jstranberg Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Haha, I think the nervous anticipation is so concentrated here that it's somehow seeped through my computer and slightly taken a hold of me. Now I lurk. Even though I feel the forum is a little German-centric, I'm going to throw this out there for other lurkers. Any Korean applicants from Georgia? Shoot me a message if so! Books2readme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALostScholar Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Haha, I think the nervous anticipation is so concentrated here that it's somehow seeped through my computer and slightly taken a hold of me. Now I lurk. Even though I feel the forum is a little German-centric, I'm going to throw this out there for other lurkers. Any Korean applicants from Georgia? Shoot me a message if so! ..German centric? lol...plently of non-German applicants in here.... Anyone else waiting to hear from Australia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstranberg Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 ..German centric? lol...plently of non-German applicants in here.... Anyone else waiting to hear from Australia? Haha, hence the "little". I was tempted to italicize 'little' for emphasis, but I was afraid it would come across as sarcastic. I meant it in the most literal sense. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabella4 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hi Anna, I applied to Norway, and by the looks of it so far, we're the only applicants to Scandinavia in this forum. Good luck though! Where in Denmark did you apply? The very north of Denmark, really -- Aalborg. How about you? And is anyone else continually checking their spam folders for fear that *the* email is sitting there, unread? But no, it's always just filled up with messages from people trying to sell me Viagra or gold. kokowääh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon314 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 The very north of Denmark, really -- Aalborg. How about you? And is anyone else continually checking their spam folders for fear that *the* email is sitting there, unread? But no, it's always just filled up with messages from people trying to sell me Viagra or gold. One of my best friends lives in Aalborg!!! I'd love to visit him. Good luck- I hope you get it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olgagrigus Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hi there! I've been lurking here a few days hoping that someone like me will come up. I am a semi-finalist (principal) of Non US Visiting Scholar Fulbright for 2013-2014 heading for UC Berkeley from Russia. The information I have from Fulbright office in Moscow right now is that there have been cuts to the program and what we have to do now is wait. However, I know that for some of us on the principal list the budget has been approved already. The Gradcafe seems to be the only place where I could find people like me. I've got exactly the same symptoms: 1) a week ago I tuned my phone so that it informs me of any email arriving from Fulbright. Didn't help at all. Now I check my spam folders, check another email and check the first email in order to be faster than my alert. 2) I am robotic at work. Yesterday I had a lecture on Medieval British History (a rather complicated one with all those Plantagenet Kings). Guess what! I was the one to deliver it. 3) Everybody around including my employer keeps asking me weather I nailed it or not. It won't help reduce anxiety. 4) I am rehearsing the interview again loudly in my car trying to persuade the board that I am the right person for them (In fact I was interviewd in November). Here I have found out that I am not completely mad! Thank you! For applicants for Russia: If you have any questions about what it's like living there or the language, I can help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Alright, 3/22 feeling the good vibes. It's Friday! It's Friday! That means there's more of a chance to hear. Right? :-) there'sanappforthat and lunita 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Thanks for sharing! I definitely agree that practical experience, just kind of getting in there, is effective. In my opinion, it's useful up to a point with significant diminishing returns, i.e. more years does not translate into increasing skills. I also agree that everyone applying for an ETA will likely be a capable instructor, but there are many degrees of effectiveness with capable, or good, as the baseline. Nothing wrong with that, but it is always important to be aware of what else is out there. We aren't reinventing the wheel, after all. ETA's are also a little less than a year, so it isn't like Fulbright is expecting people to make a career out of ESL, so capable would absolutely be a sufficient threshold to determine the potential aptitude for educators. I figure, personally, after a year of Fulbright or equivalent, I will know whether ESL is something I want to pursue more long-term. I suspect that goes for many applications. There was a veteran ESL teacher in my group (like 8+ years). She was not very good, mostly because she had developed so many poor habits by teaching for so long with no instruction or feedback on her lessons. A few of us, in my opinion, were more capable in that classroom setting within a few observed lessons, anyways, than she was simply because we started with a blank slate. She also spoke Spanish and used it heavily as a crunch. Having a bit of ESL volunteering background going into the CELTA, every single lesson I would think "If only I knew then what I knew now!!!" It was seriously mind-blowing. There was another guy in our group who taught in Korea for a few years, and he adapted to the lessons moreso than our classmate. He couldn't believe how much he had improved with a few taught lessons. It helped, also, that he had the requisite experience and exposure to a variety of classroom settings and lessons. Since he was receptive to change and adaptation, he really flourished into a capable teacher by the end of it. Another neat thing about CELTA is that they do as you suggest, throwing you into the classroom teaching on the second day (terrifying). On the first day, we observe a lesson where our instructor teaches our students. We take notes, and try to model what they had done (to comically bad effect). It was very little lecturing on how to teach, and even the theory components of the course were hands-on. For instance, when learning how to integrate music in the classroom, our instructors literally taught us the lesson by integrating music into it. Before we knew what was going on, we were like "..oh, damn, they have been doing what they are talking about for the past hour." It went like that for writing lessons, phonetics, conveying instructions, and so on. They basically taught us in the method that we need to use in the classroom, even though we were all fluent speakers. They were tricky, tricky... I definitely agree that structure and feedback is crucial for effective teaching. I think that is the essence, in theory anyways, of a "teaching assistantship" and not a "25-30 teaching hours per week with little to no help." I'm sure that varies based on country and particular school, though. I certainly do not feel I am at the point of, day-in and day-out, constructing lesson plans that I know I am capable of. I believe my friend in Bulgaria says she has 16 classroom hours, which is very reasonable. CELTA is neat because it gives you a strong foundation by which to recognize opportunities when they come about and be able to effectively utilize the materials at your disposal. In that way, the CELTA seems indispensible compared with other EFL certifications (I havn't heard very good thing about the others. Supposedly, you can take some online??) or simply a few years of experience. I am obviously biased, and I am sure others have differing opinions on the subject. Though you're going for a masters, if at any point you want to return to the classroom, there is a next level called the DELTA, which requires a minimum of two-years experience (and possibly the CELTA as well): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_%28ELT%29. From there, after someone receives the DELTA and continues teaching, they can develop further into teacher trainers, and then into curriculum/center directors. It was neat to be exposed to the career of ESL, as it can be stereotyped as a dead-end, non-advancing occupation for people without any other idea of what they want to do. Obviously, a year with Fulbright will increase one's earning potential and opportunities in the future if they wanted to make a career or an extended stint as an ESL instructor or teacher trainer. Hey, I just wanted to say, I didn't get to read this the other day, but thanks for the awesome advice!! Although I don't currently have plans of making ESL teaching my profession, this is certainly good to know, especially since you never know where you might end up! Thanks for the for a well-thought-out post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hey, can anyone recommend any blogs of current or past ETA recipients? I would love to read some! I have a feeling it's going to be a slow day in the office, today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medizumbacist Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hi there! I've been lurking here a few days hoping that someone like me will come up. I am a semi-finalist (principal) of Non US Visiting Scholar Fulbright for 2013-2014 heading for UC Berkeley from Russia. The information I have from Fulbright office in Moscow right now is that there have been cuts to the program and what we have to do now is wait. However, I know that for some of us on the principal list the budget has been approved already. The Gradcafe seems to be the only place where I could find people like me. I've got exactly the same symptoms: 1) a week ago I tuned my phone so that it informs me of any email arriving from Fulbright. Didn't help at all. Now I check my spam folders, check another email and check the first email in order to be faster than my alert. 2) I am robotic at work. Yesterday I had a lecture on Medieval British History (a rather complicated one with all those Plantagenet Kings). Guess what! I was the one to deliver it. 3) Everybody around including my employer keeps asking me weather I nailed it or not. It won't help reduce anxiety. 4) I am rehearsing the interview again loudly in my car trying to persuade the board that I am the right person for them (In fact I was interviewd in November). Here I have found out that I am not completely mad! Thank you! For applicants for Russia: If you have any questions about what it's like living there or the language, I can help you. Heyy!! I did my undergrad at UC Berkeley! ABSOLUTELY loved it! Let me know if you need/want any tips on the area! Would love to return vicariously through you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokowääh Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hey, can anyone recommend any blogs of current or past ETA recipients? I would love to read some! I have a feeling it's going to be a slow day in the office, today! Here are two blogs from Germany ETAs.... As you can tell, I too have been quite bored waiting! http://thechangingevergreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/welcome-to-wernigerode.html http://amarettesabenteuer.wordpress.com/2012/07/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunita Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 http://thechangingevergreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/welcome-to-wernigerode.html http://amarettesabenteuer.wordpress.com/2012/07/ Did you just google for them? I'd love to find a blog from a Fulbright living in Switzerland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Liebe Fulbright-Kommission, ich warte auf Sie mit voller Aufmerksamkeit und Angst. Wenn Sie die Entscheidung treffen, mich als Empfänger des berühmten Stipendium Fulbright anzuerkennen, bin ich Ihnen immer (und weiter) schuldig. Bitte, lassen Sie die Entscheidung schnell aus Ihrem shönen Land hierher kommen. mit besten Grüßen von einem nervösen amerikanishen Student TakeMyCoffeeBlack kokowääh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Here are two blogs from Germany ETAs.... As you can tell, I too have been quite bored waiting! http://thechangingevergreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/welcome-to-wernigerode.html http://amarettesabenteuer.wordpress.com/2012/07/ Thaaaaank you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Liebe Fulbright-Kommission, ich warte auf Sie mit voller Aufmerksamkeit und Angst. Wenn Sie die Entscheidung treffen, mich als Empfänger des berühmten Stipendium Fulbright anzuerkennen, bin ich Ihnen immer (und weiter) schuldig. Bitte, lassen Sie die Entscheidung schnell aus Ihrem shönen Land hierher kommen. mit besten Grüßen von einem nervösen amerikanishen Student TakeMyCoffeeBlack Geil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokowääh Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Did you just google for them? I'd love to find a blog from a Fulbright living in Switzerland. The first one is a friend of a friend, but a few months ago when I googled Fulbright 'country name' eta blog, there were a ton of choices. Germany is also a really big program, so I'm sure there are more blogs than from other countries! Though I'm not sure if reading them helps stave off stress; reading the blogs makes me want a positive response even more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunita Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Haha, I think the nervous anticipation is so concentrated here that it's somehow seeped through my computer and slightly taken a hold of me. Now I lurk. Even though I feel the forum is a little German-centric, I'm going to throw this out there for other lurkers. Any Korean applicants from Georgia? Shoot me a message if so! Lol, ever since I learned that Georgia is a country, I always take an extra second to consider if it would be the state or the country. Don't worry, I figure you're from the state. I do the same step when my South American friends talk about guerillas. I don't want to offend them by thinking they must automatically be talking about guerillas, so I take a second to consider if they might actually be talking about gorillas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Did you just google for them? I'd love to find a blog from a Fulbright living in Switzerland. INterestingly enough, one of the bloggers that was linked also spent a year in Switzerland. It was a Rotary scholarship, but should still be interesting! http://amarettesadventures.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Lol, ever since I learned that Georgia is a country, I always take an extra second to consider if it would be the state or the country. Don't worry, I figure you're from the state. I do the same step when my South American friends talk about guerillas. I don't want to offend them by thinking they must automatically be talking about guerillas, so I take a second to consider if they might actually be talking about gorillas. Hahahah. Oh man. This makes me think about a funny story about my little brother. He was in 7th or 8th grade, and his class was playing some kind of game where they had to list countries that started with a specific letter. He says Georgia (this was right around the time there was a lot of unrest in Georgia, too, so it was in the news EVERY DAY) and his teacher (a health teacher....) laughs at him and says Georgia isn't a country, it's a state. He and his friend started insisting Georgia is a country, but she wouldn't beleive them. Pretty sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunita Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hahahah. Oh man. This makes me think about a funny story about my little brother. He was in 7th or 8th grade, and his class was playing some kind of game where they had to list countries that started with a specific letter. He says Georgia (this was right around the time there was a lot of unrest in Georgia, too, so it was in the news EVERY DAY) and his teacher (a health teacher....) laughs at him and says Georgia isn't a country, it's a state. He and his friend started insisting Georgia is a country, but she wouldn't beleive them. Pretty sad. LOL ! ! ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eternal Icicle Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) Hey, can anyone recommend any blogs of current or past ETA recipients? I would love to read some! I have a feeling it's going to be a slow day in the office, today! My blog, ETA in Bulgaria: http://unintentionalexplorer.wordpress.com [more BG blogs in the blogroll] ETA in Peru: http://respirandonuevoaire.wordpress.com/ ETA in Indonesia: http://figonester.wordpress.com/ ETA in Malaysia: http://saraexplores.blogspot.com/ Edited March 22, 2013 by Eternal Icicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 LOL ! ! ! Isn't it terrifying?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 My blog, ETA in Bulgaria: http://unintentionalexplorer.wordpress.com [more BG blogs in the blogroll] ETA in Peru: http://respirandonuevoaire.wordpress.com/ ETA in Indonesia: http://figonester.wordpress.com/ ETA in Malaysia: http://saraexplores.blogspot.com/ Awesome! THanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
there'sanappforthat Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I don't think I can read those blogs right now, actually. They are making me too giddy. If I get good results, then I will probably read them. Otherwise, it's too bittersweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunita Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 INterestingly enough, one of the bloggers that was linked also spent a year in Switzerland. It was a Rotary scholarship, but should still be interesting! http://amarettesadventures.blogspot.com/ Thanks, I'm reading it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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