(It's ok to brag if it's about someone else, right?)
(Photos found with a Google search)
San Diego!!!
La Jolla, to be exact. It is right on the coast. I've never been to California, and I am so excited to enjoy the perfect weather everyone keeps telling me about!
First I should back up and explain that Jordan is the reason we're going, and since he probably won't ever blog about it, I get to brag for him!
Jordan was accepted to the University of California, San Diego's anthropology PhD program. Not only was he accepted, he was the NUMBER ONE choice out of over four hundred applicants.
AND,
He received full departmental funding, which includes paid tuition and fees and a stipend, which should help cover rent, the steepness of which will kind of be a big shock to us south Provoans.
AND,
Jordan will get to TA anthropology courses. Not all of the anthropology students get to TA within their subject. So this means great teaching experience for Jordan. Also, once he gets his masters and is continuing with his PhD, this means he might also be paid as an adjunct professor (!!).
AND,
Not only did he receive departmental funding, he applied for a very hard-to-get, prestigious university fellowship based on the diversity you will add to campus and the hardships you have faced getting to this point. Considering his demographics (white male from Utah), we were not expecting this fellowship, although I thought the application was superbly written. It turns out he did get it! This will replace the departmental funding (which makes the department happy because they save money), and it is absolutely guaranteed money (which is good since we all know that California is struggling financially right now).
AND,
He applied for and received guaranteed housing, which provides us a guaranteed spot in student housing for the whole time we are there, plus one year afterward. He visited campus in January, and said the student housing complex is very family friendly, with playgrounds for Kimball. It is also a short bike ride to campus, and there are free shuttles that come every 15 minutes.
AND,
Jordan has just been nominated to be the valedictorian for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at UVU! He is also graduating magna cum laude with an additional two minors in Philosophy and Environmental Studies.
Can I say that I am SO proud of Jordan?! He has accomplished all of this while working a demanding, full-time job, and taking care of Kimball and me. I don't know of anyone who has more of a passion for their subject than Jordan. I'm sure he has chosen the right field.
Speaking of that, as if living in San Diego wasn't awesome enough, Jordan plans to do his ethnographic field work in Vanuatu, a Melanesian island nation in the South Pacific (ironically where the musical South Pacific takes place). It has repeatedly been ranked as one of the happiest places on earth. We will be living there for approximately 2 years. Kimball will be 4 or 5 when we go. We are already learning Bislama, which is pretty much the coolest language ever. Take a look at this beautiful place through this great photo essay.
If you ever have the urge to travel, please come and visit us in San Diego! We've got our eye on some IKEA front room furniture that converts to beds, so you will always have a nice place to lay your head. And we're very excited to see our family and friends that are already in the area. You will have to give us tours of your beautiful state!
(Picture by Jordan when he vistited in January.
That is the Geisel library in the background--
named for Dr. Suess. If we weren't already
convinced to go to UCSD, that just might do it!)
Some other miscellaneous things that have made us happy: I went to a very (I won't tell you how very) overdue dentist appointment, and came away with only one cavity, instead of the several that I was expecting. Also, we applied for financial aid with all of the hospitals and health care providers, and received a charitable write-off for a very large portion of Kimball's accounts. After a hard year last year, we are so grateful for a breather!
12 comments:
I am so very excited for you guys! San Diego will be so much fun! I am jealous that you are going to be living in the beautiful, sunny weather while we have our cold, dark winters. And the San Diego Zoo and Sea World! Kimball is the luckiest little boy!
Those pictures of Vanuatu are beautiful. What a great experience for your family! Think of the memories Kimball will take away from that experience!
Congratulations on all your hard work Jodan and for the great things you are doing for your family!!!
I am so happy for you guys! I had heard a little of this from Judy, but not all of it. That is definitely something to brag about!! So proud of you Jordan! Hope we can come visit you!
I can hardly catch my breath, I am so proud of you guys! It seems like with every passing week something fabulously wonderful has landed in your laps! And yes, after your hard year last year, you three deserve every single blessing being rained down upon your precious heads. And the best thing of all IMHO? That little Kimball is healthy!!! I'll never take that for granted.
Just for the record: I am more than thrilled, tickled pink, excited, pleased-as-punch, exuberant, and just plain happy that your destination is San Diego and NOT Michigan. No offense to you Michiganites. But really.
Wow, congratulations on EVERYTHING! That's so great for you guys, you definitely deserve such a great break! And can I say HOORAY for stipends and fellowships! I have no idea how PhD candidates with families survive without them. Welcome to the PhD club...it's a fun ride! (California will be so fun for y'all!)
That is awesome! Congratulations! Jordan, you should be proud of yourself!
PS - I'm jealous that the San Diego temple will be your temple. It's my favorite and it's so pretty inside. Once you go, I'll have to tell you my favorite part! :)
Congratulations, Jordan!!! Having the funding taken care of will take a lot of stress out of grad school! Also super jealous that your field work is in a cool place!
I will definitely come visit in SD!
(p.s. I had a similar dentist experience recently...went for an overdue visit and was shocked to find out nothing was wrong!)
I forgot to remind you that once you return from Vanuatu, you will definitely need to update your food blog to include a few recipes for that fresh oxtail highlighted in the photo essay. Kimball is already pretty well versed in exotic foods for a 15-month-old; I'll be excited to see how he takes to his mama's oxtail ragout!
Congratulations! This is such great news and what a beautiful place to live! You will love it there and your mom will love visiting. BTW, your "baby" is looking more and more like a little boy! He is adorable! So happy for you!
Congratulations! What a fun adventure for your cute little family!
Congrats you guys! San Diego sound like such a great opportunity.
I'm so excited that you'll be in La Jolla. Dan and myself are stationed 45 minutes away from you guys, but not far at all. You will love California... it's expensive but beautiful and fun. I hope that we'll get to see eachother soon and that all is well with you and yours.
Melanie
Oh wow, so exciting for you guys! Congratulations are definitely in order! Lots of adventures in store, I'm sure.
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