Gilman

Exciting news! I have been awarded a Gilman scholarship to help pay for my semester abroad. I must say that I was completely shocked because the Gilman is a very competitive national scholarship. I recognize that my success here is due in part to the help of the Office of International Student Programs, as well as the invaluable help from Dr. McCombs. The office has been more than helpful this semester and they have become a useful resource in the complicated process surrounding study abroad in China. Dr. McCombs must be the best essay editor I’ve ever encountered; she is able to take any piece of writing and make suggestions to improve the quality and complexity. I found myself writing better in my other papers after having met with her this semester for help with my application essays. With her help and that of Esther and Ann in particular, I am ending one part of the process and beginning another. After months of paperwork and preparation, I am nearly ready to leave!

In a few short weeks I will be on the plane to Chicago to meet everyone else for a pre-departure meeting. I am beginning to wonder what we will be doing at that meeting. I know that we have a few days of orientation upon arrival in Beijing, but I assume that the Chicago meeting is probably just a meet-and-greet type of gathering. Speaking of meetings, I have been in contact with both my new roommate and my Chinese host student, both of which are friendly and helpful. I was happy to see that they facilitated contact between roommates and host students before departure because my host student, Grace, has been very helpful in the late stages of preparation. She has answers for every question that I could have about weather, shopping, food, and school. I am really looking forward to meeting her.

Also, I got my visa back today (finally). I used VisaRite services in New Jersey, and I would recommend them to anyone who needs to submit their application through the Chinese consulate located in New York City. They were very easy to work with, they responded quickly, and the service was fast and at a reasonable price. I am relieved to have it back because that was the major thing that needed to be done. Now I just have to gather everything that I need to send to the Gilman scholarship people. I am excited to have been selected as a Gilman scholar!