Well, I just got news yesterday that I’ve received the big-ass fellowship I applied for (big-ass in terms of difficulty and prestige, I had to submit a budget so the money is pretty much just six months of Ghana living expenses, which is great, but, you know, not a huge sum). I’m in the process now of trying to figure out how to sign all the documents and get them back to the organization in time. I’m sure it will all work out.

What this means in the short term is that I have plenty of money for all of the things I need for life and research for the rest of my trip. What it means in the medium term is that I don’t have to borrow from next-year’s SSHRC and therefore I don’t have to work during my dissertation phase unless I want to. What it means in the long term is that I am now extra-competitive for academic positions because this is a pretty big deal organization in anthropology that publishes one of the major journals and funds lots of really important research. Having money from them is a statement that they think I have the potential to significantly contribute to the field of anthropology. So, I’m feeling pretty good right now, and also like I better spend the next 7 months busting my ass so I can actually live up to this endorsement.

Filed under: Anthropology academics