****UPDATE****
This response has been overwhelming. I cannot thank those of you who have contributed enough.
I have met my small goal of $500.
Please remember, I need significantly more than this.
I have to front about $3450 before it is reimbursed, plus pay a few thousand dollars for an apartment deposit. Keep the donations coming. Keep spreading the word.
And THANK you!
******************
So, here's a brief rundown...
As many of you know, I recently finished my PhD in Accelerator Physics at UVA. I struggled to find a job, applying to well over 45 different positions both in the US and overseas, but I had no luck. This was especially painful, as the debt one accrues as a PhD student can be overwhelming.
Finally, in January, I was hired by a lab in South Korea called the Rare Isotope Science Project (RISP), which is part of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS). Unlike most positions I had applied to, which often took months to reply to inquiries, this position hired me just over a week after my having applied. They were so enthusiastic to hire me that they did so with no job description. Furthermore, I was hired as a Research Fellow, rather than simply a Postdoc. Really, truly astonishing...but it gets better.
This is to be a new accelerator, and I am starting work very early on. How early? They haven't even bought all of the land yet. To say that I am getting in on the ground floor can be taken almost literally. This is not only an exciting opportunity for my first job, but will also provide me with an extremely strong foundation on which to build the rest of my career. Between working on the commissioning of a new accelerator, immersing myself in a foreign culture, and being able to take part in such ground-breaking work, this really is a dream job for a first job.
So, things are great... or would be. There is a major problem: my income stopped at the end of December.
I attempted to find temporary work; everything from janitorial work, construction, and painting to office work, tutoring, and temp agency work. Unfortunately, I was unable to find ANY. Apparently, a PhD makes me overqualified for that sort of work, even though I would have been happy accepting any paycheck.
I tried to get on unemployment. After all, that is why it exists. However, because of my employment status at UVA, and UVA's educational status, I was unable to receive any unemployment benefits.
RISP informed me that the hiring process could take up to 2 months, so I budgeted for 3, thinking that I was playing it safe. Well, here I am in the middle of April, and I've been living off a credit card. And now I'm getting notices that I will have to start paying back my student loans, starting in June.
It doesn't stop there. About a week ago, my car was broken into, and my camera was stolen (losing all of my pictures that were on it). So, I had to pay to get my car window replaced, AND I have no camera when I move to Korea.
Furthermore, while my new job will be paying for many of my relocation expenses (up to a maximum of 5 million Won), they are only doing so by means of reimbursement. This means that I have to front the money for the moving expenses and airfare. That's about $2650 for shipping my belongings, and $800 for a one-way ticket.
Oh, and then there is finding a place in Daejeon, the city where I will be living. While I have up to a one month stay for free in a guest house provided by RISP, I must find a place to live after that month is up. Shouldn't be hard, right? I would agree, except that in Korea, they do not do rent the same way that we do here in the US. In Korea, you pay a MASSIVE deposit on an apartment, and lower rent. I mean on the order of thousands of dollars for a deposit. Yes, you get it back when you move (supposing no damage), but coming up with that money is another issue, especially because I have no line of credit in Korea and cannot get a bank loan.
This is why I'm starting this campaign.
So, how can you help?
I am asking people to donate a little bit of money toward my relocation. Anything will help. Furthermore, spread the word! Sent this campaign to others, and hopefully they'll contribute something.
This money will help me make the transition to my new Korean life. It will be put toward moving expenses, rent, and living expenses until I can get on my feet in Daejeon.
If you're still reading, than you can probably see that I need a few thousand dollars to make this transition the easiest. However, you'll also see that I'm not asking for anywhere near that amount. Let me explain why.
I am using a flexible payment option, which allows me to keep any money that I raise, even if I don't reach my goal. HOWEVER, if I do not reach my goal, Indiegogo will take 9% of whatever I raise. If I reach or exceed my goal, they only take 3%.
Therefore, I hope to far exceed my $500 goal in this campaign.
So please, donate a few bucks, or more than a few bucks. And please, don't forget to share this campaign with more people that may be willing to help me out.
And don't think that you'll get nothing back for this. Check out the perks!
