thank you!

thankyou to my friends and supporters who have already donated their money, time, emotional support and well wishes. i leave on sunday morning. i can't believe it's already here!!
thankyou thankyou thankyou to you all!
i hope you keep up with me while i'm away :)

things

i'm leaving everything in 5 days... or 6?
well, close enough.
i was going to sell my second guitar today to a stranger(the first was auctioned off at my fundraiser last night).
we made the meeting.
he offered cash.
i walked out of my apartment, guitar in hand.
the guitar that was my mom's.
the guitar my first boyfriend taught me to play on.
the guitar that is slightly out of tune.the guitar i never play anymore.
i couldn't do it.i walked half way to starbucks where we were going to meet.
stopped in the street, looked at the guitar, turned around and went home.
cried.

i've sold my furniture, my bike, my cd's, my tv, my dvd player.
i've given away my clothes, my dishes...
i just couldn't bear to part with one more thing.
at least not today.

i'm feeling like a bit of a spaz.
but i wouldn't have forgiven myself for selling that guitar to a stranger.
sometimes things are important.

my big fat wet yard sale

luckily a friend lent me a tarp for my yard sale on the long weekend! didn't have much luck otherwise, but not all was lost. i was able to sell some things before the rain and after. it was just the 6 hours in between of pouring rain and wind that made it the most exhausting, cold, wet, non-fun yard sale ever!! let's just say i'm glad that's over with!






i leave in 9 days.

time is creeping up on me....






the cat is now in kelowna with my parents. i said goodbye to him and my mom and sister during my brief visit to vancouver this week. i have to admit i cried a little when i had to put him in his little crate and hand him over to my parents.... i hate to admit it! but he was being so dramatic about the whole thing - meowing and flipping upside down... i think that moment, along with the yard sale, has been a big reality check as to what i'm doing... it is starting to sink in.
i'm excited, but it's also a pretty scary and gigantic life change that i'm embarking on.
everyone says to me "be careful!"
i know! i know!
don't worry... i'll be careful :)

donations

okay, so i've had a few people ask me how they can help me out (if they can't make the fundraiser) - hence the 'donation' button in the right column.

i feel as though i should explain where the money will be going for people who are wanting to assist me. in the theme of my first blog, i've set up a little q&a (with myself - haha)

1. Q. how much money do you need to raise?

A. i'm estimating i'll need a minimum of $300/month july -december. most of my money will be gone once i arrive in La Cieba (due to travel costs), with some small income coming in from furniture i've sold in post dated payments, and the rest is the good old low interest visa.


2. Q. what is your breakdown of costs?

A. -one weeks accommodation at the volunteer house will be $25/wk for the first to weeks, and $15/wk (usd) thereafter - so roughly $65/month. this is my most economical choice. if i were to stay in a hostel or cheap hotel, it would be minimum $7/night

- food will be another $25/week roughly

- transportation on the bus (which i will be using a couple times/wk to get to and from the jungle school is about 50cents a trip

- i will also have other basic living costs, personal hygiene, some amenities for the house (as it is sparsely furnished) and phone cards/internet use.

- three months after i arrive, i have to go to belize or nicaragua (cross two borders) in order to get my volunteer visa renewed. that trip will likely cost about $100 min.

- i'm hoping to take some spanish lessons once there to keep up, and also would love to buy supplies for the kids - especially if we can put together a show of some sort.


3. Q. how can i donate?

A. if you go to the 'donate' link, there are options for credit card or bank transfers that will go directly to my paypal account. i will use this account for necessities once in honduras only. the only downfall with this method is paypal takes about a 3% commission off of donations. you can email me for bank account info if you'd prefer... it's up to you. paypal is very convenient, and i suppose one must pay for that!!

4. Q. what if i want to donate directly to the kids or the organization?

A. you can go to the 'helping honduras kids' link and there are many sponsorship and donation options available on the website from sponsoring a child to sending supplies to volunteering!


5. Q. will my donation be tax deductible?

A. no. not if you are donating to just help me - unfortunately i'm not a non profit organization, i'm just an independent volunteer. if you are sending money directly to 'helping honduras kids' then your donation will be tax exempt - however, volunteers don't get any subsidies through their organization.


6. Q. what is the most helpful way for me to donate?

A. if you can only donate a small amount, it would be great to get a series of small monthly payments (like $10/month) - that is less than going out for lunch in many canadian restaurants, but it will pay for nearly a week of accommodation for me. if i could get 30 people to send $10/month - i won't have to worry about getting into excessive debt!


7. Q. how will you know if i donate?

A. paypal sends me notification of donations. you can also email me at dncr_gemini@hotmail.com.

i think that covers most questions - if you have anymore, ask! either in the comment section or via email. also, i will update my blog with info on how much money i raise, and how much i will still need.

thanks so much to those of you who have made it necessary for me to answer these questions!!

3 weeks to take off!!! yikes!

one month to go...

so it's one month til flight... well, minus a day.

i'm feeling slightly more prepared to leave.

i've gone through the freak outs about safety, health, what i'm going to do with 20 + kids once i get there, if i'm going to have any money and why i'm leaving my career for a half a year (in that order).

i'm sure i'll find something else to worry about soon enough - but as is, things are looking good.

my parents have agreed to take the cat (he's been laying on my suitcase since i dragged it out of the closet) - which is great b/c that means i can see him at christmas when i return to canada :).

the more people i tell the more support i'm getting - which makes me really feel like i'm doing the right thing.

major things to do before i go include the fundraiser on the 25th of may at the savannah room, a potential yard sale (this looks like it may be a necessity), packing up stuff to take to b.c. (including the cat) and getting sponsorship info together.

i've received an email for the inhabitants of the volunteer house, where i'll be staying when i get there. it looks like there will be 4 of us there july and august, and 5 from aug/sept onward - with probably a bit of overlap and potential extras here and there. apparently it's advised that we bring something to store our clothes in - such as mesh baggies - as there isn't really anything but beds in the bedrooms (i have images of shaking creepy crawlies out of my clothes each morning... eek) a small folding side table and lamp was a suggestion for what to bring, but i'm not so into lugging a side table through mexico and guatemala for 6 weeks before i get there - not only would it add extra weight, but i'd definitely not be in the hostel cool-group if i set up a little individual side table beside my hammock and inquire after an outlet for my lamp after trekking through the mexican jungle... unless i was mary poppins... i'm sure there will be places to get some very basic furnishings once there.

one thing at a time.

to start, maybe a little spanish review this afternoon...