Check This Out

Hello blog readers. I have news.

I have recently gotten word that I received a Fulbright grant for this academic year!! In light of this major life-change, I decided to start a new blog dedicated to my time abroad.

Go here: My Fulbright


You didn't think I would stop blogging did you?
Moonlight Masquerade is just on a little hiatus until I get back from Uruguay.

Bad Saturdays: 3 for 3

The crow on the weeping cherry tree was symbolic I suppose.


I'm starting to dread Saturdays. This has been the third bad one in a row. For some reason life has been slinging mud at me every weekend, and I'm starting to get weary. Last week I broke up with my boyfriend; this week I got a letter--one that I really did not want. I ripped open the envelope only to find that I did not get the Fulbright grant. Man. I wanted it so bad. I thought I had a pretty good chance at getting one since I made it to the last level of competition and was recommended by the IIE. Apparently the ministry of education in Argentina had other plans. I'm sooooo disappointed. I think it would have been better to have been rejected earlier in January when they sent out the first letter. The way it was, I had my hopes up since October, and now I feel crushed. This sucks. I feel like I failed at one of my life dreams.

And Fulbright Says...

Sometimes I wonder it is possible to have too many good things happen in a lifetime? Yesterday, I got an email that my Fulbright application has been passed onto the next level of competition.

I am pleased to inform you that the National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education (IIE) has recommended you for a grant under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the academic year 2008-09.

Now, my application will be sent to Argentina, and they will decide whether or not they want me.

It's a gorgeous day outside--beautifully icy.


I don't want to get my hopes up because passing the first round by no means guarentees a grant, although it is a significant step toward getting one. In some ways, I am surprised. I was worried that going to a relatively unknown school like Shippensburg would be harmful to me, but apparently not. I guess those laborious hours working on the application were worth it.

I am still in a pleasing shock.

Fulbright

Finally! I got everything sorted out with my Fulbright Application before the Oct 19th deadline, and my part is all done. Now it's up to the big whigs. They hold my future precariously in their hands. Let's hope they don't squash it. Ha.

I applied for an English Teaching Assistantship to Argentina for the 08-09 year. We will have to see how it goes. Last year's stats were something like 122 applications for a meager 15 spots. Maybe everyone studied those horrible odds and redirected their applications to Uruguay?? Wishful thinking, eh?

I'm hoping-- really hoping that I'll get it. No Shippensburg student has ever received a Fulbright (at least within the past 15 years), so perhaps that will give me an edge. I'm sort of a minority, right? I think it would be so awesome to teach English in a country I have always dreamed of visiting. Plus, a Fulbright grant is freakin' prestigious! It is sponsored by the US Department of State. I'm confident that I'm extremely qualified for the position. We'll see what the review committee thinks. Oh. Wish me luck!