urbanite

woot! just got an e-mail saying that I was accepted as a HK ETA. If you are also thinking about going, PM me and I'd love to get to know my potential colleagues!

Could one of the HK ETAs let me know the postdate on your notification letters (and for fun: size of envelope if acceptance?) I still have NOT received my letter-- and I doubled checked to make sure the address on my application is correct. I'm thinking that it is lost in the mail. I will probably call tomorrow morning to inquire once again. And congrats to those who were accepted!

I'm sorry to hear that... but at least you know that you can move on with your life, right? And sounds like you have a back-up plan (grad school?) so you're already in a pretty good position. I wouldn't extrapolate getting the Fulbright to your entire existence. It's a great opportunity, yes, but sometimes my feeling is that acceptance is more about fit than it is about the actual person. You can always re-apply too!

Why do you think you got flat-out rejected? I'm in SF and did not receive any Fulbright correspondence today... I know the mailperson came by because I received other mail... but really-- the dreaded lost envelope?

Nothing in the mail today for me on the West Coast. I'm really hoping that it will come tomorrow so that I can make a decision about a job or (more) school!

Yes, I think we should request for an e-mail to go out at the same time as the hard copy. Since the program starts in early August, that means the chosen ETAs would have only 3.5 months to make a pretty big decision to move to the other side of the world, defer from other programs and commitments, pack up and move the apartment to storage, get medical tests, etc. Anyone else willing to e-mail or call Jonathan on this matter?

The Fulbright selection process seems more and more strange to me... Given that there were 16 HK ETA spots last year and this year, I don't know if I would assume that there are "so many openings" that they had to look elsewhere-- plus, there are usually many more ETA spots (90+) in South Korea. I do think it's strange that they would ask someone if they wanted to switch over because it's another Asian country-- they are completely different places.

Good to know that we're in the same boat You folks sound like an interesting bunch-- which makes it all the more exciting to spend a year in HK and get to know the other ETAs (over countless delicious meals, of course). I studied abroad in Beijing back in college, but I hope to spend some more time in the Pearl River Delta. My dad always wanted me to visit his laojia, and I'd like to trek out into the boonies and find this little village one day(probably not so little anymore). One of my motivations for applying to the program is also for cultural reconnection but also learn more about urban development in Southern China (my academic field). We probably have one or two more weeks of waiting-- deep breaths.

Hey Hong Kong ETAs: Just called Jonathan and he said the letters specifically for HK ETAs will hopefully be sent out the end of this week, but possibly next week. Given that I won't make the April 15th grad school deadline, I'm trying to get an extension from my department adviser for April 29th. I really hope this doesn't screw up funding. Curious to know, how many of us HK ETA finalists speak Canto or have studied in China before? I was born in the States, I'm of Chinese descent, and my Canto is probably limited to expressing my basic needs and wants. l'm wondering if it's a disadvantage to share too much of the same cultural background as the students-- I guess we will find out soon enough. Good luck to all and please let me know if you hear anything! I live on the West Coast, so you East Coasters will hear first, I'm sure.

Congrats to those who have heard back with positive news-- and best of luck to those still waiting. For those of you who applied for the HK ETA: any word yet? I was just browsing on the Fulbright Hong Kong forum on Facebook and it looks like the ETAs found out around March 31st last year. Seems pretty late this year, no? Just wondering if anyone knows whether the letters have at least been mailed out.

For those of you waiting to hear back from HK, I heard that the final notification letters have not yet been sent out and they will likely not go out before mid-April. The notification letters are sent in hard copy form to the current address that was listed on the Fulbright application. Is anyone else worried about not meeting the deadline to respond to graduate programs by April 15th? I am wondering whether there is a tactful way to encourage the Fulbright notification process...