ZaytandLabna

Yes. I think its okay for me to say now that it's finalized, but I got my offer a little while ago. There are 4 of us so far I think. (that seem to be prospective students).

They rejected me ??? This was my weakest application. BUT I got into my top 2 choices sooo its' fine. I'm fine. *still crying a little on the inside*

i got a poetry acceptance that night and posted on the results page. I did have to click one extra link to get to the result that I didn't notice at first. I also heard on Draft that last year the results came out in batches? meaning there may be more. something like that. i will check.

I just got the call from Julie Agoos!! I’m in at Brooklyn for poetry!! I have not heard a single thing from any of the schools I applied to until today. So to say I’m shocked & thankful is an understatement.

same here.

yes im glad you asked! i kind of wanted to mention it off the bat but i wasn't sure how you felt about imperialism. either way, this is just my opinion/experience. but i would recommend following nowhitesaviors on instagram. they have a whole story highlight where they call out the Peace Corps, I even had a disucssion with them about it because i felt so strongly that the premise was wrong and wanted to go home, but they gave me the advice that "as long as organizations like this continue to exist, its best for people like you who can challenge PC to do better to be there, than people who may carry that white savior complex and justify PC's actions." which i don't know entirely resolved my concern. Anyway here are some lovely things I've heard PC presenters, leaders, and volunteers say "x community is underprivileged and we are here to help them" "we have better resources than x community, that's why we're here" in the host country i served in we teach WITH the local teachers, which i liked (some countries you teach alone, which most volunteers are ENTIRELY inexperienced to do). but some volunteers did not work with their counterparts, instead they would show up to work anx expect their counterpart follow their lead. They did not let host country nationals take lead, but carried they idea that they know best.. which let me tell you.. none of us did. My counterparts had been teaching for YEARS and taught me so much of what i know now. When a small group of volunteers, including myself, brought up these issues of white saviorism to the director (american), she basically said we can sit and talk about it over lunch, but we won't address it to the entire cohort. There was one volunteer who studied abroad for a couple of months in Jordan, and literally found every possible moment to spew out INCORRECT things about MY culture, language, and even gave his own opinons on the politics of the country... oh and made an ISIS joke to my face.. (one volunteer came up to me later saying what he said was wrong and that she felt bad for not saying anything). months later after having to see him at a mandatory training, i confront him to which he apologized and said he wanted to be an ally to the community, asked how he could do that and we had a good talk. Anyway, for the most part, it feels like they are not maliciously ignorant. Just plain ignorant, but what can we do if the directors are refusing to address this, and educate volutneers so that they are not HARMING these communities? That was a lot I'm sorry. TLDR: If you go, ask LOTS of questions. and challenge the higher ups.

Yeah ofc! Yes we did have the option to return, but the thing is.. we had to make the decision within a couple months of being back, when they told us that if we decide to return, we would have to wait 6 months to a year before going back. Some of us couldn't afford to just wait around and drop everything when they told us we could go back. Some could. My husband and I decided, it was best for us to move on to the next step in our lives. we also had some reservations about how the organization was run.. undertones of saviorism and all. We plan to go back to visit, just not through the Peace Corps. We still talk to our host family and friends every week na dmiss them everyday. We had TWO days to pack up all our things, say goodbye to students, co-workers, our host family, neighbors... it was a lot of crying all around to say the least..

I was in the Peace Corps for almost a year before getting evacuated!!

This was super helfpul!! Thank youuu

haha love that last part. every time I talk about this it ends with "but we'll see" in my head. ahh. That makes sense. I am very inexperienced. and find it hard to be proud of my work. even work that has gotten published, I look at it and see things that I want to change. I hope to get to where you are. Hey I just saw we are both poetry concentrations. and in Florida!! haha.

This made em think about a conversation I had with one of my undergrad professors not too long ago about this.. they were helping me with my SOP and they also happen to be a faculty member of the MFA program at the school I went to. They told me that the most important thing in an application is the statement of purpose because it tells them how we will function in that small group, and really what we are like. The writing sample, they said, tells them what skills we have mastered or which we are working on. I assume this is something many professors have their own opinion about. Can I ask... do you think publications really help??

Gross.. must be insecure to be putting you down like that. how is that constructive criticism? how is that helpful at all? bye. reminds me of the time I took a song lyrics writing class (idk why, i don't write music) and this girl made it her personal mission to make all of her songs about this girl in class that she didnt like (who happened to be my friend). and so you can imagine how awkward the workshops were. Just couldnt believe that that was COLLEGE behavior. Also my vocabulary is also awful. my professor once pulled me aside and asked if my lack of strong grammar and vocab in my work were because of a language barrier. I do speak arabic but English is technically my first langauge so i didn't have an excuse really. but i still said yes bc i was so embarrassed lollll

I have a couple of friends who go to UF. Just curious have you thought about USF? I went there for my undergrad. Would have applied their for an MFA had I not been limited in location. My husband got a job in NY and I would a 100% be sad at least 50% of the time if I were living away from him lolllll. anyway, the professors are amazing there. I would say im biased, but i would honestly tell you if they weren't.

ahh hii!! Welcome back to Florida!!! oh wow the three of us are pretty close to each other considering how big Florida is. I'm sorry to hear about losing your job : ( I'm happy ya'll are able to be near family! Ooh yess you are much closer to the beach than @Greitheand I. it will be celebrating!! you got this. Yesss, we could even do a zoom idk if that sounds weird. But I'd be down for either!!

no way that's awesome!! I hope so! Can't wait!