Taking Care of Business: shots and checkups

I love our pediatrician. Her name is doctor Clemmens at Southlake pediatrics. She is truly amazing.  In addition to her kindness and thorough examinations of our children and her helpful advice about life in general, she is very patient with our vax schedule. See we selectively vaccinate. We’re not against vaccinations (I had to put that out there before I have to hear about it *smile*) we just want to do it on our own schedule at our own pace. 

With much anguish (and staying up until 2am researching vaccines some more) I decided to change/expedite Nathaniel’s vaccination schedule. I am well aware that there are diseases in developing countries such as Jamaica that we don't have to battle here in the US so today we begin our new vaccination schedule in the preparation of our Fulbright trip.  Next step is to get the older kids vax schedule updated.

Nay received one shot in his little thigh and  I don't know why I was even worried… he didn't even shed a tear!

Now we all just have to get past the 8 page medical clearance that Fulbright requires.

JANCO Recycling

I’m not sure if many of you know that Kenric has started a new company called JANCO Recycling?  He began this company months ago and it is amazing.  Congratulations to Kenric for his two new contracts for JANCO Recycling.  He will soon begin working with the US Army Reserves and Jason’s Deli (this is HUGE).

Check out his website at www.jancorecycling.com

Pre-Departure Orientation Information

So we still have eight months before we leave and my children are already tired of me talking about Jamaica *smile* I can’t say that I blame them though!

I received the Pre-Departure Orientation information today via email.  I am so glad that my family is welcome to come with me.  It works out great because we will go to the orientation and then head out to Williamsburg for two months as I complete a John D Rockefeller Jr Library Fellowship.  The best part is that my hubby gets to travel with us for the first two weeks. Yay!

The schedule looks pretty good and I am excited to meet others who will be traveling to Jamaica (if any) and to hear from scholars that have already been abroad via Fulbright.

FAQ

Here are som FAQs for Family and Friends who want to know more.

Where are you going?

I am headed to Kingston, Jamaica

When do you leave?

I will leave in January 2012

How long will you be gone?

I will be gone between 4 and 6 months (for the entire semester)

Are you taking your family?

I wish… Kenric cannot stay (somebody’s gotta pay the mortgage so we can have a place to return to right *smile*).  He is going for the first two weeks then it will just be the kids and I there

What will the children do in Jamaica?

I plan to enroll the older children in school in Jamaica and find a nanny for the baby (that is my plan now, nut we will see once we get there)

Who pays for this?      

The US Government pays for this grant.  They offer me a salary plus a monthly allowance to take care of the kids.  They cover moving costs as well as cover books and supplies.

Where will you stay?

I do not know yet.  I will begin online apartment hunting soon.  If anyone has any suggestions, I’m open to hear them.

What will you be doing?

I will be teaching at the University of West Indies Mona and conducting research.  I will post my research proposal a little later instead of trying to explain it all here.

I hope this answers most of your questions.  If you can think of anymore, please feel free to ask them.

I'm a Fulbrighter!!!

I recently learned that I am the recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Award.  Yay! What an honor and I am most humble. Thank you State Department (and thank you Winthrop and USC for granting me time to go). I am still pinching myself in disbelief.   I decided to blog about this experience from the very beginning (yes, I know I still have eight and a half months before we go *smile*) so that all of you who decide to read this (family, students, colleagues and friends) can journey with me.

So what is a Fulbright you ask? Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulbright_Program

The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the Fulbright Program, U.S. citizens are eligible to go abroad, and non-U.S. citizens are eligible to come to the United States.

The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious awards programs worldwide, operating in over 155 countries.^[1] Forty-three Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes (including two in 2010, Peter A. Diamond and Ei-ichi Negishi) and seventy-eight have won Pulitzer Prizes.^[2] More Nobel laureates are former Fulbright recipients than any other award program.^{[citation needed]}

The program was established to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills.

The Fulbright Program provides 8,000 grants annually to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university lecturing, and classroom teaching. The program is active in over 155 countries in all world regions. As of 2010, 300,000 persons - 114,000 from the United States and 188,000 from other countries - have participated in the program since it began.

In each of 50 countries, a bi-national Fulbright Commission administers and oversees the Fulbright Program. In countries without a Fulbright Commission but that have an active program, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy oversees the Fulbright Program.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the Fulbright Program from an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress. Additional direct and in-kind support comes from partner governments, foundations, corporations, and host institutions both in and outside the U.S.^[1]