Pre-Fellowship Thoughts

With my newly-purchased and nearly-packed 30" wheeled duffel and carry-on luggage next to me, I cannot believe my fellowship is almost here. Time has flown by since the German Marshall Fund issued the press release announcing the 2009 Marshall Memorial Fellows.

In 5 days, I will begin my 31-day European adventure. All 18 Summer Fellows will kick off the program in DC for a few days and then head to Brussels together to receive an overview of the EU. After Brussels, we will split up into groups for each of the next 3 legs: I will be going to Hamburg, Barcelona, and Skopje. The fellows will reunite in Berlin, where I anticipate that we will commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I will conclude my trip with a mini-vacation to Athens and the Greek islands and will return to LA in time to celebrate Independence Day.

I've spent the last several months preparing for the program, including:

• Seeking advice from numerous past fellows on how to make the most of my experience;
• Reading up on the EU and The Economist, of course;
  
• Purchasing a Netbook to document my trip;
• Using tripadvisor and other online travel forums to put together mini-travel guides for each city I'm visiting;
  
• Hosting the Spring European fellows at Sony Pictures for a day in March;
• Attending the annual US Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs, held in DC in early May.

Already, I've learned so much about myself through this experience. Working on the application compelled me to highlight my accomplishments to date and reevaluate my 5- to 10-year personal and professional goals. Connecting with the European fellows, hearing their fellowship stories, and observing their group dynamics during panel discussions with Sony Motion Pictures Executives exposed me to the format of the program. Through the Marshall Forum, I met brilliant fellows that make up this incredible network and participated in several meetings that focused on the Obama Administration's First 100 Days. Though the attendees had varying perspectives, I noticed a recurring theme: the US and Europe are similar in values and history, and it is in our best interests to build a strategic partnership.

As the final countdown to my trip begins, I reflect on my goals for the program:

• Be prepared, inquisitive, and diplomatic during group meetings and my individual appointments;
• Respect and learn from my group's different viewpoints;
  
• Meet with European fellows in each city and gather information on their fellowship experiences in America and perception on transatlantic affairs;
• Tie in the transatlantic relationship to issues for which I am passionate: the economy, the war, social equality, women's rights, immigration, and the environment;
  
• Give back to the program by remaining connected and engaged to the network after the fellowship ends;
• "Pay it forward": extend advice to AMMF Lucy Okumu, who leaves for her trip in the fall, as Spring LA fellow Troy Brashear did with me prior to my departure.
  

I am honored, thrilled, anxious, and grateful. I will make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Europe, here I come!

Well, almost...

First stop: Washington, DC, to meet the other fellows and receive our orientation.