美版“蜗居”：杜克大学研究生为还贷款两年住货车

Instead of asking his parents for the cash or declaring forbearance, he moved interstate, enrolled in a liberal arts graduate course at Duke University and bought a $1,500 van.
他没有问父母要钱还债，也没有沮丧，他搬到了另一个州，买了一辆1500美金的小货车，开始在杜克大学学习自由主义艺术的研究生学位。

Determined to get his degree debt-free and inspired by the frugal philosophy of Henry Thoreau, he lived out of his 1994 Ford Econoline van - fitted out like a dorm-room - on the campus parking lot.
他决定自己的研究生学位绝不能再贷款负债，同时也受到《瓦尔登湖》作者亨利梭罗的启发，他住在了自己1994年产的小货车里。把里面装饰成了宿舍的样子，平常就停在学校的停车场里。

While he saved a lot of money, van-dwelling had its drawbacks.
尽管剩下了很多钱，但住在货车里的确有诸多不便。

'Mice would move into my ceiling upholstery, washing pots and pans became so inconvenient I stopped washing them altogether, and the bathroom was a quarter-mile sprint from my parking space,'
老鼠会钻进车厢顶里，洗锅子和碗具也很不方便，我只能一个一个单独洗。厕所距离我停车的地方大概有400米（四分之一英里）

Freezing winters, hovering campus police and living in a confined space tested Ilgunas’ limits over two years.
两年来，极冷的冬天、巡逻的校警和密闭的空间都在挑战肯的极限。

He survived by cooking in a makeshift kitchen, eating simple meals of beans and cereal, and showering at the gym.
他用简易锅具煮饭、吃豆子和麦片度日、洗澡也在健身房凑合。

He kept his van-dwelling a secret from fellow students and security, and took a range of casual range of jobs.
他不敢告诉同学自己的秘密，平常就打一些零工当做家用。

But Ilgunas said his simple mission became a life-changing experience. And he got his degree, debt-free.
但肯最终将这一切变成了改变他一生的体验。他也拿到了他的硕士学位，不用再还贷款了。