in the blink of an eye

life can really change in an instant. earlier this week, I was going about my business, trying to get work done, when I receive one of the most important emails I have ever gotten in my life.

Every year, the Iranian Women's Studies Foundation has a conference. I have wanted to go for a while but haven't had the means. This year, I am already going to LA, and have the costs associated with that. I'm just a poor grad student after all. But then I receive an email from them, that I have won an award. I have won an award and they want to present it to me at the conference in three weeks. They need my acceptance speech right away and a physical address if I am not coming to the conference.

#*&($*&#(*$&
Me??!?! Are you sure?

It's for women's empowerment research I did in Iran and it's the first time I'm receiving an award for a specific project. I interviewed 26 women who had broken societal rules, and it was a life-changing experience. The award committee loved it, apparently. Something about "innovative," "effective," and my personal favorite, "simply brilliant." It's amazing and humbling and thrilling and unbelievable.

The conference is in Paris this year. I was super excited until I started looking for flights. I was expecting 800 but they were double that. How the hell was I going to afford this? I cried when I realized how much flights were. The cash amount they were giving me for the award just wasn't enough.

Then I sat, and talked to myself. I remembered a promise I had made to myself when I applied for the award, that if on the off chance I won it, I had to go. I couldn't miss this opportunity.

So I started looking ferociously. I checked out dissertation travel awards, conference funding, job leads. I was determined, determined, determined. It was like the time I was 17 and worked at IHOP. One night, a customer came in that happened to work at a skydiving place and he happened to give me a coupon. I would be turning 18 in a week, so I worked hard to make enough to go skydiving asap. I was generally a terrible waitress, but for those 8 days I was stellar. The week I turned 18, I went skydiving.

This is like that. A short, short period of time to do something huge, something that I will remember forever. Doors were opened and some were shut in my search for funding, but the important point is I'm GOING. I just bought my ticket and I'm going to Paris!!

In less than three weeks, I will get to meet strong Iranian women from all around the world. I'll discuss my project with them. I'm going to learn so much I can't even fathom it. These women will become professional colleagues, mentors, and friends.

Less than three weeks!! How quickly life can change...