My name is Maksym Sysoiev. I graduated from Yaroslav the Wise National Law Academy of Ukraine in Kharkiv and worked in Kyiv after graduation. Through the Fulbright Program, I am continuing my legal education in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

On first arriving in the U.S., many new and interesting situations occurred. The Fulbright Handbook was very useful in advising me how to handle some situations, but other circumstances required me to figure out my own solutions. Future participants should be ready for this.

After a period of initial acclimatization (approximately 1-2 months), the academic semester started. Studying was not a piece of cake. Often I found myself having to reread a case for several hours before understanding something of American law. It was very interesting how the tandem of courts and American parliament Congress or Supreme Court? can develop and modify the legal system.

Education at American law schools is very different from our universities. There are only lectures, and a lot of reading is required for each lecture. Legal materials, especially cases, are usually complicated. If I did not prepare for a class by reading, I felt I wasted my time. Probably the English language was not the main barrier for me. What was difficult was to understand common law concepts and how they apply to real life. Even American law students struggled with these concepts. When exams started I saw why preparation for each class during the semester was so useful. Then there is no longer time to read and memorize new material. There is only time to review and to organize familiar material. Knowing material is not enough to pass exams; one needs to understand it enough in order to apply it to hypothetical cases.

Although studying consumed a lot of my time, I still managed to have some fun. I met many interesting people from all over the world, including many law professors and practitioners. Pittsburgh, in itself, is an interesting city and I attended many plays and festivals here. I also managed to visit Washington, Cleveland, and do some sightseeing in Pennsylvania. The university sport facilities are very good and in my spare time I played volleyball, basketball, or swam in the pool. Since I live close to the campus, I am able to spend some evening in its cafes. Prices are moderate and students can relax. Conditions for life and studying are really good.

Finally, I want to thank the Fulbright Program for such a wonderful opportunity to experience life in the United States and a chance to get a very good education. I wish all participants of the Ukrainian Fulbright Program good luck. Do not give up if you encounter some difficulties in trying to study in the United States. I personally applied twice to the program. Now I can see that it was well worth all the efforts!