Awesomesauce Award

My amazing boss at the UGA Office of International Education nominated me for an award. How awesomesauce (my new word) is that? As PhD students, we are rarely thanked or honored for the work we do. Rather we go through the bowels of academia being continually critiqued, hazed, and used as cheap labor before we are pushed out out of the constipated system (hopefully with three letters beside our name) and into the swirling toilet of the real world. Okay, that was rather graphic...and it is really NOT that bad. I do have a few lazy mornings (which I love). I do have a fairly flexible schedule (which I love). I do work often from coffee shops (which I love). AND...I did just win an award.

In late November, I received an email with the subject titled, "Congratulations on the Josephson Award!" Woohoo. The nomination alone was a super-duper honor as the UGA Associate Provost for International Education and the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs both signed the nomination letter. I was invited to attend the AIEA annual conference to network with the big international higher education gurus, share my research, and collect a plaque in front of 650 people. *Bonus: the conference was in one of my favorite cities in the U.S., San Francisco (oh, how I love thee).

Anyway, here are the details of the award: The Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) Harold Josephson Award:
"The award was established to honor the memory of Dr. Josephson, a long-time leader in AIEA and Assoc. Vice Chancellor of International Programs at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, who died in 1998. The award recognizes emerging leadership in international education through the student's graduate study and research, especially research in the field of international education."

So, long story short: Even though grad school can be ego-busting and extremely frustrating at times...if you continue to follow your heart who knows all of your hard work may be recognized one day. I know, I know...this is such an Oprah moment, not to mention an American cultural value.

A Life Lesson: Patience!

I am waiting, waiting, waiting to hear from the Fulbright Commission whether or not I am awarded a grant to do my dissertation research in Finland. Patience does not come easy for me, so everyday is a lesson in embracing this idea of not knowing what tomorrow (or for that matter next year) will bring. Plus, according to the yogic philosophy I should be living in the present and not worrying or anticipating the future...so here I sit, like the meditating frog, as my mind clutter keeps me in the present moment.

As I continue to wait, a small group of us (from my PhD cohort) are meeting bi-weekly to help one another stay on-task and motivated. I have a dissertation calendar filled with things I want to accomplish in the next three months...IRB, chapters 1, 2, and 3, interview protocol, etc. So far, so good...I have been somewhat productive. I am working through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, which is a long-drawn out process with a series of 20 internet-based tests on the ethical treatment of human subjects and research. Ugh. Next up: rough draft of chapter one and the IRB proposal.

Wiggin' Out: B-52s Style!

Athens is pretty hot when it comes to the local music scene. Did you know that the rockin' B-52s hail from Athens? And, also REM, Indigo Girls, and the hippie jam-band Widespread Panic. Of course when a home grown band comes back to play in their motherland...you better believe it is a SOLD OUT show. In true B52 style they asked the local fans to wear "party duds" for the filmed concert. Thus, I got my hands on a rock star mullet (thanks to my super awesomesauce friend Elizabeth) and then Charlie suddenly had hair! While his new hair was amusing for all especially as we walked through downtown Athens, the B52s stole the show with their wicked dance moves from the 80s and their surprisingly good voices. The B52s got started in the late 1970's and four decades later they are still rockin' out. I gasped when I heard that all of the band members were in their late 50's and early 60's...really? Damn, I hope I can shake it like that when I am middle-aged. They played all of the favorites, "Private Idaho", "The Deadbeat Club", and my favorite 1989 hit, "Love Shack":

"...I'm headin' down the Atlanta highway,
lookin' for the love getaway
Heading for the love getaway, love getaway,
I got me a car, it's as big as a whale
and we're headin' on down
To the Love Shack
I got me a Chrysler, it seats about 20
So hurry up and bring your jukebox money

The Love Shack is a little old place
where we can get together
Love Shack baby, Love Shack bay-bee.
Love baby, that's where it's at,
Ooo love baby, that's where it's at"