BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13174
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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A Great day for Evelyn
Way back in the day (almost 5 years now), I had a middle school student named Evelyn. Cutest kid, about 4 feet tall and just so smart.
In 2020, she approached me about sponsoring her in college and after much reflection, I turned her down. The college scholarship project has been
ongoing since 2011 and I am getting older! I still have my ongoing students in school and another 4.5 years just seemed like too much.
She did not have the cash to take her exam, she did not apply.
Jump forward to 2021 and her aunt who is Middle School Principal, asked me to reconsider sponsoring Evelyn since she was working in a store here in
town, basically wasting her life away. She said that she herself has a daughter in college and that paying for both was not viable but that her niece
would have a place to stay with her cousin if I could cover her studies.
This was back in September and I asked Evelyn to stop by and pay me a visit so we could chat.
Evelyn visiting me September 2021.
I looked up her grades from 2020 and the kid really excelled in high school!
I even found the receipt where we paid her high school tuition
I had been sitting on the idea ever since. It is a huge commitment on my part and I was hesitant to do it, especially since we are about to leave
Mexico permanently.
Jump forward to a couple days ago and I am chatting about how special the project has been to me with our hotel guests Randy and Pam when they say
they would like to sponsor a student! They were leaving the next day for the States.
I really think it is better when sponsor meets scholarship recipient so I quickly called Evelyn, she was free, we all met up and bingo! she will
apply to college in a couple months and if accepted (duh) , she will start college
next August and become a lawyer in 2027!
To add to the story: Evelyn came with her brother, Luis, whom I did not even realize was her brother. He was also my English student in middle
school and high school and is now studying to be a teacher in a special teacher education program in La Paz where students get free room and board if
they keep their grades up. Due to Covid, students are now studying from home.
I remember he came to me years ago and asked me to cover his entrance exam, which I did, and he also came by a couple weeks later to say that he did
not have bus money to go to La Paz to begin his studies. I covered that too.
He readily spoke English with Pam and Randy.
He told me that he was now getting straight A's in English in college, using what he learned in middle school especially! Way to make me smile !!!!
However, he also says that not having internet at home is really a issue with Covid. I asked him to check into what it would take to get it
installed. Stay tuned, we may need help here.
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BajaParrothead
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Posts: 460
Registered: 12-4-2012
Location: Portola, CA / Los Barriles
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You're an angel Blanca. Your efforts have enriched so many lives that would've otherwise never had the chance to go forward! Thank you!!
Keep us posted on how we can help Luis.
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shari
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Posts: 13039
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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The gifts that keep on giving! Great work amiga and thanks to Randy for sponsoring a student!
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TMW
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Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Wow what a great story, thanks.
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1107
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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Great story - everything happens just the way it's supposed to.
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Bajazly
Super Nomad
Posts: 1003
Registered: 6-4-2015
Location: Goodbye Cali and Hello San Felipe
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Mood: More Relaxed Everyday
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Blanca, it was so nice meeting you and Les a week or so ago, finally, and I can not get out of my head how much that town will miss you after I spent
a few days there. I hope someone can step up to fill your shoes but they are pretty big shoes to fill.
It is/was an honor sponsoring Edgar and I hope he will go far in whatever he may end up doing wether it be in his home town or helping change Mexico
but without you, I think he may not have been so lucky.
Please stay in touch with us here so we can hear about all the good things you are doing in the new chapter of life you are about to embark on.
Feel free to give Edgar my contact so he can let me know how things are going with him.
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13174
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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It was GREAT to put a face to a name! It would be nice for all of you to stop by and see our neck of the woods, share a margarita, a lobster or a
view of the Pacific from the beach restaurant.
Edgar still has a ways to go to finish and he is a kid destined for much success! His specialty will be computer science. Smart kid.
Even from far away in Turkey, I will continue to be very much involved. The beauty of technology! I just have to figure out how to post photos...and
trust me, I will find a way LOL
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bajajoaquin
Junior Nomad
Posts: 60
Registered: 6-28-2011
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A few things:
You're leaving Mexico for good? Can you share (or point to where you have shared) why?
How much does it cost to sponsor a college student?
Do you have any details on the sponsorship "program?" We're working on helping out a family friend who had his property robbed, and I might want to
try to get the group to stay together to put together a scholarship program or something else lasting.
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13174
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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bajajoaquin hola! We went to Alanya, Turkey for a vacation this past summer and spent a month.
The last week of our visit, Les mentioned buying as an investment, which conversation turned into, If we are buying, let's get a place on the beach,
which turned into our signing title papers on our last day there!
Mostly, we are 12 hours away either from San Diego where we have health insurance or 12 hours away from La Pa. Los Cabos with hospitals and doctors.
I am 65 and diabetic, Les is 71 and has a heart condition...everything points to being in a city.
Alanya won out! I can do a separate thread on how to run a scholaship program the way I did it.
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pjpvi
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Posts: 110
Registered: 2-17-2019
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I continue to be amazed as to how much good you have done for that community and so many individuals. You will be sorely missed in La Bocana!
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