Oh, another thing you could do---if you wouldn't feel comfortable taking the Mormons up on their offer of rooming with their missionaries since you don't accept their religion, you *might* explain that to them but ask if, while camping, you can prevail on them for a place to shower. Tell them that when you're back on your feet you'll be happy to donate to cover their cost of helping out the next person who needs it, but that you just wouldn't feel right thinking you were taking something for nothing when you *know* you're not really open to missionary efforts on your behalf just now.
You might be very surprised---they might actually understand and be able to work with you on that.
They might respect your integrity--you never know.
Worth a try, if you plan to camp.
Sorry advice is the best help I can give, I'm thousands of miles away, too.
The other thing you can consider is cutting your losses on the classes and seeing if your county has the program some California counties have of giving one way bus tickets. If there's someplace less expensive to live that has a better employment climate than where you are now, you *might* find the situation an improvement. If there's stuff you can sell for cash--like to used CD places and such, you might be able to reduce your load of junk *and* help scrape up the cash to get you started in another town.
You have web access---maybe you could find a job in that town and have it waiting for you? The first thought I've got is if social services will give you a bus ticket, find fast food places that are hiring and are company stores, fax them an application, get the manager's name, explain your situation (dressed nice and all presentable) to the manager of a local company store of the same chain and ask will he put in a word with the manager of the store in the *other* town on how presentable and personable you are (I'd do this with a couple of chains).
I know it sounds a little far-fetched, but that's what would be most likely to make it work---you would come across to both managers as clean, presentable, smiling, eager and motivated to work hard. If you could get two fast food jobs near each other in a town not bad to live in---or better yet, a job at wal-mart---or a job at wal-mart and a fast food job---and you could find a place to shower and stay, and pick a town with a lowish cost of living and a decent junior college, then you could get yourself squared away and back in school.
The thing is, it would be much easier to do almost *anywhere* else than California. Getting out of California might be a real good plan.
Or, you could save up at that town until you could earn enough for a bus ticket and startup cash in the next town a state or a few over until you got to someplace you could actually stand to live with a decent cost of living.
Actually, since you're a guy, you have another option that isn't as available to women.
As long as you're physically "whole", anyplace far enough south that concrete will cure in the winter time will have day labor construction jobs where you can just line up with the illegals and work hard. It's dirty, heavy, fairly dangerous sometimes, and hard work---but the pay's okay as long as you keep your mouth shut, do what you're told, work hard at it, and don't make waves.
Work like a Mexican. Advantage is getting paid in cash. Eat like a Mexican. Advantage is it's reasonably cheap.
You're young enough to probably get away with it for a few months, you can work your way across the country, you can end up wherever you want to be that's cheaper than California, and *then* you can pull yourself up through school, etc.
Also, you sound young. Consider going down to the recruiting station and joining the Army, national guard, etc.
Explain your situation and let them get you right into basic. You'll probably get a signing bonus if that's what the recruiter has to do to help get you put up somewhere until you go off to basic.
You'll get job skills and be eligible for the GI Bill---and the changes they've made mean that even if you're in the guard and not regular, your GI benefits are scaled based on how long you're actually activated---and in a war, you'll be activated. So you get paid *and* the army takes care of your food, shelter, and clothing. And you get money for college.
Maybe your history will have them say no---but maybe not, and maybe not *all* the branches of the service. Worth a try.
Timoclea
Timoclea
