Finland... one step closer

Dear Mrs Owens
I am pleased to inform you...

When I read the first line I breathed a BIG sigh of relief. The envelope was very light, and after about a second wondering what that might mean I tore it open and read that line.

We are not quite on our way to Finland yet. I have just passed the first round of the process. The final decisions are made by the Finnish Fulbright Committee. That can take place any time from later this month to May, so it seems I will have to be patient for a while longer. I can be chosen, chosen as an alternate, or not chosen. They use the term "non selected", which I guess is not supposed to feel as disappointing.

Oh, maybe I should add, for anyone totally confused by this post-- in October I applied for a grant that would allow me (really all of us) to spend a few months in Finland collecting data for my research project. It would give me the chance to see the wetlands I write about, and interview actors in person about wetland policy implementation. If it does not work out I will be able to collect data by phone, but it won't be quite the same. My program provides funds for some travel to conferences, pays for my courses with the Netherlands Institute of Governance, and can cover data collection in the Netherlands, but in no way could cover collecting data for 6 months in a foreign country. So, I applied for a grant that could send us to Finland for that time.

The big question has been will it mean we will live in the Netherlands for an additional 6 months, and the answer is no. Conducting research in Finland would be fulfilling my work here, so it should not push my research plan back.

Well, back to reality. The baby is awake...