I've also had to grow more comfortable showing up to events and places by myself. When dealing with all the factors involved with setting myself up here, it has felt extra exhausting to keep putting myself out there. Yet, the preposterous and ambitious notion of building a new life in nine months calls for stepping outside my comfort zone in every way. The primary support that I receive is from my professor that I am doing research with along with the PhD students that work under her. Without their assistance, I would have been completely lost in setting myself up here. They helped with finding housing, advising me where to get groceries, and how to navigate the city at large. Of course, they have also been the most critical actors in helping my research get started as well. Beyond their immediate actions, the framework of working from the university is the closest I come to structure in my life. Right now, there is so much freedom, which at times can feel paralyzing with the amount of choice I have in front of me. So, being able to see and work alongside people who are pursuing similar pursuits is greatly comforting. Fulbright itself has offices in Delhi and Mumbai, which are available if I need both logistical or academic support. Although I am the only Fulbrighter in Goa, there are so many who are all around the country. Most are primarily concentrated in the major metropolitan areas, but calls and occasional visits with those I've begun building relationships with have been vital. Being able to discuss challenges specific to this experience is hugely reassuring. The support system that I had at home didn't go away, it just changed.
