meupatdoes

Thank you so much for your kind words. I know that it will all work out, yet it is just hard after such a long and anxiety-willed process. I am happy that I still get to go to Malawi this summer to run a randomized control trial. So, I am excited for that and for new and inspiring opportunities next year. I really hope that you get it. Congratulations to all those selected and condolences to all those these didn't get it. We can do this. This does not define our success in life. Take care.

I applied to Ghana. SSA notified quite a bit of applicants yesterday. I am not sure if everyone heard yesterday.

I was not selected... NS is in the subject.

Oh my god...I am pretty sure I am having heart problems at the moment. My blood pressure and heart rate just spiked!!! I am soo freaked out now about this email. I can't believe today or tomorrow will be the day. The actual day. Good luck to everyone!!! I think I will go to the store and get a cake or something... Otherwise, I am just sitting here waiting for that email.

To those that celebrate Easter, Happy Easter everyone! You are all wonderful people, and I am very grateful to have your company during this anxiety-ridden period. Here's to hoping that we have a fruitful next week with tons of good news for everyone! Take care everyone!

There are some rapid diagnostic tests for G6PD. Depending on your health center/hospital, they might be able to tell you quite quickly.

I would imagine that you would need G6PD testing for Indonesia. On the CDC website, it says this about malaria in Indonesia: "P. falciparum 66%, remainder primarily P. vivax." If you get P. vivax malaria, you can have relapses of the malaria. The parasites can hide in your liver. The way that they treat these relapses is through primaquine. It is referred to as the "radical cure" in malaria literature. However, you cannot take primaquine if you have G6PD. Therefore, I would highly suspect that you would need testing. This is not based on any knowledge from the consulate or fulbright or information from a physician. It is just my personal understanding based on taking wayyyy too many courses on malaria and tropical diseases and writing way too many papers on P. vivax.

I completely understand. I also feel like it comes in waves. I was fine with waiting till like April 15 then my nerves went crazy. I would not worry about the notifications either. What happens will happen, and we will meet it when it comes. <--- My attempt to be zen about this entire thing.

While I understand completely your panic and frustration, I actually would not worry about it at all! I do not think that it would negatively impact your chances at all. In the email, it says "Failure to submit in a timely manner may delay the notification of the next stage of your application in the Fulbright U.S. Student award process." This is not implying that it will impact your chances. It is only saying that you might find out later. Actually, I might even look at this as a good thing. SSA apparently already made decisions, right? They are just getting state department approval. Maybe they are hunting your transcripts down, because you got it. They wouldn't really care if you were Not Selected, right? That is just a thought of mine. Either way, I would not worry about it!!! Also, regardless of whether or not you are selected, I do not think it depends on this at all. Also, weren't they going to email us back in Feb if they didn't get our transcripts? So, its not your fault at all that they only emailed you now! I understand that this is extremely frustrating and annoying. However, I would imagine that Fulbright understands that things happens outside of our control. We can only order transcripts and send them in the fastest way possible. We cannot control things on the other end. There are so many things that happen outside of our control, and we can only do what we can. While it seems like the worse thing ever at the moment, it really isn't. Have a good holiday weekend!

Also, for those who applied as ETA and are looking for another back-up opportunity, I got an email today about World Teach. Apparently, they have opportunities to teach English in other countries that are funded (w/ stipend). They are accepting application by May 1 for American Samoa. They have other opportunities also. I don't really know anything else about it, and I am not applying. However, I thought it might interest some people. http://www.worldteach.org/site/c.buLRIbNOIbJ2G/b.6150597/k.37C5/Teach_Abroad_In_American_Samoa.htm

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is so exciting. So many of friends studied abroad in Denmark, and they all loved it!!! I hope that you have a GREAT year there!

Congratulations! I am so happy for you.

Physicians usually have your immunizations on file if you received the vaccine there or if you provided them with that information when you started attending that practice (either through your reporting or getting the files from your previous PCP). However, I would suspect that your undergrad might have those records. I know when I started I had to provide the university health service with my history of vaccines. Its worth a shot.

Congratulations!!! That is awesome!!!!

I just realized that these two things conflict with each other.

Thank you for posting this. I was just about to email him. Congratulations to all those selected!!!

Congratulations!!!!!!!

I brought my laptop with me on a number of travels overseas including West Africa for around 6 months. Luckily *knock on wood* I have not had any problems. I just practiced basic common sense stuff; always made sure to keep it in a locked room, keep an eye on, etc. I didn't have any problems. In regards to attracting attention, I only ever really used my laptop at my permanent location or at a hostel. Usually, wherever I have used my laptop, there have been tons of others using laptops also. However, it depends a lot more on where you will be/what is your itinerary (whether you are traveling a lot within Panama or traveling to especially remote places). Would it be possible to keep the laptop that you have now and get a new laptop when you come back? With that, you don't have to worry as much about someone stealing it/it getting damaged. Also, insurance for laptops can be pretty expensive. This way you wouldn't really have to worry about getting insurance for your laptop. Also, there are tons of free programs (Prey for example) that you can use to help get back your laptop if it is stolen. I am not sure how much it would help in rural areas. However, it is free.

My project is to examine at the effect of soil-transmitted helminths on the cognitive ability of school-aged children (mostly lab-based) and work with stakeholders in the community on trying to reduce the prevalence in the community. It would hopefully also work to inform policies on nutritional aid/deworming programs. My side project is to work with a HIV organization.

This is quite exciting! I am also recommended for Sub-Saharan Africa. I applied for a Full Research Grant to Ghana!!! There are a few more of us to SSA, I believe. If you look at the spreadsheet, you can see everyone that is applying to countries in SSA. Zambia looks like an amazing place. I am doing research in Malawi for around 2 months this summer, and I was debating a short trip to Victoria Falls via Zambia. Have you been to Zambia before?

First, congratulations on getting the other fellowship. That is awesome! I really sympathize with your situation. You have to compare a sure thing (your other fellowship) and the possibility of being accepted as a Brazil ETA. Is there any chance that you would be able to delay letting the other fellowship know? Would any type of extension be possible? I don't know about that fellowship, yet would it hurt to ask them about it? I started to think what I would do if I was in your situation. First, I realized that I would be soo panicked about the decision (You definitely deserve ice cream or chocolate or something to help with this.... I really do not know what I would do. At first I was like, wait for Fulbright. Take the risk, because it would be better to know that you gave it your all. However, then I thought about it in a different way... I think that we often look at Fulbright as the goal/ the ending point. We have this incredible, inspiring, and life-changing year, and then I think that we/I fail to look beyond it often. Fulbright is not the ending point, it is just a step along the way to your final goals. It is a way to help you get to where you want to go. I know that we all wrote about this in our statements about how it would help us in our life goals, yet I think finally it is setting in. Therefore, if I was you, I would take the other fellowship if the other fellowship would help you in your life goals. Fulbright is not the only path or way to get where you want to go. I would take the sure thing, be happy, and never think about it. You can always apply again to Fulbright in the future as a scholar or research or ETA. Good luck with your decision. I know that these decisions can be quite stressful and hard. During the past two years especially (probably like most of the people here), I have had to make some terribly hard decisions. I would stay up late and make pro/co lists and try to rationalize my way through everything. But, then at the last moment, I would decide (usually the opposite to what the rational choice was...). I have been quite happy with those choices thus far. So, I would say, as cheezy as it sounds, go with your heart.

Not to go slightly off-topic, however has anyone seen this: http://www.hogwartsishere.com/ ? It is slightly scary (don't know if that is the right word); they will give you actual homework and have it marked, etc. Investigating this was a wonderful break of checking my email and gradcafe on repeat.

This is absolutely perfect!!! This literally made my day. Too funny... Also, I remember that someone mentioned that we should all hear by April 15th. Who did you hear that from? That would be perfect if it happened, yet I am trying to not get my hopes up too high to hear back by then. Congratulations to everyone that has gotten principal!!! You will have an amazing year. For everyone else that heard back, I have no doubt that you will go on to do amazing and incredible things.

I am really sorry!!! I would try to find other sources of funding for your UK program, if possible. Well, obviously, it would not be ideal... most unis (at least to my knowledge) in the UK accept US Federal Loans. They can cover both tuition and living experiences. I am currently in London doing a Masters and was able to use US Federal Loans for a large portion of the tuition.

I am currently in a masters program in the UK. The dates for the programs are a lot lot later than in the US. I submitted my application in March last year and knew in around 4 weeks. My school will technically allow people to apply in the summer. I think that you are still fine, however I would try to submit an app ASAP.