January 7th, 2013: Country Fairs with Fulbright Irish Fulbright Scholars Participate in Traditional American Activities

Dr. Karen Devine, current Irish Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University, shares her experience at a traditional Cotton Pickin’ Fair in Georgia.

En route to presenting a paper on the Impact of EU Membership on Ireland’s Policy Toward the Third World at the Association of Third World Studies Annual Conference, 11-13 October 2012 at Berry College, Rome, Georgia, USA, Karen Devine visited a local Cotton Pickin’ Fair in Gay, Georgia.

Karen visited with friends Drs. Susanna Pearce-Warnock, Emery Warnock, and their eight-month old son, Liam Warnock.

Together they enjoyed the Fair’s local traditional dancing, wonderful Southern fare, such as hotdogs, kettle corn, cotton candy, Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler, Funnel Cake, and Lemonade.

The group perused locally-made crafts, such as garden furniture, kitchenware, homewares, art and children’s clothing, including Cowboy and Cowgirl Tire Horses and listened to several brilliant sessions of Bluegrass music in glorious Southern sunshine.

The Fulbright Scholar Awards provide an opportunity for researchers or post-docs to spend up to 12 months in the US researching or lecturing. As part of the Fulbright Awards, Scholars can spend time travelling and exploring US culture and customs. For more information, please click here.

Many thanks to Dr. Karen Devine for contributing this post.