Simply put, "life is short." This fact has become shockingly apparent this year after struggling with the loss of a very ambitious and active friend, Chris Webber. I know that all of his friends have promised themselves that they would push themselves a little harder and more seriously pursue their dreams because that is what Chris did everyday. And it is through these combined energies that he will live on through our accomplishments.

I have been planning on embarking on a several month treck, commencing January 2008, through South America, Southeast Asia and Africa to see the world and meet it's people. My appetite for learning about and from various cultures grows stronger by the day.

In Ecuador I will teach English to primary school children and work in a biological reserve to conserve the Amazon. The cost for 3 weeks is $450.

In Vietnam I will care for and teach children at a government run orphanage. The cost for 4 weeks is $780.

In Ghana I will work at the Buduburam Refugee settlement in both a reconciliation and education capacity. The cost for volunteering for 4 weeks is $700.

These costs plus the one-time application fee of $350 (which is paid to: Global Volunteer Network, a non-profit organization based in New Zealand, http://www.volunteer.org.nz/) makes a subtotal of $2280. Additional expenses include travel (approximately $3000), incidentals ($600) and immunization. I am hoping to raise $5880 so that I can complete this trip.