Fulbright 2014-2015

[sammydubbs]

I am doing the ETA program in Germany next year, and I recently got a letter from Fulbright that said something about keeping travel to a minimum and having to get approval for trips, even within the country. What's the deal with that? Does it apply to every country? I was really hoping to use the opportunity to see at the very least the rest of Germany....

[kmshrader]

I am doing the ETA program in Germany next year, and I recently got a letter from Fulbright that said something about keeping travel to a minimum and having to get approval for trips, even within the country. What's the deal with that? Does it apply to every country? I was really hoping to use the opportunity to see at the very least the rest of Germany....

The Germany Fulbrighters have a Facebook group, if you'd like to join us. SPECIFIC TO GERMAN ETAs, the rule is "only 14 days ouside of Europe," rather than outside Germany.

[Mozartgirl53]

That's kind of what I'm hoping for, that a principal from France got into their dream graduate school or got an even better opportunity.

 

 

I know it's still early, I was just hopeful that at least one of the alternates would hear something with April 15th being tomorrow.

 

I feel so flaky right now when people are asking me what I'm doing after graduation and all I can say is I don't know and I don't have any clue if I'll even hear back from Fulbright. Some people are getting frustrated with me when I give them this answer

Hi olioliwoo, I feel your pain! Please don't feel "flaky"; you are NOT! People, i.e. colleagues, professors, grad schools, relatives, and friends just have to understand and accept that this process is totally and completely out of our hands!!  There is nothing we can do about it! This is especially tough for the Alternates! If they get "frustrated" with your answer, just tell them you're more frustrated than they are! You're basically going to be in limbo either until you hear back from Fulbright, or don't; and that can be a long and grueling wait. I actually think it's quite rude for people in any of the above categories to express frustration when you're the one going through this extreme stress of waiting! Maybe you can gently suggest ways they can be supportive of you instead of making you feel worse! Sorry to be so forward, but that really gets my goat. You are an amazing woman and no matter what happens with your alternate status you will always be an amazing woman! I am pulling hard for you and sending all the positive energy I can muster your way. I have absolutely no doubt that you are an ideal Fulbright candidate no matter what happens. You are also young and have so much ahead of you, so it should be totally OK for you to have a few months (although I hope it's not that long!) of indecision. Feel free to quote me on that! Geez!

[Mozartgirl53]

OF COURSE during the ONE HOUR I do not check my email because I am at Pilates class I get an email and a phone call from my FPA......

 

 

 

 

I'M GOING TO BRAZIL!!!!!!! Vamos, gente!!!!! SO excited and thrilled and ecstatic!!!!!! Congratulations to all my other Brazilian Fulbrighters!!!!! Shall we start a Facebook group?!?!?

 

 

FingersCrosssed_118-------YAAAAAAHOOOO!!!! I was so hoping you'd get it; when I read your post I literally stood up at my desk and ya-hooed right out loud with accompanying fist in the air!!!   I am soooooo stoked you got it! I'm not saying others didn't want it, I'm just saying you wanted it so bad!  You are such a positive and motivating person and you so deserve this honor.  I've just been smiling all evening.  Super duper CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! 

[Mozartgirl53]

I know this has been brought up on the board before, but what do people think about the chances of being moved from alternate to principle status? I was notified recently that I am an alternate for the ETA in Norway. I have to sign my contract for work soon and am not sure if I should wait to hear about the Fulbright. Thanks for any input! 

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Hi elenacristo, you can look on the Fulbright site; it lists the number of alternates --> accepted for each year. It's not a big number. On the other hand, in a sense you can throw those numbers out the window, because it seems it's a unique story for each converted alternate. Someone posted above about Columbia just now getting more funding and they're even inviting people who were initially rejected to throw their hat back into the ring. So you can't just say, well it's just such-and-such percentage so I might as well forget it--none of us have any information on who might drop out and why and it varies so much from country to country! People decide to go to grad school; people accept a different fellowship; people get sick or don't pass the physical (although I really hope that doesn't happen to someone!); people may have family issues or job prospects or just change their minds. There are all kinds of things that can happen and to just go by the numbers doesn't make sense to me. I can't tell you what to do; if it were me, I'd wait until the last possible second to sign the work contract. I really hope you get it and can go to Norway!

[Mozartgirl53]

Yes, you should call him tomorrow jrk2115. Since I spoke to him today, I wouldn't be reaching out to him again this week. He did say whenever he receives the final selections from State, he will notify us immediately. To be accurate, he did say that he didn't have a specific date (which I wasn't expecting from him anyways) but that his colleagues in Washington are working hard and we should expect to hear  Ofcourse, "by the end of this week" could include the weekend. Or perhaps, when Mozartgirl53 called him he had received an updated information? I have no idea. Someone should call tomorrow and whatever he says is what we will go by.

 

And congrats to everyone who got good news today!! For those still waiting like us, you're almost there...Fulbright can't keep us in this waiting state any much longer. Can they? lol

 

 

I concur. jrk2115, that would be really cool if you could call. Since I also called him today I don't really want to call again, unless I disguise my voice or something...hahaha. Maybe since I told him I was calling on behalf of the SSA cohort on thegradcafe.com you could even tell him you've seen a little discrepancy and that we just want to verify. Of course, that's up to you--say whatever you're comfortable with. Upon reflection, I wonder if Maliyazi and I just put a different emphasis on what he was saying? Maybe he kinda said the same thing but we interpreted it a bit differently?  Perhaps I'm just more of a pessimist, haha?? Since he told Maliyazi he's waiting on the State Department but can't give an exact date but thinks we'll hear by the end of the week, and he told me he's waiting on the State Department and doesn't expect it until the end of the week or possibly next week, it could be possible he thinks he told us both the same thing. ??  Or, as Maliyazi and I both speculated, maybe he got some sort of update between our two calls. At any rate, I don't think at this point any of us would actually get rejected for "bugging him." They have their list of P, A, and NS; they're just waiting for the State Department review. Nevertheless, if you could call, jrk2115, I'm sure we SSA-ers would all be most appreciative. Thanks for volunteering! I am glad to hear Maliyazi's report that he can notify us "immediately" after getting the S.D. go-ahead.

[Mozartgirl53]

CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE WHO RECEIVED GOOD NEWS TODAY FROM TAIWAN, MALAYSIA AND BRAZIL!!!!!!!!!!  Congratulations UNCAnthro, Nothinger, and letshaveakeke!! If I have overlooked anyone in congratulating them, I apologize; I'm genuinely excited and thrilled for ALL of you!!! This forum has been so important and special to me. Thank you EVERYONE for that!  Let's all join together and send out some positive energy towards everyone hearing back this week!

[FingersCrossed_118]

Congrats FingersCrossed!! I was soo rooting for you, and your epic profile pic! My friend from my university also just got accepted to Brazil!!

 

 

FingersCrosssed_118-------YAAAAAAHOOOO!!!! I was so hoping you'd get it; when I read your post I literally stood up at my desk and ya-hooed right out loud with accompanying fist in the air!!!   I am soooooo stoked you got it! I'm not saying others didn't want it, I'm just saying you wanted it so bad!  You are such a positive and motivating person and you so deserve this honor.  I've just been smiling all evening.  Super duper CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! 

 

Maliyazi and Mozartgirl53, thank you both so much!! I really appreciate your support and this forum - it's been such a help throughout the process.  I'm rooting for both of you so hard - I know how exhausting this wait can be, but you're almost there! You can do it! Keeping my fingers crossed for both of you!!

[olioliwoo]

OF COURSE during the ONE HOUR I do not check my email because I am at Pilates class I get an email and a phone call from my FPA......

 

 

 

 

I'M GOING TO BRAZIL!!!!!!! Vamos, gente!!!!! SO excited and thrilled and ecstatic!!!!!! Congratulations to all my other Brazilian Fulbrighters!!!!! Shall we start a Facebook group?!?!?

 

YAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! Parabéns!! I'm so happy that you got this   ^________^

[olioliwoo]

FingersCrosssed_118-------YAAAAAAHOOOO!!!! I was so hoping you'd get it; when I read your post I literally stood up at my desk and ya-hooed right out loud with accompanying fist in the air!!!   I am soooooo stoked you got it! I'm not saying others didn't want it, I'm just saying you wanted it so bad!  You are such a positive and motivating person and you so deserve this honor.  I've just been smiling all evening.  Super duper CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! 

 

Lol high five Mozartgirl53, I did a mini happy dance at my office desk when I read the news. Good to know other people get this excited about gradcafe acceptances too

[olioliwoo]

Congratulations to all the those accepted to Brazil! To all who are alternates, welcome to the club (I'll try and keep the wait interesting with random memes or crazy Florida stories). For those who did not get selected, sending you internet hugs and hoping that other amazing opportunities open up. You are all clearly superstars for having the skills, passion, and sheer tenacity to get this far.

[FingersCrossed_118]

Attention Brazil ETA Grantees! We now have a Facebook group. The group name is: Fulbright Brazil ETA Grantees 2015.

 

Here is the link!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/250582515128325/
 

[FingersCrossed_118]

YAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! Parabéns!! I'm so happy that you got this   ^________^

Obrigada, olioliwoo!!! I'm holding out so much hope for you!! I believe in karma and you're such a positive, motivated person I'm sending all the good energy your way. Keep me updated!!!

[sirmixalot]

Anyone here applying to Jordan? My friend heard back that she was accepted, but I'm not sure if she's ETA or research. =\

[miri1776]

RE: Central America notifications Muendl, Susan [smuendl@iie.org] Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 3:16 PM    

There are no updates at this time regarding notifications for Fulbright grants to Central America.

Thank you for your patience.

Best regards,

Susan

 

For anyone waiting to hear on Central American notifications. I'm going to guess we'll hear from Fulbright in May.

[hopefullywandering]

Alright South Korea--let's make today the day!!

But seriously though.  My school spams me with about 20 emails per day, and I'm not a math person, but I figure that's equated to about 90237912359872 mini heart attacks over the past few weeks.  At least, it certainly feels that way.  I don't know how much more waiting I can handle!!! I'm so glad to have this forum though, it keeps me sane. Well, sane-ish....

[rhrhrhrh]

Hi all,

Anyone else still waiting to hear back from Sweden or Scandinavia?

The wait is so awful.
 

(BTW: Congrats to everyone who's gotten good news recently, and my condolences+good vibes to anyone who didn't get it/hasn't heard back)
 

[normando13]

Hi all,

Anyone else still waiting to hear back from Sweden or Scandinavia?

The wait is so awful.

 

(BTW: Congrats to everyone who's gotten good news recently, and my condolences+good vibes to anyone who didn't get it/hasn't heard back)

 

I'm ridin' the Eurasia Stress boat (applied for Russia ETA) and feel your pain. :/  Hopefully, Scandinavia and Eurasia applicants receive news today!:

[kdzhexon]

I'm ridin' the Eurasia Stress boat (applied for Russia ETA) and feel your pain. :/  Hopefully, Scandinavia and Eurasia applicants receive news today!:

Haha.. the Eurasia Stress boat - I like it! (The term... not being on it) Do you feel like the shutting down of the American Councils in Russia would have an effect on this? Or all the mess with Ukraine and Crimea? I heard that Peace Corps volunteers were being sent out of Ukraine... I guess I'm just curious about the liklihood of Fulbrights being affected by all of the goings-on.

[normando13]

Haha.. the Eurasia Stress boat - I like it! (The term... not being on it) Do you feel like the shutting down of the American Councils in Russia would have an effect on this? Or all the mess with Ukraine and Crimea? I heard that Peace Corps volunteers were being sent out of Ukraine... I guess I'm just curious about the liklihood of Fulbrights being affected by all of the goings-on.

Yeah, it's definitely been a worrisome idea, but I'm trying to stay optimistic about it.  Like the American Councils president Dan Davidson said, “This is a time when our peoples should increase dialog and exchange of ideas regarding both shared interests and common challenges, rather than decrease them"--I feel like Fulbright would be more beneficial than ever during this time of conflict, but we shall see. Fingers crossed!

[Sel386]

Hi all,

Anyone else still waiting to hear back from Sweden or Scandinavia?

The wait is so awful.

 

(BTW: Congrats to everyone who's gotten good news recently, and my condolences+good vibes to anyone who didn't get it/hasn't heard back)

I'm waiting on Sweden also. Each day, I check my email all day long and think surely today is the day, but it never is! Haha

[sirmixalot]

I'm somewhat resigned to not finding out until Friday, but I'm still hoping today is the day. Crossing my fingers for all of us Europe/Eurasia folks!   

[rhrhrhrh]

 

I'm ridin' the Eurasia Stress boat (applied for Russia ETA) and feel your pain. :/  Hopefully, Scandinavia and Eurasia applicants receive news today!:

 

Eeh, that sounds especially stressful. Best of luck!

 

I'm waiting on Sweden also. Each day, I check my email all day long and think surely today is the day, but it never is! Haha

I've been frantically checking my email since the 25th of March.
Where in Sweden would you be if you get the thing?
 

[Sel386]

Eeh, that sounds especially stressful. Best of luck!

 

I've been frantically checking my email since the 25th of March.

Where in Sweden would you be if you get the thing?

I would be in Stockholm. How about you ??

[eatyourgreens]

RE: Central America notifications Muendl, Susan [smuendl@iie.org] Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 3:16 PM    

There are no updates at this time regarding notifications for Fulbright grants to Central America.

Thank you for your patience.

Best regards,

Susan

 

For anyone waiting to hear on Central American notifications. I'm going to guess we'll hear from Fulbright in May.

 

 

Is the person for Central America different than the rep for South America? Also, maybe she just meant that there's no "new news" about the status of grants, which could mean a million things from we haven't made final decisions yet to we're still waiting on the State Department.