Fulbright 2009-2010

[failureparade]

Well, I just heard from the Netherlands. I was named an alternate. I live in California...

I guess it's one of those slow, icy, painful deaths rather than a quick one.

[Albanski]

how big was the envelope...for those that applied for a research grant and got it!

[Albanski]

Being an Alternate is the worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel for all of you, I hope I am rejected instead of being named an alternate. 5 students from my school are alternates. Tsk Tsk!

[nemolover]

to all you alternates and rejected finalists out there:

1. thank you so much for bravely posting on this forum. it makes me feel better knowing there are other people in my situation.

2. to those of you who are ETA alternates or rejected finalists - there are still tons of English-teaching opportunities out there! Fulbright is by no means the only way to teach English abroad. Here is a short list of sites, and I know there are many more:

http://www.eslcafe.com (worldwide)

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listin ... ites.shtml (database of websites)

http://www.aclipse.net (Korea, Japan, China)

http://www.worldteach.org (worldwide)

http://www.teflasia.com/ (Asia)

http://etis.sen.go.kr/ (Korea)

http://reachtoteachrecruiting.com/ (Korea, Taiwan, China)

3. to my fellow research alternates or rejected finalists who have no interest in teaching English - i feel your pain. i don't know where we can get funding for our projects. i am now thinking of going to Nepal anyway, or going elsewhere in South or Southeast Asia for an unpaid internship (I have been unable to find a paid one in the kind of work I want to do) and fund myself by getting a job. some creative ideas i have come up with or friends have suggested to me:

- work in a hotel geared towards Westerners. you could be a receptionist or concierge. they need people who can speak fluent English to their clients and you might not have to speak the local language, especially in Asia. also, if you work enough hours there, they may provide room and board.

- if you go to India - work in a call center at night. you can skip the American accent training! and it should be enough to support yourself. the major call center cities are Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune.

- tutor rich high school kids in English or other subjects. i know this sounds like you're widening the education gap and you don't want to be a part of that, but honestly those kids are getting tutors regardless of who tutors them, and there is a lot of money you could make to help support yourself (though you would probably need another source of income/funds too).

i have been killing myself every day since i found out i was an alternate. i was absolutely devastated. but you know what? we are still awesome. all of the finalists--grantees, alternates, and rejected--are equally amazing. there comes a point where the decision of who's in and who's out is arbitrary, and different application readers may have chosen a different group of winners from the same pool. so just remember: you were a finalist for a fulbright!! please, realize how incredible you are!! and view this waitlisting/rejection as a new, exciting opportunity. you can still do whatever you want, and it will be all the better because you found your own way to do it.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!! i still hope you get upgraded from alternate to grantee, but if you don't, i hope you can figure out another way to go where you want and do what you want! because you're awesome, you deserve it, and you can do it.

[lambissson]

Nemolover, that is an amazing post! I second everything you said.

Now, I feel kind of bad for posting this now, but has anyone looked into booking their flights?

Right now, STA Travel is only able to book as far as January something. I get that you can change the return date for $50 + any airline fees, but this will be a lot. And just so you know, the website and the girl at the main STA Travel number said that it's $35 to change the return date. The guy at the STA international programs number said it changed to $50 a few days ago. Anyway, in January, I'll have no idea when I want to return. I guess we could wait a few months until they're able to book February and March, but that's still not very good.

I've had a really bad experience with this and don't want to deal with changing dates at STA Travel again. The max amount for Germany is $1200 and since we have to use a U.S. carrier, I'm only finding flights for over that amount. Statravel.com/fulbright says that if we have a grant lasting longer than one year, we can get two one way tickets, so I'm guessing the rest of the us can't do that.

And about that blank request form on the STA Fulbright site, the guy I talked to at international programs told me that if you use it, the agent makes a reservation for you and THEN emails you the itinerary. So I definitely wouldn't recommend using that.

I found in the the 2008 Fulbright Germany circular that Fulbright "would consider a reimbursement" for tickets that we book ourselves, but "would consider" sounds kind of risky. Hopefully someone here will have some clever ideas!

Oh, and the number listed in my letter from Fulbright Germany for STA Travel was 800-836-4115. Don't even bother with that number because they don't have a clue about the Fulbright stuff. Call 877-777-8717, the international programs number.

[klb5]

for Germany ETA's -- does anyone know when we should find out what Bundesland we're in???

[Johanna]

for Germany ETA's -- does anyone know when we should find out what Bundesland we're in???

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!

[throwaway]

I'm research, anthropology, will be based in Varanasi. Where are the other India Fulbrighters on this board based?

Just got my letter today, I'm on my way to India too. I'm research, women's studies, based in Bombay/Mumbai.

[rugby]

I'm research, anthropology, will be based in Varanasi. Where are the other India Fulbrighters on this board based?

I'll be based in Kolkata, on a research grant in urban planning.

[levi]

I was accepted to China for a research grant today!!!

aka I'm IN

[brialorelle]

just got the good news. it got here (texas) today. headed to france. good luck to all.

hey I'm there with you! congrats, this is exciting. where in france are you / do you know when exactly we're supposed to start? is there an orientation for us? The packet didn't give much info on logistics.

[summernights77kt]

to all you alternates and rejected finalists out there:

1. thank you so much for bravely posting on this forum. it makes me feel better knowing there are other people in my situation.

2. to those of you who are ETA alternates or rejected finalists - there are still tons of English-teaching opportunities out there! Fulbright is by no means the only way to teach English abroad. Here is a short list of sites, and I know there are many more:

http://www.eslcafe.com (worldwide)

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listin ... ites.shtml (database of websites)

http://www.aclipse.net (Korea, Japan, China)

http://www.worldteach.org (worldwide)

http://www.teflasia.com/ (Asia)

http://etis.sen.go.kr/ (Korea)

http://reachtoteachrecruiting.com/ (Korea, Taiwan, China)

3. to my fellow research alternates or rejected finalists who have no interest in teaching English - i feel your pain. i don't know where we can get funding for our projects. i am now thinking of going to Nepal anyway, or going elsewhere in South or Southeast Asia for an unpaid internship (I have been unable to find a paid one in the kind of work I want to do) and fund myself by getting a job. some creative ideas i have come up with or friends have suggested to me:

- work in a hotel geared towards Westerners. you could be a receptionist or concierge. they need people who can speak fluent English to their clients and you might not have to speak the local language, especially in Asia. also, if you work enough hours there, they may provide room and board.

- if you go to India - work in a call center at night. you can skip the American accent training! and it should be enough to support yourself. the major call center cities are Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune.

- tutor rich high school kids in English or other subjects. i know this sounds like you're widening the education gap and you don't want to be a part of that, but honestly those kids are getting tutors regardless of who tutors them, and there is a lot of money you could make to help support yourself (though you would probably need another source of income/funds too).

i have been killing myself every day since i found out i was an alternate. i was absolutely devastated. but you know what? we are still awesome. all of the finalists--grantees, alternates, and rejected--are equally amazing. there comes a point where the decision of who's in and who's out is arbitrary, and different application readers may have chosen a different group of winners from the same pool. so just remember: you were a finalist for a fulbright!! please, realize how incredible you are!! and view this waitlisting/rejection as a new, exciting opportunity. you can still do whatever you want, and it will be all the better because you found your own way to do it.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!! i still hope you get upgraded from alternate to grantee, but if you don't, i hope you can figure out another way to go where you want and do what you want! because you're awesome, you deserve it, and you can do it.

Amazing post! I think it's great that you're reaching out to others and helping people with suggestions. Very kind of you! It also shows great leadership- it's Fulbright's loss if they end up passing you up.

[rinairy]

hey all,

i just found this list. so sick of waiting, so i thought i'd join the obsession, because, hey, we need to procrastinate honors theses and final classes anyway, right?

finalist to jordan for a research grant.

the program officer at the binational commission in jordan told me early april we would know by the last week of april. they also said then that our applications were still with the selection committee. i was told we would not be emailed.

writing in to hear if anyone else applying to jordan (or to any other countries in the region) has heard back yet, or if they have pestered iie representatives to learn more specifically when our letters will go out.

posting from Bay Area, CA.

congrats to those already accepted.

cheers.

[DC_gradschool]

I was accepted to China for a research grant today!!!

aka I'm IN

Hey Levi, Congrats! where did you propose to do your research and are you also applying for the CLEA?

[nemolover]

to all you alternates and rejected finalists out there:

1. thank you so much for bravely posting on this forum. it makes me feel better knowing there are other people in my situation.

2. to those of you who are ETA alternates or rejected finalists - there are still tons of English-teaching opportunities out there! Fulbright is by no means the only way to teach English abroad. Here is a short list of sites, and I know there are many more:

http://www.eslcafe.com (worldwide)

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listin ... ites.shtml (database of websites)

http://www.aclipse.net (Korea, Japan, China)

http://www.worldteach.org (worldwide)

http://www.teflasia.com/ (Asia)

http://etis.sen.go.kr/ (Korea)

http://reachtoteachrecruiting.com/ (Korea, Taiwan, China)

3. to my fellow research alternates or rejected finalists who have no interest in teaching English - i feel your pain. i don't know where we can get funding for our projects. i am now thinking of going to Nepal anyway, or going elsewhere in South or Southeast Asia for an unpaid internship (I have been unable to find a paid one in the kind of work I want to do) and fund myself by getting a job. some creative ideas i have come up with or friends have suggested to me:

- work in a hotel geared towards Westerners. you could be a receptionist or concierge. they need people who can speak fluent English to their clients and you might not have to speak the local language, especially in Asia. also, if you work enough hours there, they may provide room and board.

- if you go to India - work in a call center at night. you can skip the American accent training! and it should be enough to support yourself. the major call center cities are Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune.

- tutor rich high school kids in English or other subjects. i know this sounds like you're widening the education gap and you don't want to be a part of that, but honestly those kids are getting tutors regardless of who tutors them, and there is a lot of money you could make to help support yourself (though you would probably need another source of income/funds too).

i have been killing myself every day since i found out i was an alternate. i was absolutely devastated. but you know what? we are still awesome. all of the finalists--grantees, alternates, and rejected--are equally amazing. there comes a point where the decision of who's in and who's out is arbitrary, and different application readers may have chosen a different group of winners from the same pool. so just remember: you were a finalist for a fulbright!! please, realize how incredible you are!! and view this waitlisting/rejection as a new, exciting opportunity. you can still do whatever you want, and it will be all the better because you found your own way to do it.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!! i still hope you get upgraded from alternate to grantee, but if you don't, i hope you can figure out another way to go where you want and do what you want! because you're awesome, you deserve it, and you can do it.

i thought of another money-making idea: scuba diving. if you are certified as a Divemaster or Instructor, you can get a job in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, the South Pacific, the Caribbean, etc.--anywhere there is an awesome reef, there are dive jobs. plus you would be living near a gorgeous beach! i'm actually considering this, since i'm a certified Divemaster. however, i really want to do rural energy work and unlike the other job suggestions, this would probably take up the same hours of the day as any internship i did. but i do think scuba diving every single day would be a dream... (why do you think my screen name is nemolover? )

(by the way, if you're not certified, you should totally consider it. scuba diving = AMAZING.)

[nemolover]

PS: any of you other alternates or rejected finalists (or even grantees), if you have more suggestions for alternatives to the Fulbright, especially money-making ventures (meaning to fund ourselves for a year abroad, not to get rich), please share with everyone! i would greatly appreciate more ideas, and i bet other people would too.

[Scottco1986]

Hey Levi, Congrats! where did you propose to do your research and are you also applying for the CLEA?

Hey DC_gradschool and Levi,

Congrats to both of you. I also am IN for China. Did either of you apply for CLEA? I will be in Kunming doing linguistic research, and applied to the CET Harbin Fulbright program in case I get the CLEA.

[DC_gradschool]

Hey DC_gradschool and Levi,

Congrats to both of you. I also am IN for China. Did either of you apply for CLEA? I will be in Kunming doing linguistic research, and applied to the CET Harbin Fulbright program in case I get the CLEA.

Hey Scottco1986,

Congrats to you as well! I will be doing research in Yanbian. I also wanted to apply to CET Harbin Fulbright program (I've done the CET Hangzhou program before and the program was awesome), but I think I might have to consider withdrawing my name for consideration for the CLEA since I have to be back in the US before the 2010 school year starts. I can only defer grad school up to a year, but doing the CLEA would extend my stay in China up to 13 months.

[Scottco1986]

Hey Scottco1986,

Congrats to you as well! I will be doing research in Yanbian. I also wanted to apply to CET Harbin Fulbright program (I've done the CET Hangzhou program before and the program was awesome), but I think I might have to consider withdrawing my name for consideration for the CLEA since I have to be back in the US before the 2010 school year starts. I can only defer grad school up to a year, but doing the CLEA would extend my stay in China up to 13 months.

You should talk to IIE, and see if you can do your Fulbright in 9 months instead of 10. I don't know if they ever allow anything like that, but I don't see why they wouldn't. The CET summer program was specifically designed to allow people to be done the Fulbright before the Fall 2010 semester, so maybe they can make an exception of some sort.

[nemolover]

to the alternates/rejected finalists, again -- someone just suggested this book to me:

Work Your Way Around the World

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/185458 ... 137615284/

so see, we could totally carry out our projects while funding ourselves with a job! i mean, we balance jobs and school at the same time here, right? so why can't we do the same abroad? i don't know about you guys, but i'm starting to get excited about figuring out how to fund my own way! this is much more of an adventure than a silly grant.

also, to the India grantees: i lived in India for 6 months, so if you have any questions, feel free to message me. i love sharing India advice!

...i'm starting to feel a little silly continuing to post a week after being named an alternate. well, whatever. i'll keep posting as i discover more non-Fulbright opportunities, because i'm pretty sure alternates/rejected finalists are reading this forum.

[swimfreak10]

For the Netherlands people, I just got an email from Linda Pietersen on receiving the NAF Fulbright grant. It sounds like they sent them out already, although I hadn't received anything but this email.

To new Fulbright grantees to The Netherlands 2009-2010:

Congratulations on your Netherlands-America Foundation-Fulbright grant! By now, you will have hopefully received the message that you have been awarded a NAF-Fulbright grant...

Good luck to everyone else!

[pace]

hey all,

i just found this list. so sick of waiting, so i thought i'd join the obsession, because, hey, we need to procrastinate honors theses and final classes anyway, right?

finalist to jordan for a research grant.

the program officer at the binational commission in jordan told me early april we would know by the last week of april. they also said then that our applications were still with the selection committee. i was told we would not be emailed.

writing in to hear if anyone else applying to jordan (or to any other countries in the region) has heard back yet, or if they have pestered iie representatives to learn more specifically when our letters will go out.

posting from Bay Area, CA.

congrats to those already accepted.

cheers.

I'm also a finalist to Jordan. Spoke with Jermaine Jones late last week and was told the Jordanian committee still hasn't decided. I also emailed the Jordan office, and according to them it's looking like mid May. What's your proposal?

[cschields]

For the Netherlands people, I just got an email from Linda Pietersen on receiving the NAF Fulbright grant. It sounds like they sent them out already, although I hadn't received anything but this email.

Good luck to everyone else!

Wow! Congratulations!

Your good news, however, scared the living crap out of me! Took me a minute to remember NAF grants aren't the only type of full research grants. I am trying to regain my breath and control the shaking of my hands. Unless all of you got emails saying this same thing, and then I guess I should resume my shortage of breath and continue with shaky hands.

[wishin&hopin]

Congratulations to all the successful applicants!! I'm truly excited for you and I wish you all the best of luck abroad next year.

To the alternates: I can only imagine how horrible the "purgatory" must be, but keep the faith. Several months ago a friend, who knows a Fulbright person who has nothing to do with the decision making, but deals with the financial aspect of Fulbright, told me that Fulbright is going to try and award as many grants as possible this year because the economic situation might limit their funding for next year. Don't know if this is still the case (or ever was, as one can never be too sure with secondhand information), but my point is that you never know what kind of funding will become available at the last minute. (And who knows what all the bail-outs have done for Fulbright funding??) Yes, the waiting is truly horrible, BUT could very well be worth it. So keep your chin up, and try to stay positive!

To those who have recieved bad news: I'm so sorry, I know you must be very disappointed. You probably don't want to hear this, but I have to say it anyway: if you can, try again next year---a good percentage of the people I know who have gotten Fulbrights did so in their second year of applying. If you made it this far, you have a very worthy application, so don't give up!

I am seriously glad that this forum is out there, but not entirely sure if it makes me feel more or less anxious....Hmm...

Am also wondering if there are any others out there who applied for Research grants to Italy--would love to know what city you applied to work in and what your project entails. (I applied to work on thirteenth and fourteenth century religious architecture in Verona.)

Good luck to ALL!

[levi]

Hey Levi, Congrats! where did you propose to do your research and are you also applying for the CLEA?

I did apply for the CLEA, but I withdrew my name for timing reasons. My research will be in cultural accounting and I purposed to study in Jinhua, Zhejiang (south of Hangzhou).