Greetings everyone:

My name is Rico, and I have seen a need to come to you all in a sincere request of help. I have been searching for a future for many months, and I have seen in which kind of situation the place I'm in has been stuck in...

The island of Puerto Rico has over the years become an increasingly more dead place... Not because the people are actually dead, but because I have seen not a glimpse of a possible future in here. The jobs are pretty much non-existent anymore, and only privileged ones are capable of getting a job... Even a McDonalds employee needs to have a degree in order to increase chances to mop floors and fry hamburgers.

So in short, those without a college degree do not have a possible future. But then what of those who, like me, cannot afford to pay for an education, and aren't elligible for government financial aid? We have no choice but to scavenge and try to survive, and are forced to live in poverty, sinking deeper, while those who have anything at all in economical terms simply rise higher.

Due to the very economical situation of which I speak, I have been forced to leave college and try to find a way to pay, but intensive job hunting since January have ended up simply with denial. "Why do we need an EX art student? We want someone who CAN operate these machines, not a mural."

But I have gotten tired of sinking into the hot tar. Surviving everyday simply on a breakfast of an inch of bread and a cup of milk, biking 15 miles daily in search of a job, and eat the leftovers that my peers leave IF they do leave any... I'm not willing to live hungry and stuck anymore.

I'm planning on leaving this Pig Pen on December 15, where I shall go to Florida, meet up with my beloved and from there begin to truly see my dreams and future build, and help others as well develop their future, their dreams.

I want to start a new life, and I am not ashamed of asking for help in order to do so. If I live out of leftovers, I truly shouldn't be ashamed of THIS. And so I turn to you, the people. I am asking for donations in order to help finance the travel.

If people shell out money just so that one person can buy a videogame system and break it in front of hundreds of fanboys, then why not donate a dollar or five, or ten, or whatever you may, in order to help someone make his dreams come true? I'll be with the person I love, with friends, and I'll be able to build not just my future, but OUR future (My beloved's and mine).

I've been told that if I am going to Florida on December 15, I need to buy my tickets between October 15 and November 15, which is the time frame for the best prices. So my deadline would be November 14... Checking with Expedia.com, today September 20, 2006, the airfare ticket is $441 dollars (rounded up to the nearest dollar). It may seem little to many, but it is worlds away from my reach in the state Puerto Rico is in.

Why do I want to leave Dec. 15 specifically? I am not willing to let myself fall into another killer depression due to being alone on a time which is very important to me... the Christmas holidays... Other details are too personal to discuss.

So, any money whatsoever that you donate will help our cause greatly. Twenty people that donate 5 Dollars will mean I'd have over 20% of the required money! For those thinking that this is a scam, I beg of you to have faith, even if I am just a stranger. I will not use the money for anything other than what it is intended to, the travel. And this journal will be kept updated with information regarding the status of such.

10/04/06 Edit: I am selling 5 vases in order to gather some money... [link] and [link]
Buy them? ^^ They pretty, and the 3 wall ones are divine!!!

If you are interested in helping me, all donations will be accepted at the following mail address:

Jorge Rico
P.O. Box 1439
Añasco, P.R.
00610

Your helping me now, can turn out to help you later... Bible-wise, whatever you do to help others out of free-will and selflessly, will be multiplied to you 100-fold...

I see myself to have ran out of time to keep on writing, so this are my final words today. Help build a boy's future and make his dreams come true. Thank you very much for your time.

First Donation received!!!!! Thank you very much!!! And may God bless you!!!! *hugs*

Goal: $6 out of $441

10/4/06 Edit: Had to change airline options due to flight dissapearing, reducing 15$ off goal.