The VCU Humphrey Fellows "Make It Happen"!!!

Continuing the BLOG series

Hi everybody, I named this blog “Make It Happen” because I found the strength in our 2010-11 VCU fellows’ team that we can always really make it happen. There are lots and lots of things that I would like to tell you in this blog to show how we can make it. Our team became close more like a gang. It’s pretty hard to find single photos these days from several events that we have been through. By the way, it’s my first time to write a blog and I would prefer to tell our story in chronological order, I hope I will do a good job for all! J

Before, I move on telling you more stories about what’s going on during our fellowship program this year, let’s say “good-bye” to the former blogger, Omar El Shahawy, who did a great job and set a bar high for the other VCU fellows this year. Thank you so much, Omar for such a wonderful startJ.

From the last BLOG series

The last blogger left us with a precious moment we had had together in Jamestown and Williamsburg. This trip was considered an invaluable travel that all of us spent a first overnight and historical study tour together about the USA in the eighteenth century during 8 – 9 October, 2010. Jamestown and Williamsburg, two cities of the historic triangle that gave birth to the United States, and a huge nation grew from a tiny place in Virginia. In that same tiny place, Europeans, American Indians, and Africans first lived together and became the seed of the American people. You could read more from
http://historictriangle.com/historicTriangle/. I would like to share with you some of our group photosJ.

IIE Coming to VCU and meeting the Fellows

Once we got back from the trip to Jamestown and Williamsburg, we had a chance to welcome a visitor, Lauren Stewart, from Institute of International Education (IIE), during 12 - 13 October 2010. Lauren spent two wonderful days with us and we took her out for a nice dinner together. We promised to see each other again at the Global Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. at the end of OctoberJ.   

October Camping
There are many opportunities provided for VCU Humphrey fellows and family by the Global Educational Office (GEO) of VCU besides our normal HHH program. One interesting activity is the camping and hiking trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the place where Richmond folks believe that it is always the most beautiful place to smell the mountain air of a fresh autumn forest color during October 16 – 17, 2010. Unfortunately, due to prior engagements of most of the fellows, only I and Mario’s family could join this activity.  It was really happy to hike up to the highest point of the mountain and had a photo shoot with other GEO students during that timeJ. 

Global Leadership Forum 

Global Leadership Forum(GLF) was the platform where all Humphrey fellows all over the US come to meet and greet as well as build up network. This event is held annually and specially for Humphrey fellows. This year, the event was conducted during the 24 – 28 October 2010 at Marriott Key Bridge Hotel, Arlington, Virginia. We had chances to join reception dinner hosted by the Department of State, meet new friends from other universities, visited high school, and exchanged views with other fellows to prepare ourselves as the next generation leadersJ.

The most auspicious moment we all had was a chance that all Humphrey fellows met with Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during Department of State reception held on October 26, 2010. This event was part of a week long Global Leadership Forum hosted by IIE for the 2010 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows. Her speech for all Humphrey fellows can be obtained at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/10/149938.htmJ.

On Wednesday, 27 October 2010, Bob joined the GLF and spent dinner with all of us at the seafood restaurant closed to the hotelJ.

The conference on the New Frontier in Addiction Treatment: Evidence-Based Policy and Practice  

Back-to-back with the Global Leadership Forum, as I mentioned earlier that VCU Humphrey Fellows became more as a gang, all of us continued attending the conference related to evidence-based treatment which was held at Sheraton National Hotel, Arlington during 28 – 31 October 2010. The conference was very useful and informative. We met lots of experts in Substance Abuse field and listened to valuable research studies on drug addictionJ.

Halloween Night in Richmond

As you know that the 31^st of October was Halloween Night, VCU Humphrey Fellows also did not forget to spend time to explore the meaning of Halloween Night in the USA.

On Hanover Street, downtown Richmond, we gathered ourselves at a friend of Randy’s house, watching Richmond folks decorated themselves as ghosts (lovely ghosts) and houses horribly as well as observing activities along the road. It’s AWESOME!

VCU Humphrey Fellows Study Visit to SAARA, Richmond

Among all busy days, HHH Program at VCU still continued enhancing our professional knowledge and network. On November 5^th, 2010, we visited Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance or SAARA of Virginia which is a recovery community organization for drug addicts. Membership includes individuals in recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction, their families, friends, and dedicated community supporters.  It was a wonderful work and they could make it happenJ.

Omar and Crystal’s Birthday 

One special day for VCU Humphrey fellows that I could mention here was the 5^th of November 2010. We gathered and had lunch together to celebrate Omar and Crystal birthdays. It was great and fun not only because we escaped from all of our busy days to relax and enjoy but it was also the first time of our informal union outdoor. Well, some family members also joined us tooJ.

Trip to Baltimore, Maryland

The second overnight trip that VCU Humphrey fellows made it happen was the trip to Baltimore during ‎12 - 13 November 2010. The theme of the trip was "Make It Happen" as you could see from our photos. We spent great time together visiting National Black and Wax Museum and National Aquarium of Baltimore. We also spared our time to enjoy Dolphin show in the evening before we had a fun and delicious dinner at a wonderful Brazilian BBQ restaurant at "Fogo de CHAO". Other than that, we also spent amusing lunch together at the Spirit of Baltimore Cruise. It was a real fantastic trip that all of us will not forgetJ.

   

VCU Movie Night

Four nights after we returned back from Baltimore, we started our Movie Night program. We began with the first night with Thai movie called “Ong Bak”, the movie that I brought from Thailand. I am so glad that all fellows enjoyed the movie very much and they learned about “Muay Thai” or Thai boxing together with some cultural context attached to the movie. I would like to thank Randy and Diane who provided their house to be a movie theater for us. It was one of our great moments. The next day after we have seen the movie, Moses imitated the way we called the hero of the film, who was called “Ting from Nong Pradu”, with Roger. He called him “Roger from Porto Alegre”J.

Community Service

At this point, I thought some of our Humphrey fellows have started their affiliations already. Same to me, I started my local affiliation at Richmond Behavioral Health Authority or RBHA. At RBHA, they provided lots of community services for disparities. On November 20, 2010, I and Dorra attended one of that, it was a project “Linux” where all volunteers gathered and made blankets for the ill children. We are so delighted and proud for being part of this projectJ

VCU Family

Before I ended up the BLOG, I would like to spend a little time to talk about VCU Humphrey fellows’ families. We are always happy to see our fellows’ families. We believed that when you are happy, we are happy tooJ.

From the last Blog, we introduced Mario’s family and here is his nice family photoJ-

And we also introduced Maia’s lovely familyJ.

Omar’s girlfriend, Frea also paid a visit to us for a short period, and we are still longing to see her more next time in SpringJ.

Early October, we also received the arrival of Roger’s family, Andrea. She is so lovely and brings a lot of happiness to Roger. And you can see from this photoJ.

Lately, my family, Moo just arrived in November. He came in at the right time that I presented Thai movie to all folks and I would not let this opportunity go without officially introducing him to all VCU Humphrey fellowsJ. (photos to come)

Next, I know that VCU Humphrey fellows are waiting to welcome Moses’s family which is planned to arrive in Richmond in DecemberJ.

I hope you could catch on what we had made it happen by VCU Humphrey fellows after the first introduction blog that should be shared at this time. There is a photo confirming that VCU Humphrey fellows will always “Make It Happen” as it rests in our spirit! J

Next,VCU fellows will talk to you more on our next blog! J

Warmest Hugs from Richmond, Virginia.

Nut – Oranooch Sungkhawanna, Thailand