kbui

I'm so nervous! I hope my application at least makes it to the finals so that I can have a sliver of hope for a bright future... lol.

Thanks Mr. Blue, I'll try to give my IT department to ask if this is possible.

Wait really? How do you know??? I've stopped thinking so much about Fulbright these last couple weeks, but somehow I'm still on here... lol. I'm getting more and more nervous as time goes on. I have these moments where I'm like, "Yeah, I got this! This time next year I'm going to be in Thailand drinking coconuts while planning lessons," with counter moments where I'm like, "Oh God! I'm going to be a bum next year because I'm not going to get the Fulbright!!!"

Oh no, I'm freaking out! The email I used for my Fulbright application got deactivated so I've changed to a @gmail.com account now, so this means that I won't be able to get any emails from Fulbright if it goes to my old account!!! I emailed Johnathan (the adviser for East Asia Pacific applicants about this change, but he hasn't responded. I'm pretty sure I've emailed him at least twice now. What should I do??? Help!!!

I think I'm going to stop worrying about Fulbright for a while now. I'll see everybody back in January! Have a great winter everyone.

When I got a rejection letter in March-April it wasn't personalized. But they were very polite and encouraging though, so that's why I'm applying again this year. I hope you get the award, it seems like you're really passionate about this experience.

Personally: I fell in love with the country after studying a semester in Bangkok in 2010 and traveling around the north, northeast, central and south of Thailand. Wherever we went we were greeted with smiles that welcomed us there, and when we left there were smiles that invited us back. The food was amazingly spicy, and the country is so filled with natural beauty with misty mountains in the north, raw beauty in the northeast, crystal beaches in the south, and metropolitan Bangkok. I taught English in Chiang Mai for 8 weeks and it was one of the best moments of my life. Not only did I get to teach English, I also got a chance to spend Christmas working to spread God's love through telling Bible stories about hope throughout the northwestern region of Thailand. Professionally: Thailand is a key nation to maintain regional peace and stability through working with USAID to prevent and control human trafficking and emerging diseases. After Fulbright, I want to get involved with USAID to create health and education initiatives targeting underrepresented yet critical regions to secure stability and growth. With native fluency in Vietnamese, proficiency in Mandarin, and (hopefully) acquired fluency in Thai, I will be able to fully communicate with regional population and mediate the relationship between the U.S. and Southeast Asia/China. I hope this was clear in my personal statement and statement of grant purpose, I feel like there's so much more I should've added to the application.

I really hope so. I spent so much time and work on my application, so I hope the commission can see that.

So, I was thinking about Fulbright today (as I do every waking moment), and I realized that I should've included more things in my essays!!! I should've added what I want to learn from Thai culture. I did emphasize that I want to learn Thai, but last year for my Vietnam ETA application I said I wanted to learn a musical instrument and an old writing system in Vietnam. In addition, my letters of recommendation last year included a recommendation straight from a person who I worked with when I was teaching in Thailand, this year I have two professors and a scholarship adviser. AHHHHH!

That sounds about right.

Don't let numbers intimidate you. If you tried your best and placed your best application forward, it's now time to relax and start worrying about other things, lol. I'm currently working on some "back-up" plans for next year. I don't know why I call them back-up plans since they're just/even more competitive than the Fulbright. I think my LAST resort is stay in Taiwan and become a teacher. Lol...

I appreciate that, thank you! I'm not ready for a full grant yet since I haven't developed a research plan yet, and I'm not fully sure of what I would research. I know I want to do something in public health in developing regions in China and Southeast Asia, but I need to do more background research before I apply for a full grant. In addition, if you get an ETA, you can still apply for a research grant later so you can get (hopefully) TWO Fulbrights to do what you love! Your credentials are also very good. Science research is very intense, and since you've already published it shows that you're very capable to carry out your research plans in Spain. Keep us all updated in January when the finals come around!

I mean I have a couple things that I think will set me off from other candidates, the main ones being: I've studied abroad in Hawaii, Mexico, Beijing, Shanghai, currently in Taipei, and most importantly Bangkok. I was able to get a language reference filled out for my beginner Thai, which I've heard is an advantage. I have a Boren scholarship, so that may help boost my application in terms of academic achievements. My GPA is reasonably high, and I'm majoring in biology and Mandarin Chinese, two very different fields. This shows that I have a wide range of practical knowledge. My plans for side-projects include things that will benefit the community and lead by the community. I hope these things will help my application FINALLY pass through the finals. I'm feeling good about it this year.

And when I said 10%, I really meant 16%, wrong calculations. Lol.

I just looked at the statistics for this year, and there are 123 applicants for an ETA in Thailand! Last year there were only 20 awards, so that's a 10% chance of getting the scholarship. I hope I get it! I keep on telling myself that my application will stand out, but who knows? They must be so tired reading mountains of applications. Lord, please help me get this scholarship! Lol.

Waiting until January is going to feel like forever! I don't know what I did last year to survive the wait.

Try reading Fulbright's orientation book for Taiwanese ETA scholars last year (here). Maybe this would give you an insight to what will be beneficial and what won't.

Haha, no problem! By the way are you comfortable with posting some of the questions that they asked you in the interview so that future applicants can use it too?

You're cutting it a bit close there AmyClare. I would first make sure, 100%, that your reference letter writers are going to write your recommendation otherwise you're going through the intensive application process in vain. If they cannot, then ask other professors to write the letter. I've asked professors to write me letters in less than three days before, but I've known them for over 3/4 years and I talk to them at least every month about school, my life, goals, passions, accomplishments, etc. As you're fulfilling this task, let's look at your essay. Many countries for Fulbright do not require the applicant to know the national language, however, knowing the language will increase your adaptability, a very well sought out trait. Use it to show that not only can you communicate with the students and staff, you can also use the language to engage with the local community. With your language and communication skills you'll be an even better ambassador to the Fulbright and U.S. because you'll be able to reach a larger audience. If you need more help feel free to post! I check thegradcafe a couple times a day.

Of course I have some tips for interviewing, Mr. Blue! First, I'd like to type down the interview questions that I still remember. Why do you want to do a Fulbright ETA in Thailand? What will you bring to the classroom? What is the hardest challenge you've faced during your time teaching/tutoring? How did you deal with it? How will you incorporate culture into language teaching? What are some teaching techniques that you'll use during your ETA? What will you do outside of your teaching assistant responsibilities? Tell us how you plan to share your experiences with the local community. What do you miss most about your home? (I live in Minnesota) How will you represent America abroad? How will you be an ambassador to the United States abroad? Some of the questions aren't word for word, but it's the general gist. As for tips: Dress professionally. Overdressing is better than under-dressing, but try not to dress like you're preparing to be knighted by the Queen of England or going to prom. Be confident with your answers. If you stumble, just start answering the question again from the beginning. At the end, clearly summarize what you just said in 1-2 sentences. If you're not sure what they're asking, it's okay to ask them to repeat it or phrase it differently. Make sure to give specific examples. "I've taught and tutored for four years," is a good description, but "I've taught first through five graders at a low-income school for a year using flash cards, games, and lesson plans I created on the spot" is a bit better. Don't worry that you're taking up time because this is an interview and they're genuinely interested in you and your plans. Be yourself. However, I haven't gotten a Fulbright yet and these are just some things I've picked up over the years.

I just had my Fulbright interview this week through Skype and it went really well. The committee thought that I had a lot of potential and they're hopeful for this upcoming year. I looked through my application with my adviser and I just submitted it a couple minutes ago. All the recommendations are in, and now everything is complete. Now, it's the waiting game... lol. Decisions can't come fast enough!

I just submitted my Fulbright application! I'm so nervous! AHHHH! Lol...

Is there anyone who received a Fulbright before that has time to read my essay drafts?

Hey there GeeWesley, When I wrote my essay I was saying things that sounded like "an American presence will be good for Vietnam," and it didn't say too much on how Vietnam would influence me. I did touch on cultural connection back to my roots, but I think the Vietnamese commission would've liked something more than that. Otherwise, it might've been a biased against me since I'm Vietnamese myself (though I've lived in America for 20 years now), and they were more about cultural exchange than helping me "come back home." Hope this helps!

Well that's nice to hear! Taiwan's a great choice, I'm actually starting my Boren Scholarship in Taiwan next week I thought my biggest mistakes were--and these are just speculations since Fulbright doesn't really send specific critiques. I didn't focus on what the Vietnamese audience would think of my essay. I only had Americans read my essays, and so it made sense to them. However, looking back on my essay, I can see how it wasn't projecting as well as I wanted it to. I was repetitive in my essay. Fulbright only gives you a page for each essay (if you're ETA), so the way you use your words is key! My recommendation letters weren't strong enough. I asked an adviser and the previous person that was in charge of my teaching/volunteering program to write them. This time around, I'm asking my biology, theology, and communications professors to write them. I've been in close contact with them, and I know they'll write three amazing letters. I thought these were my biggest weaknesses, so I'm going to work on improving these aspects this time around. What made you choose Taiwan?