Belfast or Bust!: GSU

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One month

Labels: acronyms, belfast, cohort, fulbright, GSU, IIS, northern ireland, PSTP, QUB, SE, UK | at 3:00 PM

Today, it has been one month since I came to Belfast. I'm feeling better, settling in, and getting used to the crazy life that is PhD. Looking at my calendar, I have only three days without something booked in the next month. Busy is not bad, but I'm just wondering where I will find the time for my own research.

I'm trying to do a bit of a front-heavy approach to the Postgraduate Skills Training Programme (PSTP), where we take personal and professional development training courses. My logic is that, if I get many of them out of the way now, I don't have to worry about fulfilling the requirements when I'm hardcore writing. I have completed 1.5 days so far (out of the requisite 30 over the 3 years), am negotiating some of my Fulbright events counting toward the practical hours (10 of the 30), and will have 6.25 days completed by the end of this semester. Those numbers don't even consider any department events that may count, and I know I'm doing a bit in the School of English in November.

However, today, I got to do a little practical shopping/adventure. Cristina (who is part of my PhD cohort), Cara (who is also in the IIS and in the MA Irish Writing course I'm auditing), and I traveled to the city centre to visit St. George's Market for the first time. It was fabulous! On Fridays, they have antique books and clothing, and Saturday is for fresh foods and handmade crafts. I hope to make it back next week to check out the Friday wares.

I bought the following: 1 bunch of carrots, 5 apples, 6 baby portobello mushrooms, 1 spaghetti squash, 1 container of stuffed green olives, 1 container of extra-hot black olive spread, 1 bag of ground roasted garlic, 1 bag of basil, and 1 bag of lemon pepper. I feel like there is something missing from my list, but I can't recall more at the moment. I am very happy to have a few spices (salt and black pepper just do not cut it when I'm used to my fairly well-stocked kitchen at home) and some fresh ingredients -- and to support local growers.

The next few days look like they will also be good. A professor (GSU), mentor, and friend of mine is visiting, and we are meeting for coffee tomorrow. I'm very excited, not just to be able to see her, but also because she is a huge part of why I'm here in Belfast. She got me in contact with the Irish Studies department here, she wrote letters for my Fulbright and QUB applications, and she never let me think that I wasn't good enough to get any of it. Last year, she also wrote the letter for my scholarship application to the Yeats School in Sligo, which undoubtedly guided me to choose a school here for my PhD. It is easy for me to say that, without her guidance and encouragement, I would not have even bothered applying for a Fulbright grant.

On Monday, there is a big event taking place. I'm not at liberty to actually talk about it yet. More details will come after it transpires. It is something of an honour; I know that I'm involved because of my Fulbright. It is just one of the ways in which the Fulbright has already opened doors for me that would be otherwise shut in my face with laughter from the other side. The event itself is a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I still understand the importance. So, wait on the edge of your seats for breaking news Monday afternoon!

The tedium, the whirlwind

Labels: fulbright, GSU, interviews, paperwork | at 7:12 AM

As soon as I opened that envelope, I knew my life was going to change. Actually, I knew my life was changing. From that moment, everything was going to be different. I can't even pretend that I didn't sit in my car for half an hour, calling my parents and crying.

After I had informed the immediate family, aware that telling my parents and grandparents would mean the entire family would soon know, and the closest of my friends, I sat bouncing on the edge of my bed for about an hour. Posting to Facebook ensured that the rest of the world would get the news shortly.

On the next morning, April 15 (Tax day, for all you non-Americans), I was awakened by a phone call from the president of GSU's assistant. On the following day, the president was holding the first ever State of the University Address, and he wanted me to be part of it. Despite inquiring, I was not told what I was expected to do, nor what to wear.

Throughout the day, I received two requests for interviews. At this point in my life, having completed my BA and having my MA a mere matter of paperwork before it was also done, I was anticipating handling very different kinds of interviews. More specifically, I assumed I would be begging for others to interview me for possible jobs, rather than having others approach me with requests.

The State of the University Address went well, and my mother was able to drive up and attend. They showed me on the big screens, I was addressed in the speech, and I spoke with and shook the hand of the president after the event concluded. In addition, I learned that I was sharing the spotlight with two other Fulbrighters from GSU! Three Fulbrights in one year -- not bad for a moderately identifiable urban university!

I found myself in a hurry to complete the paperwork necessary to accept the grant. Namely, the required physical had to be a rush job. I drove down to Columbus to visit my family's doctor, but had to be back in Atlanta to get signatures on my thesis paperwork. The only real issue was the tuberculosis test; I wouldn't be back in Columbus for the test to be read by the time it required. Instead, I had to find and visit the Gwinnett County Health Services Department and have the TB test injected with no intention of returning. I, then, drove back to Columbus and had it read by my doctor so that the rest of the paperwork could be completed.

Between interviews, Fulbright paperwork, and the paperwork needed to formally complete my MA degree, it was a long time before I knew which end was up!

One month

The tedium, the whirlwind

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