The Trip That Changed My Life, A Book For Charity

I don’t like bragging about myself and I also don’t want being in the spotlight or the center of attention. In fact, one of the things that can make me feel awkward is when someone gives me a compliment. I’m an ordinary person and nothing about me is extraordinary or deserves praise, at least that’s what I believe in. Call it whatever you want in psychological terms but that’s just how I see myself. I’m not a special kind of individual who’s bound to be a mover and shaker in a community.

However, I do have one quality that I am truly proud of about myself – I always get myself involved in helping other people in need. That, I think, is the only thing that I’d be comfortable to brag about. I’d do it not to make me feel good about myself but to inspire people to do the same. If an ordinary person like me can do something to help other people in need then everyone else can do it. Trust me, it’s not that hard. Helping other people in need can be as simple as some of the things that I’ve done in the past like the following:

• When I was in the university, I always pass by an old woman selling snacks in front of the university hospital which was on my way to my dorm. The things she’s selling are all 5-10 pesos each and I’d always buy something from her even if I don’t really need/want it whenever I see her. I’d pay 20 pesos and will tell her to keep the change – an amount that I can afford to give her on an almost daily basis on a college student budget.
• Summer in Dubai can be really tough and I always feel so bad for people who are working outdoors and getting a measly salary for doing their job. So I’d always give a shawarma and a bottle of cold water to the maintenance guy of the building I lived in whenever I get home during the summer. We never talk though because he couldn’t speak English very well, smile is the only way we communicate to each other.
• Again in Dubai, during the holy month of Ramadan – a group of residents get-together yearly to raise money to buy a simple iftar meal for some of the laborers in the city working in numerous constructions sites. I always take part on it in my own little ways.

When one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded hit the Philippines in 2013, I was heartbroken and tried to find organizations that I can get involved in to help the displaced families in my country. I couldn’t find one so I single-handedly organized an event myself. I called it Fiesta For A Cause, a whole day affair where people can eat lunch and dinner in a Filipino restaurant in Dubai and the proceeds go to the typhoon victims in the Philippines. I used my blog to promote it and that was the time I realized that people are actually reading my blog. (Lol.) A bunch of other bloggers helped me promote the event and as a result, we were able to raise enough money to support 355 displaced families and fill 4 jumbo boxes full of food, clothes and medicines which we sent to the Philippines. It’s not a lot I know but I couldn’t have given that much amount of money by myself so I still think that it’s a successful event. That’s probably one of the things I’m most proud of that I’ve ever done.

Having said all that, I never hesitated to say yes when Hung Thai asked me if I’d like to be a part of a charitable project that he’s organizing. It’s a global book project for charity called The Trip That Changed My Life. A group of 50+ travel bloggers and writers joined forces to create individual stories about that one trip which made such an impact in them and I am so happy to announce that my story is included in this book.

The intent of this book is to show how powerful travel is and to give back to the communities that have changed our lives for the better; thus, all funds raised through this project will be donated to children charities Save the Children and Unbound. 

The book is crowdfunded meaning, we’re all funding this and we’re not backed up by any major publications. So now, I am asking all of you specially those who have helped me previously in the Fiesta For A Cause event to support me once again in this project.

When you back this project, you will receive a lifetime of reading enjoyment:

1. E-Book version at $10 [$9 donated to charity – after crowdfunding fees]

2. Black/White paperback version [includes the E-Book] at $25 [cost of producing a paperback is approximately $7; $15 donated to charity – after crowdfunding fees]

3. Coffee table book version [includes the paperback and the E-Book] at $65 [cost of producing a full-colored book is approximately $30; $20 donated to charity – after crowdfunding fees]

The target is to donate $5,000 to Save the Children and Unbound. The $8,000 crowdfunding goal accounts for book production and fees associated with INDIEGOGO. All remaining funds will be donated. All actual costs will be made public. We will be 100% transparent with each step. Updates will be provided regularly so you can be assured we’ll deliver on our promise.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The campaign is running for only one month and after the campaign, the book WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE anywhere else. So you only have one month to get a copy of this book which I promise you is fabulous and help children in need in the process. This is one of the little things that YOU can do NOW to be charitable in your own way.

If you’d like to help (which I’m sure you will because you’re so awesome), you can support this project by clicking on this link: THE TRIP THAT CHANGED MY LIFE, A BOOK FOR CHARITY and getting one of the perks listed in it.  🙂