Erica Ci

Thanks, I appreciate your info because I've not even begun with that part... I haven't been able to book flights because I literally have just been notified. My hubby has to decide if he's going to DC cuz then we have to pay extra for the room or something. Honestly, I'd just rather book now but I have to wait until Tuesday when I can speak with them regarding paying for my husband to come to DC & paying 1/2 the hotel costs because of that. They sent the links to register for tickets Friday evening... so I've had no time yet.

My husband and I are going to fly him to DC, and we have to pay for the extra night & 1/2 of cost on the other 2 nights. So it's gonna be an extra $520, but he's never been to DC and he can't accompany me for 80% of trip. Maybe you should just get married & take her with you if she could go for 80% of trip as a dependent. I'm not sure if Indonesia covers dependents, but UAE does because they have traditional Muslim family-values. I wish he could go though .... I'd even get an extra $200/month!

I have yet to receive my info packet & so I hardly know when I'm flying out for DC. However, I figure it will Portland to Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Usually Portland to Abu DHabi is cheaper (from my searches on Kayak.com) and Lufthansa has flights here I think- and they go to UAE. Sometimes from the W. Coast it seems there's a flight to NYC or something then across the pond as they say. We'll see. my dream flight would be with Qatar airways or Emirate Airlines because they are ridiculously fancy.... but I'm happy with anything.

I haven't heard back about the CLEA, but I was originally told it was "a few weeks after your acceptance" and it's only been a few days for me. However, if the Arabic CLEA for the Gulf MENA region is in EGypt I can't go. My dad & hubby are already worried. Although I have confidence in Egypt's stability, they do not and there's no way I could talk them into it I think.

Jermaine from the MENA region told me they're covering all my tickets... Hopefully it's not toooooo cheap flying cuz I'd rather have a nearly direct flight. I would love to stop on the way back through Europe as I haven't been since I was 14. Maybe I'll get a shwagg job & I'll be trekking all over the globe. God Willing. No way you are flying from Pullman... Spokane maybe? no puddle jumpers across the Atlantic... lol

I'm a huge fan of Kayak.com they show rates other people found for similar days, weeks, other airlines etc. I've booked through them and a lot of my hipster-traveling buddies swear by kayak.com. I'm still waiting for info from the IIE commission, but I just found out yesterday that I'm a grantee for UAE. Their tickets are like $1300 from the West Coast, but I can fly from my town (Portland, OR) or Seattle or even Cali... however PDX is cheaper. Weird.

Muscndanz- are you the Fulbright PhD candidate who will be teaching in UAE? I just found out today about my status from alternate to grantee I believe there are a few PSU congratulatory awards in graduation and the paper I'll expect to have an article or something... My dad is happy for me but concerned (he would be if I were going to Europe or Asia too). Mom feels the same, but won't say so for fear of hurting my feelings. My husband is hoping for gift certificates to "Muchas Gracias" the Mexican restaurant for HIS graduation because he can't cook. Friends & family are just finding out. I'm excited because the doctors at the ER I work in had just started warming up to me when they found out I was recommended. LOL... doctors are busy people though, particularly those working in the ER.

Yay, Jermaine Jones contacted me this morning and there is more UAE funding available & I've gone from alternate to accepted! I'm so excited! I'm going to United Arab Emirates, studying in Al-Ain (of the Emirate Abu Dhabi) It certainly hasn't sunk in yet for me- but I found out this morning. I have graduation in a few weeks, and there's tons of work to do. My employer is put out over the leave in June (because I said a week ago I should be available due to alternate status) yet, they knew I wasn't going to stay in my job forever and they have been really supportive. I think I may bet a new congratulations in graduation and a write up in the school paper- who knows other than that? See you all in DC!

Congrats MENA grantees. Just got my letter from UAE. I'm an alternate. I heard "small white envelope" over the phone & that was it... I didn't even need to see the letter I am fairly sure there's no hope with an alternate status. Bummer. Time to apply for jobs & more grant research. Wish I was with you all!!! Congratulations Bahrain, and Egypt finalists....

send your info to: fulbright2011.2012@gmail.com the spreadsheet is at google spread sheets *Click Here*

Congratulations on your grant to Turkey... I'd love to learn Turkish & visit! We're still waiting for info about many Middle East/North Africa region nations. I'm glad you brought up the medical exam... I should make my appointment just in case. Have fun & I'm sure you'll get it done.

Oh mi goodness, exciting for you! You should add to the spreadsheet & any other West Bank ETA's... I think ETA is the only grant to Palestine right?

Interesting, hope you know soon... I'm still waiting to hear from UAE, and I really think it may be another month. Doesn't seem to stop me from cruising through here, and commenting then checking the spread sheet Jermaine said that CLEA awards notify "a few weeks" after the Fulbright portion. So those of us waiting for MENA have longer to wait, then we find out about CLEA afterward. I also asked where the CLEA applicants in the Gulf will go, because previously they were set for Egypt... It looks like the Egypt situation is still unknown

I was wondering that too... although my Fulbright proposal in for UAE- and the United Arab Emirates has seen no problems this year.... You should "pick UAE" lulu ;-) I know I've mentioned it before. Something tells me it will likely be till June wait time still for some MENA regions. لا أعرف لكن وآمل أن نسمع منهم قريبا

Good luck everyone with the MENA region... I too am glad to see Morocco on the list. C'mon UAE... I'm not even on the spreadsheet with my Bahrain waiting friends...

Wow, what a total cluster fudge.... Interesting that Congress cutting the budget is more up-in-the-air than big time protests. Go figure. Well, there goes my big dream, sigh. UAE will I ever see you again? Inshallah.

I've applied to United Arab Emirates to study urban planning & research how Emirati women negotiate their roles as leaders in urban planning & sustainability. It will mean a lot of study & research. However, I've gone to school & worked full time for over 5 years so I will be really glad to just study & meet people, God Willing. I really think that our notice may lag until June or so. If the Middle East and gulf countries lag until the end of the month, then we have some sort of state department review... Last year (thanks to another detail oriented person like yourself) the spreadsheet shows that UAE and other MENA nations notified late May and early June. Congratulations on Germany! What's your project/field of study? Ah the Palouse... my mom still lives there. In fact if I win we've got to make another road trip there during the summer. My family has big summer barbeques so I've got a special interest in another visit or two before leaving. -erica

Hey B Randal... I'm originally from Moscow (when I was a kid) and now I'm in Portland. Small world. Lewis and Clark is actually very inaccessible to public transportation. There's a free LC shuttle, and an infrequent bus there. Housing on that side of town (southwest) is pricier than where I live in Northeast. We've still got great walkable shopping, bike paths and decent neighborhoods (Belmont, Hawthorne, Alberta, all interesting districts out this way). I've had friends who took public transportation up to LC from out here, it just takes a while. If you like biking it would be much easier to take a bus or the lightrail MAX and bike to LC. Downtown is pretty accessible to both LC & every part of town. All of the buses & the lightrail train go through that way. I go to PSU downtown and I love that whole area. LC is now a non-smoking campus if you're a smoker it's a trek... but if you can't stand the cloud of smokers outside dorms- problem solved! There's quite a bit of on campus housing. Good luck... bring a rain jacket, rain boots, and if you bike get fenders & thank me later

Crimsonengineer, Have you received your notification and where are you headed? You've put a lot of organizational thought into this.. and it is appreciated

oh I hope you get it, I just am wondering with all of the news there. I say you request to come to UAE, with me (God Willing). It's nearby, another awesome Khaleji area and really stable. Have you been glued to the news about the region? I have but I also love journalism, news, AJE, and all that. Did you apply for the CLEA? I too wait, with anticipation Oh notifications, please don't take TOO long. Honestly, I'm trying to resign myself to expecting it in the beginning of June.

Exactly what I was figuring, "no state department warnings= a good sign" However, the number grows, and I think for the State Dept, they may not want to issue a warning about Bahrain (unless I missed it?) since our 5th naval fleet is stationed there. However, I'm wondering what will become of Egypt's Fulbright portion. They receive so many, and I didn't know if the previous warnings had straight been lifted, or what they had in mind. Thankfully new AUC campus is outside of Cairo now; it was my understanding the old campus was straight downtown near Medan Tahrir. I am thinking if they aren't sending some does that mean other nations will end up with more? Morocco sounds so lovely; I've always wanted to visit Fez and Marrakesh. I think it's been slightly impacted but in positive ways with the King promising reforms, with interests of the youth carefully weighed and included. What is your study/ research field? Good luck! Hope we meet in Washington DC.

I bet they DID get rejected for Bahrain. Their proposal could have been pure gold, but the nation is under police state style "emergency law" which is (according to their constitution) only supposed to last 3 months. However, it's not looking good for a huge part of the region. I hope so, where did you apply? Thanks for the update on the spreadsheet...

Here's last year's.. I just located it. https://spreadsheets0.google.com/ccc?key=taWW8xiKve1Tm6Ow6bHdhYA#gid=0 just remember to pay it forward & put your acceptance on this year's sheet. Now I need to find that link! stay positive though

I've been waiting for word from Fulbright for a study/research grant to United Arab Emirates. Last year's applicants to much of the Middle East, were notified late April, or May. UAE applicants weren't notified until June 1 BY PHONE. This is not hard for me to imagine as the Emirates just has different timelines really. In fact, I'm grateful for last year's notifications spreadsheet because it helped with seeing how long most Middle East applicants had to wait. For the last few months I've been wondering how much the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions will affect Fulbright in the Middle East. The region seems to receive around 100 grantees, but may divided around the Middle East according to need. In addition to developments in the former nations, there have been news-worthy protests in: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Bahrain. For the last few years Bahrain and Yemen have not sent Fulbright students; Libya also has not received Fulbrighters for some time. So many areas where there has been protests were not hosting students on Fulbright grants. Egypt, however, has always received 30% of the entire region. Anyways, I feel anxious about hearing from them... however I think it will still take until June. This is especially frustrating as I am graduating June 12. I keep wondering if I should write the Middle East coordinator... and quit merely googling when others receive notifications Thanks for this blog & the spreadsheet. I found last year's really helpful.. although I have no idea where the link is to it now. :-) have you seen anyone from the Middle East added yet? I'm waiting to be approved to access the one on Google apparently... -erica