Mozartgirl53

And thus ends my day. Thanks all for letting me "catch up." I'm off to bed (almost 2 AM here in the great pacific northwest). I'm going to sleep in and then when I wake up....who knows? Good night all!

birb234, raymondnorth, eatyourgreens, and anyone who got the dreaded (NS) letter, I am truly sorry. Truly. I've been thinking of what I would want people to say if I get that letter, but I really don't know. So I'll just say I'm sorry and remind you of the tremendous accomplishment of being recommended. That demonstrates they thought your project is a good one; they simply don't have the funding to do all of them. raymondnorth, I was pulling for you! Columbia is missing out on a great English teacher! eatyourgreens, you definitely have something to lessen the sting: Dual MPH/JD program is not for beginners! Good for you! I know you'll have a positive effect in public health whether in Peru or elsewhere; don't give up! Get that/those degrees! birb234, I don't really know you well, but I agree with everyone here that some good volunteer work in literacy would reflect positively on your application, and I don't think there's such a thing as "too much." Go get 'em next year! If I have missed anyone on the congratulations or condolences, it is purely an oversight on my part. I really do root for each and every one of you!

kdhexon: Moldova alfred92: ETA Columbia brain11: ETA Columbia donthatedontkill: (A) ETA Columbia Tifffany8: ETA Columbia heimlich: Fogarty Malawi Cynti: ETA Columbia Sine: Moldova coffee_craver: ETA Brazil papertiger311: Research Columbia yjc3: Research South Korea CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! YOU DID IT!! WOW!!! I'M PICTURING BALLOONS BY THE THOUSANDS AND CONFETTI RAINING DOWN ON YOU!! I KNEW YOU WOULD DO IT!! I AM SO EXCITED, I JUST GOT UP AND DID THE HAPPY DANCE! MY DOGS AND CAT THINK I'M CRAZY, HAHA!! KDHEXON, I KNOW YOU THE BEST OF THIS GROUP AND I AM JUST TICKLED PINK THAT YOU GOT MOLDOVA! GOOD NEWS FOR ONE OF US IS GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US!! I SERIOUSLY WISH, WHETHER MY PROJECT IS FUNDED OR NOT, THAT WE COULD ALL SOMEHOW COME TOGETHER FOR A BBQ OR SOMETHING! ANYONE WHO LIVES OR CAN TRAVEL TO SPOKANE, WA IS WELCOME TO STOP AT MY PLACE!!! WHOO WHOO!!! SO HAPPY TO SEE GOOD NEWS AFTER DAYS OF NO NOTIFICATIONS! THE DAM HAS BROKEN.... C'MON NOTIFICATIONS!!!!!

Wow. So much to cover since my little freakout/elbow accident! If I accidentally leave anyone out, Please know it is just an oversight, not an indictment of you as a person! :-) mmm9 and everyone else who is thinking about what we call ourselves if our projects are accepted, this is from the State Department FAQ for Fulbright. You can find it at : http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/facts-and-common-questions. By the way, this whole page is very interesting and informative. Q. Is it appropriate for Fulbright Student Program participants to refer to themselves as "Fulbright scholars"? Do you have preferred terminology when referring to Fulbright participants? A. Because the Fulbright Program is a scholarship program, any participant may refer to himself or herself as a "Fulbright scholar," even if that participant did not receive a Fulbright Scholar Program grant. "Fulbrighter," or a more specific grant category (e.g., "Fulbright U.S. Student," "Fulbright Visiting Scholar," "Fulbright U.S. teacher," etc.), is the preferred terminology. Fulbright Program participants may also be referred to as "Fulbright grantees" or "Fulbright fellows" regardless of program affiliation. - See more at: http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/facts-and-common-questions#sthash.j3geRDxZ.dpuf FingersCrossed_118, do you know if the deal that you have to buy your own plane ticket and then get reimbursed later is for all countries? Round trip airfare to Lusaka, Zamiba is around $2500, or was the last time I checked. There is no possible way I can come up with that kind of money! If my project is selected I may have to start holding car washes and selling baked goods door-to-door! Haha, but not really that funny. What do other people do to raise funds? I'm sure I'm not the only impoverished grad student here! I'm open to any ideas. Wolk, regarding your questions about vaccinations, I think all the answers you got were good. I'd just like to add that the Department of State has an awesome travel advisory web page on their site. You can find out about all the vaccinations there. You can also sign up for "travel advisories" about any nation. You sign up and then will receive emails any time their is a new announcement having anything to do with that country and traveling there. I've been on the Zambia one since 2010. There has been a vaccination change: Yellow Fever did not used to be required or even recommended, and I believe it's required now. They'll also inform you of political happenings in your country, and really anything that could affect you as a traveler. To the people asking about travel health insurance, I am definitely not an expert. However, the two times I went to Zambia (about 1 month each time) I was required to purchase travel health insurance through my school (University of Washington at the time). The university ran travel insurance through HTH Worldwide, which Maliyazi mentioned in a post. It was very cheap ( I think around $39 each time) and for me it worked. I got a nasty strain of pneumonia on my first trip, a strain that is not covered by the pneumonia shot they give here in the U.S. I paid the doctor (around $200) and then was reimbursed by HTH Worldwide. For me, it went off without a hitch. That is my limited experience. I'd advise everyone to set aside some $$$ for emergencies such as that. Also, this may be interesting to everyone going to SSA-- we were advised in our orientation that if we had to get blood drawn or any type of infusion to offer the nurse/doctor $20 U.S. dollars to watch them open a new, sterile needle. I never thought of that, but I think it's very good advice. Did anyone ever find out what happened to Eileen O'Malley? I'm curious! Rachelrushing, AWESOME GIFS!!! I literally, actually, really laughed out loud! Anahid, thanks for taking one for the team! hahaha that is so funny!

To my SSA cohort: Maliyazi, thanks for making that last brave call to Jermaine and letting us know the decisions are IN! I too am a bit confused about why notifications seem to be trickling in. I know in my case it's because of the transcript boondoggle, but it seems it's not just me, so... who knows? CONGRATULATIONS on your alternate selection for the ETA Kenya grant! I really, really hope you end up getting to go! You are so passionate about Kenya and about teaching that it would be nuts for the State Department to ultimately give you a NS! You are the person they talk about all the time on the Fulbright website-- you are an ideal ambassador for a program of cultural exchange and friendship building between nations. Meupatdoes, I'm so sorry. I was really rooting for you! I thought your proposed project for Ghana was brilliant and inspired! Please, please, don't give that up! It may be a Fulbright another year, it may not be a Fulbright at all, but something just as wonderful! What you do is vitally important, not just for Ghana, but for the world. I know we're all going to be saying "we knew meupatdoes way back when..." Take time to grieve, then get back up on that horse and keep a'going! I expect great things from you. mbrefo, I don't know you as well as the others, but I'm glad you came out of "lurker status" to let us know about your alternate status, also in Ghana. Thanks! I can't remember the typical number of grants for Ghana, but here's hoping BOTH you and Meupatdoes make it over there. :-) jrk2115, congratulations on alternate status for South Africa! All I know of South Africa is the airport in Johannesburg, which in my humble opinion is one of the nicest ones in the world! LOL I do hope you get to go. We need strong ties to South Africa and I hope you can be a part of that. If, ultimately, you don't go, I encourage you to continue your project and find another way. I'm convinced you will get there! sweater, I'm sorry your project was not funded. :-( I know you were SSA, but don't know the country. I do know, however, this isn't the end of the road for you, just a new beginning! Stay strong! Other SSA folks out there... let us know! We want to be here for each other, to celebrate or console one another. So far, SSA is a tough one. Really tough. But I think a dedicated group such as ourselves will find a way to build bridges of friendship with Africa. President Obama said recently that he wants our relationship with African nations to "be one of trade, not one of aid." And I really do think our little group here is going to be a part of that, one way or the other. KEEP THE FAITH!

Hi everyone! First off, no I haven't heard yet on Zambia. They are waiting on my official transcript. I got an email today from transcript national clearing house informing me it had been sent out. I payed for overnight express (once it got out) and therefore I'm really hoping Jermaine gets it tomorrow. I think it will be Thursday at the very latest. After my panic attack the other day (the only one I've ever had), I needed to step away for a day or so and calm myself down. Frankly, I'm embarrassed out how badly I freaked out over a missing transcript! I think it was that I (hopefully) accept a (NS) if better projects or applicants were to be the reason. What freaked me out was the idea that an oversight by the clearing house for transcripts could trip me up. However, I do believe now that will not be the case. I've had a couple of very personable emails from Jermaine, including when I emailed him today saying the transcript was in the mail, and it's clear to me now that it is just a procedural thing...no matter which way it goes, it will not be because someone messed up on mailing the transcript out. Jermaine thanked me again for taking care of it so quickly and said he and his colleagues will be an eye out for it. So I'm guessing (hoping?) they'll send my notification once they have their i's dotted and t's crossed. After recovering from my emotional trauma (haha), I injured my elbow and haven't been able to type until tonight! I probably shouldn't be now, but I didn't want you guys to think I had dropped out of sight. Here's to finding out tomorrow!!! And you guys in this forum, I have decided, will be the FIRST to know! You have all been so incredibly supportive and you are the people who really, really get it, meaning we have all shared this thrilling, exasperating roller coaster. GnosisExchange, jrk2115, rosecoyote, and every one of you beautiful colleagues who have become friends... THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! You have no idea how good it feels to read your notes of encouragement! It is because of you that I have not gone completely insane throughout this process. I have really come to love our little group and actually will be a little sad once all the notifications are in and we go our separate ways, for some of us until Fulbright 2015 forum gets started, and for others of us, off to grad school or work or to far-flung places to carry out our research and teaching. I hope people will come back here during the next year and post updates; I know that I, for one, am very interested to hear about how we're all doing! Thanks again for your tremendous support, and not just to me but to everyone in the forum! I think we're all better people from going through this experience together.

Meatupdoes, japaniia, and GnosisExchange, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I'm sitting at my desk literally (for real) in tears reading your kind and comforting words of assurance. I was thinking the opposite...that if I were a non-select they'd want to cross their t's and dot their i's so I couldn't come back later and say they rejected me without even having my official transcripts. But I can see it your way too. I'm guessing it's just one more thing they have to have before they send out notifications. I truly hope this doesn't hold up all the SSA notifications for everyone! I would feel terrible if that happened! The waiting is just getting more stressful by the minute! I was great, fine, cool, right up to about April 10. From there on I've been freaking out a little bit more each day. I ran some numbers, and this is for full study/research ONLY, but they get right around 5,000 applications a year and hand out right around 830 or so grants, giving the overall odds of approximately 17%. Interestingly, applicants to Western Europe constitute around 22% of all study/research applicants, and comprise about 29% of grantees. But really, I think looking at your country is a much better gauge of acceptance odds. Of course, you all know I'm just blabbing away, running numbers to get something, anything into my head except that email! But I really, truly thank you so much for your support. You are the only people in the world who would get why I reacted the way I did and I am grateful.

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! I CAN'T BREATHE...I LITERALLY...CANNOT BREATHE...I FEEL LIKE I'M DROWNING...I'M DIZZY AND LIGHT HEADED... YOU GUYS GOTTA HELP ME DECONSTRUCT THIS... Email from Jermaine an hour ago: To: Deborah Brown, This is a reminder to please arrange for your official transcript to be sent to IIE as soon as possible. The transcript must be the original, registrar generated transcript and in a sealed envelope when mailed in hard copy. 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. We are missing the following transcript(s): PhD degree granting/expected institution (Gonzaga University) If you have requested the transcript(s), you may want to check with the registrar to verify when they were sent. Please allow at least 2-3 weeks for the transcripts to reach IIE and be processed. Also, be sure that the transcripts are clearly addressed to: US Student Programs Institute of International Education 809 UN Plaza New York, NY 10017 Please contact me if you have any questions. MY RESPONSE 30 MINUTES AGO: Dear Mr. Jones, Thank you for notifying me about this! I am horrified. I ordered those transcripts months ago. I have just re-ordered them and payed for overnight delivery. However, the National Clearing House is closed today for Good Friday. They should send them out by Tuesday or Wednesday at the very latest, and you should receive them the following day. I apologize sincerely for this. I assume since you only mentioned Gonzaga that my other transcripts (University of Washington and Cascadia Community College were received by you? Thank you again for letting me know about this and giving me the opportunity to correct it. You will receive the transcript as soon as humanly possible. Sincerely, Debbie Brown AND YES, I SEE THAT I USED ONE PARENTHESIS WITHOUT THE OTHER! AAAAARRRRGGGHHH! Please be honest with me, friends. Have I completely blown it? Did the fact that the National Clearing House somehow bungled my transcript last January just cost me a Fulbright? Of course, if I don't get it now, I will beat myself up for the rest of my life for the missing transcript! Feedback, PLEASE!

HELLO AND GOOD MORNING ALL! This is my last post until tomorrow, well I mean much later today. It's now 12:45 or so on the west coast. I'm sorry I bogarted or hogged the forum!! I was just trying to catch up with everyone/everything going on these days! It was my birthday a couple of days ago (04/16/14) and when I made my wish and blew out the candles, my wish was that EVERYONE ON THIS FORUM WOULD GET NOTIFICATIONS BY FRIDAY (TODAY) AT THE LATEST!! That would be a literal Good Friday! Also, I just want to say that I KNOW FOR AN ABSOLUTE FACT that the hold up on notifications this year is/was THE SEQUESTER! A lot of Americans think it didn't really affect them; but it affected hundreds of thousands. If you read one of my previous rants, lol, you'll remember that my brother is a geochemist at a national lab and the sequester cut off all scientists at the national labs. The other thing a lot of people don't realize (because they never told us) is that when the sequester was over, they did NOT just reinstate everyone's funding! National labs are STILL not being funded. Everything that was sequestered is now up for negotiating--including the Fulbright programs. For instance, Columbia just got more funding a week or two ago. That was the result of some heavy duty negotiations. Our State Department is also trying to squeeze more money out of the host countries, which is probably hit or miss, I'm guessing. I think that's the reason President Obama was emboldened to propose these huge cuts in the program-- probably not too many people complained during the sequester (because we didn't realize) so now he thinks he can gut and not many will fight it. However, that's just my opinion on that. WHAT I DO KNOW AS FACT is that this delay right now is directly because of the sequester. I hope I don't sound weird or creepy for saying this, but I'm not at liberty to say what my source is. And I only came by this information yesterday (Thursday). I wasn't holding out on anything. This is why we can throw the previous years' notification dates out the window. If some go out on or really close to last year's dates, it is a coincidence. Again, I'm sorry to be a forum hog. Feel free to skip page 174! THANK YOU ALL for this community. Whatever happens with Africa, I'm blessed to have been a part of this.

Hi kfzhexon, I just wanted to say thank you so much for the kind words! That compliment felt really nice. And kudos to you for getting a BOREN! I honestly feel that Moldova is going to be OK. I think Russia will be too, unless the Russian government does something whacky like you mentioned above. I don't see our State Department pulling the plug. Of course this is pure speculation on my part. The one I worry about is Ukraine. Our State Department could decide it's too dangerous. I think someone posted a short time ago that our government got all the Peace Corps volunteers out. That makes me a bit nervous. BUT AGAIN, this is speculation on my part. Anyone on this forum who's recommend for Ukraine, please keep hoping! Don't lose sleep on account of my feelings! I have nothing to go on here but my sixth sense.

Hi sirskipsot, I very much doubt either Friday or Easter Monday is a routine holiday for the Feds because it is a religious holiday. My guess is, though, that a significant % of employees request time off for one or both (I would if it were me.)

Hi Kirby, great job! Woot woot! Are you ETA or research?

CORRECTION: In my above rant, lol, I meant to say, "We could do a search for all Presidents, Congresspersons and even our state legislators WHO HAVE BEEN FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS and start writing.." I also should have said, "You all ARE really brilliant..." LOL my typing slips when I'm pissed, hahaha! Finally, it should read, "I find it highly ironic THAT Bush 44..." #SaveFulbright

Hi Desiardilla, congratulations on your alternate status! I really hope you get to go, because Fulbright needs passionate people like you. I was not happy reading that announcement, particularly because I'm a sub Saharan recommendee. I too will be writing to my senators Cantwell and Murray as well as to my congresswoman whom I'm sure is for the cuts, given her political leanings. And while I'm NOT judging anyone, nor do I want to start any political arguments on this forum, I find it highly ironic tha Bush 44 INCREASED the Fulbright so much and Obama is CUTTING it so much! I never woulda thunk it! HOWEVER, I believe after reading everything, that these proposed cuts will NOT take place for this year's crop, but WILL be in place for the 2015-16 applicants. Nevertheless, it behooves us ALL to start an immediate protest of these proposed cuts!! There will likely be a Republican Senate next year and again, not judging anyone's political party, Fulbright will never get past a Republican Congress. With the cuts being proposed by the White House, it will be an easy cut to make. THEREFORE, we must come together NOW, ALL of us, regardless of P, A, or NS status and start making some noise and educating the public (voters) about this horrific proposal! We can do a search for all Presidents, Congresspersons, and even our state Congresses and start writing letters! Snail mail letters still have more impact than email, so I would start there--get out that pen & stationery and start writing! President Clinton was a Rhodes scholar and he has the Fulbright-Clinton thing, so we need to write and enlist him. Oh my, I am just STEAMING MAD!!!!! We CANNOT let this happen!! Just re-read Olioliwoo's Mark Twain quote- it says it ALL in one sentence. Maybe we should plan a protest this coming summer at the White House. I'd go if I could possibly save up the money. You guys all really brilliant--I'm sure you all could come up with some GREAT IDEAS!! Viva la revolution!

Congratulations! I believe they send a snail mail packet where there is an acceptance form for you to fill out and return.

I LOVE that quote! Everyone should memorize it, some more than others, haha! Thanks for sharing!

Hey USA.J, sorry on the no-go on the Fulbright. . But HAPPY that you are still able to carry out your project! What is it, if you don't mind me asking?

Hey guys, first off,congratulations Matt! YAY!! Just wanted to chime in and agree with Yanders that schools will move mountains for Fulbright scholars. At my school, for example, we cannot go through the IRB until we have successfully defended our dissertation proposal. (Because I'm in such a transdisciplinary program where everyone is doing their own thing, we don't have quals; we get the joy of defending twice! We have to defend our proposal, which is the first three chapters, then we defend the whole thing later. I will not be ready to take proposal seminar this summer, but need IRB approval for the Fulbright project, IF I get it. I was explaining this to my chair last week and he said, well we have made exceptions before, if there's a good reason, and getting Fulbright is the very BEST reason there is! I personally guarantee if you get it I will help you with the IRB, so no worries! PLUS, several students on here have already gotten deferments or been promised deferments if they get it, so honestly I think it's absolutely worth asking the question. Let us all know how it turns out!

Cocoa_cookie, congratulations! Also, great GIF! What's your research project?

Hey everyone, if you're wondering why I'm on here in the middle of the night, I'm on the west coast so it's only 10 PM here. I've been slammed at school, but I wanted to catch up and cheer you guys on (or cheer you up) so here I am. I'm obviously waiting still for Zambia and I'm getting really scared now! YIKES!!!

Hi clh023, CONGRATS on the ETA to Korea! I'm very curious about the "confrontational interview" and why you think engineering would count against you? At a any rate, they picked you and I'm smiling!

Hi hopefullywandering (love your handle!), sorry I haven't posted much the last couple of days... One week until the end of my semester and I'm slammed with GA work, a paper, and a poster presentation, but I wanted to pop in and say CONGRATULATIONS on your alternate status!! I really hope you get to go!

Hey mmm97, did anyone answer your question? I was wondering too, because IF I get it I want to get new business cards and update my resume before a conference I'm going to at the end of May--assuming we hear by then, haha. I think on my business card I'll have the first line Debbie Jean Brown, PhD candidate and second line Fulbright Scholar, Zambia, 2014-15 third line Leadership Studies, Emphasis African Studies, then my school info and contact info. I would also lead with it on my resume. What do you think? Anyone else, feel free to chime in. Of course, I actually have to be Selected first!

Hi kfzhexon, just curious-- what do the REE..initials at the grad schools you're accepted to stand for?