H-Japan is My God

Oh, how I worship my ListServ. I get emails about jobs (though I qualify for those in about 7 years, still nice to know that there is hope), conferences, events, books, etc. Through H-Japan, I found out about the conferences that I presented at during my time in Japan.

The closest thing that I can possibly get perhaps to worshiping some sort of deity for the H-Japan ListServ is going to Kitano Tenmangu Jinja - Kitano Tenmangu is the patron saint of calligraphy and students.

I get this email from the H-Japan ListServ today about this week-long series of workshops/mini conference of a sort at one of the top uni's in Australia (no, it's not in Sydney, it's in Canberra).

I am intrigued. Piqued, even. My interest is very piqued.

I look at the website.

"Squeeeeeeee!!!!"

Looks like right proper good fun - fun in both a geeky way (because this conference really does tailor to grad students and helps foster networks) and they have these things called a bursary.

I have never heard of the word "bursary" myself until I went to London - it is a fancy-schmancy word for "scholarship." Leave it to the English to make a nice word, then leave it to the Yanks to totally change things about.

This programme (note the English/Australian spelling everyone!) provides bursaries of up to $1000AUD for those that are overseas to cover travel costs. After a little quickie email conversation with the convenor (read: English way to say "director") of the Japan section, I am eligible to apply.

Very simple application: fill out a form, fax it and then send an email to the convenor with a one-page abstract of your current work. Applying for the bursary was simple as well - you just circle "Yes" on the form if you wish to be considered for it.

Form? Check
Fax form? Will do Monday (office hours are over and I would prefer to fax it during office hours, since Australia is in a similar time zone as Japan).
Abstract? Have it typed up, but I need to fix the formatting, plus update it a bit with what I have done last semester.

Wish me luck! I will get this all done before the September 30, deadline and I find out November 11.

In the meantime, I am going to go say a small prayer at Kitano Tenmangu this Sunday.