Broke and unable to make it to 341 for chapter 7... ideas?

[backtoschool]

The OP is in Europe, so his creditors cannot do anything to him at the moment. The only thing that can happen while the OP is in Europe is that his parents and other relatives and friends might get collection calls, but after one call, the collectors will stop calling them.

I backpacked around Europe when I was an undergrad and right after I graduated from undergrad, the summer before I went to gradschool, and it was an awesome experience. I agree with Dst1 that people should take chances and experience the world while they can.

[music12]

ohiofiler, it wouldn't be nearly as romantic. in the us there is no paris, no rome...

anyway: the OP does not seem to think he can settle anywhere for any length of time. which begs the question: why file for bk at all?

NHC, what is KOA?

[music12]

when you say backpacking in europe, what does that mean as far as where you sleep at night? does it mean some hostel or do you bring along a tent or something???

[electricbob]

A little more explination

I pre-apologize and do hope I'm wrong. I'm the last person here to be judgmental, but, during some experience with being fleeced by a 'debtmonster' and a 'swampwhiz' and several others, something just does not ring true to me. It is only an opinion, and if I am proved wrong, I will make a seperate thread in General forum and Publicly apologize to this Op.

Sorry to offend anyone. Maybe I should not have taken Mrs. PMS meds for my headache last night. LOL.

'Hub

No, thats fine CatHub. I know how weird this sounds and its not something that anyone on this forum has mentioned doing so I'm a little embarrassed that someone got the wrong idea.

I'm not back packing through Europe though. I came here in the hopes that I could find something better. The US is isn't a good place for someone in my situation. My parents live in a very small farming town and yes, I could move back there with them. The problem is that because of how much money I used to make, I could afford my debts and I was just fine paying them off. Yet when the recession hit it became quite an issue for me mentally. In a years time I went from getting steady freelance work (in addition to a part time job) and had my debt in check... to making nothing for months and everyone around me losing there jobs. The only money that I had coming in was from my part time job and I only got around 10 hours a week. I looked for work, I applied places but there was nothing to be had.

$550 rent
$450 car payment
$1000 in CC payments
$200 in Student Loans
$150 in Utilities
$100-200 in food and drink

per month

I had to cut EVERYTHING from my life.

This is the same situation with where my family lives. My dad works for the trash dump and my mom and him have an auction company on the side. Makes enough money for JUST THEM. If I came into the picture then I would be eating their food and sleeping on a couch until I found a job (which there isn't anything).

My options were so drastically small and had a serious depression because of it. The choice of moving to Europe came because of many reasons.

1. In some cities (and all over Europe) there are trains, subways, and other forms of mass transportation.

2. If I COULD find work, then I would be making Euro's and I could pay off my debt faster.

3. I've never been to Europe and I've been all over the states. Could be a new chapter to my life that could turn out positive.

4. If everything doesn't work out then its not that hard to jump off a bridge but before I do that I need to make sure that there is nothing out there for me.

I had a choice to make. Either slowly rot away in the United States of America with very little possibilities for future work. Or try my luck on a new continent.

I got one job that was going to pay my rent (and the two months prior sense I was behind) and all my other bills current with a little more than $1000 left after. It was a good job. But this $1000 is all that I had left and next month I needed another $1500 on top of that to pay for everything. Then what about the next month? So I took a gamble by selling my stuff and taking what money I had to see if there was something better for me.

And you know what. I've had a better time financially here than I ever had in the states. I'm currently in Berlin Germany. I can find odd work here and there. I can live off of around 10 Euro a week for food and I don't need a car because there is trains, trams, and buses. I've made good friends here and they've let me stay on their couches and such.

I have my own computer because I do visual FX and film work. I can make money with my computer. The main issue is if my expenditures are lower than my income. Here it is no problem. In the states... very big problem.

So I'm not here because I'm backpacking my way to drugville and galabanting around Europe with thousands of dollars. I came here with $500 ($500 plane ticket) and I've been able to find work, find friends and I'm not taking food out of my mom and dads mouth. I don't have a place of my own but maybe again someday.

It seems that I have to come back to the states to take care of my BK stuff but that seems so very silly if all I'm going to be doing is answering questions. I can do that on my computer or over the phone.

Oh, and the reason I would like to take care of it is because I know there not going to just go away. If everything does work out then I'll have to deal with the card companies later. Ok, Back to work... trying to get an Italian citizenship through my grandmother who's from Italy.

[electricbob]

when you say backpacking in europe, what does that mean as far as where you sleep at night? does it mean some hostel or do you bring along a tent or something???

So far I have done both. I slept under a bridge for a couple of nights and went to a hostel and showered (they didn't know I wasn't a guest ;)

I also went to a place called couchsurfing.com and found places to stay for a little while.

Hostels are nice. Can get expensive if your living day by day though.

[electricbob]

ohiofiler, it wouldn't be nearly as romantic. in the us there is no paris, no rome...

anyway: the OP does not seem to think he can settle anywhere for any length of time. which begs the question: why file for bk at all?

NHC, what is KOA?

I've been in the states for 28 years. I had no plans of leaving where I was living until everything got so hard to pay anything. I'm not married. Don't have kids. Don't own anything to speak of. I would like to one day though. It would be nice to have a family, maybe a small house with a garden in the back... you know, the American dream.

[jadams]

What is your immigration status in these European countries?

Are you on tourist visas, something more permanent, or nothing at all (i.e. stayed past expiration of previous visa)?

While the trustee is obviously not immigration enforcement, it is a court proceeding that requires rather extensive detailing into your life. If you're currently flying under the radar immigration wise, I would be concerned about some unintentional consequences of filing.

It might look rather fishy if you're claiming indigent status and no-means CH 7, yet you're showing as living in Europe on a tourist (non-working) visa -- how are you supporting yourself? You end up either looking like you're hiding things (claiming not to work or have assets, yet somehow supporting yourself) or must admit to violating your visa.

[music12]

i don't think us bk court cares about violating european visa rules.

anyway, he says he is trying to get italian citizenship through his grandmother.

electricbob, you seem to have rather amazing networking skills: you make new friends who let you stay on their couch when you just met them? that's impressive. you could use these skills to land a real job! i wish i had these skills, they are exactly what i am lacking to get ahead. so take networking seriously and you are going places.

[AngelinaCatHub]

hey 'Hub, you are indeed last to be judgmental here... i myself sometimes disbelieve someone just because my gut tells me something. somehow, different people's guts say different things! isn't that interesting? and yes, it must be the pms!

Thank you.

[electricbob]

What is your immigration status in these European countries?

Are you on tourist visas, something more permanent, or nothing at all (i.e. stayed past expiration of previous visa)?

While the trustee is obviously not immigration enforcement, it is a court proceeding that requires rather extensive detailing into your life. If you're currently flying under the radar immigration wise, I would be concerned about some unintentional consequences of filing.

It might look rather fishy if you're claiming indigent status and no-means CH 7, yet you're showing as living in Europe on a tourist (non-working) visa -- how are you supporting yourself? You end up either looking like you're hiding things (claiming not to work or have assets, yet somehow supporting yourself) or must admit to violating your visa.

Right now I am not legal. Past my holiday visa of three months but working on getting one through Italy. I could be flat f'ed but you know... I really don't have very much going for me other than the experience of life. Being poor isn't the end of the world it seems. Thinking its the end of the world is being poor.

I can't afford to get back to the states so I'll just ride this out. I wish I was hiding some massive amount of cash... but I probably wouldn't have taken the huge risk. Wish me luck.

[electricbob]

i don't think us bk court cares about violating european visa rules.

anyway, he says he is trying to get italian citizenship through his grandmother.

electricbob, you seem to have rather amazing networking skills: you make new friends who let you stay on their couch when you just met them? that's impressive. you could use these skills to land a real job! i wish i had these skills, they are exactly what i am lacking to get ahead. so take networking seriously and you are going places.

Thank you Music12! Like I said I made pretty ok money before everything went south... I can make friends quickly because I love good people and gravitate towards them. I'm horrible at so many things but I have been lucky to meet such amazing people. But Europe is much different than the US. It's not every day that someone will just let some foreigner sleep in there home. But the people here are more open to these things.

Honestly, I would have already had a job and be paying my creditors if I could work here legally. But because I can't then I am being passed up. The US is a great country and one that I want to visit to see my friends and family again soon but I have little interest in living in again, right now.

If you hear of anyone getting out of having to be at the 341 meeting please let me know. Unless I convince a boat captain traveling from here to the US to let me aboard then I'm more or less stuck.

[backtoschool]

If you are going to stay in Europe for awhile, there is no need for you to worry about filing for bankruptcy immediately. Your creditors cannot touch you there. I would worry about getting settled into a legal life there and/or figuring out what your next move is. Bankruptcy can wait.

[electricbob]

If you are going to stay in Europe for awhile, there is no need for you to worry about filing for bankruptcy immediately. Your creditors cannot touch you there. I would worry about getting settled into a legal life there and/or figuring out what your next move is. Bankruptcy can wait.

I think your right. Thank you for the support. Do you know what happens when they sue me? Once some sort of judgment is passed like taking my money from a checking or savings then can I still file that debt on a bankruptcy? I have less than $100 in my american checking but if its open and they start to take money from my account then it will surly go into overdraft... should I close it out? And if I close it out, that wouldn't be that great because I would still like a US account to transfer money into so that I can pay my student loans when I can pay them.... all future things but it would be nice to try and plan ahead in some way.

[backtoschool]

I think your right. Thank you for the support. Do you know what happens when they sue me? Once some sort of judgment is passed like taking my money from a checking or savings then can I still file that debt on a bankruptcy? I have less than $100 in my american checking but if its open and they start to take money from my account then it will surly go into overdraft... should I close it out? And if I close it out, that wouldn't be that great because I would still like a US account to transfer money into so that I can pay my student loans when I can pay them.... all future things but it would be nice to try and plan ahead in some way.

Eventually your creditors will sue and get a judgement and once they have a judgement they can put a levy on your american bank account. There is no telling when this will happen, or even if it will happen, but some creditors do sue and once they get a judgement they can go after your american bank account. I would not worry about that right now though. Get settled, make some contacts that will let you work under the table until you are legal, and then get hooked up with the movie/TV industry there so you can do the same work you did in the states.

Your creativity and open-mindedness and willingness to take risks will show you the way to your next step. Having interesting experiences and living is far better than sitting in your parent's house worrying what to do next.

[OhioFiler]

ohiofiler, it wouldn't be nearly as romantic. in the us there is no paris, no rome...

anyway: the OP does not seem to think he can settle anywhere for any length of time. which begs the question: why file for bk at all?

NHC, what is KOA?

Romance is not a physical location. Romance is a state of mind, a state of being. I can enjoy romance anywhere.