Help me to fund my exit

Hi, I'm Fabian and I would like to ask you: have you ever been down on your luck?

I am a Petroleum Engineer by training that just got accepted for a MBA at the Asia School of Business (ASB), a partnership between Bank Negara Malaysia and MIT Sloan School of Management . You know what is the best part? I was able to get an 80% scholarship, which includes housing and trips to the ally companies to do the action learning projects (and the remaining 20% of the program cost is financed with a loan from the program that requires me to pay 5% by the end of August and the remainder in installments starting October 2023). I am scheduled to leave the US in less than a month to start this new chapter of my life.

What is the problem then, you may ask?

The problem is that I have been down on my luck lately. Last year, the Oil and Gas industry collapsed, layoffs happened and my consulting projects started to fade. I have cut down all of my expenses to the bare minimum and invested all my savings on the chance at this MBA.

I have been living on friends' couches (thank God for those patient friends) and now I am living in a hotel that charges me $45 dollars a night. Just like any good movie, things got worse when my car’s transmission broke, and the damage was so bad that I only received salvage value for it. I was planning on selling that car (for about $1500) to pay for some of my tuition and fees.

I was also waiting for a refund from the IRS for $1,855 that never came due to the IRS flagging it for identity theft. The IRS refuses to send the refund without confirming my identity – they flagged the filing given I’ve never received a refund before. I tried both online and, on the phone, to confirm my identity, but the IRS says "I have to visit them in person to receive the refund." The next appointment in Houston is on October 8th.

------------------------------Let me be clear, I believe in hard work and strapping your boots in life to get what you need-----------------------

To make ends meet, given my new hotel expenses and funding needs, I decided to work as a dishwasher in a local restaurant on night shifts until 2 am to stay afloat. I had been working in oil and gas building reserve reports, however the place I was working, given the state of the industry and Covid-19, there were no more oil projects at their reach.

So as you can see, unfortunately I cannot do this alone anymore. I know this time will pass but until then I am asking for your support. Big or small. I promise to make y’all proud at the end.

How will the money be spent?

$550 to pay for the 5% (initial MBA program fee)

$1,500 to pay the first semester expenses

$472 to pay for the one-way plane ticket (my mileage points keep this low)

$78 for transaction fees 

The sooner I can reach my funding goal, the quicker I can start this new chapter of my life which would only be available with your help. It is true I had other difficulties in the past, but this is the first time I’ve asked for financial help as I couldn't find any other option with so little time left.

If you are ever down on your luck, please reach out. I know how it feels when you keep trying and trying but things just don’t seem to work out. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless, and I hope your family is doing well.

Fabian V.