Little did I know when I was living in Chernivtsi in 2006 that I was studying in an oblast of Ukraine with one of the highest rates in the country of Ukrainians leaving to work abroad. I discovered this as I have been completing my research on the response to human trafficking in Ukraine. I thought about this as I sat in Philharmonic Square, enjoying the beautiful May weather and waiting to begin one of my final case studies of Ukrainian nongovernmental anti-trafficking organizations with Suchasnyk, which has conducted prevention and reintegration activities for about a decade and has assisted thousands of victims and people throughout the region.

Suchasnyk is one of eleven organizations I visited during the final phase of my research. The other organizations are spread out throughout the country and ranged in activity level, complexity of organizational structure, duration of existence, and ambition of future plans. In coordination with the International Organization for Migration (one of my main research partners), we looked at what makes anti-trafficking organizations sustainable and what patterns represent challenges that must be addressed if these organizations are to continue their work with victims. All of these groups provided me with various insights into the world of counter-trafficking in Ukraine. I was also very fortunate to partner with the International Women's Rights Centre “La Strada-Ukraine” to complete aspects of my research dealing with the trafficking and exploitation of women and children in Ukraine.

One advantage as a Fulbright Fellow that perhaps is not mentioned, although often assumed and taken for granted, is the legitimacy that this scholarship provides you in your research. I can tell you that the only way I was able to complete my research on all three levels of the response to human trafficking (government, international and domestic organizations) is because I possessed the title and support of the Fulbright Program. People are more willing to communicate and share information because they understand the independence of this educational exchange program, while organizations are willing to cooperate because the status of a Fulbright Fellow causes people to recognize your merits and academic abilities. In a few of my presentations around the country on the results of my research, I was often confronted with surprise at the access I was able to gain to actors and agencies involved in anti-trafficking programs. It reinforced for me the fact that the title of Fulbright Fellow carries a great deal of legitimacy and responsibility.

Human trafficking is a global problem, and it affects Ukraine as a country of origin with an estimated 117,000 Ukrainians who have been trafficked both within and outside of the country since 2001. A big mistake that I made was coming to Ukraine assuming that the government was doing nothing and that organizations outside of the government had no access to try and change this. Ukraine is rated in the Tier Two Watchlist of the State Department's annual Trafficking In Persons Report so I was not expecting to find much. However, after interviews with representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports, the Supreme Court, as well as other government structures involved in anti-trafficking activity, I was able to identify progress on the various gaps that have drawn criticism from the international community. The interviews with international and domestic organizations also revealed a deepening relationship with the government that has led to concrete progress in the overall response to the problem. The governmental response is hardly complete and will need further effort to fully protect victims, if Ukraine is to meet international standards. However, the Fulbright gave me an opportunity to look critically into the situation to see what has been done and what is being done.

Aside from my research during my grant period, I have had the opportunity to become involved in multiple projects that have allowed me to meet great people and contribute something to the community that hosted me. Serving as the head coach of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy Telders International Moot Court Team was quite a commitment. This was my first time coaching, and the students I worked with had to prepare memorials and oral arguments for a mock trial on international aviation law. The students made an incredible effort and were able to gain second place in the country, and won the oral rounds. To take a project from start to finish, working side-by-side with my Ukrainian colleagues, really made my Fulbright feel complete. I would highly encourage the upcoming Fulbright group to find projects like this as a way of becoming immersed in your host country.