Send Mike to Japan!
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Alright, so here's the situation:
I'm a graduate student in the History department at Portland State University, where I am focusing on Japanese history around World War II. The trouble is that my Japanese isn't very good. The last time I formally had a class was 2010, and it shows. I need to get better in order to use important primary source materials for my research which will be written in Japanese. I currently have a tutor that I work with during the year, but that can only get me so far.
So, here's my plan:
Go to the intensive language program at Waseda University in Tokyo! It even has this awesome statue making the perfect "not bad..." face!
How awesome is that!? I'm sure that, with work, I can be as begrudginly impressed as that guy.
The program is only 6 weeks long, but isn't cheap. The tuition is only around 2500 USD, but I have to pay for housing and food while I'm there, as well as the flight there and back. So I'm looking for funding...
What's that? Scholarships? Great Idea! Let's see what the application packet says about that:
There is no scholarship for the students of this program. Therefore, students must not rely on the
scholarship to fund the necessary expenses on condition that the scholarship considered as an awarded.
Students must have their own sources of fund to bear these expenses at the time of application.
Awww... dang. I've looked around, but most of the scholarships I've found are larger ones that are A) small and B) open to a huuuuuge amount of people. Not that I won't apply for them, but I just don't figure on getting them.
So, where does that leave me? Broke as all getout! I don't have any financial help for regular tuition or food and rent, it's all coming from me or going to loans. Since this isn't within the regular year, I can't just put this on student loans either. I'd have to put it all on credit cards, and that's not something I (or anybody else) would want to do.
I only work part time right now, and need that money to pay for aforementioned rent and school. My estimated cost is going to be about $6,000. The program starts in June. There is no way I can possibly save that much in the next couple months if I still want to, you know... eat.
What can you do? Glad you asked! That's why I'm here to beg shamelessly for: money. Every little bit helps me get there and avoid a future of crippling debt. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a clever man. I can't promise that I'll be able to reward you with anything of value for your charity. And really, how much is a smile on this adorable face worth? I'm top middle!*
*age is approx. +/-25 years.
So yeah, there's my pitch. Anything you can give will help!
I'm a graduate student in the History department at Portland State University, where I am focusing on Japanese history around World War II. The trouble is that my Japanese isn't very good. The last time I formally had a class was 2010, and it shows. I need to get better in order to use important primary source materials for my research which will be written in Japanese. I currently have a tutor that I work with during the year, but that can only get me so far.
So, here's my plan:
Go to the intensive language program at Waseda University in Tokyo! It even has this awesome statue making the perfect "not bad..." face!
How awesome is that!? I'm sure that, with work, I can be as begrudginly impressed as that guy.
The program is only 6 weeks long, but isn't cheap. The tuition is only around 2500 USD, but I have to pay for housing and food while I'm there, as well as the flight there and back. So I'm looking for funding...
What's that? Scholarships? Great Idea! Let's see what the application packet says about that:
There is no scholarship for the students of this program. Therefore, students must not rely on the
scholarship to fund the necessary expenses on condition that the scholarship considered as an awarded.
Students must have their own sources of fund to bear these expenses at the time of application.
Awww... dang. I've looked around, but most of the scholarships I've found are larger ones that are A) small and B) open to a huuuuuge amount of people. Not that I won't apply for them, but I just don't figure on getting them.
So, where does that leave me? Broke as all getout! I don't have any financial help for regular tuition or food and rent, it's all coming from me or going to loans. Since this isn't within the regular year, I can't just put this on student loans either. I'd have to put it all on credit cards, and that's not something I (or anybody else) would want to do.
I only work part time right now, and need that money to pay for aforementioned rent and school. My estimated cost is going to be about $6,000. The program starts in June. There is no way I can possibly save that much in the next couple months if I still want to, you know... eat.
What can you do? Glad you asked! That's why I'm here to beg shamelessly for: money. Every little bit helps me get there and avoid a future of crippling debt. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a clever man. I can't promise that I'll be able to reward you with anything of value for your charity. And really, how much is a smile on this adorable face worth? I'm top middle!*
*age is approx. +/-25 years.
So yeah, there's my pitch. Anything you can give will help!
Organizer
Mike Gagle
Organizer
Vancouver, WA
