Rhodes Post-Fulbright?

[aheather]

Hey all,

Haven't posted here in ages. This time two years ago, I was panicking about Fulbrights. Now I've finished up my grant (awww yissss), and I'm looking forward. Next year is the last year I'll be eligible to apply to the Rhodes, and I'm thinking of going for it. My university will support me, though they haven't had a Rhodes Scholar in forty years, so they don't have much information to give me. 

Basically, I'm wondering if my time as a Fulbright ETA will look to the selection committee like I'm unfocused. ETA grants are not as prestigious as research grants, which is fine because I applied for a lot of reasons outside of prestige, but I don't want to look like I'm fellowship-hopping to avoid real life.

It seems like the Rhodes is mostly aimed at the crowd immediately coming out of college, and I'll be two years out (and literally three days younger than their age maximum), so I don't know if many people have bounced from Fulbright to Rhodes. How do I do that thing? Help, I have zero regrets about living in SE Asia, but I'm scared that it limited my options.