Help getting chosen for Student Exchange

[zonic505]

Here's what's going on: The city that I live in is doing a student exchange thing, & they're going to choose 8 sophmores & juniors to go. What I have to do is write a 200-400 paper on WHY I want to go. If I actually got "considered", I'd go to a private interview. I've got about 2 months to write the paper on why I want to go to our sister city (where the student exchange is), & we'd be there for about a week (August 1th-12th). It costs $1,500, but they'll pay $600 for it, so I need $900 more.

So, 2 questions.

1.) WTF am I gonna earn $900 (I know I'll need to get a summer job)?

2.) Isn't that important, but anything that would be good for the essay (something NOT cliche). Again, not that huge of a deal, focus more on the above question. A bunch of people I know have already said that they'll help proofread it & stuff like that, but otherwise, you don't have to bother answering this.

[Trick]

Originally Posted by zonic505

So, 2 questions.

1.) WTF am I gonna earn $900 (I know I'll need to get a summer job)?

2.) Not that big of a deal, but anything that would be good for the essay (something NOT cliche). Again, not that huge of a deal, focus more on the above question. A bunch of people I know have already said that they'll help proofread it & stuff like that.

1) a 7.00 an hour job @ full-time, 40 hours a week @ 12 weeks will net you 3300+ before taxes. 900 dollars is easy to make in a summer.

2) Come on, don't rely on an internet forum about video games to help you with this. If you don't know what to write about, maybe you shouldn't be going on this trip at all?

[Shun]

1. Sell some games unless you're some collector, especially any Japanese games (i.e. DDR games you might want to get rid of). May have to start hustlin' if it gets to crunch-time. Or do what my friend does and buy paintball markers from regular people on a forum marketplace or summat and then re-sell 'em for a bit more on craigslist or something.

2. Say you want the environmental exposure of different places even if it's just a city away. Then rabble on about how you love to travel and learn about the areas you go to (probably true anyway if you're wanting to do this unless that neighboring city has the hottest girls alive or summat).

[noisy doll☆]

where would you be going?

[zonic505]

Originally Posted by noisy doll☆

where would you be going?

Hilariously, you're the 1st person on the internet to ask me that. Everyone else was "Hey, I'll help proofread your essay". I mostly just need suggestions on the money. For the essay, I'm just asking for any extra material. As said, it's not that huge of a deal. Despite I SUCK at anything English-related, I'll be fine, seeing as it's something I WANT to write.

TECHNICALLY, I can't say the city since Wiki will reveal where I live (Cuz if ya go to it's page, it says what city it's twinned with AKA the town I live in), BUT I can say it's in the Nagano prefecture in Japan. I didn't really want to post that since it might've been a factor in "should I help this guy or not?".

Anyways, essay-wise, what I plan to write about:

My fascination (technology, one of my friends offline said, was something I was always interested in.)
Culture (though I fear that's what everyone else is gonna write about...)
Me finally getting out of this country & seeing a different country/continent
What I'd like to do there (there's a site saying what kind of sight-seeing stuff there is in the city, so I might have an advantage seeing as I KNOW what's there.)

Back to the more important part, earning it. I'm a sophmore who's hasn't had a job yet (except mowing once every 2-3 weeks from some lady in '06. Only took an hour to mow & I got paid $20). The place my dad works at is half owned by the Japanese (sometimes, my dad's work friends will bring something back from there, like candy), so maybe they could help me out alittle.

Also, I have no idea WHEN the money would need to be turned in. My guess is somewhere in July, a month before the trip. I'll have to ask.

[noisy doll☆]

Please check your PM mailbox.

Fundraising is always a difficult process but there are always tons of different things you can do. My baton twirling team suggests that we just do a lot of canning and ask for small donations from a lot of people. Local businesses might be willing to help out, especially if you tell them about the connection between your town and the sister city in Japan. If you google fundraising there will be hundreds of ideas for you. There might be some scholarships out there as well. (I received one to study abroad in Japan when I was in high school) Good luck!

oh and don't just play Bemani all week lol.

[The Chemist]

Alright, am I the only one that sees something wrong here?

First off, TC, you ask for essay ideas to get you into an exchange program, but I've yet to see any kind of genuine interest in going there. Why are you asking us why YOU want to go? Doesn't this seem ridiculous? Sure, ask us for proofreading help, grammar, anything technical, but reasons why you want to go?

Also, noisy doll, fund raising!? To go to an optional exchange program!?

JUST for a change of scenery?!


TC, if you really want to do this, then I suggest you sit down and ask yourself (and no one else) why you want to go. If you had any kind of legitimate reason to go, then this essay will be a cakewalk. As for money issues, sell your games, or Jesus, get a job man! I'm not gonna pretend I know how hard or easy it is to get a job in Japan, but I imagine working for money isn't rare either.

[noisy doll☆]

hey man you can fund raise for whatever you want. I don't *have* to go to our team's competition to get through life but I *want* to go and people sure as hell gave me money :p I never said he was guaranteed to get money but you can always try.

[zonic505]

Originally Posted by noisy doll☆

Please check your PM mailbox.

Fundraising is always a difficult process but there are always tons of different things you can do. My baton twirling team suggests that we just do a lot of canning and ask for small donations from a lot of people. Local businesses might be willing to help out, especially if you tell them about the connection between your town and the sister city in Japan. If you google fundraising there will be hundreds of ideas for you. There might be some scholarships out there as well. (I received one to study abroad in Japan when I was in high school) Good luck!

oh and don't just play Bemani all week lol.

Thank you SO much. You've probably given me the best advice so far (along w/ the PM).

Also, like I've said, I SUCK at writing essays. I'm terrible at trying to figure out how to word everything. It's not that I can't think of reasons that I want to go. I just don't know how to express it onto paper good enough so the committee would consider me. When (& if) I go to the private interview, it'll be easier to express my opinions. I simply asked HOW I should word it. Let me rephrase question 2:

"I suck at writing essays, or anything English-related. What are some tips for writing a good essay?"

[red shoe paul]

There are a lot of strategy's online to help your writing out. Like an earlier post read, just explain in details why you'd want to do this, and why you want to do that. Explain how you're interested in the culture, etc. etc.

In your private interview, just be relax & calm. Tell them everything you said in the essay, and if they ask you questions face to face, answer them honestly.

[DeusExMachina]

Originally Posted by zonic505

So, 2 questions.

1.) WTF am I gonna earn $900 (I know I'll need to get a summer job)?

2.) Isn't that important, but anything that would be good for the essay (something NOT cliche). Again, not that huge of a deal, focus more on the above question. A bunch of people I know have already said that they'll help proofread it & stuff like that, but otherwise, you don't have to bother answering this.

1.) Set up a brokerage account with Scotts Trade or Fidelity

2.) Wait until after Chinese new years and buy into China Mobile Stock Index: CHL.

3.) Wait until the day of the 2008 Olympics held in china and do a massive sell off.

If all goes well you should be able to get 250% of what you invested initially.

[ranatalus]

Originally Posted by zonic505

BUT I can say it's in the Nagano prefecture in Japan.

oh, that

[Valex]

In terms of fundraising, if your school allows this, pick up a box of candy at a supermarket for like $12 and sell them for a dollar each. This alone won't get you the money, but it could help

[zonic505]

Originally Posted by Valex

In terms of fundraising, if your school allows this, pick up a box of candy at a supermarket for like $12 and sell them for a dollar each. This alone won't get you the money, but it could help

This is what my mom was thing along the lines of (either make something or buy something, then sell them). I'm thinking of asking some business that do fundraising (Little Caesars always does those fundraisers & I sell TONS of those).

& what about "that", ranatalus?

[ranatalus]

I'm just saying it makes a little more sense now that we know where you're going that's all

also the best suggestion here was noisy doll's; at minimum wage a summer job is going to get you more than enough money