Help Vu Go To Princeton in Ishikawa
Donation protected
Hi everyone, my name is Vu Chau. I'm a senior in Economics at Princeton University.
みなさん、おはよう！
Two years ago, I went to Japan on a Princeton trip to learn about disasters, and spent some time in Tohoku helping cheer up victims of the 2011 Great Eastern Earthquake/Tsunami/Nuclear disaster (see photo). I FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT COUNTRY SINCE THEN. Therefore, in my senior year at Princeton, I had a "now or never" moment and decided to take Japanese 101, the language I’ve always wanted to learn, amidst all the graduate school applications and thesis writing. It was a magical decision! I haven’t felt THAT excited about learning something for a long time, and for the whole year, I woke up every day feeling so excited about continuing my Japanese learning journey. (I actually keep a blog of my Japanese learning journey here . Also, I’ve recorded my first Japanese song cover (sung in Japanese, arranged and played by me) here https://soundcloud.com/vu-chau-2/acoustic-cover-sayonara-no-junbi-wa-moudekiteita )
Very fortunately, I am selected to attend Princeton in Ishikawa this summer, a program co-sponsored by the Princeton Japanese department and the Japanese government. We will be able to homestay with Japanese local families, and learn the equivalence of one year of Japanese within only 2 months! I decided to apply to the program and spend the last summer before graduate school doing this because I felt that this opportunity, as precious as it is, may never come again.
Today, I’m writing to sincerely ask you for some financial support. As a graduating senior and an international student, I’m excluded from all of the funding available at Princeton and from external sources. I have spent the last month trying to appeal to the school, as well as writing a personal letter to the billionaire who is currently paying my Princeton education, but so far, no luck! My Japanese professors have been actively scouting funding opportunities for me too (but without results), so I figure that I cannot give up before them.
The program costs $5,200 (tuition+dinner+housing) + $800 (one-way flight) + $500 (lunch money) = $6500; and using whatever left in my saving, I could only afford about 50% of the cost. As my parents’ financial situation forbids them from helping me, I really hope I could reach out to you! Whatever amount you can give will greatly be appreciated!
Just to provide some (fun) incentives, and some little ways I could “pay back” to you, I will do the following:
- Support of $10-$29: a postcard from Japan with personalized message in three languages (English + Vietnamese + Japanese)!
- Support of $30-$49: a postcard + a souvenir from Japan, sent to your address.
- Support of $50-$99: a home-cooked meal in Spelman 23 (of course, in addition to the postcard and souvenir)
- Support of $100 or above: I will write a song about you (or a topic of your choice), dedicated to you, and perform that song in private or public (your choice, too!). Again, this includes postcard + souvenir + meal.
Of course, you can always give anonimously. In which case, please drop me a message to request me something, and I will try my best to fulfill it within abilities!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS FAR! I HOPE YOU CAN HELP MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE!
Photo: Me and my friends singing to cheer up the elderly at a senior care center in a town almost entirely wiped out by the tsunami. I'm the kid holding guitar ( and my friend in the back is helping me hold the guitar because I didn't have a strap - hence the not very awkward position).
みなさん、おはよう！
Two years ago, I went to Japan on a Princeton trip to learn about disasters, and spent some time in Tohoku helping cheer up victims of the 2011 Great Eastern Earthquake/Tsunami/Nuclear disaster (see photo). I FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT COUNTRY SINCE THEN. Therefore, in my senior year at Princeton, I had a "now or never" moment and decided to take Japanese 101, the language I’ve always wanted to learn, amidst all the graduate school applications and thesis writing. It was a magical decision! I haven’t felt THAT excited about learning something for a long time, and for the whole year, I woke up every day feeling so excited about continuing my Japanese learning journey. (I actually keep a blog of my Japanese learning journey here . Also, I’ve recorded my first Japanese song cover (sung in Japanese, arranged and played by me) here https://soundcloud.com/vu-chau-2/acoustic-cover-sayonara-no-junbi-wa-moudekiteita )
Very fortunately, I am selected to attend Princeton in Ishikawa this summer, a program co-sponsored by the Princeton Japanese department and the Japanese government. We will be able to homestay with Japanese local families, and learn the equivalence of one year of Japanese within only 2 months! I decided to apply to the program and spend the last summer before graduate school doing this because I felt that this opportunity, as precious as it is, may never come again.
Today, I’m writing to sincerely ask you for some financial support. As a graduating senior and an international student, I’m excluded from all of the funding available at Princeton and from external sources. I have spent the last month trying to appeal to the school, as well as writing a personal letter to the billionaire who is currently paying my Princeton education, but so far, no luck! My Japanese professors have been actively scouting funding opportunities for me too (but without results), so I figure that I cannot give up before them.
The program costs $5,200 (tuition+dinner+housing) + $800 (one-way flight) + $500 (lunch money) = $6500; and using whatever left in my saving, I could only afford about 50% of the cost. As my parents’ financial situation forbids them from helping me, I really hope I could reach out to you! Whatever amount you can give will greatly be appreciated!
Just to provide some (fun) incentives, and some little ways I could “pay back” to you, I will do the following:
- Support of $10-$29: a postcard from Japan with personalized message in three languages (English + Vietnamese + Japanese)!
- Support of $30-$49: a postcard + a souvenir from Japan, sent to your address.
- Support of $50-$99: a home-cooked meal in Spelman 23 (of course, in addition to the postcard and souvenir)
- Support of $100 or above: I will write a song about you (or a topic of your choice), dedicated to you, and perform that song in private or public (your choice, too!). Again, this includes postcard + souvenir + meal.
Of course, you can always give anonimously. In which case, please drop me a message to request me something, and I will try my best to fulfill it within abilities!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS FAR! I HOPE YOU CAN HELP MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE!
Photo: Me and my friends singing to cheer up the elderly at a senior care center in a town almost entirely wiped out by the tsunami. I'm the kid holding guitar ( and my friend in the back is helping me hold the guitar because I didn't have a strap - hence the not very awkward position).
Organizer
Vu Thanh Chau
Organizer
Princeton, NJ