Scholarship Flew Away

Since late Thursday I have been preparing for my scholarship application. I am constantly reminded the fetish Japanese have about paperworks. A simple scholarship takes more than 4 pages of details to apply. I really didn't see how the profession of my brother has anything to do with me getting a scholarship or not. But anyway, my JASSO 70,000/month will run out by March of next year. Moreover if I am to enroll into Tokyo University or Kyoto University I will need at least 120,000/month I believe.

Thursday I photocopied the instructions for my professor so she could write me 2 recommendation letters. When she finished she handed me the letter and said I think there's nothing mentioned about the 2nd scholarship. I looked through the instruction briefly and indeed there was no mention of it. So she gave me this letter she typed out. She praised me like I am some kind of a super-being in the letter. I felt very embarrassed because this has gotten relate to what I did during the time of the conflict and quarantine. I didn't feel I was deserving such high praise. Last on that night I went on to type the 3600 words essay about my future plan for the scholarship. In truth I felt very excited about this topi, because rarely do I get to share about my purpose in Japan. What better if my professor's recommendation letter echoes everything I've written? I stayed in school until 1030pm at night because I got the big monitor and the nice keyboard. I couldn't sleep that night, knowing that I have quite a bit to do the next day. I woke up at 530am, brushed up, ate, then went back to school at around 700am. I carefully copied all the text into the application form and was 98% completed for the first one, until I realize I am missing the 2nd page of the application intruction and therefore I missed the recommendation letter.

There were two scholarships I was applying, but the recommendation letter were exactly the same. I spent 1 hour figuring out a solution, since the letter were the same, I could just pull it out of the envelope and re-seal it in another one with the right name on the envelope. I was speechless when I opened up the envelope to see that my professor was actually nice enough to address the letter to the other scholarship as well. I had no time to finish cleaning up the essay for the 2nd scholarship to submit in time. At 500pm, I had to put my hand up and say, I give up!

The M1 students who translated some questions for me came to my room to see what the deal was about. I felt very sorry to them that I wasted their time, but I assured them it is okay. I can use those for the next scholarship, and there will always be bettter chances for me. I know God would not abandon me.

I shared with Yurie about this, she said she'd pray for me about the financial situation. I was really happy to hear that. But that was it that day, a whole day without anything done. At 730pm, I started to clean up the hundreds of sheets of paper I have gathered on and around my desk so I can start fresh tomorrow. I called it a night at 8:00pm and went home.