The Worries and Woes of Fundraising

To put it simple I HATE fundraising.  I would rather climb Mount Everest with bare feet than fundraise.  When I committed to doing The World Race I knew that raising the money was going to be the biggest hurdle for me. Over the past six months I've fluctuated between a "wow this is awesome I shouldn't ever worry, it's much easier than I ever thought it would be" feeling to a "why did I ever think I can do this there's no way I'll ever be able to do this" feeling more times than I can count.
   The facts are this.  I have to raise $16,000 and right now, between fundraisers and donations I have
$5, 874.59.  My first thought when I see this is Wow! I've almost raised $6,000!  But then my immediate second thought is one of dread and worry because I still have so much farther to go.
   In case you don't remember what I'm fundraising for, in July I will be leaving on a unique 11 month mission trip visiting 11 countries, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Eastern Europe (x2), South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.  Most importantly it's NOT a vacation.  It will be a year lacking comfort.  We'll be living out of backpacks, sleeping in tents, showering in rivers and waking up sometimes before the sun comes up, not because it's what we love to do but because it's what we've been lead to do.  We want to initiate change in our world and help those who can't help themselves.  I have no idea what exact jobs we'll be doing or what people we'll work with but from what current and past groups have done, I'm pretty excited about the prospects.  Whether it's giving food to hungry children in Swaziland, helping construct a pipeline to bring water to a village in Ecuador, or teaching children in Cambodia, it's going to be 11 challenging months but 11 amazing months at the same time.
   Now here's the problem,  I can't go and help these people if I don't raise enough money.  I need $6,500 in my support account in order leave with my squad in July.  That's less than $700 from where I am now!  After that I will need $11,000 in my account by Sept. 21 and the full amount in my account by December 21.  Although there's 8 months until I need to have it all, the idea of how much farther I have to go still weighs heavily on me.  If I end up getting sent home because I can't raise the money I won't be able to feed the kids in Swaziland, or teach the ones in Cambodia, or befriend that 17 year old girl working as a prostitute in Thailand.  My heart cries for them and I desperately need to make it there.

   If you feel at all like you want to help fund this journey I would be grateful.  If you don't have $25, $50 or $100 to give that's NOT a problem.  I really mean it when I say every single $1 makes a difference.

If you want to make a donation you can do so by going here.  Don't worry, the site's secure and your donation is tax deductible (as well as life changing!).

 If you're at a point where you can't help financially, there's no shame in that.  Not long ago I was there myself.  But I want to thank you for reading this blog and I would encourage (as well as anyone else) to follow my World Race blog at amandadorough.theworldrace.org.  There's a place on the left hand side of the blog where you can sign up to get an email update each time I post.  No spam I promise!  While I'm on the World Race that is the blog I'll primarily be updating with pictures, videos and stories.

If you want to meet my squad mates and read their blogs you can find them here.

Thanks!

The Best Day Ever, Seriously

This morning I woke up at 6:15. I just couldn't sleep any longer. A ball of excitement, nerves and I would even venture to say dread had wound it's self up in my stomach. See, today was Dday, that is decision day. The day where the STA World Traveler Intern top 50 would be announced. This would be a huge cut. Out of 400 applicants only 1 in 8 would make it. So I got myself out of bed, picked up my Macbook and went to sit in my corner chair where, for some reason I get the best Internet connection in the whole house. I opened the screen, clicked Safari and then clicked the icon on my top sites page for the World Traveler Internship. As the site loaded I muttered to myself "if it's meant to happen it will happen, if it's meant to happen it will happen." The sign for the top 50 popped up and slowly pictures began to load. My heart started beating a million miles a minute. Not my picture, not my picture, not my picture.....oh my gosh, I made the top 50!!!!!! Sure enough there was my picture, in the bottom corner. I started to bawl, tears of joy that is. They picked me, i can't believe it, they picked me! I am one step closer to making my dreams come true.

So, once again I am asking for your wonderful votes. With this cut the votes were completely reset and so I'm starting again from zero. So vote, comment, pass it on. And thank you, you're awesome :)

http://www.worldtravelerintern.com/member/amanda-dorough/

P.S. The weather in Bangkok was amazing today. Not humid, not hot and breezy, only adding to todays awesomeness.

At The End: Koh Samet

My constantly peeling face only serves as a reminder of how truly amazing my last weekend was. Now, I've said it before, but Koh Samet is by far my FAVORITE beach in Thailand. There's something about the small island setting and the crystalic green waters that is so appealing and enchanting. That is why, for nearly every three day weekend we choose to go here. But this trip to Koh Samet was a little more special than all the other ones. Why? Because it was the last one, a grand finale if you will. Helping us all to leave our lives in Thailand on a good note.
We left early Saturday morning and caught a van at Victory monument. This van ride, although it took a little longer, was a lot more "comfortable" that our last one (thanks to a pissed off driver who liked to cruise at 160 KM +). We got to the pier at around 11, bought a ticket on a speed boat and booked our guesthouse as we waited. That was a huge relief. On holiday weekends guesthouses don't like to take reservations so it's always a race for rooms. Now, technically we were only supposed to have 4 people in the room but Lucy and Kelly only really count as half, so 5 people no problem!


We quickly changed into our suits, got some lunch, perched in some beach chairs, and then spent the next two days relaxing on the beach reading, baking (for which I am paying for dearly), swimming and sleeping. It was wonderful!


Each day we left the beach after sunset. Although the salt on our skin and tangling our hair served as lovely reminders of our beach life we were happy to wash it all off in a nice, although cold, shower before heading back out on the beach to get dinner.

The food on Koh Samet is one of my favorite parts. It's not any culinary masterpiece by any means but the euphoria of being on the amazing beach mixed with the beach BBQ makes it so much better. It's a feeling than can turn any ordinary kabob or slightly burned corn on the cob into the best meal you've ever had. Are you getting jealous?

After dinner we are never ready to go to bed, so what do we do? What all young people do at the beach, DANCE! This holiday weekend just happened to coincide with the full moon and although this isn't Koh Phan Ngan, the full moon party at the Naga Bar was pretty rocking. We got our hands painted with florescent paint and then headed over to dance under the black lights on the dance floor. Soon dozens of others had joined us. We successfully got the party started and then... went home because well... we were tired. But then we went back again the next night and successfully started the party again. We are to good at our jobs :)




Our last day on Koh Samet was bitter sweet. Bitter because it was the last day, bitter because four of the five of us had ridiculous sunburns and could only hibernate in the shade, but sweet because the island holds so many good memories and it's just to beautiful to feel bitter about.

If you ever come to Thailand, and you definitely should, skip Phuket (it's overrated) and go to Koh Samet. You won't regret it.

"Where I've been"

About a year ago I posted a map showing where I've been in the world. Since then I've added 3 new countries (Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia) and I'm about to round out my take over of SE Asia by visiting 2 more (Malaysia, Singapore). I really am blessed to have gotten to see so many places but oh I want to see so many more! I've barely touched Europe, the one place most people travel extensively, and I have yet to see South America, Australia and Antarctica for that matter. I keep telling myself soon. I must be patient because it will happen, I will make it happen.


visited 19 states (8.44%)

Who wants to be an intern this summer? Me! Me! Me!

It's here. I've been waiting for 6 months, literally dreaming every night about this and it's finally here, the STA World Traveler internship! I first found out about the internship when it started in 2007 but I couldn't apply since I was graduating. The same rules applied for 2008, but then last year they opened it up to anyone under 26. Imagine my disappointment when I found that fact out a little to late. I was already committed to teaching in Thailand again (and I'm so happy I'm here), meaning my summer, aka. the months of the internship, were already booked. So this year I'm going all out for it.
So who is STA and what is this internship you may ask. STA is a travel company specializing in students and those under 26. They offer cheap airfare, hotels, trips, you name it if it has to do with travel they offer it. I bought my Japan Railpass from them way back when I traveled to Japan with SAS. Now, this internship, it can be described in one word, AMAZING. After a long application process two interns will be chosen. Those interns will get to travel the world for 3 months, blogging, making videos, and taking pictures, all with the hopes to inspire other young people to leave their worries behind, get out and see the world. It's like the job was tailor made for me.

So where will the interns get to go this summer? Well hold onto your horses kids because this itinerary is Amazing.

First stop Peru where they'll get to spend a few days in Cuzco working with and playing with children. (I'm super excited about this. The children are my favorite part of so many places I visit)
Then on they fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina where they will spend a few days exploring the city before they drive on to Rio de Janero, Brazil! With stops along the way at Iguassu Falls and the coastal town of Paratay.
From there they will fly half way around the world to Australia where they will spend two weeks exploring the southeastern coast and Tasmania! (I've always wanted to go there!).
Next it's up to Japan where they'll spend some time exploring Tokyo, get a glimpse of Mt. Fuji and get immersed in the history and culture in Kyoto.
The fifth stop in the journey is my beloved Thailand where they will get to visit Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao (the three islands I haven't visited and desperately want to).
After soaking in the tropical beaches the interns then fly to Turkey where they will spend some time in Istanbul before going south along the coast getting history lessons from places such as Troy, Gallipoli and Ephesus.
From there it's a short flight to Egypt where the interns will get the grand Egyptian tour from Cairo in the North to Aswan in the South.
The last leg of the internship (and possibly one of the more exciting) is a mystery right now. All that is known is that it will be in Europe and they will be given a Eurail Pass. As part of the final stage of the application process the finalists will be asked to create a 14 day itinerary to use for this European adventure. I got so excited about this that I already started researching. I mean, with endless possibilities what would you do in Europe?

So can you see why I'm excited? When they call this the opportunity of a lifetime they're not joking. But oh is it competitive, and the application process has several steps.

Step 1: Make a profile and upload a video showcasing your personality, creativity and why you should be the intern.
Step 2: Judges from STA, mtvU and other sponsors will chose 50 finalists who will then have to complete a more extensive application.
Step 3: The judges will now choose 20 finalists from the original 50, and those finalists will have interviews with the STA team.
Step 4: The finalists are now narrowed down to 10. Those 10 will have to make another video as well as plan an itinerary for the Europe portion of the trip.

So for now my free time will be spent out shooting film or glued to my MAC working on my video. I know I'm pretty cool, hopefully you know I'm pretty cool but I need to show them how cool I am. I've got until March 2. Let the race begin!