Hi there, My name is Kym.

Three years ago I left my home country of New Zealand to move to Canada with who I thought was the love of my life and his 14 year old son. We had been together almost a year. I cut all ties to my family who I had fallen out with due to a custody battle for my own child and left everything I had behind in pursuit of a fresh, happy start.

Shortly after, we shifted to Florida to take care of his mother who was getting sick and on her last legs. We had plans to process my immigration in the US using her as an immigration sponsor. Unfortunately, she passed away as we were in the process of moving and we had to speed up our plans to get down there to take care of her estate and burial. I entered under the visa waiver program, a temporary fix that allowed me to go immediately. I back paid my mother-in-laws outstanding morgage, covered all of the bills and took care of my family through this very rough time.

Whilst there an opportunity came up to begin a Rockabilly/Pin Up clothing business in Las Vegas with the help of two very good friends and investors. My husband and I married, made plans to run our clothing store and submitted my paperwork for my permanent immigration to the US. I moved down to set up shop, leaving him to finish packing our things in FL and then join me in our new home, along with our two dogs.

He decided three weeks after we married that he had changed his mind and wished to seperate. His house was up to date, his bills were  covered by me and he had exhausted my funds completely.

He took the last of what I had set aside in my account to pay my shop lease, my rent and my bills without saying anything. He spent it on himself and his new girlfriend who appeared a week later.

7 weeks after our seperation I called my lawyer and found out that he had also withdrawn my immigration paperwork and taken a full refund of the entire amount I had paid.

The real kicker though, was that unbeknownst to me I had now been in the country illegally for almost two months. I had a new business which had been open for a month, with around $50,000 in to it, a year lease on a property with a $4,000 damage deposit, two very large dogs that were imported from overseas and are my life, and no way of staying in the US.

I left within two weeks of finding this out. My dogs stayed in the care of several room mates, a good friend booked me a plane ticket, and I ran to Mexico with less than $800 in the hopes that if I could show immigration that I had left as soon as possible that they might allow me back in. My store may or may not survive without my guidance until I return.

Four days in to my Mexico trip my room mates all decided that maintaining the house while I was gone was too hard and they couldnt afford it without me. My dogs now need a home in Las Vegas. They are 150lb Caucasian Shepherds which are difficult to manage for anybody who is not a VERY experienced dog owner.

I am staying with a friend down here who has graciously let me sleep on an air matress. He doesnt have the funds to support me.

I need to find a way to get back in to the country or to find the funds to survive in Mexico for the next few months. I have arranged to get a job here with Club Med, however first I must leave to Belize and process a work visa for Mexico. There may be a way for me to get back immediately. I just cant afford an immigration lawyer, a plane ticket, to board my dogs, and eat while I get all of this straightened out.

Going back to New Zealand is not an option. 

I have considered selling my dogs. Ive already sold my engagement ring and numerous other things that are sentimental to me. My dogs are what I have left. I would ideally like to find a house sitter that can live in my home rent free and look after everything.

There is also a wonderful relationship budding in Las Vegas. I cant marry him after two weeks just so I can come back. I want to make the right decisions for the right reasons. He is not in a position to help me financially at this point, nor would I ask. Romantic relationships based around a dependence on each others finances fail.

Anyway. My goal is $25,000. This is actually a really conservative number by the time Ive considered my rent and utilities in Vegas ($1800 per month in total, no room mates - so I can keep my furniture and possesions and have a place my dogs can live) my immigration lawyer and associated costs and sustaining myself in a foreign country for four months. This doesnt include any money that I need to keep my shop open, pay staff etc.

I hate accepting things from people I am close to and feeling indebted to them. I am a grateful, caring person and I dont deal well with the guilt of having to rely on others. I am hoping that this site will make asking for help that little bit easier.

I'm sorry I didn't approach some of my friends and family in person. I am highly embarassed by my situation but yet I know that this was just a cumulation of terrible circumstances.

But please. As hard as it is for me to ask, I need your help.