A couple days ago I got what some may call 'News of a lifetime.' I was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in South Korea after being placed as an Alternate Applicant just last March. Though this was GREAT news, I did not accept the offer. I had applied to be a Peace Corps volunteer shortly after I submitted my Fulbright ETA application and to my surprise, I got invited to serve in Peru. I had accepted the Peace Corps invitation about two weeks before Fulbright had told me that I was selected as an Alternate Applicant. The Fulbright representative called last week (second to last week in June) to tell me that the South Korean government had received more funds and wanted to extended me the offer to teach English there. As a result, my heart was torn. Having to choose between a Fulbright ETA in South Korea and Peace Corps in Peru was one of the most stressful decisions of my life (mainly due to the fact that I had to make a decision in just ONE DAY). Last year around this time I was preparing to write my Fulbright essay for the application, and now (after technically being awarded a grant to teach abroad) I am preparing to serve as a community health promoter in Peru. How weird.
For those who may be wondering how I made my decision: I did a pros and cons list AND flipped several coins. As a recent college graduate with a major in Public Health, I valued the experience that the Peace Corps provides Americans and developing nations...and the pros of eventually becoming fluent in Spanish and receiving other Peace Corps benefits outweighed the benefits of Fulbright in South Korea. Though my heart is still broken, I know I made the right decision for what I want to accomplish at this point in my life. Nevertheless, I intend on applying to the Fulbright ETA in South Korea again when I complete my Peace Corps service. Let's just pray that lighting strikes the same spot twice (I'm sure it will) :-).
