Hey everyone! I've been lurking for months, mostly because I've been living in the country with shit internet while my savings dwindle to nothing. It's not been a great six months.
However, things are about to improve. I just got a scholarship to a school in Nashville. It's KIND of like a coding bootcamp, except it's completely local and non-profit. The school is funded by local people in the tech industry. Nashville has a plethora of tech jobs but few people to fill them. My entire tuition was paid through scholarship, with 8,000 dollars of it to be paid back by my employer when I get a job (job placement rate is about 80%) or they try to work something out should I end up getting a job out of state (again, the main point is to train people for jobs in and around Nashville). If I somehow down graduate or don't get a job within six months of graduation, I don't pay anything. Since most of the people in the program are being sponsored, it's a very competitive program and I'm very fortunate to have this opportunity.
Also, I came out as trans to most of my family. And then and interviewed for the school and scholarship presenting as a woman, and they were still decided to invest time and money into me so I'm going to be able to have a career and not hide who I am (like I've been doing...ever since I hit puberty, really).
I'll probably still be working here for a good 6 months to a year to afford some basic things/going out on the weekend. I'm moving in with my mother in Nashville for the time being while I'm going to school (joy--actually she's settled down as she's gotten older so it's no big deal), so I'll be around.
I do want to thank all of you, though. You guys' help with turking has basically kept me alive long enough to get an opportunity like this. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.