Hi all! Just found out about this community, and I'm glad I did! Yes, I too relate with the pain of getting an email from IIE only to find out it was a survey
I have a question for you guys. Here's some background: My affiliate is a director at one of the top universities in my destination country, and before he agreed to be write me a letter of affiliation, I had to apply to his research center and have a faculty committee review my application as a "visiting scholar." I was accepted after the review, so if I get the Fulbright, I'll be considered a visiting researcher with no hassle. The more I read the email exchange though, the more I'm realizing that the visiting scholar position is not contingent upon getting the Fulbright. In fact, I received a live offer letter when I was emailed after passing the faculty review.
So my question is... if the offer still stands regardless of getting the Fulbright, should I accept it? I won't be getting a stipend so I have to pay my living expenses, but I wonder if this is a good opportunity that I'm passing up if I don't take it. The best scenario, of course, is to get the Fulbright and accept the research offer