My Vet Tech Externship

I am coming to all of you with utter honesty and from my heart! I want to start out by saying I have tested positive for Covid-19. I hope you will take the time to read this. I have been so blessed to finally have found my career path in veterinary medicine in the past year and a half. I am so excited to say that I am almost a senior in the veterinary technology program at Tri-County Tech and I will be going out on an externship in the spring. With the help of my awesome department head at school, I have been offered a position to intern at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville at the university's hospital as well as spend some time at the Knoxville Zoo. It is my dream to work with and help exotic wildlife and that is the main reason I came into this program. I am also lucky to say I have a job at an amazing small animal emergency hospital and I learn so much there every day and love the people I work with. Between bills, adopting a 3-legged kitty and another dog (my soulmate), turning 25 and celebrating my birthday, and everyday expenses, I have unfortunately spent all of the money I had saved up for my externship's living expenses. I have found out I will NOT be getting paid for this externship. From January 20th to May 1st of 2021 I will not have any income. This is terrifying for me. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do it. I'm still not sure. I was counting on this week at work (the week of Christmas Eve and Christmas) to really help me raise a little extra money (my job is awesome and we get holiday pay and I was planning on working both days). Now, I am in quarantine and stuck in my room for the next 10 days. I am very lucky that I'm not extremely sick and my symptoms are mild for the most part. It could be way worse. All of this could be way worse. I have never, ever, ever, EVER wanted to ask people for money. I actually hate that I have to do this. But I have decided to swallow my pride and see if I really am meant to go live out my dream of working with exotic animals in Tennessee. I am hoping for a miracle, because without one, I will most likely have to stay in Anderson. Which is FINE. I am so blessed either way. But I have an amazing opportunity and I don't want to throw it away because of money. I know times are so tough this year and life is sucking for the most part, but if you can find the time in your day and the place in your heart to even give me $1 or $5 I would be SO grateful. I have already spent $630 on the first month of where I will be staying through Airbnb. The woman who's house I am staying in has offered for me to sign a month to month lease with her instead of going through Airbnb and paying all of their fees for the remaining months. She is going to charge me $500 a month so the remaining money I need for my trip is a little over $1,000. My family is going to help me as much as possible and they are the best support system I could ever ask for. Unfortunately, the pandemic has left us all in a bind financially, which I'm sure most of you can relate to. I don't want anyone to feel obligated to donate, but I will forever be appreciative if you can. All of this money will be going directly into a separate savings account and will not be touched until I pay my rent in Knoxville.