norway

6 months ago-ish...actually maybe longer than that, 8 months? ago, I applied for this fellowship--the American Scandinavian Foundation Creative Arts Fellowship. I figured it was a long-long shot. The ASF gives out something like 80 fellowships a year, but that's in all disciplines--not just the arts--scientists, professors, artists, etc. Seeing as the only people I know who have gotten the fellowship before are people with lots of books, I put the idea that it might happen out of my mind.

Well, lo and behold, today, I got a big envelope in the mail from the ASF--I applied to go to Norway and write about glaciers (namely the glacier that almost swallowed me whole)--and they said yes! It was such a surprise I hardly know what to do. I mean, I need to get working on some plans, talking to people, setting things up! Thankfully, it's only March and I won't go probably until May...but May is in like 6 weeks!

It's a wonderful problem to have--suddenly having money to spend a summer abroad! I'm really excited about the project too, and am hoping it will turn into a book while I'm here finishing up my PhD. (Or at least, several published essays.) I'm hoping the details of the trip will fall into place easily too.

The irony is that I worked as a grant writer, applying for fellowships/grants for the University of Wyoming for two years. In my whole time there (writing something like 15 grants), I didn't even earn my keep. I think the U paid me about $3000 and my total grant earnings were in the neighborhood of $1500.

For such a time as this...that's what they say, right?