10 April 2014

HAMBURG!!

I received my preliminary placement today. If you didn't know, Hamburg (the Bundesland, or 'state', not the city) is TINY.
Bundesland Hamburg.















It's about an hour the longest way across the Bundesland, so it's a bit like being told you've been placed in Rhode Island, or Oklahoma City (an enormous, sprawling city). Although I don't know the specific city, I know I'm going to be in an awesome location.

09 April 2014

Fulbright ETA: +$13,152

I started my undergrad career as an accounting major. That lasted all of about two months, but my obsession with money has stayed with me, particularly during tax season. I just found out last Thursday that I was awarded the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany and I've done a ton of research on it since then.

Some of the resources I've found:
The Fulbright Orientation Handbook is a good general resource, but is vague on a lot of country-specific points.
The "circular"s on the German Fulbright page outline the information told to last year's grantees. Almost all of it is applicable to the current year and Circular III gives the orientation dates for the next year.

That's how I found out that my grant will cover Sept. 1 to June 30 and that I'll receive a €150 stipend for baggage and transportation fees related to my flight. I also found out that the flight will be prepaid, so I don't have to worry about saving up and waiting to be reimbursed for that. Although the number above reflects the current currency exchange rate, it's nice for me to know how much I'm really going to make in the ten months I'll be overseas. €800 per month for ten months, plus €150 for baggage, plus indeterminate cost of my airfare -- it's about as much as I'd make working full-time for $9/hour for ten months, with the added benefit of, you know, being IN GERMANY.

I was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa honors society at about the same time, so, for the induction ceremony I bought a pretty dress from the thrift store for $15. Since I'm not walking at my graduation, that and the $5 I spent on an announcement kit (also at a thrift store) are my only graduation expenses.

After graduation, I'm trying to find that elusive full-time $9/hour job, so that I can knock out three months of work and save probably $1500 over the summer. Of course, my expenses are going to be unusually low.

Income     + $1440/mo.
Rent/Bills - $250
Insurance - $200
Phone       - $90
Groceries - $150
Gas           - $50
Net          +$700

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but over three months this gives me $2100, far above my goal. Of course this assumes I don't splurge on anything insane (like the $299 3D printer I sponsored on Kickstarter today), but with only three months in a one-horse town, I think I should be able to control myself.