Vusani Thingahangwi Tshivhase - Fulbright Student from South Africa
Field: Public Health
Host Institution: University of Georgia, Athens
Grant Dates: August 2009 - May 2011
Tshivhase (right) and colleague Chelsea Futrell at a public health outreach event.
A few years ago, studying in the U.S. was just a dream that was too far to reach. A dream that somebody like me, from a rural South African village, would never get to experience. But “never” is a very strange word because I am living that dream today. I have no words to describe how wonderful, excellent and empowering the Fulbright Program is. In 2009, I was given the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in public health at the University of Georgia in Athens. I couldn’t believe I had won a Fulbright at first. It was almost like someone was playing a joke on me. But it was true!
Athens, Georgia, is a small college town, unlike New York, Los Angeles or what most people in South Africa see on television about the U.S. The people in Athens are very friendly, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity. Miraculously, I found a home away from home when I arrived in Athens: Ellen and Stuart Nelson took me under their wings and helped me to settle in. I lived with them for two weeks before I could move into my apartment, and ever since then, they have been more than parents to me. If it weren’t for them, my first days or months in the U.S. would have been extremely difficult. The only problem I had when I first arrived was the language barrier. My English is good, but the accent was the problem. I could understand them, but, at first, they had difficulties with my accent.
On the academic side, I love the support system that the faculty provides here. They really go all out to help and make you feel at home. On the social side, I have made a lot of friends and am proud to say that my network is now global. For instance, I have a blast with my roommate, who is South Korean.
My stay here in the U.S. has opened my eyes to a lot of things. Before, I was not a risk taker and was afraid to spread my wings and try out new things. But my Fulbright experience taught me that the world is my playing field. I can try out anything I want at anytime. The sky is the limit. This new attitude has allowed me to embrace new opportunities. For example, I was able to become a member of and attend a conference of the American Public Health Association, one of the biggest public health organizations in the United States. The conference was in Denver last year, and the experience was magnificent. I have never seen so many people with one common goal come together to make a difference.
My stay here has also expanded my awareness of my field of study. Public health is not only about diseases or epidemics but includes everything that affects human health. At the University of Georgia, I am focusing on health policy and management because I am interested in making and analyzing health policies. I believe that good policymaking followed by excellent implementation produces a healthy nation; that’s exactly what I want to do in South Africa with what I have learned here. I want to help reduce the health disparities that face my country. A lot of people there are dying from preventable diseases, which I find unacceptable. I want to work in my community to address these disparities. I always wanted to make a difference in everything I do, and I am happy to say that in public health I found a career that will allow me to do that.
My journey does not end here, though. The Fulbright Program is just the beginning of a wonderful trip that lies ahead. My education here is my tool to success, and I will use it to my advantage in serving my country. Even though I never imagined I would have the chance to study in the United States on a Fulbright, it happened!
To the U.S.-South Africa Fulbright Program