meupatdoes Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 To my SSA cohort: Maliyazi, thanks for making that last brave call to Jermaine and letting us know the decisions are IN! I too am a bit confused about why notifications seem to be trickling in. I know in my case it's because of the transcript boondoggle, but it seems it's not just me, so... who knows? CONGRATULATIONS on your alternate selection for the ETA Kenya grant! I really, really hope you end up getting to go! You are so passionate about Kenya and about teaching that it would be nuts for the State Department to ultimately give you a NS! You are the person they talk about all the time on the Fulbright website-- you are an ideal ambassador for a program of cultural exchange and friendship building between nations. Meupatdoes, I'm so sorry. I was really rooting for you! I thought your proposed project for Ghana was brilliant and inspired! Please, please, don't give that up! It may be a Fulbright another year, it may not be a Fulbright at all, but something just as wonderful! What you do is vitally important, not just for Ghana, but for the world. I know we're all going to be saying "we knew meupatdoes way back when..." Take time to grieve, then get back up on that horse and keep a'going! I expect great things from you. mbrefo, I don't know you as well as the others, but I'm glad you came out of "lurker status" to let us know about your alternate status, also in Ghana. Thanks! I can't remember the typical number of grants for Ghana, but here's hoping BOTH you and Meupatdoes make it over there. :-) jrk2115, congratulations on alternate status for South Africa! All I know of South Africa is the airport in Johannesburg, which in my humble opinion is one of the nicest ones in the world! LOL I do hope you get to go. We need strong ties to South Africa and I hope you can be a part of that. If, ultimately, you don't go, I encourage you to continue your project and find another way. I'm convinced you will get there! sweater, I'm sorry your project was not funded. :-( I know you were SSA, but don't know the country. I do know, however, this isn't the end of the road for you, just a new beginning! Stay strong! Other SSA folks out there... let us know! We want to be here for each other, to celebrate or console one another. So far, SSA is a tough one. Really tough. But I think a dedicated group such as ourselves will find a way to build bridges of friendship with Africa. President Obama said recently that he wants our relationship with African nations to "be one of trade, not one of aid." And I really do think our little group here is going to be a part of that, one way or the other. KEEP THE FAITH! Thank you so much for your kind words. I know that it will all work out, yet it is just hard after such a long and anxiety-willed process. I am happy that I still get to go to Malawi this summer to run a randomized control trial. So, I am excited for that and for new and inspiring opportunities next year. I really hope that you get it. Congratulations to all those selected and condolences to all those these didn't get it. We can do this. This does not define our success in life. Take care.
Sel386 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Has anybody heard anything from the new Europe Program Manager yet? Walter?
skosz Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 News for Eurasia: I heard about Azerbaijan today: didn't get it I'm rooting for the Armenian guys though! Good luck Maginz and Anahid!
Sine Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Mozartgirl - I just want to thank you for being so genuine. There is too much insincerity in this world, and your heartfelt cheers for everyone are so positive and refreshing. If you don't get principal then there's definitely something wrong with the system! Olioliwoo - Fingers crossed we hear of a promotion for you now that $ appears to (maybe?) be rolling into France. Need some good news for USF, dang it! You probably have a better shot at getting promoted than me because France is a much larger program than Moldova (only 2 ETA's). Also, read this on cracked.com and thought of you with your FL stories, haha: http://www.cracked.com/article/211_the-6-most-horrific-lessons-ever-taught-in-elementary-school/ Lastly, shout out to kdzhexon, who I reached out to about my alternate wait for Moldova and could not have been any nicer. Thanks, girl
Shirtless Putin's Horse Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 News for Eurasia: I heard about Azerbaijan today: didn't get it I'm rooting for the Armenian guys though! Good luck Maginz and Anahid! Very sorry to hear that, I was rooting for you as well! Best of luck to you in your future endeavours!
skosz Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Very sorry to hear that, I was rooting for you as well! Best of luck to you in your future endeavours! Thank you! I think it's for better. My project relied on finds in the local collections and who knows what's there - maybe nothing:) Best of luck again and keep us posted!
olioliwoo Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Mozartgirl - I just want to thank you for being so genuine. There is too much insincerity in this world, and your heartfelt cheers for everyone are so positive and refreshing. If you don't get principal then there's definitely something wrong with the system! Olioliwoo - Fingers crossed we hear of a promotion for you now that $ appears to (maybe?) be rolling into France. Need some good news for USF, dang it! You probably have a better shot at getting promoted than me because France is a much larger program than Moldova (only 2 ETA's). Also, read this on cracked.com and thought of you with your FL stories, haha: http://www.cracked.com/article/211_the-6-most-horrific-lessons-ever-taught-in-elementary-school/ Lastly, shout out to kdzhexon, who I reached out to about my alternate wait for Moldova and could not have been any nicer. Thanks, girl Thank you for the support Sine And thank you also for the link...even though our state had half of the examples, at least we weren't the number one example?
SonaTina Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Hi! I've been reading this forum as I'm tearing my hair out waiting to hear about a Research grant to Russia... it has been helpful to see so many of you having the same experience I wish everyone the best of luck! I emailed Alyssa Yeng yesterday, and she replied that they are hoping to get Russia notifications out by the end of the week. AAAAAAAAA. I hope this is good (and somewhat scary!) news for those of you waiting on Russia notification! If not this week, I really hope it's next week....
normando13 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Hi! I've been reading this forum as I'm tearing my hair out waiting to hear about a Research grant to Russia... it has been helpful to see so many of you having the same experience I wish everyone the best of luck! I emailed Alyssa Yeng yesterday, and she replied that they are hoping to get Russia notifications out by the end of the week. AAAAAAAAA. I hope this is good (and somewhat scary!) news for those of you waiting on Russia notification! If not this week, I really hope it's next week.... It's such a relief to hear that!! Thank you for contacting her:D
Shogun1 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Hi! I've been reading this forum as I'm tearing my hair out waiting to hear about a Research grant to Russia... it has been helpful to see so many of you having the same experience I wish everyone the best of luck! I emailed Alyssa Yeng yesterday, and she replied that they are hoping to get Russia notifications out by the end of the week. AAAAAAAAA. I hope this is good (and somewhat scary!) news for those of you waiting on Russia notification! If not this week, I really hope it's next week.... Sonatina.....Did she mention the rest of eurasia or just Russia in her response to your email??
SonaTina Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Sonatina.....Did she mention the rest of eurasia or just Russia in her response to your email?? She only said Russia, not anything general :/ She got back to me within a day, maybe it would be worth emailing her to ask, if only for peace of mind! Shogun1 1
SonaTina Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 It's such a relief to hear that!! Thank you for contacting her:D Sure I was starting to go crazy...
Anahid Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Very sorry to hear that, I was rooting for you as well! Best of luck to you in your future endeavours I'm very sorry to hear that as well, skosz. Have you tried looking into alternative grants for Azerbaijan? That's one Caucasian country down. Come on, motherland!
Porshyen Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) So strange, last year all of Eastern Europe and Eurasia went out on the same day. Russia went out a week earlier, but that was because Russia is the only one in this regional group to have its own Fulbright Commission. At least, if I remember correctly... Good luck, everyone! I have been lurking around this forum, checking now and then. I have some friends who applied for this upcoming year and am anxious to hear news. Edited April 23, 2014 by Porshyen
Vowel_Harmonizer Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 So, also got notified for Azerbaijan: I am an alternate.
Nella Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Can I ask another medical form question? Is anyone else having trouble with the form not providing enough space to type? I can't fit my whole address, and the medical history section will let me type a whole lot but only displays (and only prints) one line . . . and forget entering three dates for polio vaccinations . . . I do have sort of an old computer -- should I try a different computer, or are other people having the same issues?
miri1776 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 I am not handling the wait well. All the uncertainty is stressing me out. I pushed back my comprehensive exams and haven't heard back from any grants. How has everyone dealt with it? I just feel like i've lost all motivation because i don't know where i will be in the next couple of months. Sorry for the negativity.
FingersCrossed_118 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Wow. So much to cover since my little freakout/elbow accident! If I accidentally leave anyone out, Please know it is just an oversight, not an indictment of you as a person! :-) mmm9 and everyone else who is thinking about what we call ourselves if our projects are accepted, this is from the State Department FAQ for Fulbright. You can find it at : http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/facts-and-common-questions. By the way, this whole page is very interesting and informative. Q. Is it appropriate for Fulbright Student Program participants to refer to themselves as "Fulbright scholars"? Do you have preferred terminology when referring to Fulbright participants? A. Because the Fulbright Program is a scholarship program, any participant may refer to himself or herself as a "Fulbright scholar," even if that participant did not receive a Fulbright Scholar Program grant. "Fulbrighter," or a more specific grant category (e.g., "Fulbright U.S. Student," "Fulbright Visiting Scholar," "Fulbright U.S. teacher," etc.), is the preferred terminology. Fulbright Program participants may also be referred to as "Fulbright grantees" or "Fulbright fellows" regardless of program affiliation. - See more at: http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/facts-and-common-questions#sthash.j3geRDxZ.dpuf FingersCrossed_118, do you know if the deal that you have to buy your own plane ticket and then get reimbursed later is for all countries? Round trip airfare to Lusaka, Zamiba is around $2500, or was the last time I checked. There is no possible way I can come up with that kind of money! If my project is selected I may have to start holding car washes and selling baked goods door-to-door! Haha, but not really that funny. What do other people do to raise funds? I'm sure I'm not the only impoverished grad student here! I'm open to any ideas. Wolk, regarding your questions about vaccinations, I think all the answers you got were good. I'd just like to add that the Department of State has an awesome travel advisory web page on their site. You can find out about all the vaccinations there. You can also sign up for "travel advisories" about any nation. You sign up and then will receive emails any time their is a new announcement having anything to do with that country and traveling there. I've been on the Zambia one since 2010. There has been a vaccination change: Yellow Fever did not used to be required or even recommended, and I believe it's required now. They'll also inform you of political happenings in your country, and really anything that could affect you as a traveler. To the people asking about travel health insurance, I am definitely not an expert. However, the two times I went to Zambia (about 1 month each time) I was required to purchase travel health insurance through my school (University of Washington at the time). The university ran travel insurance through HTH Worldwide, which Maliyazi mentioned in a post. It was very cheap ( I think around $39 each time) and for me it worked. I got a nasty strain of pneumonia on my first trip, a strain that is not covered by the pneumonia shot they give here in the U.S. I paid the doctor (around $200) and then was reimbursed by HTH Worldwide. For me, it went off without a hitch. That is my limited experience. I'd advise everyone to set aside some $$$ for emergencies such as that. Also, this may be interesting to everyone going to SSA-- we were advised in our orientation that if we had to get blood drawn or any type of infusion to offer the nurse/doctor $20 U.S. dollars to watch them open a new, sterile needle. I never thought of that, but I think it's very good advice. Did anyone ever find out what happened to Eileen O'Malley? I'm curious! Rachelrushing, AWESOME GIFS!!! I literally, actually, really laughed out loud! Anahid, thanks for taking one for the team! hahaha that is so funny! Hi Mozartgirl, I believe it applies to all countries, but since I'm sure this is hardship for most people - especially to a far away place like SSA, maybe contact Jeremy and see if it is possible for him/the Fulbright office to book the ticket. I'm sure it's a common issue for people. My fingers are still crossed for you! I hope everything works out with the transcript and that you hear back soon!!
Nella Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 I am not handling the wait well. All the uncertainty is stressing me out. I pushed back my comprehensive exams and haven't heard back from any grants. How has everyone dealt with it? I just feel like i've lost all motivation because i don't know where i will be in the next couple of months. Sorry for the negativity. Hi miri - I think probably everyone here knows that feeling of paralysis. For me, it started in March after spring break when people first started hearing back. The only way I could get past it was to come up with a Plan B, so I could tell myself, "If I don't get the Fulbright, then I will do X instead." Otherwise, it is just looking into an abyss . . . Shogun1 1
sirmixalot Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 I am not handling the wait well. All the uncertainty is stressing me out. I pushed back my comprehensive exams and haven't heard back from any grants. How has everyone dealt with it? I just feel like i've lost all motivation because i don't know where i will be in the next couple of months. Sorry for the negativity. I identify completely. You're not alone in this. I feel as though regardless of whether or not I get it, I'll have peace of mind and be able to go back to my regular life. But what helps me is having things I can utterly absorb myself in, because I also recognize that my stress level isn't good for me. Redirect it into working out or something. =\ Obviously easier said than done, unfortunately. I redirected my focus onto the new Scandal episodes, but now that the season is over... I'm back at square one.
miri1776 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Hi miri - I think probably everyone here knows that feeling of paralysis. For me, it started in March after spring break when people first started hearing back. The only way I could get past it was to come up with a Plan B, so I could tell myself, "If I don't get the Fulbright, then I will do X instead." Otherwise, it is just looking into an abyss . . . I identify completely. You're not alone in this. I feel as though regardless of whether or not I get it, I'll have peace of mind and be able to go back to my regular life. But what helps me is having things I can utterly absorb myself in, because I also recognize that my stress level isn't good for me. Redirect it into working out or something. =\ Obviously easier said than done, unfortunately. I redirected my focus onto the new Scandal episodes, but now that the season is over... I'm back at square one. Thanks! It feels good to know that this feeling is not failure. I'm going to just take a break from thinking about fulbright. I'm tired of it controlling my life. I started binge watching The Following, but i freaks me out that the cult leader was a professor. sirmixalot 1
GnosisExchange Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Can I ask another medical form question? Is anyone else having trouble with the form not providing enough space to type? I can't fit my whole address, and the medical history section will let me type a whole lot but only displays (and only prints) one line . . . and forget entering three dates for polio vaccinations . . . I do have sort of an old computer -- should I try a different computer, or are other people having the same issues? I'm having the same issues--it's not the computer. It is very annoying!
monster.tigerbot Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Fellow Eastern Europe Candidates! Expect a slough of notifications soon, hopefully!!! I just got notified that I am a preferred candidate ( (P) in subject line From: Jermaine Jones) for a Serbia ETA. I started crying, and I'm still in shock. Email came at 6:23 my time (Mountain), so it appears they are sending things out later and later. All the more time to be gnawing at your nails refreshing your email, right? Anyway, it looks like Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia seem to send out at around the same time (so I am sure some of you can confirm this), if this is not the case this year, then it should be soon. Please let me know if there is any more information I can provide to help soothe the awful, awful pang of waiting. My fingers are crossed for all who haven't heard yet and my toes are crossed for those who are alternates. I was an alternate for a fellowship last year, and the agony is tremendous; doubly more for something as big and life-path-altering as Fulbright. *bakes cookies* *gives* sirmixalot 1
oceanblue Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Thanks! It feels good to know that this feeling is not failure. I'm going to just take a break from thinking about fulbright. I'm tired of it controlling my life. I started binge watching The Following, but i freaks me out that the cult leader was a professor. DEFINITELY NOT ALONE IN THIS. during my Fulbright wait, I have binge-watched House of Cards, Game of Thrones, and now I'm on HBO's Girls. Something about having something to do, ANYTHING other than constantly checking my emails is helping, (though I'm guilty of the constant email refresh.) I also find running/jogging as a way to de-stress. Good luck everyone, we are still in this together.
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