Enrichment can’t be enough!
Anything that has to do with trips, I can spend hours talking about (though I will do my best to not be so long this time). Traveling to a foreign country is the best way to discern what it’s all about. You better understand how the cultures around the world vary and where the common ground lies. This leads me towards new working or leisure trips.
My two last decades flying towards 250 destinations, didn’t just enrich my self-concept, but also triggers my will to change and upgrade. Traveling to UACI, Tucson, Arizona as a MIP fellow Cohort 2022, I was sure wouldn’t be less wealthy than the other trips, and till this moment that I am writing this blog, definitely, I can accept it: Yes, it is!
Eight months of recruiting gave me time to discover more about Tucson, the city where I landed in September 2022, and the state of Arizona in general. Initially, when I started this journey, my main goal was to have a workplace where my skills as Knowledge Broker would increase and expand. A knowledge broker?! Yes, I know, you wouldn’t be the first one wondering about its definition, but here in Arizona, consequently, in the USA, everyone is so familiar with its daily meaning: Knowledge brokers facilitate the transfer and exchange of knowledge from where it is in abundance to where it is needed.
I was searching for a place where a university embraces Innovation, entrepreneurship, start-up, government, and of course other actors like civil society. When CEIE suggested me the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, embracing wasn’t hard at all. They’ve got what I need.
UACI is a startup incubator network, labs, science, and technology, connected to the University of Arizona, and is a critical component of Arizona’s innovation ecosystem. It is part of The UA Tech Park, a nation’s premier research park – a dynamic, interactive community where innovators and business leaders meet, where emerging companies and technology giants work side by side.
Immediately I realized I knew so little about the state of Arizona and particularly about Tucson but doing some research on the internet I found out that this city could potentially be like me. It is the home of the University of Arizona, with the top highest employee in the city. Did you know that Tucson’s nickname is “Optics Valley”? Well, I found out that Tucson is a resident of Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, established in 1925, or Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Texas Instruments, IBM, Intuitive Inc, and of several copper and gold mines. Today, living in Tucson, I am of the opinion that it deserves them, regrettable I didn’t know all this wonderful information before this opportunity has been given to me.
Traveling to Tucson all the way from Southeastern Europe was a real adventure in itself; two transits and 30 long hours to arrive at the final destination. Once walking towards the baggage claim I found out that the airport is “all yours”. You would be impressed by the wide and clean corridors leading towards the exit where the Director of the UACI, was waiting for us with a cute “Welcome PickUp Sign” with two green Cactuses drawn by her youngest daughter. We found this such a sweet gesture, a warm welcome with a well first impression of what would come next in this city.
My first “encounter” 🙂 with a real Arizona, cactus at the airport’s front door, its shape gave me the idea of an aged good man, standing tall, strong, and humble with two arms up, ready to greet you. I am actually not exaggerating when I say, “Humble cactus”, because for a cactus to have this shape, with two arms aiming up should be at least 150 years old.
The Cactus in this area usually germinated in Cooper and it is not so rare two find these two symbols together around the city of Tucson.
As you might have already recognized, the using of pronouns like our and/or us is to give you a hint that I am not traveling all by myself in Tucson, AZ. As already shown in the pictures, we are two MIP fellows in UACI sharing the same living and working spaces as well as all our free time. It has only been two months since we’re here I can say that from day One, this was the best decision done by the management of this program.
We are the first fellows at UACI in Tucson, AZ, and with the hot temperatures in this city, not well-developed public transportation, 2-hour drive from the Capital, with continuing changes due to COVID-19 that shaped the lifestyle of this city, it wouldn’t be easy if I was to be here without a TEAM. Though sometimes we feel like stars don’t align with us, this time I have to admit I am so lucky to have a good everyday mate, colleague, friend, and UACI staff to share this experience with.
Hospitality is the first word that comes to my mind when thinking of describing this city. The first person we met was our UACI supervisor, a very kind and professional person. For foreigners like us, she has personally organized different pre-arriving orientation days for us, facilitated our accommodation, logistics, food and entertainment, and all the necessary paperwork with the Government institutions.
By the way, we were told by almost every local we’ve met that visiting Tucson in September is the best time of the year. When getting to know and get somehow more familiar with the city asking the locals about places to visit, their suggestions were to visit the Lemmon Mounty, Catalina Hill, Saguaro Parks, etc, very well-deserved impressions from all these amazing landscapes.
UA Center for Innovation’s staff welcomed us professionally and culturally. Our working calendar is filled with colorful activities. I am in charge to develop assets and participate in a variety of innovation projects. I am participating in all the activities and opportunities that the UACI center and the Tech Park are organizing, to be immersed in the incubator programs with a focus on enhancing the volunteer program as part of the resources offered to the start-up founders.
Lacking good public transportation in this city and expensive rental cars made us discover new possibilities to explore the city by using alternative transportation. So far, we’ve realized that Tucson city is a rich small city with amazing special places, museums, famous cuisine with Sonoran-style of Mexican food, a concert hall, western activities, showbiz, etc.
My experience so far is already enhanced with the Enrichment Trip in Boulder Colorado. It was a 4-day trip where MIP Albania and BAFF Baltic met with a common agenda to enforce synergy among us through different activities from the volunteers to academics and training
Enclosing my thoughts on this article, I would like to emphasize that despite some of the challenges of living here, working for the University of Arizona Center for Innovation has been a great pleasure and an enriching experience. Although has only been 2 months, I can tell that so far is the best working environment that one could expect. These kinds of opportunities are always around you if you search and persist in pursuing them. You can adorn the experience by working hard, daring and being on site with the locals and enthusiastically accomplishing your dream.
Don’t be shy to contact me if considering Arizona as a carrier of your traveling destinations!
You can find me taking in the fresh sunshine in the city of Tucson, or under the shade of a big, tall Cactus while sipping a cold tea and talking to the locals. 🙂
Bear Down!
Bear Down Arizona!
©️ Erida Curraj MIP Internship Fellow 2022
