By Gary Glancy
gary.glancy@shj.com
Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Published: Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Traveling the world alone for seven months can be a scary thing for a young woman, but those who know Spartanburg's Regina Fuller probably wouldn't be surprised to learn that within the first week of her journey she's already making friends.

The outgoing Wofford College junior arrived in Nicaragua last week for the first of a dozen stops around the globe as Wofford's 25th Presidential International Scholar -- the school's highest award. Fuller, a 2006 Spartanburg High graduate, was personally selected by Wofford President Bernie Dunlap this spring to spend the academic year in developing countries researching an independent project.

Fuller is studying the music and dance of African-descended populations, and she spent last week in Bluefields, a coastal city of about 50,000 people on the Atlantic side of Nicaragua. There, she is focusing on the Garifuna people -- whom Fuller said are descendants of Arawark and African slaves brought to the coast by the British during slavery. And, thanks to a taxi driver she befriended upon her arrival, Fuller was able to watch a group of Garifuna dancers practice, and this past weekend was headed to their hometown to learn more about the origins of their dance.

"What has surprised me the most in my first week here is that there are genuine people in the world who want to share their lives and their houses with you and want nothing in return," Fuller said via e-mail. "The taxi driver who picked me up from the airport gave me a tour of the city, drove me to places where I could find dancers, and took me to his aunt's house, who then fed me dinner and offered to do my laundry. He also took me to his cousin's house, who is a Garifuna and who is taking me to Garifuna city (Saturday).

"Its like destiny put him in my path to connect with all the dance connections I would need in this city. Friendship and kindness are definitely the most invaluable gifts in life."

Steve Jobe, who had Fuller in both his 11th-grade AP U.S. history class and 12th-grade American government class, said he knew Fuller was "destined to do big things" when he learned she was headed across town to Wofford.

"She's a great leader, she has a good political mind and she knows what she wants," Jobe said. "One thing I always sensed about her was that she knew what she wanted and was going to go out and get it."

He also said that while a journey such as Fuller's would spark apprehension and fear in many, Fuller is the type to embrace this adventure.

"When Regina got that award I'm sure it didn't even cross her mind," Jobe said. "I'm sure she saw it as an opportunity. It is brave, but that's just her personality to take on a challenge. I wouldn't think she'd have any reservations whatsoever in doing this."

The next stop for Fuller is Panama in early October, followed by Venezuela, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania, Egypt, Israel, Germany and India -- all countries she chose that she's never visited.

Fuller said she already misses the people in Spartanburg and Southern hospitality, "but I have come to realize that their are little pieces of Spartanburg all over the world; therefore, my homesickness goes away."

Follow Fuller's adventures through her personal blog at http://blogs.wofford.edu/presidential_scholar/.