Keeping Track III

Order transcripts from four different universities
Ask for two letters of recommendation
Photocopy first page of passport
Complete application
Write research proposal in English
Translate research proposal into another language
Write policy relevance essay in English
Write archive list in English
Write archive list in another language
Update CV in Engilsh
Translate CV into another language
Photocopy everything listed after my passport five times.
Mail the damn thing

I'm getting closer to finishing. The translations are, of course, taking forever. I write slowly and poorly in English so I write even more slowly and even more poorly in languages other than English. Also, neither of my advisors have commented yet so I'm assuming that everything is a-ok. Actually, I'm not expecting the one faculty member who really wants me to go to Russia to comment. This individual wasn't very useful the last time I approached him for help either. I'm beginning to geel a bit stranded at this point. That finishing my dissertation is now close to leaving a dysfunctional relationship in which all parties carry some blame. I would dwell on this more but there is a kitty at my feet who would like to play with some string. Oh, and I don't think that I've eaten enough today to actually be able to think. -Zh.