Hello, my name is
Michelle Zhou, a dreamer and a believer. My life long dream so far has been to
study abroad in Japan for a year, and I know money won't come by easily, but I
need to try everything to get one step closer to my goals. :)
I have always been interested
in other cultures and history in general, I love learning about how the world
is connected as a whole and each event in history links to another. I
would like to visit another culture and experience their life style head on, so
I can understand them and see things from their point of view. From a young age
I have always been entranced with the Japanese culture, yet I never really did
anything to fulfill my curiosity. I realized that while I have the chance, I
should do something about it, so I decided to study abroad.
A whole new
culture will cultivate me and make me into a better person. I haven't
experienced so many events in life, and studying a year abroad will force me to
step out of my bubble and out into the real world. One day I hope I can use my
experiences to change to world for a better, perhaps something small like help
one Japanese immigrant settle into the American culture, or perhaps I might
even become the Japanese spokesperson for America and help thousands of people.
15,000 dollars is a
lot of money, and my parents are in a difficult financial situation at the
moment, but I believe that no matter what circumstance you were born into, you
can make anything possible. In a way, I love my "dreamer" trait,
because it allows me to be optimistic about any situation, but you don't show
for it if you are only a dreamer, you also have to take action, and that is
what I decided to do right now.
So far I haven't been
able to get a part-time job, but I am doing odd jobs here and there and doing
everything I can to earn the money. I sell my artwork, being gifted with a
slight artistic talent. I do yard sales, bake sales, and can collecting. So far
all these fundraising efforts are going slowly, but I know it will work if I
work harder with my goal in sight. Even knowing that my parents will not be
able to support me financially, I feel blessed and privileged for being born
into this culture and having the ability for being able to work to make even
the tiniest amount of money, yet I know I can't do it myself. I would appreciate
it if you can support me, if only just a little bit. Even one penny goes a long
way, and if you decide to donate a penny, I will value it. Because I know that,
that penny is one step closer to my goals.
AFS has been so kind to suggest a method of
fundraising to help me accomplish my dreams.
This is an online fundraising tool provided by AFS to allow potential sponsors
to make easy, secure, and non tax-deductible contributions to my AFS program
fee
To
sponsor my AFS program, please click the Donate Now button to make a non
tax-deductible contribution directly to my AFS program account.
Apparently you aren't able to donate on this blog until the year that I participate in it, but you can donate here to help me raise money until then.
http://www.gofundme.com/steponetomygoals
