A Student Adventurer in Need

I can't tell you half as good of a story as some people, but I was born without much, my family always had enough money to put food on the table, but hardly more then that. I can clearly remember the nights when our power meter dipped so low that the only thing still plugged in was the fridge, to stop the company from metaphorically, and quite literally, pulling the plug on our house. When I was nine years old, my father was laid off from work, and not less then two weeks later, so was my mother. Both have a college education, my mother being a PhD in Human Anthropology, and my father being a Photojournalist. At that point, I can't remember much, besides the fact that things became extremely tight in the house, and a neighbor lady having us over for dinner very often. Looking back at that now, I realize that for better or worse, nothing has changed. Although my parents eventually found new jobs, my mother now works two jobs, and we're still behind on our rent, and only still live here because the homeowners have been kind enough to let us deffer our payments at times. Throughout my entire life, the one dream I've cherished, was that I would get to see the world. I've dreamed of immersing myself in an entirely foriegn culture, learning about other people's lifes, seeing beautiful landscapes, and watching the sun eclipse over the horizon to reveal a starlit sky, not all that different from the one I used to stare up at as a child. To this date, the only trip I've gone on was back East when my Grandmother passed away after battling Non-Smokers' Lung Cancer for almost 15 years. I can't offer anything but my thanks, wether you are able to help or not, knowing that there's someone out there who wants me to achieve my dream, means the world to me. I hope that with the small amount I've worked to save up, and with any help you can provide, I will be able to reach my dream.