I guess when I said “tomorrow” I meant… “sometime in the next 24-50 hours.”

Here, then, is the promised “twist,” and the explanation, for goodness sake, of the mysterious time-sensitive package.

The package was directed to the American-Scandinavian Foundation, and there were actually two packages, one each from Jobby and me. They were applications for grant money; the fellowships offered are up to $23,000 per year, and we’d each budgeted for the full amount.

While in Iceland at the ITEX meetings, Jobby met a woman from Tromso University who was looking for two American students to work with her on ITEX research during the 2009 field season on Svalbard and in the lab in Tromso during the 09-10 academic year.  HE was interested, naturally, and so, he thought, was a friend of his who had been in Barrow with him. (I’ll give you a clue, her picture is just to the right, there, under the word “authors.”)

So, I could, potentially, if I get funding, be in Norway starting this coming May, for the duration of one year! I had a very short amount of time to prepare the application, but I was able to get all my references in order, so we’ll see.  Fifteen collated copies amounts to masses of paper. (And of course I need to continue looking for funding opportunities.)

Expense-wise, the funding I’d be getting would cover this trip, including the grad classes I’d take during the school year, but there will be some parts that I’d fund personally (gear, and that sort of thing). Plus, if I AM going to be out of the country for a year, do I want to spend another couple months away in Mexico?

I do, but I get it *cough*MomandDad*cough* that it’s expensive, etc etc.

I have to decide in two days.

Or sooner!

I want more details.