This is what we suggest when you look for an overseas teaching job (The complete information on overseas employment for teacgers is covered in The Insider Secrets to Finding a Teaching Job Overseas, at http://joyjobs.com) The Fulbright selecting committee does not work this way, however.

When applying for a Fulbright grant, you must first be accepted into the program. Once you are interviewed as a candidate, you can change your mind about your top three countries and who will be accompanying you on the exchange. There is nothing wrong with this and you are allowed to do so. But this will be AFTER you have been interviewed and before the committee begins to match candidates.

*** YOUR TIME LINE

The whole process takes several months so begin early. Your application package must be in the mail by October 15 of the year BEFORE the year you plan to go overseas.

1.Prepare your application package, September
2.Mail your application, by October 15
3.Receive confirmation, November
4.Interview location and time determined,  end of November
5.Make changes if necessary, December
6.The interview, mid-December
7.Changes of country/family status, end of December
8.Acceptance Letter, February
9.Receive placement, March - June
10.Orientation in Washington D.C., summer
11.Fly abroad, August-September

I mailed my packet on the morning of October 15th.  The next I heard from the Department of State was a letter mailed to me on November 10 acknowledging receipt of application, setting up a peer review and identifying any documents missing from my packet. I supposed that I had passed the initial cut.

The next correspondence from the regional interviewing committee arrived on November 24 identifying my interview site as Portland State University and affirming an appointment time.

*** BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

If you have done your homework properly while preparing your synopsis and essay you do not need any special preparation for your interview.

I pushed all thoughts of the meeting out of my mind.  I woke up, put on a suit that I had bought in Greece and left an hour early. My husband didn't even know that I was interviewing.

 Dr. McCrohan, who  served on the committee for Fulbright Scholar Awards in 1993-1996, says, "The Fulbright committee places a great deal of emphasis on how proactive each candidate is in learning more about the institutions and county to which he or she is applying."

"The committee is interested in making a good fit: placing a scholar where he or she will do the most good and will gain the most professional growth. If the applicant is able to demonstrate this, then the chances of gaining a Fulbright   scholarship are enhanced enormously."

As it turns out, a Fulbright interview is quite different from applying and interviewing for employment. The committee looks at who you are as a person, as an educator and as a type of ambassador to the United States -- as a combination of professionals.

They will look at you and see what you represent. If you feel you need to practice to become a better candidate look over the  questions I was asked (below).

You should have a good idea of who you are and be comfortable representing yourself. There will be no questions on how you handle discipline in the classroom!

*** WHAT ARE MY ODDS?

For an average year CIES receives  over 3,000 applications from Americans seeking teaching grants. Out of that pool, about 1000 people are awarded Fulbrights. So your chances are about 1 in 3. On the student side of the equation, your odds are about 1 in 6 or 1 in 7.

These are AVERAGE numbers, the actual situation will depend on your country selection, because awards are given on the basis of what's available in each country. For my qualifications, there are 2 placements in Latvia, three in South Africa and 60 in the UK.

The competition for popular destinations is stiff while less travelled countries offer better chances.

*** THE INTERVIEW

Location: The reception area was Portland State University's History Department (obviously, you will have a different location).

There were several couches placed around a coffee table. The arrangement was welcoming and comfortable. - coffee, juice, cookies, etc. A hostess was there to greet us.

Tip. Definitely arrive before your scheduled interview time. Make sure you know where you are going. Although I am from Portland, I still had trouble finding the building and the room.  Candidates are interviewed at the same time by various interviewing teams. For my time slot, four candidates were being interviewed (of course in different rooms).

If family members will be accompanying you overseas, it is advised to bring them if they are under four years of age. This is primarily so the committee can see if the family is supportive of your decision. A fellow applicant had his three children with him. All the children introduced themselves with "Me llamo ---." He told me they spoke no other Spanish and they had prepared saying this for a month. The smallest boy said, "I'm going  to go on an airplane!" When asked where he was going he responded, "I'm going to South America!" The overall effect was a family right behind the applicant.

***COMPETITION.

There were about 20 applicants interviewing in Portland. Our hostess told me that one year there were 60 candidates so they had to have many teams interviewing at the same time. In the end, there isn't any competition between you and your fellow candidates. You are all in it together and hoping for a placement depending on your individual situations.

The possibilities for placements are individual. It is highly unlikely that the candidate next to you is looking for an elementary position in South Africa (or whatever you have in mind for yourself).

There is no reason to be intimidated by the other applicants. We spoke about how far each one of us had traveled to get to the site and discussed the weather. At 9:30 the chairs from the interviewing teams collected the applicants one by one. I was the fourth to be collected so I was left alone in the room for a few minutes. The hostess came right over and sat with me, which I thought was very kind, so that I wasn't alone.

I was met by my regional committee chair and shown to a room where two other professionals were waiting. They introduced themselves and were extremely cordial. I felt at ease immediately. There was a pitcher of water on the table.

***ATTIRE

The  committee members were professionally dressed. I was perhaps a bit overdressed, as I wore a suit, but I felt comfortable with this decision.

As my first country choice was South Africa, my panel all had (rather extensive!) Experience in Africa.

They were well informed about my qualifications and work situation. What impressed me the most was how well this team worked together. Not once in the thirty minutes did one interrupt the other. They inspired questions from one another.

*** THE QUESTIONS

Below are the actual questions I was asked. They will give you a good idea of the interview and why it is important to prepare for it well in advance -- when you fill out your application form.

1.Why have you applied for a Fulbright scholarship?

Prepare a clear 1-minute answer to this question. Select 2 -3 reasons and stick to them. Paraphrase what you  wrote in your essay, the message has to be consistent. Know what you are going to say, say it and then stop. Your committee is not there to interrupt you in order to ask the next question. Say what you have to say and stop. Wait for the next question.

2.Why have you chosen Africa?

3.Have you done any research about Africa or England (2nd choice country)?

4.You have extensive overseas experience. Do you have a "need" to be overseas?

5.What do you like about teaching?

6.Why did you choose early elementary grades as your teaching focus?

7.As your experience is from private schools, how do you think you will manage in a public school setting?

8.As you fill many shoes in your present teaching situation, how will your exchange "partner" be able to do these same things at your school?

9.Have you thought about day care for your son?

10.As you have recently come from teaching in Eastern Europe are you prepared for "discussions" about America's role in the Balkans?

11.What was most memorable about living in Bulgaria?

12.Are you prepared to live in England? (Apparently there is a high drop out rate from placements in the U.K.)

13.What if you don't like your school?

14.What if you don't like the people you have to work with?

15.What if you won't like what you are supposed to teach?

16.What if there is a set curriculum and structure?

17.What would something you have recently worked on in school look like?

18.Is there anything you would like to add?

Depending on the interview there can be 2 ways to handle this question:

A.Reinforce your position. To do so,  simply rephrase what you have already said. (Even though the question is if you want to "add" anything.)

Do not start a new topic, especially  if your interview has been good so far.  Introducing a new subject at this point will only distract the committee. Repeat your strong points once again, and confirm your enthusiasm about the program.

B.Correct a point. If you feel like some of the answers you gave were inadequate it  is a good time to clarify them.  Mention the question you want to comment on and add the details you left out.

19.Do you have anything else to say? Do not say no, it makes a bad impression. If you do not have anything important to add, simply thank the committee for the interview and confirm
your enthusiasm about the Fulbright exchange program.

***WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEE

You should know that the committee will not make the final decision if you should be awarded a grant or not. As we mentioned earlier there are several layers of bureaucracy.

However, the committee will write a detailed report on you.  HOW they write it will determine whether your application will be a success. So take the interview very seriously.

My committee was very calm and patient with my answers. But do not test their patience. They are responsible for sending a report back to Washington D.C. and therefore must make as detailed a report as possible. They took many notes throughout the interview.

I made continual and friendly eye contact with everyone on my committee. This is extremely important. Do not flit from one face to the next. Hold your eye contact in a sincere and honest manner. Direct the majority of your eye contact to the person asking you the question, however, make a point of looking at each member as you answer each question.

My panel put me at ease immediately and throughout the interview. Only once did I hesitate before answering to really think through the question. My panel was waiting with such expectancy that when I looked around and saw all three faces staring at me, I completely lost my train of thought. I had to ask them to repeat the question. If you need time to think through a question, take it. If you need the question repeated, ask. It is better than saying something stupid. The panel will have more respect for you as a candidate if you are honest and clearly trying to formulate your thoughts.

When the committee compiles their report on you they will remember your strong answers. If you say something stupid it will be on the report, too, but the fact that you were quick with your answers will not give you any credit.

In summary I felt like we were all striving for the same goal. At the end of my interview, the head of the committee said, "Do you see the color of this Fulbright booklet? It is purple. And purple is the color of passion and that 's how I feel about the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program." It was a moving closure to our meeting and he probably wouldn't share this information if I hadn't been accepted.

I don't think that my committee was exceptional in their devotion to the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program.

Of course the worst part about any interview is after the interview. One spends the rest of the morning thinking of all the other ways the questions could have been answered.

***RECEIVING THE GRANT

On February 4th I received a letter from the U.S. Department of State. "The peer review committee has recommended you for exchange. We are currently in the process of matching applicants and will notify those candidate for whom we find matches beginning in March and continuing through the end of May. If you have not been matched by June, we will send you  a written update concerning your status."