We did it! I had to be halfway funded by departure. I have a handful of days left and I reached 50%!! THANK YOU to all of my supporters and for those who shared my posts! The love I am getting from all over is so encouraging. I have great people in my life! < I’m talking about YOU 🙂
Right now I have just over $7,500 in my account. I have to raise a total of $15,500. By December 1, I have to have $11,000 in my account and by March 1 for a final deadline, I have to have the whole $15,500 in my account. That’s only $8,000 more total!! We can do this! You can follow my fundraising status on the money progress bar at the top of my blog.
TO DONATE — use the “Support Me!” link on the left side of this page.
HOW TO REACH ME DURING THE NEXT 11 MONTHS:
(when I have electricity/internet)
iMessage/FaceTime: 469-569-7092 or [email protected]
email: [email protected]
instagram: @whipavi
comment here on the blog
google+ chats/hangouts: [email protected]
Skype: whipavi
Plllleeasseeeeeee contact me over the next year! I’ll be a loooong way from home 🙁 🙂
WE LEAVE ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5 for Atlanta. My parents are driving me. There are parent activities where they can meet the staff, other parents, and members of my team. Then I LEAVE ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9 for Bangalore, India!
SERIOUSLY a BIG THANK YOU to my family and friends. THANK YOU for believing in me > that I have what it takes to do something like this, and that it’s what God has called me to do.
Pray for: health, safety, fun, and redeemed hearts!
FAREWELL PARTY PICS
^My high school girlfriends. L to R: Katie, Grish, Kate, and me! (not pictured: Danielle!)
^My Fort Worth family 🙂 yummm lots of TexMex before I leave!
^My Flower Mound family 🙂 game night!
PACKING LIST
So my former employer (“former” as in yesterday, Sept 2 was my last day of work and I leave on the 5th!) EY had a recognition program where mid- and upper-level executives could reward monetarily if someone did well on a project, or to show appreciation, etc. Over my 2 years there, I received about $800 in recognition money. Before applying for the Race, I redeemed a bunch of money at GAP (Thanks EY for all my jeans!), and after applying for the Race, I got quite a bit of REI gift cards. So EY has purchased a vast majority of my gear! Love it!
^BACK PACK: 60 liter women’s hiking pack (http://www.deuter.com/US/us/sl-womens-fit/futura-pro-34-sl-34264-131.html)
^TENT: 2 person North Face tent (a 2 person tent because we sleep with our packs, which is about the size of me! as you can see from the picture above!) (http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/talus-2.html)
^SLEEPING PAD: this is my mattress for a year! Not a place to skimp on quality… (http://www.nemoequipment.com/product/?p=Cosmo+Air+25L)
^SLEEPING BAG: REI Flash for 30degree limit, duck down — sooooo comfy (http://www.rei.com/product/862529/rei-flash-sleeping-bag)
Besides these items, I am taking a bunch of other things: an REI butterfly chair, a couple of Nalgene water bottles, an REI camp shower, 11 months of malaria medicine, 25 pairs of underwear, a few pairs of pants, a few long skirts, a few dresses, a pair of skinny jeans for days off!, a bunch of tops, some Crocs, 1 month of toiletries, a travel pillow, a travel sheet, a Chromebook, essential oils bug spray :), a Kindle, Bible/journal, a headlamp, a lantern, vegan Toms, TOILET PAPER. Just to name a few things!
I AM TRYING TO LIMIT MY BAG TO 30 LBS! Can you imagine taking your entire life with you (including a makeshift bed / tent home) for a year in a 60 liter bag??? Whew. This is getting real y’all………..
[[ I AM NOT OUTDOORSY, BUT I AM ADVENTUROUS ]]
My next post will be from India — pending electricity and internet… 🙂
My life is a whirlwind >>>>>>>> God is good
Whitney
