OTL2012

Can I say it? I gotta say it...stupid sequester.

I secretly wanted to, haha.
 
Drinking culture in China is the opposite to what I'm accustomed to in the States. The drinking age in China is 18 but kids just... don't really drink. Not a lot of them. Definitely not any parties on the college campus where I was, beyond the occasional "let's hang out on the quad and eat snacks and drink soda" kind of party. When I did see people drinking, they were adults, and more often than not elderly. But even that wasn't super widespread.

But then, a couple times of year, my workplace (a university) had banquets where all the administrators and teachers got together. Some of the most formal people I've ever met. And they all just got trashed. Most of the time, Chinese people drink by taking shots, no matter the alcohol. Traditionally it's hard liquor called "bai jiu," infamously translated as "white wine," even though it's actually 55% grain liquor that tastes like death. But they also take shots of beer. I was lucky because my school was trying to "westernize," which meant in addition to the death liquor, people were also taking shots of expensive red wine, which is a lot more manageable. But I would still get the president of college and chairman of the board of trustees walking up to me several times during these banquets and toasting me with bai jiu. And in turn, I'd sneak up on the table where all the higher ups are sitting and toast all of them.
 
On Chinese New Year, after one such banquet, I was invited by one of the administrators to go sing karaoke with all the higher ups. They brought more bai jiu and some pretty expensive bottles of whiskey. We sang Backstreet Boys and some traditional Chinese music. By 10 o' clock, the official photographer had passed out on the couch, so... and I hesitate to mention this, I'm so embarrassed .. my friends and I took his camera and took pictures of me sitting next to him pretending like I was licking his face. While this was happening, I heard this high pitched giggle coming from next to me, and I turned and it was my immediate supervisor, a dour 50-year old Chinese woman in charge of the international office. And she was laughing so hard she was crying.
 
When I woke up the next morning, I was certain I was going to be fired. Deported. I'd never been more embarrassed in my life. But I went into the office and everything was fine and no one ever made mention of that night again. I later learned that in China, being drunk is an acceptable excuse, for the most part, for inappropriate behavior. If you do something that offends someone, you can say "Oh sorry, I was drunk" and that's fine.
 
So strange. When I had two beers at a bar on a Friday night, I'd have students walk up to me and ask "are you okay? why are you drinking so much?" But then apparently getting blackout drunk with your boss at an official function is okay. 
 
Sorry for clogging the board with stories of China. Congratulations to moregraceful (and hopefully other Vietnam alternates?) for getting the grant!

No, please do.

I feel like as bizarre as that is, you could have some real fun with it....Passport size photo of you with a fez on, giving them a thumbs up while holding a tagine in one arm. Perhaps a wink as well?

Echoing all the good wishes for Crystal Dee. How amazing how you have gotten a board of complete anonymous strangers from all walks of life, all over the world to be rooting for you! Sending lots of positive vibes for a bump up your way.

Look's like you're at the bargaining stage of grief...
 
I'm still stuck at the anger stage.  Might just jump right to depression though.  Clearly none of us have made it to acceptance yet....

How funny!! The haven't even seen the board yet! They might pass out if they saw the spread sheet.

I have thought about emailing our person, I hear she is nice; but, I assume the answer will come when they are ready.
 
My new theory: My life changing event is nothing but paperwork for someone else.

And just like that I realized that I am the only single person on this forum.

sorry, that's "gang aft agley." Agley...a-glay...ake-lay...Akeley..Jonathan Akeley, East Asian Fulbright coordinator?!? What is happening to my MIND!?!?

OH. MY. GOSH. I GOT ITTTTTTTTT! Whoa. Surreal.

Tell them that you refuse to give your answer until every fulbright applicant is notified! Solidarity!!!! ... No, sorry, I have no useful answer to your question. But given that alternates are told they may be notified at any point up through the summer, I assume that there is some leeway in making up your mind.

So, today would be Fulbright's birthday; what a great way to honor him by sending out some notifications today. I am sure we can sing happy birthday in several languages, if that will help.

Hahahahaha right on cue! if there are 3 things in life you can count on, it's death, taxes, and crystal dee citing to the sequester.

*cough...sequester*

Is it just me, or does anyone else sometimes get the (albeit irrational, I know) feeling that they just forgot about you/your country?

I don't know anyone else who applied for mine, and part of me thinks the rest were notified weeks ago and I somehow just slipped through the cracks. Oh hey irrational thinking, how are you? Thanks for accompanying me through this fulbright process.

Hahaha I know right. $5 buy-in, they've selected all the weekdays in April and half of May, winner take all unless I get rejected, in which case winner splits the winnings with me as a consolation prize. And if I get alternate, winner holds winnings in trust until I find out. Now that we've gone through all this I will of course find out tomorrow... Which would be fine! Win-win.

Hahaha I know right. $5 buy-in, they've selected all the weekdays in April and half of May, winner take all unless I get rejected, in which case winner splits the winnings with me as a consolation prize. And if I get alternate, winner holds winnings in trust until I find out. Now that we've gone through all this I will of course find out tomorrow... Which would be fine! Win-win.

Haha sooo my family has decided that the time will go by much more enjoyably if they place bets on which day I'll find out and make a pool for the month of April. I will say, it does sound much more enjoyable this way...

Haha sooo my family has decided that the time will go by much more enjoyably if they place bets on which day I'll find out and make a pool for the month of April. I will say, it does sound much more enjoyable this way...

I wish I were the Oprah of Fulbrights. Because then YOU would get a Fulbright, and YOU would get a FULBRIGHT, and EVERYBODY GETS A FULBRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
And ya'll would be
 
all..

I've gotten to the point where I just expect it not to happen. At this point, I'd probably be surprised if I found out.

Pretty sure the sequester affects http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Gary-Oldman-Yelling-Everyone-Leon-The-Professional.gif

Agreed, it sounds like you already know which is the right decision for you.