250 words is worth a $1,000

This week I had to write a 250 word essay in exchange for a $1,000 scholarship. It's a lot harder than it sounds because there's so many details I wanted to add but I made it within the requirements. There were a couple of prompts for me to chose from but I chose the prompt that said "Leadership: Tell us about someone in a position of leadership who has inspired your own goals for the future." I can only imagine how many kids are going to write about President Obama or Hilary Clinton or Oprah; I wanted to write about someone that I knew, that inspired my future career goals and who better to write about than the lady architect that donated money. She does what I aspire to do and two she is a woman who worked her way to the very top in a male-dominated career. So my essay is done and I wont know until spring if my essay was worth a $1000. Keeping my fingers crossed and praying loud.

A special thanks to the big man himself (God)

I have heard many times in my life that when you ask God for something you don't come right out and ask for it, you are supposed to ask graciously, "Lord if this is what you have in store for me please help me guide me." I pray at least once a day more is someone needs my prayers or if I hear or see bad things happen. I don't know if it helps but I feel my prayers may help someone, somewhere, someday. Anyways every night as I do my prayers I try to cover all my basis; I pray for the sick, the homeless, the less fortunate, my family and friends, those in war, those on the other side of the world, and even those who I am not very fond of, and that mother earth will stay strong for us even though were not very nice to her.In my prayers I also include, "Lord if this journey is what you have in store for me please guide me and help me have the strength, courage, and determination to follow through in my dreams." And I know God is listening because the money from this month came out of no where I got it so fast. I think this is what God wants for me because so far I am successful. Even though I say it every night I want it to be written, Thank you Lord for all that you have blessed me, my family, my health , and the love I receive not only from you but also for the love I receive from those around. Amen

Insieme: Italian for together (please excuse spelling errors)

Its that time of year again and it came by so fast. The time of love, joy, family, friends, and happiness. Even though the economy is low and times are hard I encourage everyone to leave their worries for one day and just be happy and surround themselves with the ones they love. Happy Holidays!

love: amore
happiness: felicità
family: famiglia
friends: amici

Getting closer and closer to Europe everyday

I raised enough money to pay the second payment of $500 a week before it is due. I am so relieved but now the thousand dollar payments are right around the corner so fundraising is going to get harder and more crazy. I am not sure how I am going to juggle school, track, and fundraising at once but I know I can do it. I also passed all my quizes i had to take about Italy and Greece for the program. I've also been looking up Italian and Greek words so I'll be able to know something by the time I am ready to go.

Month 1 Complete

Month one is over and I was able to pay my first payment of $500. Now I am working on my second payment so far I have at least $250 to start out with. Now I have to kick my butt into high gear because those 1,000 dollar payments are just around the corner. I am getting there one step at a time. 

Week 3: More than I can imagine

This week is Thanksgiving and boy do I have a LOT to be thankful for. At the week 3 of my fund raising expedition I have raised $603.06  So I would like to thank my Big Momma who pushed my mom into letting me go, Aunt Andrea who got me started on my journey, my mom for helping me fund raise and pushing me when I've been turned down, and Mrs. Acton an architect who donated $250. I have never held $603.06 dollars in my hand before tonight and knowing that its going towards something I will remember for the rest of my life is a GREAT feeling. Not only am I thankful for this opportunity but I am also very thankful for my family and their support. I am happy with what God has given me throughout my whole life. I am thankful for all the good and all the bad. I heard somewhere that you have to be thankful for all the bad in your life too but they didn't say why. How I see it is that without the bad, there would be no good. We wouldn't be able to appreciate the good as much as we do if there was no bad. Well Happy Thanksgiving.

Week 2: Certified Student Ambassador

This week I got a certificate in the mail saying that I am a legit student ambassador. I hung it on my wall.  I didnt get as much done as I did in the first week but I still managed to get some money.  I got $19.11 from some one who is following my blog. Thank you very much mysterious donator. The my grandmother donated $50. And she is going to see her deep-pocketed friend this weekend. Work it Grandma. The lady from the architecture firm still hasnt called me with the amount her and her firm are willing to donate but i have faith that I will be getting her call soon. My uncle in Florida got my letter and offered to buy my passport so thats andther $150 I dont have to worry bout. My profit from my tweezer sales are still at my moms job but all together I think I got at least $200 or more. And I reciever $50 in my paypal account ffrom my aunt whom I need to see before i go to Europe.

Homecourt: means if you put someone down you must give them 2 put ups

2 PUT DOWNS: On Monday I called this Italian restaurant in my town thats owned by a very rich Italian man, to ask them for a sponsorship. His wife answered the phone and coldly turned me down. But I did not get discouraged because in life you are always going to be told no but you have to keep trying or you will get no where and I want to get somewhere.


Then today I went to a buy, sell, and trade clothing store. They didnt want to buy any of my harly worn, good quality clothing they wanted to give me store credit. The store was full of faded clothing and smelly high heels I dont want store credit i needed cash. The snobby lady at the counter said "We only take brand names like Hollister and Abercombie and Fitch". ok I dont wear those brands because they are made by poor under paid children in third world counties sorry my non faded, non conformist clothes arent good enough for her! anyways now I'm just venting.


2 PUT UPS: Last weekend my mom and I bought these cute, girly tweezers for only 99 cents. Later that day my mom had a bright idea to go back and buy a bunch of those tweezers to sell at school and work to fundraise. I didnt think people would like them that much because none of the girls at my school wanted to buy them I guess they prefer to be harry, but they were a hit at my moms job. So this whole week people have been ambushing her cubicle to buy tweezers!


Last week one of the letters I sent out was to a lady whose husband was my basketball couch when I was in the 3rd grade. I havent seen this women in years but I remembered that she was an architect and since thats what I want to be when I finish school I decided to look her up in  the phone book and send her a letter. So Tuesday I got an email from her saying the she and her architectural firm will help sponsor me!
And today I got my first donation on my blog from someone other than my awesome aunt!
I'm getting closer and closer to Europe each day!

Week 1 in my Fundraising Journey

I wrote donation letters to literally everyone I know, I went threw my closet for stuff to give to cosignmet shops, and I went through all the pages of the southern California phone book to look for businesses that might sponsor me. In week one I made $115 and one Nebraskan quarter. 80 of those dollars I saved to buy clothes but I guess im going nude this winter! lol jk its too cold for nude.

The Process of Applying & Getting Accepted

The People to People program does not play around it cost $400 just to apply. If it werent for my generous Aunt this journey wouldn't even be possible. When I applied I got to choose my itenerary and I chose the one that included the places I have always dreamed about... Italy which houses the city of romance and where Roman Gladiators used to abuse each other for the amusement of their people. much like football games today... and Greece where mythical Gods and Goddesses once enjoyed watching strong and devoted athletes compete their hearts out in their honor. A week later I got an over the phone interview that I passed with flying colors. Now its time to fund-raise!
Let the games begin!

About me

I am a junior in high school in San Jacinto, CA. I have been devoted to my school work the last 11 years of my life. I work hard so that I can have a beautiful and fun life when I graduate high school and college.

When I'm done with school I hope to become an architect. I find buildings and architecture very fascinating, more than any other object on the planet. I want to travel to Europe specifically Italy and Greece to study historical buildings that have stood tall for thousands of years.

I started blogging because I got accepted in an educational traveling program and I want to document my fund-raising process and maybe blow off some steam here and there. I have to raise at least $7,000 dollars in hopes that I will get to go to Italy and Greece summer of 2011 to study Italian and Greek culture, history, and architecture.

So here I am putting my life out there for all to read and a chance to "sing for my supper" so to speak. Thanks for stopping by. :-)