellenbosch, Port Elizabeth, and Bloemfontein.

Overall, the conference was much better than I anticipated. I wasn't too terribly excited to go (except to see everyone), but I feel like it was worthwhile and helped me to refocus.

And…Forza Azzurri! (Euro 2012 Soccer has begun, exciting!)