Fulbright 2013-2014

[there'sanappforthat]

Once Upon a Time.

IS that the fairy tale show that's on one of the prime time channels? (NBC, ABC, CBS?? Can't remember)

[myhandsarebananas]

At this point I hardly even remember...I'm also a psych major so I think I wanted to volunteer for some sort of after school program for at risk youth or possibly immigrant families if such a program exists.  Couldn't be too specific without knowing where I would potentially be located.  I think I also wanted to participate in, if not start, a book club.  But with how short our proposals had to be I didn't really focus on that too much.  :/

[myhandsarebananas]

IS that the fairy tale show that's on one of the prime time channels? (NBC, ABC, CBS?? Can't remember)

 

Yes indeed. 

[Miss_Lady]

That sounds pretty cool! How did you spin it so that your project would be something that would work in Germany, specifically? I had a hard time with that, at first.   I have been volunteering with a therepeutic horseback riding center for developmentally disabled children here in town. I hope to go to grad school to become a  Speech pathologist, so I thought this would be a good way to get experience working with disabled kids (and combine my love of horses and riding as well!) Riding therapy was actually started in Germany, so I hope to be able to find a center close enough where I can volunteer and learn some techniques first hand from therapeutic riding's birthplace! Then I can bring what I learned back home and hopefully have some new ideas to incorporate into the center with which I volunteer! There are some really big, official therepeutic riding centers in Germany that I hope to be able to visit and maybe go to some kind of workshop or something? That would take a bit more traveling, but I hope to be able to to work it out! Originally I was just going to try and job shadow a speech pathologist in the school system, but since my FPA said I could do that anywhere, I had to rework my idea. Then I found out the therapeutic riding I had been volunteering with started in Germany! Seemed like a pretty fortuitous revelation at the time.. I just hope it proves to be so!

That sounds awesome! I can see where you were able to spin it for Germany though. I think it's safe to say that pitching our ideas in the first few drafts of the statement of purpose...was...for lack of a better term, difficult. I like the fact that you talked about learning and bringing back what you learned to the states! I'm sure the committee liked that! Well, I pitched it by saying that writing and learning are collaborative processes, and that in working together to become better writers, we would form a community of practice, where cultural exchange would be possible by working together, learning from each other, and our creative processes, and that this process would encourage and strengthen German-American relations for future generations, etc. Stuff like that )) I'm loving everyone's ideas! I hope we all get it! :B

[moonstring]

I proposed starting or helping out with a student group that involves kids at the school in music, if my host school is amenable to that kind of thing, as well as getting involved in the local music scene (I play multiple instruments). I didn't go into too much depth/detail with my proposed side project because I was informed by my adviser and some former ETA grantees that they don't want to see projects that are too complicated (because then they think you'd be better off with the research grant and wonder why you didn't apply for that).

 

What did you propose?

hey thats basically my side project idea as well!!! Except in slovak repub. 

[there'sanappforthat]

I proposed starting or helping out with a student group that involves kids at the school in music, if my host school is amenable to that kind of thing, as well as getting involved in the local music scene (I play multiple instruments). I didn't go into too much depth/detail with my proposed side project because I was informed by my adviser and some former ETA grantees that they don't want to see projects that are too complicated (because then they think you'd be better off with the research grant and wonder why you didn't apply for that).

 

What did you propose?

Thats cool - I don't know what type of music you are interested in.. choral, intrumental, both, whatever, but you should look into some of the boys choir schools! That would be an amazing thing to work with! Germany and Austria are well known for their boys' choirs! During my study abroad experience, the group i was with went to a fairly well known boys choir boarding school in the city I lived in - it was an incredibly cool experience. We got to sit in with several classes and answer students questions. The most amazing thing was that while we were sitting in with a fourth grade (maybe?) class, one of the boys raised his hand and asked if the Lehmen brothers were responsible for the collapse of our economy. This was in '08 so it was very relevant. Either that kid came from a family that discusses politics and world news a lot at the dinner table, or German students are just much more culturally aware than American students are. Actually, it was probably both. We also tried to explain what we knew about the housing bubble, and the subprime mortgage crisis. When we were explaning it the best we could ( a group of American students studying German - not economics- lol) the teacher cut in on us and said something to the extent of "No, no, I'm not asking about credit cards! I'm talking about the housing crisis" We were like...yeah...that's the problem, because to economically conservative Germany, subprime mortgages are on par with a risky credit card. Oh man. smh. It was quite the interesting experience. Even cooler, though, was sitting in on choral practice for a group of second? third? graders? I was just... blown away. These teeny tiny, rambuncious boys, who were able to sit and focus and produce that kind of controlled sound. It was amazing!

[there'sanappforthat]

That sounds awesome! I can see where you were able to spin it for Germany though. I think it's safe to say that pitching our ideas in the first few drafts of the statement of purpose...was...for lack of a better term, difficult. I like the fact that you talked about learning and bringing back what you learned to the states! I'm sure the committee liked that! Well, I pitched it by saying that writing and learning are collaborative processes, and that in working together to become better writers, we would form a community of practice, where cultural exchange would be possible by working together, learning from each other, and our creative processes, and that this process would encourage and strengthen German-American relations for future generations, etc. Stuff like that )) I'm loving everyone's ideas! I hope we all get it! :B

Thanks! Your idea sounds really cool too -  and yes, the first few drafts were awful. I think ended up with at least 13 drafts of my statement of purpose, by the end of it. The personal statement was a bit easier, and I think it only took half that many drafts!!

[there'sanappforthat]

At this point I hardly even remember...I'm also a psych major so I think I wanted to volunteer for some sort of after school program for at risk youth or possibly immigrant families if such a program exists.  Couldn't be too specific without knowing where I would potentially be located.  I think I also wanted to participate in, if not start, a book club.  But with how short our proposals had to be I didn't really focus on that too much.  :/

That sounds like an awesome Idea.. I really wanted to work with youth as well! Unsurprising, really, given the nature of our grant And yes, the hardest part about the proposals was how ridiculously short they had to be!!!!

[Miss_Lady]

Thanks! Your idea sounds really cool too -  and yes, the first few drafts were awful. I think ended up with at least 13 drafts of my statement of purpose, by the end of it. The personal statement was a bit easier, and I think it only took half that many drafts!!

Longest summer of our lives. The first drafts were harder to write, but it got easier...not super easy, but easier...lol

[there'sanappforthat]

Longest summer of our lives. The first drafts were harder to write, but it got easier...not super easy, but easier...lol

I don't remember when i started writing but... when i first started, they weren't even drafts. I can't even say they were outlines. Well, I made an outline, and then I just started writing and writing about each topic I wanted to cover. I had SO much down on paper, I bet I didn't even end up using 1/3 of it. And then I just edited it so much it hardly looked like what I had started out with anyway. I find I do better that way, writing and writing and writing, and then pairing it down to the most important elements. I also did better if I worked in short chunks of time, rather than trying to mash out a draft all at once. But that's just me; I'd write for a little while, remember I needed to do the dishes, and then get distracted by something else and not come back to it for another couple of hours  (or days..lol). I wish I would have employed this method more in school.. I bet I would have done better!

[crthrasher]

hey thats basically my side project idea as well!!! Except in slovak repub. 

 

Yay awesome!!

[crthrasher]

Thats cool - I don't know what type of music you are interested in.. choral, intrumental, both, whatever, but you should look into some of the boys choir schools! That would be an amazing thing to work with! Germany and Austria are well known for their boys' choirs! During my study abroad experience, the group i was with went to a fairly well known boys choir boarding school in the city I lived in - it was an incredibly cool experience. We got to sit in with several classes and answer students questions. The most amazing thing was that while we were sitting in with a fourth grade (maybe?) class, one of the boys raised his hand and asked if the Lehmen brothers were responsible for the collapse of our economy. This was in '08 so it was very relevant. Either that kid came from a family that discusses politics and world news a lot at the dinner table, or German students are just much more culturally aware than American students are. Actually, it was probably both. We also tried to explain what we knew about the housing bubble, and the subprime mortgage crisis. When we were explaning it the best we could ( a group of American students studying German - not economics- lol) the teacher cut in on us and said something to the extent of "No, no, I'm not asking about credit cards! I'm talking about the housing crisis" We were like...yeah...that's the problem, because to economically conservative Germany, subprime mortgages are on par with a risky credit card. Oh man. smh. It was quite the interesting experience. Even cooler, though, was sitting in on choral practice for a group of second? third? graders? I was just... blown away. These teeny tiny, rambuncious boys, who were able to sit and focus and produce that kind of controlled sound. It was amazing!

 

That's a great idea! I didn't specify what kind of music in my application -- it will really depend on what I find in terms of student interest at my school when(if) I get there. The way I wrote my application, I was hoping to get placed in the Diversity Program with less advantaged students (a non-advertised program of the Germany ETA program -- usually about 20/140 ETAs who get placed in it, and it means you get placed in a school with high percents of students with Migrationshintergrund, in more urban/less advantaged areas). So, it will really depend on my students interests because part of my motivation for doing this is I think music has a lot of power to keep kids engaged and going forward in their life (that's what it did for me as a teen!). I'm classically trained, but very familiar with more popular styles of music like rock, pop, and electronic, and I'd like to encourage students to explore their interests in whatever floats their boat, whether it's jazz or choral or heavy metal.

[crthrasher]

Interesting! Sounds like a good project. I actually heard the exact opposite from my advisor ._. Lol. I was told to articulate shat my project was to the best of my ability, because it is best to show the review commission that the project is feasible (financially). I don't even know anymore D:

 

Hehe, yikes! I hate it when I hear conflicting advice. It was such a pain when I was doing my application having different people (whose opinion I value equally) telling me COMPLETELY opposite things about what I should/should not write... haha. Oh well. Hopefully works out for both of us!

 

Anyways, I think my adviser told me it had to be 'realistic' too, but I guess her interpretation of that was that if I was *too* specific it would look like I wasn't flexible and had my heart set on this project more than the teaching.

Edited March 28, 2013 by crthrasher

[myhandsarebananas]

That's a great idea! I didn't specify what kind of music in my application -- it will really depend on what I find in terms of student interest at my school when(if) I get there. The way I wrote my application, I was hoping to get placed in the Diversity Program with less advantaged students (a non-advertised program of the Germany ETA program -- usually about 20/140 ETAs who get placed in it, and it means you get placed in a school with high percents of students with Migrationshintergrund, in more urban/less advantaged areas). So, it will really depend on my students interests because part of my motivation for doing this is I think music has a lot of power to keep kids engaged and going forward in their life (that's what it did for me as a teen!). I'm classically trained, but very familiar with more popular styles of music like rock, pop, and electronic, and I'd like to encourage students to explore their interests in whatever floats their boat, whether it's jazz or choral or heavy metal.

 

coolcoolcool  

[Porshyen]

For those Georgian Fulbrighters we have a group called Georgian Wanderers for ex-pats in Georgia. The files section is extremely helpful! 

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Georgianwanderers/

 

Thank you for this! I will be sure to check it out.

[Porshyen]

Hehe, yikes! I hate it when I hear conflicting advice. It was such a pain when I was doing my application having different people (whose opinion I value equally) telling me COMPLETELY opposite things about what I should/should not write... haha. Oh well. Hopefully works out for both of us!

 

Anyways, I think my adviser told me it had to be 'realistic' too, but I guess her interpretation of that was that if I was *too* specific it would look like I wasn't flexible and had my heart set on this project more than the teaching.

 

Yeah, that is something along the lines of what my adviser told me.  Also, do a project that is not region specific.

 

That being said, I want to set up some kind of English language camp where both kids and maybe even adults can express themselves creatively with a focus on poetry, children's tales, and photography. 

[crthrasher]

Yeah, that is something along the lines of what my adviser told me.  Also, do a project that is not region specific.

 

That being said, I want to set up some kind of English language camp where both kids and maybe even adults can express themselves creatively with a focus on poetry, children's tales, and photography. 

 

That sounds fantastic!

[there'sanappforthat]

Yeah, that is something along the lines of what my adviser told me.  Also, do a project that is not region specific.

 

That being said, I want to set up some kind of English language camp where both kids and maybe even adults can express themselves creatively with a focus on poetry, children's tales, and photography. 

Do a project that is not specific to a region, or a country? Becasue i would think it would be a good idea to do something that relates to your host country - just not so that you have to do it in a very specific place. In my case, I researched the Therapeutic riding association in Germany, and looked at their list of accredited facilities. They were all over the country, but some states had a lot more than others. I ended up putting my top three choices of state placement as the states with the highest number of therapeutic facilities. It was really the only way I could think to do it!

[crthrasher]

coolcoolcool

 

You're cool!!

[crthrasher]

Do a project that is not specific to a region, or a country? Becasue i would think it would be a good idea to do something that relates to your host country - just not so that you have to do it in a very specific place. In my case, I researched the Therapeutic riding association in Germany, and looked at their list of accredited facilities. They were all over the country, but some states had a lot more than others. I ended up putting my top three choices of state placement as the states with the highest number of therapeutic facilities. It was really the only way I could think to do it!

 

Yeah I think that sounds ideal! It's good to show you're really thinking about making the best use of your time in Germany, but the reason they say for it to not be location specific is just because you could be placed anywhere in the country. So I'm sure you're good with that!

[there'sanappforthat]

Yeah I think that sounds ideal! It's good to show you're really thinking about making the best use of your time in Germany, but the reason they say for it to not be location specific is just because you could be placed anywhere in the country. So I'm sure you're good with that!

God, I hope so! I'm not quite sure what I will do if that plan does not pan out. I'm sure I will think of something. I mean, obviously, if I get it

[crthrasher]

God, I hope so! I'm not quite sure what I will do if that plan does not pan out. I'm sure I will think of something. I mean, obviously, if I get it

From what I've heard from previous Germany ETA grantees, the side project is super flexible. I mean, heck, it's even flexible for the full grants so of course it's gonna be flexible for the ETAs as that is not our main focus anyways. I've heard that some people simply put that their side project was taking some classes at a local school/university and volunteering at a local shelter or something, and that was fine. I don't think it has to be super complicated -- they just want to make sure you're getting involved in the community in your free time and not spending your time holed up in your room, or focused on personal endeavors.

[Porshyen]

Do a project that is not specific to a region, or a country? Becasue i would think it would be a good idea to do something that relates to your host country - just not so that you have to do it in a very specific place. In my case, I researched the Therapeutic riding association in Germany, and looked at their list of accredited facilities. They were all over the country, but some states had a lot more than others. I ended up putting my top three choices of state placement as the states with the highest number of therapeutic facilities. It was really the only way I could think to do it!

 

 

Yeah I think that sounds ideal! It's good to show you're really thinking about making the best use of your time in Germany, but the reason they say for it to not be location specific is just because you could be placed anywhere in the country. So I'm sure you're good with that!

 

Location specific, that's probably a better way to put it.  

 

English is not very widely spoken in Georgia, although its government is really trying to change that.  That's why I think a language camp would be particularly beneficial.   

[Porshyen]

From what I've heard from previous Germany ETA grantees, the side project is super flexible. I mean, heck, it's even flexible for the full grants so of course it's gonna be flexible for the ETAs as that is not our main focus anyways. I've heard that some people simply put that their side project was taking some classes at a local school/university and volunteering at a local shelter or something, and that was fine. I don't think it has to be super complicated -- they just want to make sure you're getting involved in the community in your free time and not spending your time holed up in your room, or focused on personal endeavors.

 

Yeah, in addition to teaching them English, I would really love to take some Georgian lessons.  I know a little bit, but my knowledge of the language is very rudimentary.  If I do get it, I am going to try to find some way I can also work on my language skills. 

 

What is your everyone's knowledge of their host country's language? 

Edited March 28, 2013 by Porshyen

[crthrasher]

Location specific, that's probably a better way to put it.  

 

English is not very widely spoken in Georgia, although its government is really trying to change that.  That's why I think a language camp would be particularly beneficial.  

 

So I've heard! Have you heard about the Teach and Learn in Georgia program through their government, where you can go volunteer to teach English and they will host you there? I was interested in the program at one point but read online that it's still in development stages so it's still a little flimsy in terms of being organized/providing reliable support/etc. Either way though, I'm sure you could do that if you didn't get the Fulbright, right?