24 February 2007

In Charlottesville, VA

It has been a long few days here in Charlottesville, trying to impress these people enough that they want to give me lots of money. I'm not sure if I've been successful--the numerical odds are against me (1 in 4 gets the scholarship) and the competition is intense (one of my 'competitors' was a Harvard Law graduate that has practiced law for 8 years--he wants to get a PhD in Psychology).

Regardless of the outcome, it has been a good (albeit stressful) weekend. I've eaten lots of good food, met some great people, and had the glorious luck to watch cable television in my free hotel room (oh! Law and Order! How I missed you so!).

I also had the luck to run into the father of a friend, somewhat of a big deal in the University, who procured a couple of tickets to the UVA Basketball game. Even I (not an avid sports fan) enjoyed the game tremendously, and loved watching Virginia win. (Although, I must admit that I shamefully rooted against them during the first half, giving in to my everpresent temptation to root for the team that nobody else supports).

Tomorrow I head back to North Carolina, but first I must eat at "Mas" -- a great Spanish restaurant here in town (and the subject of a post some time ago).

I hope that all are well.

15 February 2007

I'm Still Still Here

Seems like all that I do these days on this blog is assure everyone that I am still here. I've been quite busy these days preparing for next week, when I will be going to UVA and giving a presentation to the selection committee for the Jefferson Scholarship.

I've had my nose in books, my rear on the desk chair, and my fingers on the keyboard.

And that's pretty much been it.

Don't lose faith, as one day soon this blog will once again become interesting, chock full o' fun facts and strange notions.

05 February 2007

Still here somewhere

I know that I have been quite absent lately, but I've been pretty busy. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm working two jobs now--mornings at the University, teaching 75 students Spanish; evenings at the restaurant, bringing drinks and food to wealthy people.

It is a strange dichotomy, and one that is occasionally highlighted in odd ways. Like, for instance, last night, when the Chancellor of the University came in for dinner. Within the span of three minutes, we discussed desserts and class sizes.

It is good though, and the restaurant is allowing me to survive, considering that the University only pays me once a month (and not until the middle of February).

In other news, I have also recently been busy preparing for a presentation that I will need to give within the next few weeks. I have been nominated as the UVA Anthropology Department's choice for the UVA Jefferson Scholarship. The Scholarship is university-wide, and 35 incoming students will be competing for 10 scholarships. This means that in late February, I must go to UVA to schmooze it up and present my proposed research to a committee that will decide who receives the scholarship.

Needless to say, the next couple of weeks will be very busy and quite nerve-wracking. Still, if I am fortunate enough to receive the scholarship, this could make all of the difference between being a poor graduate student and not being a poor graduate student.

I hope that all are well, and thanks for reading. I'll post some pictures and updates soon.