Fulbright 2014-2015

[Anahid]

Ackkk Google Alerts for Fulbright are a bad idea!

[Sine]

MAJOR HEART ATTACK! My FPA emailed me to tell me she's back in the office, but she replied from the original Fulbright email that was cc'd to her so I totally thought it was the promotion notification I've been praying for! F$&$*#^#$@%#$^$#!!!

 

[Anahid]

Kristen Wiig (sp?) is awesome! I love how many times she's been referenced in this forum! 

[Shirtless Putin's Horse]

6:00 pm EDT. Another day, another week has come and gone. 

 

[Sine]

6:00 pm EDT. Another day, another week has come and gone. 

 

 

Ahahahahaha

[Anahid]

6:00 pm EDT. Another day, another week has come and gone. 

 

Happy hour, here I come. Isn't Russia hearing back, slowly? I almost lost it and e-mailed Alyssa today but I calmed down. Not really. 

[Anahid]

NS

[Shirtless Putin's Horse]

Spoke too soon. Alternate for Armenia. 

[Shirtless Putin's Horse]

I guess the video is still fitting. 

[kmsy]

Alternate for China. 

[GnosisExchange]

Sweetheart, i'm so sorry. There are more opportunities. I'm sure life will be good to you.

There will definitely be more opportunities. This just wasn't the right fit.

 

Good luck everybody. Can't follow the forum anymore, I'm too broken up. But best of luck.

 

Oceanblue, I am sorry to see this, but if this makes you feel better than good. I know there isn't much of chance you'll read this, but in case you do know that we all hope the best for you. it probably sucks right now to get the NS to Vietnam, but I'm sure your destined to do other amazing things. 

 

The NS does not reflect you in any way. It reflects the competitiveness of the program--which highlights how talented you are to have been recommended in the first place--and the fact that sometimes things just aren't the right fit at the right time. Yesterday one of the Fulbright coordinators for Poland spoke at my school and gave advice to applicants. One of the things she most emphasized is that really frequently some of the best project aren't chosen just because they are not the issues that the host country is most concerned with at the time. Being NS, therefore, reflects more on the needs of the country than on their judgement of you as an applicant. So much of any application process is dependent just on luck. I wish you the best!

[GnosisExchange]

Now if only South Korea would get some more funding.......................................

 

Just hang in there HopefullyWandering, you make get very lucky. Due to extenuating circumstances not everyone can accept the offer so you never know. Hopefully we'll get to meet at Goesan on July 6th.

 

F.Y.I. Preliminary acceptances of award are due on April 30th. I doubt any alternates will hear soon after that, but you never know. Also, never forget that the summer melt is a thing.

[twlk417]

Um. So I just got an ETA to Mongolia.

 

I screamed and jumped up and down for an hour and now I'm absolutely terrified. I absolutely don't believe this is happening.

[SmarteyMartey]

Goodness! CONGRATS! I, personally, am very excited that mozartgirl received a grant 

[sirmixalot]

Um. So I just got an ETA to Mongolia.

 

I screamed and jumped up and down for an hour and now I'm absolutely terrified. I absolutely don't believe this is happening.

 

Congrats! Why the terror? This is great!

[Mozartgirl53]

Mozartgirl53, please keep a blog during your grant so that we can stay up-to-date on your amazing work.

 

GnosisExchange, thanks!  I LOVE the gif!  LOL. And yes, I will definitely keep a blog. Since my project is documenting and archiving a cultural history, I am going to set up an interactive web site as my archival system and there will definitely be a blog on it. When I get it all set up, I'll post it on this forum and if you're interested, I'd love to share and also get feedback on the site. Thanks for asking!

[Mozartgirl53]

Congrats to everyone hearing about their Fulbright acceptances and best of luck to Alternates (my fingers are crossed for you) and to those seeking other paths.

 

I found out this morning I received the Fulbright to SWEDEN!

 

Is there anyone else out there also heading to SWEDEN in the fall?

 

bella_mozzarella, CONGRATULATIONS!! Sweden was a tough one this year, and you did it!  Are you ETA or research? You must be pretty excited!

[Mozartgirl53]

I am SO happy for you!!! I was lurking on here waiting with crossed fingers that you'd get it - HUGE congratulations!

 

YESSSSSSSS! Well deserved! I hope you influence and make people better just like you did here! It feels great knowing fulbright is sending wonderful people!

 

Thank you, and congratulations on your (P)!

 

Congratulations, Mozartgirl53! I agree with everyone on the forum that your warm and encouraging words keep us all positive and motivated! Specifically, you make sure you comment on everyone's posts individually, which is not only remarkable in itself but extremely genuine. You absolutely deserve this opportunity and please keep us posted!

 

Congratulations!

 

Congratulations and very much deserved, @mozartgirl53!!!  It's your turn now, @miri1776

 

OMG!!!! CONGRATSSS, Mozartgirl53!!!! I definitely agree with GnosisExchange that you should keep a blog so we can keep up with your great work!

 

YAY!!!!!!!

 

WOW YOU GUYS! WOW! WOW! WOW!  Coopfing, miri1776, normando13, Anahid, jrk2115, raymondnorth, Hina, and Sine---- WOW!  THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for the gracious, warm-hearted, generous congratulations!  You all have just made my weekend. Really. You know, being, ahem... of an, ahem.... older generation (I just turned 54, last of the Baby Boomers)... I don't participate in many online forums. It's just not something I think about during the course of my day. I stumbled upon thegradacafe.com really by chance, just doing a google search desperately trying to get info, much like yourselves. And wow, am I glad I did! I only lurked for a few days because I could just feel the love and harmony and COMMUNITY you guys had going on here, and I wanted to be a part of it. And I have to say, this forum is what kept me going. I started really, truly CARING for you all as PEOPLE, not just as sort of semi-disguised internet beings, and that caring and community has become an integral part of my day and life! I sure wish I could meet all of you, because you are an AMAZING group of talented AND caring people! I've been on here since a couple of days after the recommendees were announced around the very end of January or so, and the past three months I have enjoyed getting to know you all SO MUCH! Again, thank you thank you thank you for the warm congratulations! I must admit I really didn't sleep last night; I was just sooooo excited! I kept thinking of people to email and emailing them all during the middle of the night, haha!  :-)

[Mozartgirl53]

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm SOOOOOO happy for you!!!! Just did an epic happy celebratory dance in my office. OMG this is awesome and has definitely made my day. Can't stop smiling  ^________________________^

 

olioliwoo, my sweet friend! You remind me a lot of my daughter, and that is a very high compliment, because she is the most awesome daughter any mom could ever hope to have! Your brightness of spirit, your passion for adventure, your rigorous scholarship, your outgoing, friendly style (and smile!) all add up to one amazing young woman. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for the happy dance and the smiles!!!  I hope you know how much everyone on this forum cares about you and we are all sooooooo rooting for that (A) to go to (P)!! We are here for you either way it goes and I, for one, will be on here until everyone has found out. You are going to make important contributions to public health whether this particular year's Fulbright happens, or some other opportunity comes up, which I KNOW it will! I also think you are very wise to take a year or two (or three) "off" before starting your PhD. From my vantage point of being a "non-traditional" student (that's their word for "old," hahaha) I can see that you are young and have LOTS of time. Take that time to really think about where you want to go and what you want to accomplish and then write the best darn admissions essays you can. You can accomplish whatever you want and it makes sense to have a little time-out to ponder what that really is. Thanks again for the congratulations.... I can just picture you doing the epic happy dance!  :-)

[Mozartgirl53]

My mother's response to another "No, I didn't hear back from Fulbright yet" : "Honey, did they lose your application?" Good question. 

 

 

haha very good question.

 

one of my friends recently told me he assumed i didn't get it because it's been so long since we got recommended and i haven't mentioned it since. i'm just trying to keep my mind off of it. it's not working. 

 

oh lawd, neeeeed to find out soon. 

 

 

 

Anahid, hahaha!  LOL that is so totally what my mom would say if she were still here. It's sooooo frustrating that people don't get it, that this is the process. I, like I'm sure most of you, started seriously talking "Fulbright" last spring and spent the entire summer working on the application, project proposal, and personal statement; in addition, getting recommendation letters, starting the affiliation process, finding a supervisor, blah blah blah. Campus interview and then application sent in October. Then silence. Nothing. Three months of absolute nothing. Then the exciting news! We've been recommended!  YAY!  Then silence. Nothing. Three more months of staring into the abyss and no one staring back. For me, even though I told everyone, and repeated it numerous times, that we could find out as late as JUNE, people couldn't help asking. LOL I know everyone means well and is trying to be super supportive, but it definitely adds to the pressure!  I do so hope everyone else finds out next week, preferably Monday!!!!!

[Mozartgirl53]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 Been rootin' for you!

And thanks so much for the kind wishes! 

 

Hey monster.tigerbot, THANKS! I really appreciate you and knowing you were behind me really helped. Thanks!

[Mozartgirl53]

I'm so excited (and a little terrified). Just signed and sent out my Fulbright contract and yesterday my TFA deferral was granted!

(Mine was delayed because it was sent to wrong house at first and had to be resent to Korea and then back to Miami)

 

OMG--I still can't believe this is really happening. When I had the contract in my hand is when it all became real. For the first few days I was convinced I would get an email saying my acceptance had been a system glitch, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

 

Thank you to everyone that has been so supportive in this community. I truly thankful I have had you guys to go through with this.

 

GnosisExchange, I've been doing the same thing! Before I posted on here and on Facebook, I read that letter at least 15 times to make sure I had read it correctly and that it did indeed say (P)! I kept waiting for the email saying there had been an error....but so far, it seems to be true! Wow, you've already sent out your contract! I bet that really did make it feel real. I'm not dealing with anything until Monday. My semester ended tonight, so Monday begins the paperwork....ohhhhh the paperwork!  LOL  A lovely problem to have.

[Maliyazi]

Congratulation Mozartgirl53!!! I have been rooting for you since I started reading your caring posts on this forum. As someone who was born in Africa, I hope you will have an amazing time in Zambia and you get to take sometime to explore the beauty of the Continent. Best of luck to you and to your project. You really deserve it.

 

For all of us in the cool Alternate Club or the "A" Team, hang in there!

[Mozartgirl53]

So the State Department ordered another travel warning to Ukraine and there was talk that the peace core volunteers would return to Ukraine.  That is false, the peace core volunteers will not be entering Ukraine for a while.

 

If Ukraine does end up canceling the program, when would we find out?  Would they place us somewhere else if we win?  Could they defer the Fulbright grant to a safer time?

 

I am sick to my stomach about this.  I really hope they make some announcements about Eurasia today!!!!!1

 

I can't imagine how very frustrating this must be for all the Ukraine folks! I am frankly surprised the State Department hasn't made a decision (apparently) and either said it's on or it's off. Maybe they're waiting to see what happens in the next couple of weeks? John Kerry is putting a lot of pressure on Putin so who knows? I have no idea what would happen if they scratch Ukraine. I would really, really hope they would either defer your award or give you the option of another country, but I honestly have no idea. This kinda reminds me of way back when Jimmy Carter cancelled the Olympics when we were pissed off at Russia. Many of our athletes never got a second shot at participating; but this is different in that you don't have to physically train for four more years...the scholarship will still be there in your brains. I truly, truly hope you all get to go!

[Mozartgirl53]

There will definitely be more opportunities. This just wasn't the right fit.

 

 

Oceanblue, I am sorry to see this, but if this makes you feel better than good. I know there isn't much of chance you'll read this, but in case you do know that we all hope the best for you. it probably sucks right now to get the NS to Vietnam, but I'm sure your destined to do other amazing things. 

 

The NS does not reflect you in any way. It reflects the competitiveness of the program--which highlights how talented you are to have been recommended in the first place--and the fact that sometimes things just aren't the right fit at the right time. Yesterday one of the Fulbright coordinators for Poland spoke at my school and gave advice to applicants. One of the things she most emphasized is that really frequently some of the best project aren't chosen just because they are not the issues that the host country is most concerned with at the time. Being NS, therefore, reflects more on the needs of the country than on their judgement of you as an applicant. So much of any application process is dependent just on luck. I wish you the best!

 

Oceanblue, in case you do come back to read this at some point, I wanted to join GnosisExchange in saying how very sorry and sad we are. I agree 100% with GE in that the NS is NOT a reflection on you as a PERSON. It just means your project, which they loved because they recommended you, could not be funded at this time. My best friend and I were talking about this a few hours ago, how subjective picking the projects to fund is, and how it can depend on so very many factors we don't even know about. I felt I was weak going in with a history project and not with microfinancing, which is "hot" right now, or HIV/AIDS which has been perennially popular since the 80's, or sustainable agriculture, also "hot." And  yet they picked my project-- I have no idea why. It wasn't ME, it was that someone in Zambia said, yeah, we're interested in this right now. To me, that is the ONLY difference between (P) and (NS): it could literally be one person on one particular day saying I'm tired of permaculture projects, lets go with the history one. Seriously. This is how decisions get made. And that sucks. Sucks big time. I really dislike that they even use the term "non-select." I think it should say "your project is being funded," or "we are sorry to be unable to fund your project at this time." Nobody rejected YOU! Going in as recommendees, we all know they recommend roughly twice as many projects as end up being funded. They are ALL solid, really great projects, every single one! I hope you DO get to go to Viet Nam and carry out your research. Please don't give up on your dream. If you read this, please know we care.