Hi, my name is Crystal and I'm raising funds for my semester abroad in Portugal. https://studyabroad.berkeley.edu/program/azores-portugal-portuguese-literature-translation

I went back to school in my 30s and worked slowly and steadily to earn an A.S. in Math & Science by taking one class a semester for 8 years. During that time, I raised my children, I worked, I divorced. I have done homework after hours at work, at family gatherings, at hospitals, nearly anywhere I sat still for more than a few minutes. Through all of the good and the bad that life has thrown at me, I kept putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes it didn't seem like I was making any progress, but here I am.

I am currently a linguistics major at UC Berkeley and I am thrilled to have been accepted into the Azores, Portugal: Portuguese Literature in Translation summer abroad program. I am fortunate that I have enough scholarship money to cover my tuition costs, and I believe I can even cover the essential "other expenses."

That said, while it's probably doable it's likely to be very tight on my own. This fundraiser is the difference between studying alone in my dorm room and studying at a café with an espresso and a pastry, the difference between eating the Portuguese equivalent to the ramen and pb&j sandwiches that sustain starving students here and eating well, the difference between exploring what's in walking distance, and exploring what weekend trips I can take by train.

This isn't the sort of fundraiser that needs to go viral. I'm not in dire straits. Even if I spend my summer dead broke, I'll be spending it studying in Portugal. I am so grateful to be in a position to take this opportunity. It's just that some friends have asked for a way to donate and I would like to make the most of my time abroad, so I've set up this fundraiser for those who are so inclined.

Thank you so much for being a part of my journey!