AfricaHopeful

I love your attitude. I too didn't get selected. Onward!

Your feedback is greatly appreciated and spot on. Thank you my fellow waiter.

Thanks for your feedback -- hopefully we both make it to the orientation in DC. I feel plenty of empathy for the IIE staff because this time of year must be a complete pandemonium with communicating with the host country's embassy, our embassy, and getting all the documents in order. I definitely don't envy them. Anyways, fingers crossed in anticipation.

Long time lurker, checking in and looking for some advice. I am a hopeful SSA research grant and, although Fulbright remains my first choice, I was also selected for a teaching assignment with a different program in the same region that I intend to do my research with Fulbright. I remain ecstatic to have been selected for my teaching assignment, but this was more of a back-up plan in case I did not get my Fulbright grant. The dilemma I face is my teaching assignment needs to know whether I accept this position by the end of next week. Looking through the spreadsheet, SSA has been consistent for a few years in sending notifications after mid-April. However, I have noticed a consistent trend that many regions are being notified slightly earlier than in previous years. I am not much of a risk taker, but this seems to be a justified risk with Fulbright. The risk is even more worthwhile since my research with Fulbright directly relates to my career aspirations whereas my teaching position is a place holder and an opportunity to build more experience and contacts within the region. In brainstorming, I have considered contacting administration with my teaching position and asking for a week (or two?) extension on the deadline. I also wonder if there is precedent in accepting the teaching position, but--in the case I am selected for Fulbright--reneging on my teaching position agreement. This is a distant option since this reflects poorly on my character. A better option I have considered is to send a formal and polite email to the Fulbright regional director to get a better grasp on the notification timeline and (possibly) whether turning down the teaching assignment and rolling the dice with Fulbright is worth the risk. Although I do wish (as most of us probably do) that there is more certainty on a precise date of notification, I also don't want to give the impression that I am impatient and potentially a bad fit for the research position. Am I overthinking this? Any advice from you all would be greatly appreciated.