Two years ago, we sat on the floor of a local temple. My mother-in-law was praying nearby. We were whispering to each other.
I’d had an idea: “Let’s move to India for a year.”
And then, because some ideas are born just that quickly and whisper-y, we began exploring opportunities.
I discovered that my idea could be married with my academic desire of becoming a Fulbright scholar and teaching abroad. I dug into research and scheduled meetings with my university’s Fulbright liaison. Her feedback: If there is anyone made for a Fulbright, it’s you.
A year later (some ideas take that long and go through that much editing), I dispatched my crafted proposal to the Fulbright committee made up of academic peers who would review it for viability and either reject it or move it on to the next stage.
Four months later, I got an email from the committee, but waited until I was with Murali to open it. We opened it together and our eyes skimmed the text searching for keywords.
“….CONGRATULATIONS!” he exclaimed. He saw it first. “They’re saying congratulations! You got it!”
And indeed, they had approved it and moved it onto the next stage.
Six months after that on a Friday, another email. I found Murali in the house. We opened it together. The Fulbright-India committee said: Yes, come to India.
We stared at each other.
“It’s happening,” one of us said. I can’t remember whom. “We’re going to India!”
We started texting our families.
In the days following, there was a surge of emails. The Fulbright handbook (211 pages of it), forms, paperwork and an introduction to my host institution: Mt. Carmel College in Bangalore, a prestigious all-women’s liberal arts college. More emails and introductions with the director of the journalism school there.
Now, here we are, about three months removed from our mid-July departure date.
At this point, you might have some questions, so here are some of the ones we’ve been most frequently asked:
What about the dogs?
Tuck and Skye are going too! They’ll travel with us through the services of PetRelocation in Austin who have been great about meeting with us, emailing dozens of times over the past 18 months and even meeting Tuck and Skye in their offices.
Aren’t you having a kid?
Indeed. Baby girl will be about eight weeks old when we move and will spend her first year of life in her daddy’s country.
Do you know anyone in Bangalore?
Yes! We chose Bangalore because Murali’s mother, sister and brother-in-law live there.
What will Murali do?
He will do freelance consulting from home while also working on development projects. When I’m at the university, he’ll man the house, dogs and baby.
What about your cars?
We’ll sell them before we leave.
What about your house in Texas?
We’re renting it.
Are you nervous?
No. That’s not to say we haven’t looked at each other and asked: Are we in over our heads? But we both know that extraordinary decisions require extraordinary steps that, in the midst of packing and planning, involves an acknowledgement of the challenges that are likely to be ahead.
What will you do at Mt. Carmel College?
My proposal is multi-faceted and focuses on working with faculty to integrate solutions journalism into the journalism school while also working with community journalists. The details and logistics are unfolding.
What happens after the year in India?
We’ll move back to Texas and I’ll continue my tenure at Texas State University.
Keep me posted