"Let's Get Down To Business"

I have a dream and a plan for my future, but now I need to get down to the business of making this plan a reality. The upcoming months will be filled with fundraising and preparation as I fund raise for my tuition, determine the logistics of traveling for 6 months, planning my educational activities, and finally packing up for the road. The only problem is, where to start. There is so much to do, so many details to manage, and it can feel as though I am drowning. Whenever I feel as though I am up to my eyeballs in questions, I try to remember Rome wasn't built in a day.

The first step, a financial plan to pay for my tuition and get to Denver next July. The tuition, preparation and logistics add up to about $20,000. I know, I know that is an obscene amount of money, especially for a 17 year old with a minimal grasp on adulthood. However, I have fully investigated and scrutinized the commitment and decision that I am making. Now back to the financial planning, how am I going to accomplish this seemingly insurmountable task?

Honestly speaking, I am not entirely sure. This is the largest amount of money that has ever had any direct connection to myself. The times where a dollar felt like a million bucks are not far behind me. My first paycheck, of a mere $300 something dollars, made me feel like I had found the key to a lifetime of wealth and good fortune. And even though it is surely going to be a challenge, there is no idea I am unwilling to try, no person I am unwilling to talk to and no amount of work that I am unwilling to perform to make this dream a reality.

Besides saving money from my current job, I also have a few fundraising events up my sleeve (more details to come). I am looking for odd jobs to do and tightening my belt when it concerns my Starbucks habit. My UWP counselor suggested that I write to local businesses and service organizations  requesting sponsorships or donations of their services. I took his advice and I have been researching local companies and institutions that may be able to assist me (if you have any ideas please let me know). Through a gargantuan amount of hard work and lots of networking, I am confident that I will be able to earn my way to this journey.

What comes after step one? Now that is a question for another day. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and choosing to travel down this road with me.

"So What Exactly is this Up With People Thing?"

The more people hear about this journey of mine, the more questions they have about what I am doing. Well I am here to answer all of these questions. The most obvious of these questions being, "What exactly is this Up With People thing?" Well to quote their website,

"Travel. Perform. Impact. Up with People is a global education organization whose mission is to bridge cultural barriers and create global understanding through service and music. We bring this goal to every community we visit and aim to leave a lasting, positive impression along with a spirit of community and service. For our students, our goal is to develop global citizens; to provide personal growth and leadership development opportunities; to instill an appreciation of the value of volunteerism in our society; to expose our participants to a wide range of experiences and cultures which will broaden their mind to the world and to their own potential".

Or more specifically, I will be leaving July 2015 heading first to Denver, the organization's headquarters, to meet my cast mates, professors, and the whole Up With People team. In Denver I will be learning the musical production and beginning my college courses before hitting the road. 20 different destinations in 22 weeks means I will be spending a week in each location. Although the destinations for my tour will not be finalized until approximately 2 months before I leave, recent tours have included stops in the United States, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Japan, The Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan.

Another question, "What are you going to be doing while on this trip?"

"Each group, referred to as a “cast”, travels to nearly 20 communities across two or three continents, per semester, spending about one week in each community. Each week they live with a local host family, participate in 8 – 12 hours of service-learning projects, learn about different cultures through 4 – 6 hours of educational workshops, and perform in Up with People’s two-hour professional musical stage production."

These are just a few questions answered and I know there are many more, so please let me know about any questions you may have and I will be sure to answer them in future posts. You can also learn more about the program at  www.upwithpeople.org

Thank you so much for your time! I am excited to share My Journey to Up With People with all of you.