Sally

Fixed it!

Hey, thanks for the alert. Yeah, I can revert back to an old version of the spreadsheet.. how long ago do you think it happened?

Seems like you should have definitely gotten your letter by now, since other Croatia finalists on the spreadsheet heard more than two weeks ago. I would call Rachel Holskin on Monday. It sounds like they may need to reissue your letter. They likely mistakenly sent it to your incorrect current address. That has happened to a lot of others. Apparently they don't pay much attention to the expiration date..

Hey Mole, I updated the spreadsheet with your stat. If you want to look at it and make sure I got it right, it's under Spain. Also, out of curiosity, what part of the country are you in? I'm a Spain finalist in Ohio and still haven't heard anything.. https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=taWW8xiKve1Tm6Ow6bHdhYA

Not to rub it in, but would you mind updating the spreadsheet? https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Avu5CeaRG24EdGFXVzh4aUt2ZTFUbTZPdzZiSGRoWUE&hl=en Sorry you didn't get the grant. But, good attitude!

Does your country/region have an orientation? If not, there would be no reason for you to have gotten one. However, either way I wouldn't be too worried..

I talked to Rachel Holskin this morning by phone. She said Spain full grant and MBA letters went out yesterday (4/27). But she said she had no updates for the rest of Europe. No other letters have gone out yet this week. She said Italy continues to wait on FSB approval, and she has no idea why that step is taking longer compared to other European countries. So yay for Spain, but bummer for Italy, Turkey, Cyprus and Portugal You never know though... I know from my experience tracking Spain, it can go from "no news" one day, to "letters were already sent" the next! Sally.

No The last word was that notifications would be sent out tomorrow (4/27). So my plan is to hold off asking about it until Wednesday. However, if anyone else can't help themselves, please post what you hear here or on the spreadsheet! Sally

Hmm the spreadsheet still works fine for me: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Avu5CeaRG24EdGFXVzh4aUt2ZTFUbTZPdzZiSGRoWUE&hl=en Also, it won't ever be totally lost forever. Google automatically backs it up; plus I've been saving copies on my desktop every once in awhile.. Sally.

SPAIN UPDATE! ETA letters were sent out on either Monday or Tuesday of this week. (Rachel said Monday, but I think she might have been mistaken, since yesterday - Tuesday - morning she said they hadn't been sent yet.. ) Full grant letters are expected to go out next week... *maybe* on Tuesday (4/27) -- but Rachel says that is "not a promise."

Hey, Krisi. I'm from Ohio too! Just saw you said that on the spreadsheet. You should definitely e-mail me! Sally sallyatiemadrid@gmail.com

Hmm I hope Spain likes journalism... I'm a journalism person too! I'd be curious about your guys' proposals. You can e-mail me: sallyatiemadrid@gmail.com Mine is about studying the "business of journalism"; its not a journalism project itself. I'll let y'all know if it works out I am still anxiously awaiting on a notification from Spain...

Haha that's a good one Raven! Are you an ETA? If so, your dream might not be so far off! They say some ETAs might get offered spots in countries other than where they applied because of new ETA programs popping up:P Anyway, I feel your pain. I think Turkey, Spain and Italy are the few left in Europe who have yet to hear!

Spain udpate: Here's the information we have right now for Spain: ETAs: The letters have been printed, they're just waiting to get the final OK on funding. Could go out any day, but might not be until early next week. Full grants: Waiting on decisions from the Spanish Commission (not sure if before they only had decisions for ETAs). Rachel says they expect the decisions on Monday, April 26. I assume that means letters will go out within a couple days after that. Check the spreadsheet for details: https://spreadsheets...rowsperpage=250 That link is in "list view"! You can use the tabs at the top to view by different categories.

Anybody else dreaming about their Fulbright notification? I keep dreaming that my Fulbright letter has arrived but I'm not at my mailbox to get it. Someone else picks it up for me, but for some reason they are unable to open it for me. In one dream I remember trying to get a description from them; I'm like: Is it a manilla envelope? And they're like "yes". Then I'm like, is it big or small? And they're like "kind of medium." And I'm like "oh no what does that mean?!" Hahaha... man, I need to chill out

That argument would make sense if the Fulbright were merely a funding source for research. But I don't think that's the main goal of the program. The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 by the U.S. Congress to "enable the government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries." A year is barely enough time to do that!

It could have to do with the "experience abroad" factor. Fulbright supposedly favors candidates that have spent less time in the country they're applying to. On the other hand, they prefer people with high competency in the language. Those two things do kind of seem to contradict one another

You should put that on the spreadsheet. make your status a special bright green and have it say something like "alternate turned accepted" (I'm open to suggestions for a more concise way to put that). https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Avu5CeaRG24EdGFXVzh4aUt2ZTFUbTZPdzZiSGRoWUE&hl=en

I said that it is "unclear" whether they are ETAs or both ETAs and Full grantees. All the people who have called/e-mailed rachel about this so far are ETA applicants and did not ask specifically about full grants. However, I sent Rachel an e-mail on Friday afternoon, so hopefully she'll let us know on Monday. Although, I guess it doesn't really matter... we'll hear when we'll hear!

I applied to the "business" Fulbright to Spain. The grant would go toward getting an MBA at IE Business School. My going to Spain is mostly contingent on the award. Otherwise I'd have to find another way to pay the tuition, living expenses, etc.

For some people with families doing a Fulbright wouldn't be possible if not for the dependent benefit. So, it's enabling research to be done either way. Hopefully some people who get awards will just drop out because they come across an even better opportunity

You could just start a second "Sheet" on the same spreadsheet. We could also just come up with a new color code for people who where promoted to accepted status. Most people in that situation made note of it on the spreadsheet already.

Spain update: As we all know, Spain chose too many principal grantees. Lauren reports that Fulbright was NOT able to secure funding to cover these folks, as was once hoped. Now, the baton has been handed back to the Spanish Commission, and they were asked to choose which three people to downgrade to "alternate" or "rejected" status. So, now the wait is back on.. and there is no estimate for when we might get our notifications. However, Lauren said she had asked about ETA applications. It is unclear whether this status applies to full grant applications as well. If anyone has information about that please let us know!! Thanks, Sally.

Speaking of Fulbright-alternatives for abroad experiences.... has anyone applied, or thought about applying, to the Peace Corps? For those who applied as ETAs, there are several teach English opportunities through the Peace Corps. Although, of course, your choice of destination is more limited. http://www.peacecorps.gov Personally, I have looked into it before. But, right now, I'm interested in studying abroad and that obviously isn't possible through the Peace Corps. But, if I do get the opportunity to study business in Spain via Fulbright, then I am thinking of applying to do business development volunteer work in Latin America at some point in the future...

I just found this awesome list of fellowships on Columbia College's Web site: http://www.college.c...owships/catalog Seriously, every fellowship/grant program I've ever heard of is on there, and a ton more. I didn't immediately see any specifically for Central/Eastern Europe, but there are several that can be applied anywhere. Definitely worth some investigating... Many are for students, some even specifically for Columbia students. But others are open to post grads as well...