Saturday, January 30, 2010

Update 1

So now that I have announced my project to the Universe and family and friends, and even some people I don't know, but started sharing with.......
I have already raised over $600.00 for my project, and it really hasn't started (technically).
I have everyone's name, and told them that when I get my website up (purchased the domain yesterday 1-29-10) mydollarproject.com
that I will put their name on the page, with their donation.

Also, I have received a t-shirt from Melissa, that I will wear while I am in South Africa as a sort of sponsorship from her and the company she works for. Thank you Melissa and all the others that have given me a dollar for my trip!!

I will be gone for three weeks, starting in June 2010, and will return just before the 4th of July.

So if you read this, and would like to join in...please do!!!
Thank you for reading,
Tatiana

My Dollar Project

Hi Everyone!
I have a great new project that I am working on, called My Dollar Project.
I love to travel, and recently was so lucky to get to travel to Antarctica and Argentina. This was continent number 4 and 5 for me.
I had gone on the trip with a girl who is a friend of a friend, only meeting her once just prior to the trip. We both like to travel, and had hoped that we would get along!!
Well, of course we ended up becoming travel buddies, and hitting it off!! Over the course of the trip to Argentina and Antarctica we talked about everything. She had told me that she had a ticket to the World Cup in South Africa for this summer, and that she was going to go. I thought nothing of it.

Let's back up for a bit here. I left on the trip on Jan 1, 2010. December 29th I got laid off from my job. I was going on a three week vacation, and they were not going to have any more work for me when I got back!!!
So when I left for my trip I was only thinking about the trip, and then when I got back I would find a new job...I had three weeks to think about my life, and the direction that I wanted to take it!!

So back to the project. When we returned home from the trip, my new travel buddy sends me an email and says that she is really lucky to have gotten such a great travel buddy. That's it, I passed the test! And then she tells me that she has an extra ticket to the World Cup in June in South Africa, and she would like me to go with her!!!
OMG!
Not only would this be continent number 6 for me, but I grew up playing soccer. I have never been to a soccer event at the World Cup magnitude! I have never been to South Africa!!!
I told her that I would go, then looked at the airline prices to fly to Johannesburg....OMG $2,500.00 to fly.
I thought to myself, okay let's think about this for a minute...you have been laid off..you cannot afford this trip. Then I thought to myself, if you don't try you will never know if you can get there..throw your hat over the fence and figure out a way to go get it!!!
I let her know that I would be going, no matter what!! If I had to ask 2,500 people for a dollar each, I would be there!!!

I left it at that, or so I thought.

My mom came to town for a visit, and we were having a coffee outside on a Monday. A bum came up to us and asked my mom for a dollar. She didn't have any cash on her.
A light bulb came on in my head, and I thought, if that bum can ask for a dollar.....so can I!
This now leads me to my project (finally!!). I wanted to find out how many people you have to ask for a dollar to make up $2,500. If you ask 10 people and only 5 give you a dollar, or is it more of a one for one. Do people carry cash???
It's only a dollar...think about how many times you've thought that.
The dollar store, where everything starts to look good, because it's only a dollar.
Well, I am going to be asking for only a dollar. I am going to be using this money to get to South Africa, for continent number 6. I will be leaving on June 11, 2010.
I am in the process of making a website, mydollarproject.com.
Thank you for reading.
Tatiana