The countdown timer’s almost at double digits…!
I got an email from my exceedingly hardworking scholarship officer at 11.30pm on Monday night — I hope she was doing VPN or something, because that’s not a very good way to inspire someone on the verge of joining the civil service. Anyway, the email was to inform us that NIE term had been brought forward to June 20: “From 20 June – 22 July 05, you will partake in subjects registration, compulsory orientation programme and other preparatory programmes.”
Hmm. Joining NIE on 20 June won’t be a problem (ORD is 24 June), though it does mildly screw up my vacation plans. While I’m curious about what orientation and preparatory programmes could be like for a bunch of deadbeat graduate teacher trainees who couldn’t find better jobs, what I really want to know is: will those 33 extra days count toward my bond?
It matters, it really does. Feel free to despair at the Commission’s scholarship selection process.
Hi again,
I couldn’t help but notice that you’re off to NIE. As far as I know, it should all be included in the bond, because the bond ticks off once we’re registered. You can skip the orientation programmes because they aren’t anything much.
Woohoo! Congratulations! Start counting down!
That’s a relief — though the person in charge has been awfully quiet about the bond thing. I’m paranoid, yes.
It’d be nice if they paid for the orientation period, and counted it towards the bond, but one of the two wouldn’t be unacceptable…
Thanks, though! 🙂