suenteus

Sounds like a good research project that you're passionate about. Just because Fulbright didn't pick it up doesn't mean someone else won't. If I were you I'd keep looking for funding elsewhere, maybe within Albania, or from the US.. or women's rights orgs.. get creative.

Hmm, letters sent out two weeks ago would be the NAF grants. You might be right.. good thing you've got a solid backup plan. What are you doing in Japan? Teaching, research, work? Or just wanting to move abroad and Japan seemed like a good place to start? My proposal was to study and conduct collaborations between computer engineers, artists, and musicians in the Dutch arts scene.

Awesome. Congrats!

You'd be right on the other acceptances thus far being NAF grants. I'd take the fact that you haven't heard anything yet as a positive. What was your proposal about? Seriously, hang in there.

I'm not sure there's an answer to this question. The judging panels change every year, each with a unique set of druthers and preconceptions. Personalities aside, their key concern with your background should be whether it has prepared you to succeed in executing the proposal. I went to the University of Florida - not at all a "top five" school, but one that offers a lot of room to personally pick up the slack when the academics were lacking. For me this involved building artistic collectives in the community, and my project proposal was the next logical step down that road.

Also, for those applying to the Netherlands who are on the science side of things.. the NWO is a funding organization I was looking in to in case the Fulbright or my own plans to get over to NL didn't go through. They give all kinds of research and study grants to talented people involved in hard science fields. NWO website - http://www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/SPPD_7AJKYJ_Eng

My advice would be not to give up your life for the Fulbright. If it happens it happens, but you can't put off other great opportunities. I encountered a similar problem. I was offered a great job here in Florida back in March, but was hesitant about taking it because of the impending Fulbright final decision. I basically told my would-be boss, "Look, I really want to work here, but you need to know that I'm in the running for a very prestigious grant and if I get it, I'm going to take it". And he hired me anyway! ... saying, "I still think you can offer a lot to us even if you're only here through the summer." Now of course, your mileage may vary. I'm not sure the specifics of your job and how binding the contract is.. but keep in mind that in the end, you have the final say in what you do with your life, not your employer. I would say take the job.. there are three things that could happen: 1) You get on the Fulbright primary list, leave your job and go do research in Nepal. 2) You get on the Fulbright primary list, but love your new awesome job so much that you stay and some other deserving person gets the grant. 3) You don't get on the Fulbright primary list, but you still get an awesome job working in India! None of those sound like a bad choice to me.

I checked my email the morning after reading your post and found the same message in my inbox. Needless to say, I was speechless for the remainder of the day. I'm still in disbelief, because I had absolutely convinced myself that there was no chance I would receive the grant. You see, this is my third time applying for a Fulbright grant. That's right.. three tours of this psychological endurance march. I applied back in 2005 right after graduating and even visited the Netherlands to spend time at the research institute I wanted to work with, we got along wonderfully but I didn't get the grant. I then broke my back in a serious accident and became so overwhelmed with medical bills and student debt that I had to give up my dreams of doing research to instead work full time at a number of menial jobs. In 2007, after two years of working off my debt and starting to become more than a little jaded, a friend suggested I try again. I applied and this time was a finalist for 2008-2009. I was enthralled, and figured (wrongly) that this meant I was a shoe-in for the grant. Then in April I got a hell of a sting. By this point I had become good friends with many of the folks at my research institute, secured housing in Amsterdam (because it's VERY hard to get), and taken a year of Dutch classes. It's said there is a point you reach where there's no going back, and to get there is the goal of anyone who really wants something. I was there. I started saving (despite still having monumental debt) to fund my own research internship in the Netherlands. I applied again for the Fulbright this year, convincing myself that I would never get it to spare the mental anguish of the previous year and keep myself from letting the benefits that a Fulbright grant brings distract me from what was really the point - that I wanted to do research in the Netherlands. I'm still in that mindset. Kind of a disbelief that what seemed like a hopeless bet actually came out in my favor. I'm still in debt, but with Fulbright support I'll be able to funnel my savings into paying that off and finally be able to put my full energy into the things that fascinate me. I've had my shackles removed. Anyway, I do want to make known how good it's been to have all the wonderful, courteous, and supportive people of this forum this go around. Everyone's input has been elucidating, not just in pulling the shroud off this arduous process, but also in reassuring me that I'm not alone in coping with it. It should be noted that my project from year to year didn't change much. The only major difference was that I had taken Dutch classes... this leads me to think that 1) Your chances of getting a Fulbright depend GREATLY on the judging panel that year, and 2) Persistence is appreciated and rewarded by the folks at Fulbright... so apply again, and again, and again.. but don't stop living in the meantime. My two cents.

My condolences. Posting on this forum was probably the last thing you wanted to do today, thanks for letting us know.

Nothing yet. South Florida. I appreciate the solidarity of this gut-curdling anxiety.

Ditto that. Any concrete news at this point is a blessing.

I'm also waiting to hear from the Netherlands - I want to study cross-disciplinary relationships between technology and the arts at the STEIM foundation, and also cultivate an avant-garde digital arts collective in Amsterdam. Last year I was a finalist, hoping against all hope that I'll go all the way this time. This has been a dream of mine for years.

I just got a job, so I'll be saving money and paying off some of my student debts. The project I proposed to Fulbright has been a dream of mine for years. God willing, some day I'd like to be financially stable enough to fund my own way over to the Netherlands.

Thanks for posting that! The anxious limbo of this waiting process has been driving me bonkers. Let's hope for good news.