Johanna

If you make one, I'll join for sure. I definitely need help navigating the paperwork...

Do any of the German ETAs (or researchers?) know if we're supposed to fill out all those insurance forms? The Fulbright-Kommission sent those circulars with all those forms, but only said to send in the registration for orientation and passport photos. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything...

I'm so sorry. That really sucks. Just keep in mind though, people are finding out their Bundeslaender now and I'm sure there are at least a few people who will turn down the Fulbright if they don't get placed somewhere specific. I even know people from previous years who got their first choice placement, but were then offered jobs and gave up the placement. Good luck, just hang in there!

Ok, I must have gotten different mail than you. I guess there are two packets in the mail and we received ours at different times. My letter was in German, as was the booklet I received. Also, the insurance thing I received was only one page and in English. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Wow, I did not get any of that. Was what you got in German or in English? Also, did you get the insurance thing? If not, then maybe there are two different letters and I happened to get this one first...

What exactly did the German ETAs receive in the mail today? All I got was an information booklet, a page about insurance, and the letter saying where I've been placed. Am I missing something?

Congratulations on your first choice! Where does it say that weird thing about "A. MAINTENANCE" though? Did you not get the part where it said around 800 Euro?

I got placed in Hamburg! I'm so relieved! It was my first choice and I'm really, really thrilled. I hope all the other German ETAs get news they're pleased with as well!

Who did you email at PAD? My three top choices were Hamburg, Berlin, and Bremen so if I get any of those, knowing the Bundesland will mean knowing the city, and I really need to know so I can start making summer arrangements.

To the German ETAs and researchers: Does anyone know if Germany requires any extra testing for medical clearance? I've had some delays with everything, but now I'm ready to send it in (finally), and I just remembered the part of the letter where they said to contact the consulate or whatever (not the IIE) to find out if extra tests are needed. I really just want to send the form in, and I don't want to delay things more by trying and track down the right person at the embassy or consulate. *Edit: I've now been trying to get in touch with the German consulate ALL day. No one seems to be able to help me and I keep getting transfered to dead ends. I would really, really appreciate it if someone who already sent in their medical stuff for Germany could let me know whether they were required to submit anything extra. Thanks so much guys.

Does it matter if medical clearance has come through? Also, are they coming from New York or Germany? I'm so confused with all the different offices we have the keep track of...

Can anyone think of any reasons why medical clearance for western Europe wouldn't come through? Like, what's the worst affliction one would have to have for Fulbright to say, "Um, sorry. We changed our minds. You aren't fit to go to Spain/France/Germany/Netherlands/etc"?

He didn't say when. I got "soon" as well. What he did tell me is that the placements come from Germany and really have nothing to do with him. I have a friend who had an ETA in Germany during the 2006-2007 school year, and she had received her placement by April 14th. *grumble grumble* Anyway, I didn't have a chance to read the entire circular. Did it really say 703 Euros?? I could have sworn it said in the letter we were guaranteed at least 800. How do they decide who gets how much? Do people in say Munich and Hamburg get more than people in Berlin or something?

I know they told us to go there, which is why I checked in, but I don't recall them saying that it's there for anything other than general information. I email Charles Restrepo today and he said all they're looking for from us right now is that we've sent informal emails or something accepting the grant offer and also the medical forms.

Ok, have any of the German ETAs been to this website yet: http://www.fulbright.de/togermany/infor ... ntees.html I have questions: 1. Which orientation are the ETAs supposed to register for? On the orientation registration form I don't see anything about K

Oh, that's so interesting! I didn't look at the rest of the site. When you look at the research institutions they have more grantees, but proportionally they also have more applicants. Yale had the most grantees that year, but a success rate of about 1/3. Smith had a success rate of about 1/2, and then there were some other categories where schools had even better success rates. That's really interesting.

I'm trying to verify this information*, but I know that Smith College ranks either 1 or 2 in the country for Fulbright. While Smith is a great school, it isn't quite top 5. http://us.fulbrightonline.org/documents ... _ba_08.pdf *If you click the link above, Smith is listed as coming in second behind Pamona, with 15 winners to their 16; however, Smith only had 32 applicants, while Pamona had 53. So, yeah, maybe that helps to answer the question a bit.

I have a friend who was a 2006-2007 ETA in Germany and she told me that she had found out by April 14th. I want to get my TESOL over the summer in Hamburg, and it would be great to know if I should be looking for permanent housing or only for a place to stay until September. It's so frustrating!

Does anyone with an ETA in Germany know which Bundesstaat they've been placed in yet? Also, regarding accepting the grant, has anyone gotten any confirmation that their acceptance has been received? From either Fulbright or PAD? Good luck to all you guys still waiting! Hang in there and thanks for all the support over the past weeks and months.

Update on medical stuff: I emailed Charles Restrepo because the lab results for tests I needed to redo (I can't believe September is too old!!!) won't be in until next week. He said that the slight delay isn't a problem and that, while they'd like the medical info asap, the order in which they receive the forms from people has no bearing on placement. So, better to take your time and make sure everything you hand in is complete than to fret about their ridiculous deadlines and rush things.

I have no idea... I had my last pelvic exam in September and when I took the form in to my doctor, she didn't say anything about repeating the test. I had to have some blood work done, but that was it. I feel like if the pelvic exam and pap smear needed to be repeated, she'd have said something. Also, at this point they're not about to take away the grant because your last pap smear was a little over six months ago. If they feel the medical stuff is incomplete when they look at it, I'm sure they'll just say something to you(/us?) and request that the error be remedied.

Hm, I'm afraid I can't help you much then. I'd call the IIE though. That's what I did, because it was also very vague for the ETA grantees what we're supposed to do.