Anything for scholarship

So, the day after this godforsaken election, I will head to one of the reddest states in the Union: TEXAS.

What for? Benjamin A. Gilman. Specifically, his scholarship. The Benjamin A. Gilman International scholarship program “provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide.”

So what does that mean? Pell Grants “provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education.” These are students who simply cannot afford an education, as determined by their financial aid status with the federal government. The Gilman is the government’s way of saying, let us help you go abroad.

The Gilman is funded through the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. So this is real. So real, in fact, that since 2001: 31,462 applications have been received and 9,796 scholarships have been awarded to students participating in study abroad programs around the world.*

I volunteered to be a “reader” or more formally “selection panelist.” I just read 68 applicants from all over the U.S. with students headed to destinations all over the world. I scored them based on a rating system, and will fly to Houston to meet with a co-panelist to deliberate over the group. Literally thousands of students apply in each term, so although my 68 took 2 solid days to read, it’s only a small batch!

So off to Houston, the International Institute for Education offices and the heat.

All in the name of scholarship.

 

* http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program/About-the-Program

from Ivory Tower to Island

This past weekend was Homecoming at EIU. A week’s worth of events led up to the big game on Saturday, and school spirit bubbled up all over campus and community. On Saturday morning, the annual parade made it’s way through town, and I decided to go out and take a look. Just a few blocks from my house, I had an up close and personal street corner view of the festivities.

Go Big Blue

How big is this parade? Not big enough to close down the main road, Route 16. Every few floats or so, the cops would stop the traffic and let the cars go through. Truthfully, Route 16 runs straight through our town and on to other far more interesting places (Walmart), so they would be hard pressed to close off this major artery.

The local businesses pull trailers of kids in EIU gear, handing out free haircut coupons and tossing candy to the kids on the sidewalk. People running for office walk along the route shaking hands and handing out flyers. The churches, cable providers and banks are leading floats as well, supporting their causes. The expert wavers like Miss Coles County have their tiaras on and their smiles turned up to full wattage for the spectators.

The University community is out in full force for this event, as one would expect. The Greeks gain points all week long as they race toward an award for most involved fraternity or sorority. Some administrators ride by in convertibles, perched on the back seat and waving at the crowd. When the fire engine brings up the rear of the parade, I set off into town thinking that I might go see the square. After about three blocks, several house parties and one or two overflowing bars, I turn on my heel and head back to my apartment. Homecoming weekend is the wrong time to try to go out and explore the town.

When I worked at Lehigh, I witnessed the Ivory Tower complex in full effect. We had our own town gown problems. But I lived at arms-length, nestled in the neighborhood of my childhood, with a few exceptions of dorm life, apartment life and living overseas. I was never bothered by the drunks, or the trash, or other unsavory aspects of on-campus living. But I also had to worry about parking on campus and I wasn’t in walking distance of the gym, the stadium or the arts center. Now that I’m at Eastern, I’m within a mile of my office – an easy walk through tree lined streets. But I’m also surrounded by students.

Charleston is a college town. But so is Austin, Texas. The differences are obvious – Austin is huge, and although the population is largely students, it can survive on its own. There are thriving businesses, local shops, and what appears to be a working relationship between university and city. In Charleston, EIU is an island. The majority of professionals I have met choose to live outside the town, rather than in it, some choosing to commute from almost an hour away.

The sign that welcomes visitors to town says “Population: 21,000″ … and EIU has a population of 11,000. The differences between the university community and its surrounding area are startling. If there are islands in the Midwest, I’m working on one.

what does it mean to be well-traveled?

Many of the readers that find their way to these pages love to travel. I think “loving travel” can mean different things to different people. Susan loves to travel – being able to get in the car and go for a Sunday drive is the best feeling in the world. David loves to travel – he packs a backpack and takes off for the mountains, he has made a goal to climb a different mountain every summer. Rachel loves to travel – she signed up to study abroad for a semester at university in Avignon, France.

source: dictionary.com

The point is, there are many types of travel. Travel is the act of going from one place to another .. but how far / how long / how often do you have to go to qualify to be well-traveled? Is it like airline miles? The more you have the more elite your status. Is there a fiscal tie-in? The more you spend or scoring the cheapest deal wins you the heavyweight belt. I don’t think so.

I would argue that the degree of your well-traveled-ness is not measured by the number of stamps in your passport. Just because you’ve been to 12 countries and I’ve been to 10 doesn’t mean you are more well-traveled than I am. Being well-traveled is a state of mind. What did you accomplish when you set out on your travels today? Maybe you found a new place to call home, or maybe you simply made it home after a trip. You’re traveling, either way.

For example. I’m an American, born and raised in the great Northeast in these United States. I’ve seen the Northeast, no problem. One of my best friends lives in Texas, so I’ve been there. Furthest west? Arizona. Furthest south? Florida. Furthest north? Maine. But do you know I’ve only seen 18 states? That’s nothing! One of the highlights of moving to the Midwest is a chance to see all of these places I’ve never been before. It’s a funny feeling to be sitting in a café in Vienna when a random stranger finds out you are from America and raves about a) the Grand Canyon, b) Yellowstone, c) California and I’ve never been to any of them!

Language acquisition and immersion are big buzz words in the field of study abroad. I was part of a spectacular workshop this past spring in Madrid and we talked about what immersion really is. You can’t put a person in a foreign country and call that immersion. The person needs some sort of interaction with the place, via it’s people, it’s culture. This can be related to language acquisition, as it was in my case. My host family in Spain? Zero English ability. My Spanish? Improved in a big way, and in a hurry. This is immersion at it’s finest – when your surroundings demand your attention.

So what am I saying? You can travel by car, by plane, or from your couch. The brightest and best souvenir you bring home from any voyage, trip or expedition is .. knowledge. About yourself, about your surroundings, about others. It doesn’t matter if you are an inch or a mile out or your comfort zone. Just go!

a change in plans

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” j.lennon

Just a few weeks ago, I was making lists in my head of things I needed to do before I left for Spain. My visa had not arrived yet and I was procrastinating on buying a plane ticket because the rest of the red tape parade had experienced so many delays. Suitcase, backpack, duffel? Suitcase, suitcase, backpack? Round trip? One way? Can I use miles? Where is the cheaper flight? What if I leave on Monday instead? Why haven’t they invented teleportation yet? Beam me up, José.

Charleston, IL

Now it would appear my plans have changed. I no longer have a luggage limit or a plane ticket. I don’t even need a visa. I do need my car, and my clothes. Man, I have a lot of clothes. My time line hasn’t changed, but my destination has.

This Tuesday, I’ll be heading west. Midwest, to be specific. I accepted a post in the Study Abroad Office at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.

I know, I know .. it’s not Spain. But it is a great opportunity to join the field of study abroad – something I’ve worked toward, and love. Unlike many of my Ministry compatriots, I’m 28. I’ve had work experience, bills to pay and the legal right to drink for a bit longer than they have. I received my Masters in 2010, and made the decision to work abroad in my beloved Spain. And now it seems, in a wave of serendipity, that I will be staying in the United States.

I can’t think of a better way to spend my time here than working with college students. Finding them opportunities abroad, encouraging them to embrace the same eye-opening experiences that others have had before them. Working with great colleagues and partners, and of course: exploring the Midwest.

Don’t worry .. the blog stays put. This blonde in the cornfields? You won’t want to miss that!

the madness of multitasking

This is never something I thought I would say out loud, never mind broadcast it to the wide world via my blog. But here it is, folks, write it down: I have discovered that I don’t like multitasking.

Bogus, right? Let’s think about this. Where is the #1 place you see the words “ability to multitask,” “must be able to multitask“? Job posts, that’s where. All of those potential employers work long and hard on their wish lists for the almighty position description and each one wants you to be able to juggle projects, people and paperclips like a street performer. Here’s the funny thing – this used to reign supreme in my cover letters and job applications. I worked in a fast-paced, higher education institution for four years and multitasked with the best of them. I had to, if I wanted to survive.

In fact, in my former life I used to THRIVE on fast-paced, highly charged situations. Out of necessity? Yes. Did I want to live this way? I think so. I have always said I prefer being busy, rather than idle. This is still true today, I haven’t totally shed my American ways. But here are some of the ways that multitasking is really flipping me out:

1. driving. I love driving. I love my car. I don’t love traffic. I don’t love other drivers. I have had some moments in the last few weeks where I have been in complete disbelief about the drivers around me. Everyone is in a big, fat hurry and they’re all on their cell phones. For the love of the road people, focus. I don’t care who you are, you’re probably not that important. If you are, get a damn chauffeur. See #2.

photo credit: davesblogcentral.com

2. cell phones. A new addition to my automotive world is the big red stop sign car magnet that reads: STOP TEXTING. Here’s what I recently discovered and confirmed: talking on your cell phone is NOT illegal in Pennsylvania. Fact! A year ago I would absolutely be guilty of this, but now that I am not using a cell phone I am fully conscious of how often I used to reach for my phone while driving. What an idiot!  I’ll be the car driving in between the painted lines, at the prescribed speed, without my phone in my ear, dodging everyone else.

On a local note, I’d like to applaud the Lehigh Valley Health Network for their recent collaboration with Coca-Cola to get the Stop Texting sign on 20 of our local trucks in the area. Do I think it will solve the problem? No, but I thank you for efforts. Now build us a railway system!

3. eating. The average duration of a meal in the country of Spain is approximately 3 to 4 hours (or 12, if it’s a first communion). How many times have I watched tourists freak out about their waiter ignoring them or having to wait an extra 30 minutes for their check? Where’s the fire? This is Spain – we don’t rush anywhere unless it’s to 100 Montaditos on a Wednesday or to the stadium for a fútbol match. And our waiters don’t work for tips. Sabes? Once you get over the initial panic you might realize there IS no rush. Enjoy your glass of wine, eat a bit slower and actually taste your food. Just don’t try it in America. I have no problem with the To Go culture, but I’ve learned to say no to To Go. Coffee tastes so much better when you’re standing still.

I appear to be a bit more patient, more conscious of my surroundings and a lot happier when I can focus on one thing at a time. Don’t all of these things deserve my undivided attention? Don’t you?