What a whirlwind these last two weeks have been! Between figuring out which funds were paying for what and scrambling with fundraising ideas, it has been quite a ride.
Initially I had the idea that I would be able to pay for the program fee, the portion of the fee that covers instruction, books, etc. using my college savings account (529). However, it turns out that the instructional institution (in this case EWH) must be administered by the US Department of Education for the expense to be qualified. Instead, my dad and I worked out a deal: In addition to his generous donation of $1000 to my fund, he offered me a loan would cover the expenses I could not with my own money or through fundraising. I will use my work-study position this and next year to pay it off over time. I am so relieved not to have to wonder anymore whether or not I'll be able to financially pull off this trip!
Earlier this week I made a Facebook event publicizing my trip and my request for donations, and I was completely blown away by the enormous generosity my friends and family possess. In three days I have met half of my personal donations goal of $1000! I am resolved to pay them back by updating the blog as frequently as I can and to make as much of this experience as possible.
Outside of school, I've had time to initiate a few little fundraisers. I've taken on an extra 2 hour shift at my work-study job during a period of the day when I'm particularly unproductive. At my pay rate, that's an extra $200! I'm also participating in a neurological study, a time commitment of about 5 hours over a couple weeks, for an additional $120.
My mother bought me a lovely 9" x 13" baking dish and two cookie sheets when she and my sister came to visit last weekend. I plan to put it to good use this weekend by doing some baking this weekend and selling them at a the next Quad Council event (with a Dukecard reader). This fundraising will be enjoyable!
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