Payment for a loan for education in America Bashny.Net

The story of one guy who took out a loan to pay for his studies, but hit the credit bondage ... read more.





In 2005, when Ken Ilgunas learned last year undergraduate at the University of Buffalo, he had no idea what a debt hole it would soon be.
His specialty (English and history) was one of the most unclaimed in the labor market, and after 25 calls to different companies to ask for admission to a paid internship and 25 failures, respectively, he had no hope of employment in the profession.
"At that time it served as a kind of 'call', - says Ken. - I hung on this huge debt of 32 thousand dollars, and I rode the trolley in Home Depot stores for $ 8 an hour. Frankly, I was much panic ».
At that time, student loans have not yet been surrounded by that notoriety that they have today. Ilgunas could delay payment or declare a temporary insolvency, or just ask their parents in debt (which, incidentally, were more than willing to help him). At worst he could attend graduate school and wait until the labor market will come out of the crisis.
Instead, Ken moved to Alaska and worked there for two years to pay off the loan. Then he enrolled in graduate school Duke University and all the training time was living in a van in the student parking lot, to again be in debt.
"When I took the credit, and I could not think what to subscribe. I was only 17 years old and I did not even know what percentage of it is set, - says Ken. - My example, I think, very clearly shows how the low level of awareness of the financial system are young people in our country in this age ».
Ken knew exactly where to go to work: summer before the final year he spent in Alaska, where he worked on a remote parking lot for trucks. So he phoned his old friends, who promised him a job as a tour guide and cook (in fact, the work was a generalist and was performed by the different needs of local residents).
"The very next day after my release I flew to Alaska and immediately after arrival went to work - says Ken. - In spite of my ignorance, I was nevertheless aware that if I do not deal with our debts, I expect a large amount of accrued interest or charges of violating debt. So I would like to pay off the loan as quickly as it was physically possible ».
For 20-year-old graduate, who urgently need to pay off the debt, moving to Alaska was a great solution. "The place where I work is 250 miles from the nearest shop, accommodation and meals are included, the mobile was not, - says Ken. - You'd be surprised at how much money you can save if you lower the level of your life. In the end, it turned out that almost every dollar I earned went to pay off my student loan ».



Ken worked for a year in Alaska for $ 9 an hour, and he was able to pay more than 18 thousand dollars on the loan. Then he hitchhiked got to New York, where he began at six-month contract AmeriCorps volunteer in Mississippi.



But the new job paid little, and at the end of the contract, he went back to the North: "I again settled into Coldfoot, this time in the Reserve Ranger Gates of the Arctic. Finally, I began to get a good salary ».
After two and a half years after leaving for work, Ken made his last payment on the loan. With the total amount of its interest payments amounted to 35 thousand dollars.



After that, he wanted to continue their education. "During my travels, I thought to myself two things - says Ken. - First, I have never in my life I will not go into debt, and second, I will study further. All the time I was away, I had intellectual hunger, my speech and writing much worse ».
On the way home, he decided to enroll in any available humanitarian program, which will pay for itself in the future. He stopped at Duke University, where he took $ 2,500 per semester.
He needed to find a place with a minimum rent, and he remembered a man with whom he met in Alaska. He lived in his car throughout the year and was quite satisfied with his life. "I thought if he could live like that in the wild north, surely I can do it as well in North Carolina" - says Ken.



When the site Craigslist Ken came across an advertisement for the sale of Ford Econoline 1994 of release for $ 1,500, he knew that this car would be his new home.



Fortunately, he was given a place in the semi-abandoned park off campus. He could go in and out of the van, when he wants and is not afraid to be noticed. "At first my movement caused me a strong rush of adrenaline, - says Ken. - I felt that at this time I'm breaking any rules, and there was something very moving in this whole situation ».



The first week in Duque were very harsh. "By the time I bought the van, I uzhu had to spend $ 2,000 - continues Ken. - I knew that I would be hard, because I still had to pay for insurance, gasoline, meals and cell phone. In those first few weeks I actually starved to save as much money ».
Gradually, Ken became involved arrangement of his van. "Over time, it turned into a semblance of a student dorm room, just a little," - says Ken. He removed the rear seats, thereby freeing up enough space to accommodate the van their "furniture". For the storage of food and school supplies he used a plastic container.



A very important point with this way of life was in order. Things for washing, for example, Ken held the front, in the passenger seat.



Ken was preparing food on a normal tourist plate. "I have mixed noodles with vegetables, it turned out very cheap and useful" - says our terminator.



He had a headlamp flashlight that he kept continually charged to do homework in the evenings. He bought a ticket in the student gym for $ 34 and is now able to visit there the shower. Water for cooking and drinking, he also took in the gym.



Another of his refuge was the library. There was WiFi and Ken could charge all of your electronic devices.



In his new life there was only one rule: no one should know about it. "I knew that the news that on-campus student living homeless can easily scatter through twitter or FEYSBUK. I do not like very much. In this first semester I spent in solitude ».
Ken took up any second jobs, including part-time, he worked as a teacher in a local elementary school.
"Sometimes at night it was very cold, the temperature reached 10 degrees (Fahrenheit, Celsius, respectively -12 - approx. Perevodch.). On those nights I wore thermal underwear and climbed into the sleeping bag and slept just fine ».



His neighbors were the only mouse that periodically rustling on the roof of the van.



"Over time, I fully mastered. I no longer feel that I'm doing something out of the ordinary ».
All this time, Ken found inspiration in the experience of life in the forest Henry David Thoreau. "I was very inspired by the idea of ​​converting the wildest fantasies at first glance into something real and the possibility of building its own life».
"The van was not just a means to save money. I wanted to get some experience and know how in fact I need money to live. I did not want to ask their parents into debt every time I encounter difficulties in life ».



By the third semester loneliness Ken was his throat. "I am no longer just could not continue to keep his life a secret, - says Ken. - I constantly have to worry about that no one saw me come out of the van in the morning, and how I go into it in the evening. Besides, I always wanted to be a writer and now I had a great story for the book (hereinafter Ken wrote and published a book about his adventures) ».
Ken decided to write an article about his life for the site. "The next day, to my friends in Facebook added 85 new friends and I received hundreds of messages and letters».
At Duke University enthusiastic about this have not experienced, but fortunately, not Ken kicked with any parking or from the university. "They wanted me to concluded an agreement with them that if anything happened to me, I do not file them in court. At the same time they introduced a new rule that effectively ban new furgonozhitelyam settle on campus "- says Ken.
Ken had only one semester, but the money was running out, and live in the Duke had a few more months. Therefore, Ken began to earn "lab rat" and took part in at least twenty-medical experiments, for which paid 10 to 20 dollars an hour, during which he scanned the brains, forced to swallow the experimental drug and studied his cognitive functions.



But in the end it all paid off in prison. Ken has successfully completed postgraduate studies in May 2011 and is not owed a cent.
"Some students feel your student loan something of insurance, such payments that they have to do every month. For me, it is a heavy burden - an obligation which does not live a full life ».



Currently, Ken still lives in North Carolina, where he is working on his second book about his six-month journey along the pipeline Keystone Pipeline. (And yes, the van was still at it!).



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