This message is intended to American, European, Asian, African, Australian well-to-do individuals or families, corporations, and even governments, who may be willing to help me finance my graduate studies.  If you are one, please read carefully.  I appreciate the fact that you take a minute off from your busy schedule to read this plea.  If you are able to provide financial support in the form of an educational endowment, I will be grateful to you and to your family forever. and ever, yes, forever, I mean until the end of Time.  Thank you!  Forevermore!

I want to continue studying.  Here’s a simple equation:

  education  +  opportunity  +  funding  +  personal effort  =  bright future

If a teacher acquires more knowledge, can teach better, can influence society deeper, and can extend a hand wider, then it means the whole community benefits more, doesn’t it?

Here’s the deal.  Help me get admission in a PhD program (almost) anywhere in the world, and I promise you, your university will graduate a bright mind with the ability, the will, and the desire to serve my community and educate the future generation.  I will go anywhere, although I prefer Boston, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid.  I would also go to Tokyo, Honk Kong, Shanghai, Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Riyadh, Kuala Lumpur, or Australia.  As long as the PhD program is in English or Spanish, the languages I know well, I’ll go anywhere.

A MESSAGE TO MY PRESIDENT

Mr. Obama, you are the President of the richest country on Earth.  Will you please help a teacher get admission into a PhD program in Latin American Studies, or Cultural Studies, or Spanish/Romance Languages?

First things first.  In 2008, I gave you my vote, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.   Since I am not a registered Democrat, or a registered Republican, or a registered Independent, but just a registered plain ole American citizen who wanted to bring back peace and détente, and once and for all restore respect for science and education, which the previous tenant at the White House didn’t care much about, I did exactly what I thought was the best option, not thinking of myself as the first priority.  Oops, that may have been a big mistake.

Well, you didn’t end the embargo to Cuba.  Oh, silly me for believing you would, and silly you for you could have knocked down Socialism in less than 6 months.  Kaboom!  To the ground!  But you missed that golden opportunity.  Of course, it was unlikely you would confront the strong Cuban American lobby of South Florida head on.  For what?

You, and all 11 American presidents before you benefited from having a “bad guy” to blame problems and threats on, in the same way that he, Fidel Castro, has blamed all political, immigration, social, and economic problems of Socialism on what he calls Yankee Imperialism, and on the economic embargo (bloqueo económico), imposed by the U.S.  fifty years ago.  As I said, all of you, Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro, South Florida’s right-wing extremists, and the last 11 Presidents of the United States come out as the big winners here, but not the Cuban people, not those in the island, not those in South Florida.

You also didn’t end the War in Iraq, not completely, anyway.  Well, now you know how the game is played, it’s a money thing, Sir, you see now?  Whether this is an Illuminati-imposed rule or a New World Order rule, or an old Imperial rule, it’s all about territorial expansion, oil and dollars, “plant” our troops out there where the planet’s oil reserves are, at any price, keep our big SUVs here running, and of course, greedy bankers always have the last word.  And all that hypocrisy we’re going to call it, “national security.”  Alright, I get you, Sir, I get you.  Now, one day soon we’ll have to change that mentality.  Or the planet is going to blow up on our face and swallow us whole.

On the other hand, you did authorize federal funding for the stem cell research, which I think will substantially advance scientific studies and breakthroughs to eradicate or control devastating diseases in the planet.  You have an A+ here, Sir.

Now about the Dream Act, have you been playing games with us?  I am not proud, Mr. President, that you have been turning the back on bright students whose only crime is to be undocumented.   If you knew, you’re only turning the back on the future, which means that if you say you are the future, then you are in fact turning the back on yourself.  Oh, how clever the way in which you have being fooling thousands of students in this country by delaying this much needed legislature.  They are not illegal, Sir, they are just undocumented.

Do you remember how many decades, centuries actually, white people abusively would not let black people live in freedom, or ride in the front of the bus?  Do you remember Rosa Parks?  Well, your current policies continue to turn the back on them, on the future of this country.  You need to change it, and you need to change it permanently, not little extensions here or there to cover your votes for the upcoming 2012 elections.  You’ll see, one day, the Rosa Parks spirit will take over.  Before that day, you and your Secretary of Education should sit down together, and invite your whole cabinet, and sign the Dream Act.  In this subject, both, you and your Secretary of Education, your grade was an F, a huge one.  But now that you have signed an extension to the deportation stay for these students, it makes sense to give you a passing grade.  Now, what will happen after November if you win the elections?  Will you undo these extensions?  I hope not.

On a personal level, sadly, after 4 years, you haven’t done a thing for me.  If someone asked me if I’m better off today than I was four years ago, even with the oil-greedy, torturer-invader-cowboy-bastard combo of Bush-Cheney, the answer is a rotund, resounding, deafeningly loud NO.  Sir, your grade here is also a big F.

Do you remember the vote I gave you four years ago?  Well, let me take it back.  Thank you.   Now, you don’t have it anymore.

Mr. President, listen carefully.   Do you still want my vote?  Again?  Well, this time around, you’ll have to work for it.  I will vote for the best candidate, i.e., the candidate with the best platform.  Now, let’s analyze that statement in detail.  That candidate with the best platform is the guy/gal who puts me first, right at the top of the first page of his/her priorities.   When elections return this Fall, the best candidate will be the one who can actually, FACTUALLY, help me get admitted into a PhD program in Latin American Studies, Spanish/Romance Languages, or Cultural Studies, including a full scholarship.

In the end, this appears to be the face of the United States of America in the 21st century.  Wars for oil, or education for progress.  Honestly, we’ve been making the wrong choices, and I don’t like what I see.  Now, we can change that right now: if we’ve wasted so much money in wars, a little scholarship for an unemployed teacher shouldn’t be so difficult to garner for any influential, progressive mind in this world.

Attention all U.S. presidential candidates, here’s how your election to-do list should start:

“priority #1 for 2012 elections: find a scholarship and secure admission into accredited PhD program in Latin American, Spanish/Romance Languages, or Cultural Studies for Ricardo Trelles.  This guy is pissed off, big time.  He’s an unemployed teacher in Miami, who’s taken the brunt of these economic hardships, and he means business.  We better help him NOW, or else, we’ll suffer too, big time.”

There, in plain English, clearer than clear water.  You guys/gals take note.  Thank you.

Looking back, one realizes what can be improved and what mistakes to avoid.  In a participatory democracy, my vote is very important to me.  It should be as important to the person who wants it.  Mr. Obama, let’s both think about it.  I salute you, Sir.

UPDATE:  July 13, 2012 – You signed a waiver of Title III of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act. Well, no, I don’t like Socialism, but any bright mind could expect an extension of this waiver, particularly in an election year.  But that’s a wise move.  Good, we’re moving forward, slowly, but in the right direction.  Now, did you see that a Bolivian-flag vessel left the Miami River for Havana with one container of donations?  Donations from Cubans and Americans like me, to family members there, in Cuba, who need medicines, food, school supplies, etc.  Mr. President, tell me something: 50 years of economic embargo, for what?  Where have we gotten with that extremism?  You ought to take a clear-er position.  If you want my vote, consider lifting the embargo right now.  Yes, you can.  Don’t give me nonsense.  The embargo didn’t drown Fidel Castro or Cuba’s Socialism.  Or did it?  The embargo didn’t work fifty years ago.  It doesn’t work today.  Then lift it.  End it.  NOW!

WHERE TO STUDY  

Once again, I will go pretty much anywhere in the world to study my PhD, as long as it is at an accredited university and the taught courses and/or academic research are conducted in English or Spanish.  In all fairness, I’d like to give the opportunity first, to the president of my country, the US, and if he doesn’t care for me, well, I’ll knock at other doors.  In an increasingly global world, what is trash for some, may be a treasure to others.  I certainly hope I am not trash for my president.  So again, as long as the PhD studies are conducted in English or Spanish, which I speak if not perfectly well, at least at a high proficiency level, then, I’d go practically to any country/capital/large city to study.

One exception:  I’d be more than glad to do my PhD in French language at the Sorbonne University, or Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, Caen,  if the university pays me a course to learn more French.  Wow, that’d be a big deal!  M. Hollande, si vous pouviez m’aider, oh mon Dieu, s’il vous plaît, ce serait fantastique!  J’aime la langue francaise aussi, mais je pense que j’ai besoin d’apprendre un peu plus de Francais.  If faut que je practique plus.  Merci beaucoup, Monsieur le Président.  Et mon félicitations pour votre victoire á ces elections!

I am also open to learn German.  For me, it would be a bit more difficult than French, because I already took French at the University of Havana, during my undergraduate years, and have practiced a bit here and there, of what I learned then, so at least I’ve got a background in French.

But as a linguist, I would study more German.  No problem with that.  Of course I would, and I would love it too!  In fact, I did take 2 weeks of German at Lincoln Language Academy in Havana, even though it was not required for my Bachelor’s, I thought it would come handy to a translator and linguist.  Now, having studied English Literature and Language for my undergraduate degree, German is not “too far” from English, linguistically speaking, since both languages derive from the same branch of IndoEuropean languages, i.e., the Germanic languages.  Of course,  I would have to take an intensive course in German, if the graduate program is to be taught in Deutsch (German).  But I would take it immediately, heck, yes, right now, particularly if that meant that I would be studying–and one day completing–my PhD.

Maybe President Angela Merkel could help me finance my studies in Germany, whether in English or in German.  Berlin, Heidelberg, Munich, Bonn.  Madame Merkel, Vielen Dank, Frau Präsidentin.

Will it be more difficult to do it in German?  Yes, probably.  But as I said, I don’t mind doing the effort at all, if the final result is worth it.

And yes, I know, a PhD is not a piece of cake.  It is serious, rigorous academic research that requires your undivided attention and concentration, and for the sake of quality results, it’d be much better if I could do those research papers and seminars and writings in a language I know well, like English or Spanish, or even French, provided a good 6-month to 1-year French language intensive training is included.  Or German too.

Now you ask, why go to study abroad?  Sadly, in the United States these days we’re more interested in funding global wars for oil than in supporting school programs and public health.  Yes, take a look at the Library of Congress original documents, which the media finds long and boring, and all politicians try to hide and underplay, but which are the real source of the data revealing how much we spend on this and on that, including wars and every politician’s “pork” and hidden agendas buried in page six hundred and ninety seven of the last printout of the legislature three minutes before it comes to the floor for a vote.

Now, you pay for my tuition and maintenance expenses (room, transportation, medical insurance, food allowance, stipend), for the 3-5 year period I study the doctorate, and you will get a teacher with an advanced degree who STILL can change the world, yes, and change it for the better, one student at a time.

I will teach a course for the university that hires me as a PhD student, or two courses, or three, while I write my thesis.   I WANT TO STUDY.  Boy, is that so difficult to understand?  Listen up, all you rich Presidents, and Kings, and Queens, and Powerful CEOs and Bankers:  up to today, you’ve been pretty stingy.  Now, work with me here.  Just put aside your super-mega-gigantic greed, and your hidden financial interests for just a second, and put on the table the 50 grand or so for my education, please.  If you do that, listen to me, I assure you I will NEVER forget your generosity.  NEVER EVER EVER!  I promise.

But so far, nope, I can’t thank you for anything.  Thank you for what?  For this waste and these wars?

For your information, my academic areas of interest for the PhD are:

• Latin American Studies and Cultural Studies
• Spanish or Hispanic Studies or Romance Languages (this may include core areas in Spanish and Portuguese Language and Culture, French, Italian, et al)
• International Relations and Political Science 
• Global Migration and Social Movements 
• The End of the Cuban Socialist Revolution   

Once again, attention all Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, Presidents and CEOs:  I need money to go to school.  Can you help me?  If you can–sure you can–and IF YOU WILL, then I thank you immensely.  My contact information appears below.  Now, will you please HELP ME!  Thank you, thank you, thank you, and thank you, again, a thousand and one times.

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Ricardo Trelles, MBA                                                                                                                          PO Box 520462, Miami, FL 33152

Via email:     r trelles  at  gmail  dot  com                                                                                        (no spaces,  of course, it looks weird, but it helps control spam)

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