The Prelude

The abstract: I won the scholarship!


A quick back story follows, in case you wanted more details. Read it, don't read it, it's your life, man.



30 January —
Recommendation was received, announcing that the application was approved by the American half of the selection committee. Now, it is flown to Korea, where the Korean half of the committee will consider the candidates best for their country. Decisions will be made any time between February and June.


26 March —
Sitting in ENGL202C lecture, I notice a new email simply titled "DHL Package". I delete it. Then I get so bored in class that I decide to just open it up. Apparently, a package was sent to my old address from last semester. Why would there be a package sent to my old address? It was just my birthday two days ago, maybe some kind relative sent me a present but forgot that I moved out of the dorms over winter break. Or maybe...

After running across the campus in half-tearful, half-delirious state that was probably either hilarious or terrifying to all spectators, I was holding the envelope in question. It was from Korea. This was either a very expensive rejection letter or it was the verification I had been waiting for since September.

My brother happened to be in the Commons building--irony? coincidence? fate?--and saw me clawing at the tape holding brown paper envelope closed, despite the comical shaking of my hands and tears spilling all over the place.

“Dear Ms. *****:

“On behalf of the Korean-American Educational Commission and the ********* Foreign Scholarship Board, it is my pleasure to inform you of your selection for the 2009-2010 ********* English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award. This award is for the period of July 5, 2009, through July 17, 2010, including a six week pre-service orientation/training program in Korea. Congratulations!”


Bastards. Didn't even have the grace to put the "Congratulations" at the start of the paragraph, instead leaving me to skim the paragraph three or four times before I was convinced that I'd won.