Application to TESC is in & paid for!

[SweetSecret]

I know this may not seem like a big deal to some of you out there, but since I haven't been able to work or get financial aid, this is HUGE to me! I won $125 scholarship from an organization that helps women who have been victims of sex trafficking &/or exploitation. They said if TESC accepts me that they'll award me more during their next round of scholarships. I still haven't found regular work, so I am just volunteering for the women's rehab center right now. The scholarship committee also said that they loved my writing style, and have asked me to let them know what I would charge them to do some grant writing. I submitted the application a few days ago, and just received an e-mail this morning from the scholarship committee with a forwarded message showing they paid the application fee!

Also with ObamaCare going into effect, I finally have an appointment to get the MRI on my knee March 6th. I really think it may require surgery, but if so then at least I can get that over with and will have more options open to me for work. Being unemployed but not qualifying for anything really bites, so I am anxious to have money again... even just small amounts to takes proctored tests with.

I'm excited... things are finally moving in the right direction! A year and a half later, but better late than never.

[rebel100]

Congrats on the scholarship!

I don't really understand why you wouldn't qualify for financial aid? Care to elaborate on the problems there? From your description it sounds like you are in exactly the right position to receive grants and assistance.

[SweetSecret]

Congrats on the scholarship!

I don't really understand why you wouldn't qualify for financial aid? Care to elaborate on the problems there? From your description it sounds like you are in exactly the right position to receive grants and assistance.

It has to do with how things happened with my ex-husband. I'd quit my jobs (Network & Database Administrator for a Christian non-profit, teaching pole on the side at a dance studio) to help him run his business while we were still engaged. This all started in 2007 when the recession first really began... so it's been a long process to turn around. Then he lost his $150k/yr contract a few months later, so we couldn't afford to pay anything including my school loans. I had a house with balloon mortgage payments, which had just inflated, and with neither of us having verifiable income I couldn't refinance. I sent out tons of rÃsumà and applied to the hotels to do maid service, even to Wal-mart... but just couldn't find anything. I went back to dancing full-time to survive, and supported both of us. Business was so bad compared to when I first started though that I began traveling around the US to make money at the clubs through an agency. As soon as I'd get home he'd take all the money, it went into his bank account and I never really got anything. Thus I also could never get caught up on my personal bills. I finally saved up a small amount by hiding money ($10-$20 each time I worked), and finally was able to leave the situation after a few years. I looked for regular work again after I moved out of state, & took a temp position with the police, but their normal staff person came back after maternity leave. After that I could never find a normal job, so I continued dancing even though the local money wasn't great and got worse and the laws changed. A few months later I injured my knee, so I couldn't work.

This is all to say that I don't qualify for financial aid, because I could never afford to get caught up on the school loans I'd already taken out, so I'm in default. Until I either can find a new job that pays decent, or can go back to dancing where I only have to support myself... then I can't really get caught up.