April 22, 2012

The 24-hr WiFi Experiment

Posted by Mara Jevera Fulmer under Digital Communications, Family, Travel | Tags: , , , , |
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Trying out WiFi only for 24-hrs. Skype, iMessage and Email only... As long as I'm connected to a WiFi network!

In anticipation of heading off to Russia in only a little more than a week, I’m conducting a 24-hr experiment using WiFi only. My iPhone is set to airplane mode and I’ve updated settings for iMessage and Skype as available. So for those who want to reach me by either of those methods, you’ll have to skip my telephone number and just go for one of those other methods.

How ironic it is to realize that I’m feeling so “disconnected” already without regular cell-phone access and “limited” by my access to WiFi. Think about all those years when we lived without cellphones, let alone email. Now, with all the alternatives, I still have that slightly anxious feeling creeping inside about not being “connected” by instant access — no matter WHERE I am! But at “discounted” prices of $2.99/minute from Russia (if I pay the $5.99/mo Int’l call plan), and a similarly unpleasant price for text-messaging, I’m going to try the alternative – WiFi only delivery of calls and messages via iMessage or Skype. Of course FaceTime is also a possibility. So many choices! But they’re dependent upon others to know how to set up their phones, too. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how many are willing to do this.

As for the experiment? It’s a bit weird being out of contact except when there’s WiFi. Riding down the road with hubby, I couldn’t resist the urge to pick up the iPhone and start checking my email or messages. But, alas, no WiFi. At least not until I got home. I suppose I could have ducked into a McDonalds or Starbucks. I wonder what the Russian equivalent will be? I’m told I’ll have WiFi access at EACA and at the hotels where I’ll be staying. And, of course, security may be an issue. No logging into bank accounts while overseas. Apart from that, I don’t think I have access to any major secrets that someone would want to steal. But who knows?

Are you one who doesn’t know my Skype ID but want to get in touch? For colleagues, close friends and family, just send me a note with your Skype name and/or preferred iMessage email contact via this blog or my email and I’ll add you to my various App contacts.

To everyone else, you’ll just have to keep watching this blog to keep in touch!

I’ll post a comment below once the experiment is over to let you know how it went. Less than 12 hours to go for round 1.

 

April 21, 2012

Excited… Nervous… Anxious… pick one

Posted by Mara Jevera Fulmer under Travel
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Pick any one of these and you’d be correct. In less than two weeks I will be in Russia facing a group of students speaking a language I don’t know, written in letterforms I barely recognize, in a place I cannot navigate, with customs that are unfamiliar. Of COURSE I’m excited!

I’m also just a little nervous. After all, I’d hate to offend someone accidentally. And I want to make sure I’m prepared. I’m a little nervous about the schedule – since I’m not quite confirmed on the final details. Not that it really matters. If I learned anything from living in the Pacific for six years, it’s that you can’t let an uncertain schedule get in the way of having a nice time. 🙂

But I’m a bit anxious about all that is still to do before I go. Monetarily, I’m cutting it very close. Some funds are due to me such as professional development, an innovation award, a “travel advance” for the airline ticket I put on my credit card… and yes, I’m supposed to get a nice tax refund. I just hope some of this happens before I leave so I can get a months worth of bills set up to be paid for, and still bring a little $$ for day-to-day expenses.

Then there is my final assignment for my qualitative research course for my doctoral studies, and grading of all my own students’ work this weekend. And… writing a final report for a research grant, a 1-hr plus lecture for a public talk in Russia, the classroom lectures, jury my Mott students work for the student show, draft the Winter 2013 schedule, and… prep. Flickr feed for our new GD website.

And… I’m sure there’s something I’m missing…like packing, my daughter’s graduation, and my birthday! (and my mom’s, too).

Okay. Enough blogging. Now we pause for a little motherly bragging…..

—————-

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This is a photo of my daughter Anastassia at her BFA exhibition at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She’ll graduate on April 28th at the big stadium. The family is very proud. She already has a job! Not an easy thing for an art major! But her work at the UM Museum of Art has been good training.

 

April 11, 2012

Newspaper interview

Posted by Mara Jevera Fulmer under Photos, Travel
1 Comment 
Screen shot from Mlive.com

Article from MLive (Flint Journal) about my upcoming trip captured lots of attention from friends, neighbors and colleagues. A little too much attention. But I'm glad it's making folks happy about one of their own getting this honor.

So I guess this is where the community gets really excited about my Fulbright grant to Russia, while I’m just a bit nervous. I’m not very good at getting lots of extra attention. But on this subject, outwardly, I may appear to be ambivalent. But inward Of COURSE I’m honored! and OF COURSE I’m excited!

But don’t confuse my lack of an excited outward demeanor for ambivalence. It’s actually that I’m very very focused on what I must do to prepare. There is just so much to do, and I feel extremely responsible to so many people to make sure that I do it well. In essence, I want to make sure I’ve really earned all the accolades that are coming in ahead of this trip.

So, while I am outwardly quiet or maybe distracted, I’m actually quite focused on the juggling and keeping up with the many tasks to be done ahead of time. Rest assured, as soon as I’m on that airplane and there’s nothing left to do but get to Russia, I’ll be secretly dancing a little jig of excitement! And once I’m there, though I’m sure there’ll be a few unnerving moments now and then as I deal with the unfamiliar, I know that my hosts are also a little nervous about meeting me, too. Together, we’ll have some fun getting to know each other and sharing in some new adventures. Yes… the more I think about it, the more excited I become. It should be a great adventure and learning experience!

Anyway, here’s a link to the Flint Journal article:

Mott Community College professor Mara Jevera Fulmer heading to Russia as a Fulbright Program specialist

Nice side note: The photo is by my daughter, Sarah Fulmer, who is a professional photographer. See her work here.

 

April 10, 2012

OMG! Too much to do! Too little time!

Posted by Mara Jevera Fulmer under Travel | Tags: , , |
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At least all my paperwork is done! Grant extension approved, authorization signed and returned.
Tickets bought, hotel in St. Petersburg booked, course drafted. Still need to revise it and trim down the reading list. Oh, and put together a two-hour public lecture!? I’m thinking… Lecture and Group Roundtable. Get people talking more. Not just me spouting off. The general topic will be Cultural Journalism: Beyond Celebrity.

In the meantime, other things are generally going well, too.

Off topic news:
– Received Faculty Innovation Award for curriculum proposal for Book Arts class
– At Issue article published – co-editor and contributing author for “At Risk, At Promise” published by Ferris State University.
– presentation at the League for Innovation went very well!

And, on top of keeping up with grading my own students’ work, I’m somehow managing to maintain a 4.0 gpa in my doctoral studies.

So…

back to work!

 

March 29, 2012

Visa has arrived!

Posted by Mara Jevera Fulmer under Uncategorized | Tags: , |
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The next big hurdle overcome with a hologram-graced visa installed in my passport.

Well, the next big hurdle has been overcome. My Russian visa has been granted and my passport has been returned to me from the visa service with a lovely hologram-graced official looking visa embedded within my passport. Next is to finally break down and buy my airline ticket. At a pricetag of around $1600-1700, I’ve been reluctant to pay for it without having this visa in hand. No excuses anymore… except for not having that much money to spare.

So, on to the next challenge… digging up some empty space on a credit card so I can buy the airline ticket!

And, of course, addressing all of the other to-do’s that have little to do with my travel to Russia for this Fulbright, but that must be addressed before I leave so I that I don’t leave a mess behind for the 3+ weeks that I am gone.

Just the short list:

  • Keep up with grading my student’s work so that I can get their grades submitted on time and with something meaningful behind them!
  • Prepare some final reports for several grants and/or awards.
  • Design and arrange printing for invitations for a non-profit’s fundraising event that occurs in June.
  • Keep up with my Doctoral program coursework that has weekly homework, readings, and discussions. The final assignment for my Qualitative Research course will be due after I’m in Russia. So, needless to say, it will be finished BEFORE I leave!
  • Design and print recruitment poster for summer course on Conceptual Book Design.
  • Continue my research on Yekaterinburg and region so that I may be somewhat prepared – including learning a few more words in Russian!
  • Finish Syllabus and Course Outline/presentation for Yekaterinburg course in Russia.
  • Attend and celebrate my younger daughter’s BFA thesis exhibition and graduation from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor! (I really wish I could have brought one of my girls with me to Russia. But the cost and time were too much of a hardship for all involved.)
  • Oh yea… start packing!

Phew!

guess I better get some sleep tonight!

mjf

 

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