Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Persistence, Luck and Success.

Being the brave 17 year old that I am I got my mum to ring up about this scholarship business and the lady who is supposedly in charge of the scholarships was extremely vague about the whole thing and didn't even give my mum the scholarship due date. After a long pause she managed to say they were due in August but still no date and she told us she would get back to us about it after she had a look into it. More than a week later we had no phone call back so my mum tried to get in touch another two times with her- we left messages with other people in the EF office and were told she would call back and that she was on the phone. I think this lady is actually a tad scared of my mother, who gave her a right telling off over the phone about the information that had been sent out to us about the US Visa application(it was all out of date, mixed up and just very hodge-podge, not acceptable for such an important matter). Then yesterday I saw I had an email reply from this lady about the scholarships; I'm guessing her nerves got the better of her and she decided she couldn't deal with another confrontation. Reading this new email she sent you wouldn't think that a couple weeks earlier she'd just told me I was too late for the scholarship. I'd say something fishy was going on there... But I'm not complaining because I got it! I won the scholarship! Well as my mum reminded me, I earnt it. As I'm sure you know from this post I really struggled with writing the darn thing and it took me a weekend or so to complete it so at least it wasn't for nothing. Unfortunately I didn't get the $2000(but I expected that, especially with all the dodgy-ness surrounding the issue...) but instead $500 has been wiped off my invoice so I am quite pleased with myself and....ridiculously happy!

You know, earlier in the year I really wanted some extra money to come my way for the exchange and I've always been one to try to get a hold of any 'luck' I can so I pulled out my 'trouble dolls' from my dresser. They were a present from my Aunt and Uncle when I was younger from one of their numerous vacations. Here's the little blurb that came on the piece of paper tucked inside the little box:

In the land of Guatemala the Indians tell this old story. They teach that when you have troubles, share them with your dolls. Remove one doll for each problem. Before you go to sleep, tell the doll your trouble. While you are sleeping the dolls will try to solve your troubles. Since there are only six dolls, you are allowed only six troubles a day.


I asked one of the dolls to help me get some extra money to pay for my exchange and popped the jelly-bean sized doll on the corner of my bed-side table. I knew this would be no small feat and that I may have to wait a while but several months later my trouble has now started to wither away and I owe part of it to that tiny little doll. My trouble dolls have never failed me, every trouble I have EVER told to them has been diminished in some way or another and usually obliterated completely. I have always felt much more relaxed going into an exam when I've told my trouble dolls, the night before, about my worries of forgetting all I have attempted to memorise.  I think it is much more reasonable to ask a jelly-bean sized doll to help with a trouble you have rather than expecting them to grant you a wish, a much more difficult task I would assume, although I'm no expert in the field of magic, luck and pixie dust.

5 comments:

rose said...

congratulations on getting the scholarship!

and i really need to get me some of those dolls!

rose xxx
peopletellme.blogspot.com

Whitney said...

Congratulations! Good work =)

Whitney

rose said...

also, thanks HEAPS for putting me in your "blogs I currently heart" it means a lot!

rose xxxx

JaciWalker said...

Congratualtions.

I'm following you and it would be great if you could follow me back. My blog is: www.jaciwalker.blogspot.com

Mimymosma said...

Hey Sweetie!!!

If all goes well hopefully you will be my American daughter for a year!!!! Im soo excited to have you!!! Hopefully its okay that I contact you now thru your blog...!!!

You sound like you and I and your Austrian sister will have a blast! We have So much in common!!!! I am such an lover of the environment! I try to be so mindful of everything I do!! even eating!!! I try to eat vegan most of the time!!! Love to cook healthy food!!! Hannah from Austria likes to cook also!!! So we gals can cook in the evening!!! I volunteer most of my time at our local animal shelter!!! We would love it if you would like to volunteer also!!!!

I will tell you a little bit about your new american family!!!! My husband Paul and I have Four amazing grown up children and 3 little grandaughters!!! At one time our home was full of teens and I miss it so much!!! Our kids are all out on their own!!! Our oldest daughter Michelle and her husband live about 1 and a half hours south of us...they have 3 litle girls..Kana is 6...Arya is 4 and Ani Rose is 2!!!! We try to see them as much as we can!!! Michelle is Michelle (Cole) Hogerheiden on Facebook! My daughter Sara is quite the local celebrity...She anchors and reports and does weather for our local CBS news station...she lives in Santa Barbara...one of the most beautiful cities!!!!! You can Google her her...Sara Cole KCOY...she is also on Facebook.(She can also get LOTS of Free tickets for concerts ...plays..events and such!!!) My son david works for Duck Studios in Santa Monica as an After Effects artist! Google David Cole Studio!!!
He does work for some Disney commercials and did some work on Kathryn Heigels latest film! He and his wife Emily live in a cool part of LA!
My youngest son Ben just graduated from college Friday night with a degree in Art !!!!! We are so proud of our kids not just their accomplishments but what fun and wonderful people they are!
Paul and I like to be active...we have 2 dogs and love and live for our trips to Hawaii!!!! I LOVE HAWAII!!!!!

Anyways!!! Hopefully this will all work out!!!!

PS!!! Would you like the pink fairy room or the room I am going to decorate? It has light gold walls and I was gonna go with a bit of bohemian flair!!! They are next to each other and right by the bathroom you will share with Hannah! Soo hopefully this will be a go!!!! I am so excited to meet you!!!

~Hugs

Debi

Oh! My husband Paul has a Facebook too! Paul Cole (Santa Maria, or Orcutt,Ca) He is a school teacher! We do live modestly but we like to have fun!!!