I’m excited to announce that as of yesterday, I have officially passed the halfway point for my fundraising goals. After receiving my 20th donation, I’ve now collected $2540, over half of the $5000 I hope to raise. That covers my plane ticket and housing -- my two largest expenses!
It’s really amazing to witness everyone’s generosity firsthand, especially for someone who hasn’t done any fundraising since elementary school. Not to say that I underestimated my donors, but I really didn’t expect to collect as much as I have in such a short period of time. Thank you all so much!!
For those who are interested, you can see a list of donors on my page in the column on the right: http://kiva.jeffzira.com. Please note that I didn’t put full names or initials because I didn’t really want to make it into a competition or embarrass those who couldn’t give as much. I just put the first initial and the amount donated so my donors can see their contributions. (Am I’m going a bit far by hiding identities?)
An interesting tidbit -- I spoke to a former Kiva Fellow who just returned to Japan from Cambodia, and she mentioned that there really isn’t a way to fundraise for things like this in Japan. Apparently, it’s tough to ask people for money, even if it’s obviously for a charitable cause. I’m so glad you all were so willing to help me out!
I’m actually “halfway there” in more than one way; I’m also at the physical midpoint of my travels, Japan. Right now, I’m sitting next to my brother, Aaron, who is now living in the same apartment building I did when I worked in Japan. I stopped here to help him get set up as he tries to find an English teaching job. In two days, I’ll be off to Singapore, then Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. In the meantime, I’m enjoying the last I’ll see of winter until next year.
Finally, here’s a shot of Aaron in a mountain of broccoli leaves in the field next to his apartment.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Kiva Fellows Training
I knew that I should have blogged each day that I spent in training, but with social events, visiting friends, studying Cambodian, and reading up on microfinance, I never found the time to sit down and write anything coherent. In retrospect, a little blurb would have been better than nothing at all. As the memories quickly transform themselves into fleeting images and sound bites in my head, I can’t help but think that training was anything short of amazing.
I spent the weekend in Palo Alto, where I slept on my friend Ben’s floor. On Sunday night, I went to stay with my friend Cory, who will be a Kiva Fellow in Uganda. We left early Monday morning for Kiva’s San Francisco office (which is technically in the Mission district) not really knowing what to expect. The three-story office was in a warehouse-y neighborhood, and looked just like an aging apartment, complete with fading light-blue paint and a carpeted staircase. Kiva occupies two floors, and we sat in the middle of a 40 x 30 ft room (bordered by small offices and cubicles) for the duration of the training.
The training itself was very well executed, especially considering that the current director of the program started last May and has only trained two sets of fellows before us. We learned about the specifics of how Kiva operates, its goals, our duties as fellows, and how to handle difficult situations that others have encountered before. The training was well planned, with no training section longer than about 80 minutes. It felt like a very engaging and intense version of college, but admittedly, more fun. I found myself asking many questions and suggesting ideas, primarily because I was so genuinely interested. The others seemed equally engaged, since they raised many astute points I didn’t even consider.
The other fellows at the training were probably the most impressive and exciting part of the experience. I was among talented businesspeople and social achievers, all with impressive lists of prior accomplishments. Some founded their own socially-minded companies, and some had worked in challenging roles in banking and consulting. One person was a senior economist in a Kuwaiti firm. However, the most impressive characteristic of the trainees was not their achievements or drive, but their genuine concern for making a positive difference through Kiva, as well as through their careers. Never have I witnessed talent so devoid of selfish concerns, nor felt so immediately comfortable in a group.
After completing the training, I felt empowered and inspired. Through my exposure to the fellows and to Kiva’s crew, I was reminded that however small, I will make a difference.
What a wonderful week!
I spent the weekend in Palo Alto, where I slept on my friend Ben’s floor. On Sunday night, I went to stay with my friend Cory, who will be a Kiva Fellow in Uganda. We left early Monday morning for Kiva’s San Francisco office (which is technically in the Mission district) not really knowing what to expect. The three-story office was in a warehouse-y neighborhood, and looked just like an aging apartment, complete with fading light-blue paint and a carpeted staircase. Kiva occupies two floors, and we sat in the middle of a 40 x 30 ft room (bordered by small offices and cubicles) for the duration of the training.
The training itself was very well executed, especially considering that the current director of the program started last May and has only trained two sets of fellows before us. We learned about the specifics of how Kiva operates, its goals, our duties as fellows, and how to handle difficult situations that others have encountered before. The training was well planned, with no training section longer than about 80 minutes. It felt like a very engaging and intense version of college, but admittedly, more fun. I found myself asking many questions and suggesting ideas, primarily because I was so genuinely interested. The others seemed equally engaged, since they raised many astute points I didn’t even consider.
The other fellows at the training were probably the most impressive and exciting part of the experience. I was among talented businesspeople and social achievers, all with impressive lists of prior accomplishments. Some founded their own socially-minded companies, and some had worked in challenging roles in banking and consulting. One person was a senior economist in a Kuwaiti firm. However, the most impressive characteristic of the trainees was not their achievements or drive, but their genuine concern for making a positive difference through Kiva, as well as through their careers. Never have I witnessed talent so devoid of selfish concerns, nor felt so immediately comfortable in a group.
After completing the training, I felt empowered and inspired. Through my exposure to the fellows and to Kiva’s crew, I was reminded that however small, I will make a difference.
What a wonderful week!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Flights and shots
After finishing yet another business school app (10 minutes before the deadline!), I'm back into Kiva preparation mode. More reading, Khmer study, and little tasks here and there.
I finally got my ticket. Here are the dates for those interested:
Feb. 5th - Leave LAX
(stopover in Japan to see Aaron)
Feb. 12th - Leave for Phnom Penh
(stay for a long time)
June 15th - Leave for Tokyo
(hang out with Aaron for a bit)
June 26th - Return to LA
Not a cheap flight, but I searched around quite a bit (and tried a lot of crazy schemes), so I think I got a good deal, especially considering the stops in Tokyo (which only added about $150 to the price of the trip -- not bad!). Total cost after taxes: $1536. My 2nd real expense after a couple of vaccinations: Hep. A and Typhoid, for a total cost of $195 (including appt. fee)
Of all my concerns, I think the only thing that makes me even slightly nervous is the possibility of illness. In my pamphlet on Cambodia, I see that there are at least 5 serious mosquito borne illnesses that it's important to watch out for, and one (dengue) doesn't have a cure. That's fairly frightening for someone who seems to always win the "who can attract the most mosquitoes" prize. My travel nurse told me that B vitamins and garlic capsules supposedly work for some people. I guess it's worth a shot...
Interestingly, there's no need to worry about malaria when in the capital city, Phnom Penh. It's not a particularly large city, and has no shortage of standing water, so I don't really know why the malaria danger is low. Any ideas, anyone? I guess I'm not sure how malaria propagates in the wild, and that might shed some light on things. The rural areas all tend to have fairly high malaria risks...
Well, back to my preparations!
I finally got my ticket. Here are the dates for those interested:
Feb. 5th - Leave LAX
(stopover in Japan to see Aaron)
Feb. 12th - Leave for Phnom Penh
(stay for a long time)
June 15th - Leave for Tokyo
(hang out with Aaron for a bit)
June 26th - Return to LA
Not a cheap flight, but I searched around quite a bit (and tried a lot of crazy schemes), so I think I got a good deal, especially considering the stops in Tokyo (which only added about $150 to the price of the trip -- not bad!). Total cost after taxes: $1536. My 2nd real expense after a couple of vaccinations: Hep. A and Typhoid, for a total cost of $195 (including appt. fee)
Of all my concerns, I think the only thing that makes me even slightly nervous is the possibility of illness. In my pamphlet on Cambodia, I see that there are at least 5 serious mosquito borne illnesses that it's important to watch out for, and one (dengue) doesn't have a cure. That's fairly frightening for someone who seems to always win the "who can attract the most mosquitoes" prize. My travel nurse told me that B vitamins and garlic capsules supposedly work for some people. I guess it's worth a shot...
Interestingly, there's no need to worry about malaria when in the capital city, Phnom Penh. It's not a particularly large city, and has no shortage of standing water, so I don't really know why the malaria danger is low. Any ideas, anyone? I guess I'm not sure how malaria propagates in the wild, and that might shed some light on things. The rural areas all tend to have fairly high malaria risks...
Well, back to my preparations!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
History and language
In between essay writing for applications, I've been diving into the books about Cambodia. I read "A Short History of Cambodia" by John Tully, which was a well written and, at times, playful overview of Cambodia's history. The current Kiva fellow at CREDIT, Teresa, told me through a Skype phone call that it's important to try to find sources on the history and culture of Cambodia post-Khmer Rouge. Although in both Tully and Chandler's books that period comprises no more than a 20 page chapter, I'd venture to say that it's rather reflective of Cambodia's earlier years, in that real social change and reduction of corruption remain elusive, and the outlook for the short term is not so rosy.
The language has been fairly challenging. So far I've focused my efforts on basic pronunciation, memorizing the consonants and vowels, and just listening to the sounds of words. I took the audio from a couple videos on youtube and made my own mp3 tracks by cutting the useless bits. Then I wrote out the vowel and consonant symbols I memorized and taped them to the front of the exercise bike and looped over the set for about 45 minutes as I dripped sweat all over the papers.
I'm proud to announce that I got my first donation! Someone gave me $20, which means I'm almost there! Heh. I've got some other fundraising schemes including selling some of mom's unused purses and shoes on ebay, approaching local Rotary clubs, directly approaching dad's friends (who tend to have more money than friends who are my age...), and possibly a fundraising dinner. Be on the lookout, I might come for you next!
Other things on the horizon -- vaccinations, training, buying plane tickets, and lots and lots of studying, which I'll have to squeeze in between applications. That's ok, it keeps me excited!
Happy new year, if you celebrate arbitrary calendar events. I think I'll sleep this one out.... goodnight!
The language has been fairly challenging. So far I've focused my efforts on basic pronunciation, memorizing the consonants and vowels, and just listening to the sounds of words. I took the audio from a couple videos on youtube and made my own mp3 tracks by cutting the useless bits. Then I wrote out the vowel and consonant symbols I memorized and taped them to the front of the exercise bike and looped over the set for about 45 minutes as I dripped sweat all over the papers.
I'm proud to announce that I got my first donation! Someone gave me $20, which means I'm almost there! Heh. I've got some other fundraising schemes including selling some of mom's unused purses and shoes on ebay, approaching local Rotary clubs, directly approaching dad's friends (who tend to have more money than friends who are my age...), and possibly a fundraising dinner. Be on the lookout, I might come for you next!
Other things on the horizon -- vaccinations, training, buying plane tickets, and lots and lots of studying, which I'll have to squeeze in between applications. That's ok, it keeps me excited!
Happy new year, if you celebrate arbitrary calendar events. I think I'll sleep this one out.... goodnight!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Money
Here's where I'll post actual expenses when they happen, and keep a log of what expenses I expect will arise. I'll also keep track of total donations and other funding.
1) Actual expenses:
* Plane ticket -- $1536
* Vaccinations -- $195
* Books -- $27
----
total: $1758
2) Expected expenses:
* (remaining) Vaccinations/anti-maliarials -- $200
* Visa -- $175
* Training costs -- $300
* Personal Items -- $50-100
* Research Materials -- $50
* Accomodations -- $1200
* Food -- $600
* Communication -- $400 (internet, etc)
* Personal travel/expenses -- $400 (I'll cover this myself!)
* Emergency Funds -- $1000 (for medical emergencies, etc. I won't use this, so not an expense)
-----
total: $2675 (approx)
*doesn't include emergency funds or personal travel
3) Donations/Funding received:
Selling things on ebay -- $130
Donations -- $320
-----
total: $450
4) Remaining deficit (1+2-3 = what I'll have to pay for myself):
~$4000
1) Actual expenses:
* Plane ticket -- $1536
* Vaccinations -- $195
* Books -- $27
----
total: $1758
2) Expected expenses:
* (remaining) Vaccinations/anti-maliarials -- $200
* Visa -- $175
* Training costs -- $300
* Personal Items -- $50-100
* Research Materials -- $50
* Accomodations -- $1200
* Food -- $600
* Communication -- $400 (internet, etc)
* Personal travel/expenses -- $400 (I'll cover this myself!)
* Emergency Funds -- $1000 (for medical emergencies, etc. I won't use this, so not an expense)
-----
total: $2675 (approx)
*doesn't include emergency funds or personal travel
3) Donations/Funding received:
Selling things on ebay -- $130
Donations -- $320
-----
total: $450
4) Remaining deficit (1+2-3 = what I'll have to pay for myself):
~$4000
Start!
A couple days ago, I got the official word that I'll be going to Cambodia! I was really excited since I had three choices (Samoa, Cambodia, or Azerbaijan), but was leaning heavily towards Cambodia. I like the idea of being in an overwhelmingly Buddhist country (plus, from my reading, it seemed to be a bit safer than the other two -- maybe or maybe not a cause and effect relationship, who knows). I guess that's my main reason for getting excited, but I'm also interested in SE Asia in general, and I'm interested to see how microfinance effects conditions there. As I mentioned on the homepage, I'm also pumped about tropical fruits. Heh.
I learned that I'll be working with an institution called CREDIT (Kiva page) when I'm there. They have a very long relationship (relatively speaking) with Kiva; they've been there from the start. I sent out a few emails to the Kiva fellow whose place I'll be taking in February, as well as some other key contacts. I'm really excited to learn more.
Maybe my assignment to Cambodia was at least in part due to the power of suggestion; I preemptively borrowed about 10 books from the library on Cambodia so I could start studying as soon as it was officially announced. I'm reading history, trying to figure out the language, and learning about the culture. I'm also studying a lot of microfinance literature that has been assigned to me by Kiva, plus some things I've stumbled upon by myself. It's a great feeling to be constantly engaged in some sort of study.
I'm searching for a tutor who can help me with pronunciation and some basic sentences. It's pretty hard! Khmer (the language of Cambodia) seems to have many consonant clusters in its words, sometimes up to 5 consonants per 1 vowel in a syllable. It's really great to have a reason to learn a language though. Anyways, back to various studies. Don't forget to subscribe with your RSS reader!
Thanks!
I learned that I'll be working with an institution called CREDIT (Kiva page) when I'm there. They have a very long relationship (relatively speaking) with Kiva; they've been there from the start. I sent out a few emails to the Kiva fellow whose place I'll be taking in February, as well as some other key contacts. I'm really excited to learn more.
Maybe my assignment to Cambodia was at least in part due to the power of suggestion; I preemptively borrowed about 10 books from the library on Cambodia so I could start studying as soon as it was officially announced. I'm reading history, trying to figure out the language, and learning about the culture. I'm also studying a lot of microfinance literature that has been assigned to me by Kiva, plus some things I've stumbled upon by myself. It's a great feeling to be constantly engaged in some sort of study.
I'm searching for a tutor who can help me with pronunciation and some basic sentences. It's pretty hard! Khmer (the language of Cambodia) seems to have many consonant clusters in its words, sometimes up to 5 consonants per 1 vowel in a syllable. It's really great to have a reason to learn a language though. Anyways, back to various studies. Don't forget to subscribe with your RSS reader!
Thanks!
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