An Unconventional Beginning to a Fulbright Experience
Jonas Pessier | Travel grantee 2025/26 | Leibniz University Hannover and Montana State University
For Jonas Pessier, the Fulbright experience began well before his arrival at the Montana State University
Our current Fulbright travel grantee (2025-26), a student of Industrial Engineering at Leibniz University Hannover, Jonas chose not to travel to the United States by plane. Instead, he set out from Europe together with two friends and crossed the Atlantic by sailboat.
The journey took place in several stages, beginning along the European coastline and continuing via Madeira and the Canary Islands.
Especially in the early phase, daily life was defined by learning the fundamentals of sailing, adapting to colder conditions, and navigating unfamiliar routines. Preparation and repairs became an essential part of the journey before the Atlantic crossing.
The passage across the Atlantic lasted approximately three weeks. During that time, there was no contact with land—only open water, wind, and a structured watch system that included night shifts. Jonas describes these night watches as particularly formative: quiet moments that required focus, responsibility, and trust.
After reaching the other side of the Atlantic, Jonas spent the holiday season in the Caribbean before continuing his journey to the United States by plane. Despite travel delays and an unplanned night at the airport, he eventually arrived in Montana, where he began his studies at the Montana State University.
Today, Jonas is fully immersed in his academic and cultural experience. He has connected with fellow students, taken part in campus life, and settled into his new environment.
Jonas’s journey illustrates that a Fulbright experience can begin long before the first day of classes. In his case, it started with an intentional and adventurous decision—one that shaped the beginning of his academic exchange in a lasting way.
