Papasan&Coffee

@hokievt2010 No word here yet either. My host emailed me over 2 weeks ago saying she had already spoke with JSPS to give them her approval and that I would get official notice soon. Must be some kind of red tape hold-up somewhere.

Thanks for all your helpful guidance, Pauli! I emailed Elena shortly after the Sequester started and she said as far as they knew, this year's EAPSI would not be impacted. Going out is a great idea! I won't be able to make it on the 1st (seeing some college friends from when I lived in DC), but if anyone wants to get together again on the 2nd, definitely count me in! Just a heads-up, it's also going to be the middle of the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC when we're there, which is pretty cool and very unique. I recommend trying to swing by the Tidal Basin at some point - it's worth it! Peak bloom is predicted to be Mar 26-30 this year, so we'll just make it in time! Looking forward to meeting everyone (if everything goes through and I make it to DC, of course).

@CountingSeeds -- thanks for the affirmation! It took me a while to get on here, but I was about to say the same. A response email arrived!

@CountingSeeds, thanks for confirming! It definitely makes sense they would be really busy right now with notifications. I'm sure we'll hear something again when it's time. Looking forward to meeting the other fellows in DC this April (during cherry blossom season, what luck)!

Congratulations to all those lucky scholars who have received their tentative offers! For those who received tentative offer emails for Japan last week, when you sent your "I accept" email before the deadline on Friday, did you get any follow-up/confirmation e-mail from either Carter or Elena? I replied on Wednesday - and I'm sure they're swamped right now - but I just want to make sure my email to them didn't fall through the cracks somehow. To those still waiting in anticipation, good luck! Hope you have some good news coming your way soon!