Re: books. The Warmth of Other Suns just blew me away.
Thanks for pointing me to this thread, smg. I'm new here (thus the decaf?) and was viewing on my phone's browser and I didn't see this thread last time, but I knew there was something specific to anthropology on here because I replied!
Meglet, glad to see someone else with a theater background!
I think my story is a bit unusual and I'd love any feedback that you folks can offer.
I finished my undergrad in theater in 2008 and I've been working as a professional actor in NYC for the past 6 years. Last year I started creating a solo performance piece about victims of religious shunning and realized that I want to continue my research academically and I've always been drawn to anthropology so I decided to jump in this whole PhD process.
I continued conducting research and interviewing people and now my interests include shunning practices in different parts of Africa and the social and cultural implications of excommunication, particularly focussing on the transition processes of people who have been shunned.
I will be going to Africa (Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Senegal, Togo, Cape Verde, and Morocco) for 6 months to continue interviewing people and further expanding my research. I leave THIS TUESDAY OCT 28TH! I'll submit my applications while I'm away and write about my travels in my SOPs.
I'm taking the GRE tomorrow. I'm so nervous! I've been studying for the past 2.5 months. Got a math tutor because seriously...omg. But hey, my practice tests aren't terrible considering that I haven't been in school (high school + college) for a total of 17 years. Last practice test: Q:151. V:165.
I'm only applying to 2 schools: Stanford and Tulane. No POI has responded to me from Tulane (I've written 2), but I did get a curt but hopeful (made me feel good at least reply) from my Stanford POI.
This is such a life change for me. I'll be 30 in February (celebrating in Cape Verde).
So do you think this is a long shot? Any words of wisdom? I'm passionate enough about this research that I'll do it no matter if I'm accepted to a PhD program or not, but I would like the cred. Know what I mean?