The Fulbright Process so Far

Getting a Fulbright exchange is a tricky business!  I have 2 friends, Kim and Donna,  who have done it before and have been a great help to me, but still, it's complicated.  I began with an exhaustive computer search of schools in the UK that looked like they'd be good places to teach in areas that I would like to live in for a year.  Fulbright places high school teachers in lots of different countries, but elementary teachers are only placed in the UK so I looked into schools in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  After many emails and checking out several teachers on their Facebook pages (warning--if you ever want to be chosen for a teaching exchange, watch what you post on Facebook!) I found a wonderful exchange partner, Emma Davies, from Stocks Green Primary School.  We applied for a closed circuit exchange, and luckily, were both selected by Fulbright.  We've both been to trainings in our respective countries. (Mine was in Washington DC accompanied by my friend, Laurie.  Don't get me started on how we missed our connecting flight because we were so engrossed in conversation that we didn't notice our plane had left without us!)  Applying for a work visa has been a monumental effort.  I finally got my 30 pages of forms, good conduct letters from the local sheriff, certified copies of my marriage certificate, sponsorship letter from the British  Council, originals and copies of all the expired passports I could locate along with the current one, mug shots, and my biometric information (google it) off to the UK Border Agency last Friday.  Wish me luck getting my visa before I leave California on Sunday to head to my summer job in the Cascade Mountains!