Renald128's country

Hi, guys. I have been meaning to write to you guys about the state of things in my country. As some of you may know I live in Venezuela and you may have heard about my country in the news. How can I begin to explain the current situation? Pretty grim doesn't even cover half of it.

We are in the middle of a huge crisis and we can't see the end of it. We have to visit several drugstores just to check if they have the medicine we need, my mom has a blood pressure condition and we have to keep a stock just until we can find her pills again, not knowing when that will be.

My family and I are very fortunate, we still eat three times a day (I have lunch at work) but people are eating only once or twice a day. They stand in line from 2 AM outside supermarkets not knowing what or if they will find anything when it's their turn. You can't find flour, sugar, cooking oil, soap, shampoo, diapers, powdered milk, baby formula, detergent, toilet paper, among other goods. The food you can get is really expensive, considering people are earning minimum wage, which is around 33 $ a month. Just to put it in perspective you can spend around 4 $ just to get 200 grams of ham and 200 grams of cheese.

There is still insecurity here, there are robberies and muggings every day, you just learn to keep to yourself and not show anything of value out in the streets. And people are so focused on finding food that it's no longer the primary topic of conversations.

I try to stay positive and count my blessings, but this situation is exhausting. And the government simply doesn't care what happens to us. The military, the police, armed robbers are all on the government's side. They have the guns and that's why you don't see any protests on the streets.

I have been trying to find postgrades abroad as a first step to emigrate from Venezuela, but the ones I have seen in the USA are really expensive. If any of you could offer me some guidance about scholarships or give me some resources for me to check out I would really appreciate it. I found some websites on my own but to be honest I don't know where I should begin. I graduated last year of Business Administration and I am open to any kind of postgrades in different fields related to my degree.

Thanks in advance, Ronald.

Wow Ronald! I honestly had no idea. Of late, our news has been consumed with the election and terror and mass shootings and Zika (are you having to deal with that on top of everything else?) I don't remember seeing anything about Venezuela. Admittedly, I've been watching less news lately (see above) so maybe I missed it? I don't have any ideas for you off the top of my head, but I'll keep my eyes open. Please know that you and your family will be in my prayers.

I've seen the lines on television. It's such a shame, because Venezuela seems like it ought to be a rich country. If I hear of anything I'll let you know. Are you looking to pursue an MBA?

#2 Bib: Yeah, I had Zika and there was an epidemia here. I just had to rest for a few days, it just made me really tired and sleepy. Thanks for your prayers, they are really appreciated!

#3 varielle: Yes, I would like to pursue an MBA. But seeing how expensive the ones I checked are, I think I can broaden my search to include other opportunities.

I am sorry it is so bad! I wish there is something we could do. Have you looked into grad school in Canada? It may be more reasonable than the US. Good luck and thought and prayers to you.

Sorry to hear it, Ron. I wish there was something I could do to help.

Have you tried contacting any of the colleges and explain the situation? I would think there would be some colleges that might have programs that could help you. Definitely with the tuition. I'll ask around.

I've heard about the situation there on NPR. They are probably the only ones reporting on it. I'm sorry you have had such a hard time.

Hey Ron, sounds bad. Venezuela gets little mention in the news here but i read up about it and it really sucks. I don't have any practical suggestions but you're in my thoughts. Hope things pick up soon.

Ron, you often have to apply to a school and be accepted before you will know what type of financial aid package they will be able to offer you. Generally, public universities are less expensive than private, but sometimes private can offer more competitive aid packages. It all depends. You will also want to factor in the cost of living in the area where you find a school, although certainly that's not the number one criterion to latch onto. Since I work in higher ed, if you have questions as you're looking into specific schools, I'll be happy to answer them, if I can.

I'm glad you and your family are able to still eat routinely. I cannot imagine the stress and horror of what your daily life entails. Please know that we're all thinking of you, and if there's anything we can do, just ask!