Based on requests made, here are the room-mate allocations for our trip. I think it would be a good idea to bring along some ear plugs just in case your room-mate snores (I had 2 room-mates in South Korea and each of them would snore in an alternate rhythm, so speaking from experience :))
 
I have requested for double rooms (with queen beds for couples and twin beds for the rest).
 
Couples:
a) Sheryl Militar & Prasanth Pulavarthi
b) Lisa Rider & Kennon Rider
c) Anna Swiderski & Robert Hastings
 
Male:
d) Matt Harry & Gregory Rudensky
e) Michael Marino & Hari Vijayarajan
f) Hector Rocha & Timothy Penna
 
Female:
g) Hui Ling Tjoa & Joanne Gaudreau
h) Hanaa Saif & Annie Kim
 
Family:
i) Deborah Saif & Faris Saif

Please find the hotel arrangements in Bucharest, Pitesti, Brasov and Bucharest for the different dates.
 
CONFORT TRAIAN, BUCHAREST DOWNTOWN
03 DBL+06 TWIN
CHECK-IN: 19 July, CHECK-OUT: 20 July, 01 Night
INCLUDES BREAKFAST

HOTEL MUNTENIA, PITESTI                                                                                                                                                                                                       03 DBL+06 TWIN
CHECK-IN: 20 July, CHECK-OUT: 27 July, 07 Nights

HOTEL CAPITOL, BRASOV
03 DBL+06 TWIN
CHECK-IN: 27 July, CHECK-OUT: 28 July, 01 Night
 
HOTEL CONFORT OTOPENI, BUCHAREST AIRPORT
02 DBL+-6 TWIN
CHECK-IN: 28 July, CHECK-OUT: 29 July, 01 Night
 
Once you arrive in Bucharest airport on the 19th, please take a "FLY TAXI" to Hotel CONFORT TRAIAN and check in according to the room mate allocations provided earlier.

http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/Confort_Traian_Hotel_Bucharest.htm

Location:
55A Traian Street
Sector 3
Bucharest 

We're 3 weeks away. Its time for the rubber to meet the road. See you all very soon!

Exactly one month from now we will all hopefully be in Pitesti, Romania! Think about that! Time certainly flies. I draw inspiration from the band Europe's song "The Final Countdown" to write this post!
 
Yes, it is getting close.  I want to send you all a few final reminders, provide important documents that you can choose to carry with you and also announce the volunteer co-ordinators and their roles.
 
Thank you all for making your full trip payments and sending the necessary forms to Habitat and myself on time. By now you should all have received your Global Village t-shirt and other orientation material that Habitat sent you in the mail. I am also attaching some documents you may find useful carrying with you on your person (please print them out if you feel the need to - I will also be bringing 1 copy of all these documents). 

I still need to receive flight details from a few of you - so if you have not sent them to me yet, please email me as soon as you have made bookings.

The following information includes the remaining materials you need for a successful trip.

Attached are a Travel Medical Insurance information sheet, accident claim form, a MEDEX information card, the GV Emergency Management Flowchart and Plan and GV Emergency Contact Information sheet. Review the Quick Tips for Filing a Claim section of the Travel Medical Insurance information sheet for instructions on when and how to use the accident claim forms.  Keep the MEDEX identification information with you at all times.  The emergency services offered by MEDEX are listed on the ID sheet.  Our team’s policy number is 6404-54-47, MEDEX code CHB. The Emergency Management Plan provides step-by-step procedures to be followed in cases of accident, illness, medical emergency and catastrophic events. Not that you need to worry, please treat as FYI on the contingency plans we have in place.

Attachments:

a) Travel Medical Insurance information sheet

b) Accident Claim form

c) MEDEX information card

d) GV Emergency Management Flowchart

e) GV Emergency Management Plan

f) Habitat/Pitesti Emergency Contact Information sheet

And now for the volunteer co-ordinator roles (drumroll) [for those who did not respond to me, I have "volunteered" you without any bias :)]

a) 2 First Aid/Medical Tasks Co-ordinators – Sheryl Militar, Prasanth Pulavarthi
b) 3 Safety Co-ordinators – Faris Saif, Lisa Rider, Kennon Rider
c) 2 Communications Co-ordinators – Hanaa Saif, Debbie Saif
d) 3 Food and Drink Co-ordinators - Joanne Gaudreau, Hector Rocha, Robert Hastings
e) 2 Recreation and Activities Co-ordinators – Anna Swiderski, Annie Kim
f) 2 "Get People Moving" Co-ordinators - Timothy Penna, Gregory Rudensky
g) 2 "Tools & Site Cleanliness" Co-ordinators - Hui Ling Tjoa, Matt Harry
h) 1 Finance Guru/Treasurer - Michael Marino

Near the end of the trip, the affiliate will give each of you a Team Participant Evaluation form or ask the team to complete the evaluation forms online. The evaluation forms will be collected by the GV Coordinator at the host affiliate. The host affiliate GV Coordinator will forward the evaluation forms to Habitat’s Europe/Central Asia area office.

Before departing on your trip, please register your group with the U.S. embassy at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/.   For team members who are not U.S. citizens please register them with their appropriate embassy as well.  See the GV Emergency Contact Information sheet for U.S. embassy contact information.

Your opportunity to build homes and develop relationships with Habitat partners is right around the corner. We are sincerely grateful for the time and energy you are investing in coming on this trip. Wishing you all safe travels to Bucharest and a very rewarding experience.

Hi team,

Please review the following information carefully:

Trip Schedule - I've just uploaded our tentative schedule on the Skydrive. You can access it from here (there may be some tweaks as I try and ensure we maximize the building time to include parts of Saturday - however I believe a visit to the partner community will be beneficial and enriching:

http://cid-80435c70fc455fd9.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Habitat%20for%20Humanity%20Global%20Village%20-%20Pitesti,%20Romania/Tentative%7C_Schedule%7C_1.doc

There is also an "About Pitesti/Romania" document I've uploaded for your perusal here:

http://cid-80435c70fc455fd9.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Habitat%20for%20Humanity%20Global%20Village%20-%20Pitesti,%20Romania/About%7C_Romania.doc

Accomodation - In Pitesti, we will be staying at Hotel Muntenia (click on the hotel names for the individual websites, pictures, amenities, etc.). Hotel in Bucharest and Brasov will be known to us soon. Our Habitat host coordinator Alexandru Manu is working hard to make the reservations in the 3 places.

Ground Transport - the minivan we booked for you has 16 seater Mercedes Sprinter, and it is the biggest we can rent. Since we are 18 people in total, 2 people can take turns riding in Alex's car. This is the best way since renting another van will double the costs for the transport (which is not budgeted for).
 
Cash/Credit Cards/ATMs - All your trip related expenditures between July 19-29 (food, ground transportation, accomodation, purchasing raw materials and tools for the houses) are included in the US$1,725 you have paid to Habitat. For any miscellaneous personal purchases, you may choose to use either cash or credit cards. Please be aware that the use of credit cards in Romania is not very frequent. If you do use credit card, please note that Mastercard or Visa is preferred (these are the ones that work in Romania, American Express is not commonly accepted) and you can also withdraw cash from ATM’s here. Before you travel, ensure that you let your bank know that you are going to use the credit card in Romania, and also check to have the appropriate daily withdrawal limits set (say $500), to prevent fradulent use.

The reason I say this is because a few years ago, my Bank ATM Card got skimmed in Bali and close to $2,000 was withdrawn fraudulently from as far away as the UK in a space of 2 minutes on a single day. I got the rudest shock when I checked the account transactions over the internet – I had the ATM Card with me and did not lose it. Hence, please exercise caution when using ATM Machines in Eastern European countries (cover your hand when you enter your PIN and watch out for Skimming devices/small cameras) that can capture your card details and PIN very easily. I was extremely fortunate that my bank decided to return me the entire money as "goodwill", after I lodged police reports, went down several times for questioning etc. – basically a big hassle.
Here are some links for your perusal – the danger is real:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3996745.stm
http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/automated/additionalinfo/security/ 
 
Currency – Only the RON (Romanian New Lei) can be used in Romania, so I suggest to you all to exchange some money once you get off the plane (you may get better rates in Romania, than in your home country). There are a few currency exchange booths at the airport terminal, but do not change more than 100 Euros or 150 US dollars there, since the exchange rate is lesser at the airports than in the city. Once we get to Pitesti, Alex will take us to a good bank to exchange as much as you need for buying miscellaneous items!
 
You can also bring Travelers Cheques if you do not want to carry Cash/ATM/Credit cards. They are easy to withdraw at any bank in Pitesti/Bucharest.

As of the latest exchange rates (May 30):

1 US Dollar = 2.35558 Romanian New Lei (RON)

1 Romanian New Lei (RON) = 0.42452 US Dollar (USD) 

In case you want to check the exchange rate closer to the travel date, visit: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

Stay tuned for more information on:

a) Hotel in Bucharest & Brasov

b) Directions/method of transport from Bucharest International Airport (OTP) to our team hotel in Bucharest

As always, please email me any questions/suggestions you may have to make this an unforgettable experience.

Have a great weekend!
 

Dream team,
 
Less than 2 months from now we will all be building a home in Pitesti, Romania!  Think about that!
 
Yes, it is getting closer.  I want to send you all a few reminders and make a couple of requests for team members to volunteer for a few specific tasks.
 
For starters, I hope you have gone through the information I've posted on the SkyDrive:
 
http://cid-80435c70fc455fd9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Habitat%20for%20Humanity%20Global%20Village%20-%20Pitesti,%20Romania
 
Consider none of it homework, but perhaps a bit of an orientation to what, for many of us, will be a world almost totally different from that to which we are accustomed.  The more I learn about Romania, the more I feel it is a whole world unto itself—with a uniquely Eastern European culture.
 
The above link has information on the health insurance provided as part of your Global Village trip fee and will soon include emergency contact numbers in Romania (that you can pass on to your families).  That insurance covers emergency needs from five days before the build until five days after it is completed.  If you will be traveling longer than that, you would need to be covered under your own policies.
 
Note that this insurance does NOT cover flight changes, airline problems, lost luggage, etc.  If you feel you need that, you need to purchase such insurance on your own.  [Also, don't forget to register for frequent flyer miles with the airlines on which you travel if you have not already]
 
Please check that you have completed all these tasks as soon as possible, or before you depart from home, as appropriate:
1. Completed remaining payment to Habitat of US$1,375 for the build itself by June 3 [total trip cost is US$1,725 including R&R costs]
2. Confirmed flight reservations to and from Bucharest International Airport (airport code OTP) - check if you are exempt from getting a Romanian Visa here
http://www.mae.ro/poze_editare/2008.04.08_Annex2_en.pdf
3. Sent copies of your:
.
    (a) Signed Participant Acknowledgment Form
    (b) Signed Emergency Contact Information Form
    (c) Signed Release and Waiver of Liability
    (d) A copy of your photo page in your Passport
 
to Habitat for Humanity:  Global Village Program, P. O. Box 369, Americus, GA  31709-0369, USA
or fax them in to the attention of ROSE MORGAN, Habitat for Humanity at +1 267-295-8714 or scan & email RMorgan@habitat.org and cc me

Plus please keep a copy of your emergency contacts and passport page with you during the trip!

4. Secured the medical inoculations such as Tetanus injections and others you decide necessary before the build (http://bunaromania.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!80435C70FC455FD9!118.entry)

5. Taken along the CONTACT NUMBERS of and DIRECTIONS to the hotel in Bucharest (from the airport) as well as the mobile phone number of the Habitat co-ordinator in Romania [Alexandru Manu] so you can contact us to be sure we meet, especially if your arrival is not on schedule (or you think you are lost!) - THIS INFO WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOU SHORTLY and UPLOADED on the SKYDRIVE

6. Informed me exactly when you arrive in Bucharest (on July 19th) and on what airline flight you are expecting to arrive and from where.
 
And, Habitat has a couple of other travel suggestions: 
 
1.      Confirm international flights with your airline 72 hours in advance.
2.      Travel light; it will be warm to hot.  In Romania people wear light clothing during the summer.
3.      No tools are necessary unless you have some small personal tools you use.
4.      Bring an electric adapter (with round pins), toiletries, hand sanitizers, sun block, tissues, and even toilet paper. 
5.      Bring any Romania travel guides, articles, or meditation items you might share.
6.      Leave a complete itinerary and emergency contact information with a friend or family member so you can be contacted in case of family emergency.
 
Finally!  Since we are a team working together and sharing responsibilities, I would like to ask for volunteers for the following tasks while we are in Pitesti [this covers all of you so no escaping :)]:
 
a)      2 First Aid/Medical Tasks Co-ordinators – for any unforeseen first aid need. (anyone certified in First Aid will be a plus!)
b)      3 Safety Co-ordinators – help report and correct any team safety concerns to avoid injuries either on or off the build site.
c)      2 Communications Co-ordinators – to seek out internet parlors in Pitesti near our hotel, handle the team mobile phone for everyone's usage and keep a record of everyone's emergency contacts.
d)      3 Food and Drink Co-ordinators – to help identify and meet people's needs and food or diet preferences on our team. Also to keep plenty of liquids available (help carry them from our bus to the lunch area on the build site), lay out the table and ensure that if anything alcoholic is ordered during team dinners, that those people pay for their alcoholic drinks themselves (since it is not Habitat policy to include alcoholic beverages in the trip cost)
e)      2 Recreation and Activities Co-ordinators – seek out any special opportunities or activities that might be added to our agenda during the evenings (e.g. research interesting dinner venues, games night, poker night etc). Coordinate this with me and the host staff, Alexandru Manu if necessary.
f)       2 "Get People Moving" Co-ordinators – take count of team members when departing any location, make wake up calls if necessary, and crack the whip!
g)      2 "Tools & Site Cleanliness" Co-ordinators - to ensure tools and the work site are cleaned at the end of every work day and stored and locked in the proper locations before we return to the hotel.
g)      1 Finance Guru/Treasurer - to help me keep track of the receipts of all costs incurred to be submitted to Habitat after the build.
 
So select your skill and let me know via e-mail soon if you can help in one of the above areas.  We can discuss what the task you choose may involve if you have further questions.

Things are humming!  All the team members I've spoken with on the phone all sound super excited!  Me, too!

We're all in this boat together, so let's get it afloat!  We're ready, yes?  Let's go!

When I attended the Habitat Global Village Team Leader training in Americus, GA from Feb 15-17, 2007, I felt (like the 40 other people in the class) that I had contracted "Habititus Maximus", a malady that afflicts those inspired to volunteer again and again with extreme enthusiasm on Habitat projects, as David Minich, director of Habitat's Global Village Program puts it.  

Getting to Americus (a small town in Georgia) was quite an adventure. I don't yet possess a driving license that is valid in the US and hence needed to hitch a ride from Atlanta Airport on Valentine's day. Considering I was the only guy coming from 10,000 miles away, an email was sent out to all registered attendees to see if they could help. Luckily, Dave & Judy Osgood from Portland, Oregon were driving down from Atlanta and were nice enough to offer me a ride! The 2.5 hour drive was quite scenic - much of the journey was along long stretches of American highway, where all you need to do is turn on the radio and ensure you dont fall asleep as you cruise at 80 miles an hour.

Americus (where Habitat for Humanity International is headquartered) has quite an interesting history, some of which you can read about here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americus%2C_Georgia & home to President Jimmy Carter. The town itself is very small, quaint and unlike the big American coastal cities I've been to - serene, calm, with fairly large homes and sit-out porches in most of them! I did interact with a fair number of locals and they did know that chewing gum (and a few other "un-natural" things) were banned in Singapore!

The 2-day training was very intensive as it was informative; we went through several real-world scenarios that would help team leaders manage teams successfully, how to plan and be within budget, enforce safety & security on site and ensure that team-dynamics was not compromised at any stage. The many discussions we had on what could potentially go wrong in GV trips, with most of the attendees contributing their own experiences sort of created a knowledge base that we could tap into as we planned to lead our own teams. There were also discussions around how to plan R&R activities and liaise with the host Habitat affiliate a few months before the trip to ensure they had what we needed.

After the training, we had the opportunity to attend Jimmy Carter's Sunday School in one of the churches in Americus, where I learned more about the work being done by the Carter foundation. We later had the chance to take a picture with him and his wife Rosalynn (see picture!).

I hope some of you will also contract "Habititus" during/after our build in Pitesti, Romania and lead your own teams in future (given the calamities in Myanmar and China in the last 2 weeks, there is plenty of need in these regions and Habitat constantly looks for team leaders to lead teams to such affected areas) - thereby making a difference, re-kindling hope and restoring lives.

An example of the work involved in Pitesti, Romania: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIVpFuEFUnQ
The communities we will be helping in Romania: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFoSyRKbuQ0
Habitat's work in Romania:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oQRwr_3p4Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYOOQESvP_0&feature=related

Tourism: Magnificent Romania: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WApx6lXAwMQ&feature=related

Folks, this is the official trip page on habitat.org

http://www.habitat.org/cd/gv/trip_desc.aspx?type=1&code=gv9467

FROM THE CDC Traveler's Health site, "Health Information for Romania,"  http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationRomania.aspx 

Before visiting Romania, you may need to get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for at your destination: (Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.)

To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect.

Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

CDC recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine.  Find a travel medicine clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.

If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.

Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the links below to see which vaccinations adults and children should get.

Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.

Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Items to Bring With You

Medicines you may need:

• The prescription medicines you take every day. Make sure you have enough to last during your trip. Keep them in their original prescription bottles and always in your carry-on luggage. Be sure to follow security guidelines, if the medicines are liquids.
• Medicine for diarrhea, usually over-the-counter.

Note: Some drugs available by prescription in the US are illegal in other countries. Check the US Department of State Consular Information Sheets for the country(s) you intend to visit or the embassy or consulate for that country(s). If your medication is not allowed in the country you will be visiting, ask your health-care provider to write a letter on office stationery stating the medication has been prescribed for you.

Other items you may need:

• Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. See Preventing Cryptosporidiosis: A Guide to Water Filters and Bottled Water and Safe Food and Water for more detailed information.
• Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• To prevent insect/mosquito bites, bring:
  • Lightweight long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat to wear outside, whenever possible.
  • Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes.  The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.

See other suggested over-the-counter medications and first aid items for a travelers' health kit.

Other Diseases Found in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia

Risk can vary between countries within this region and also within a country; the quality of in-country surveillance also varies.

The following are disease risks that might affect travelers; this is not a complete list of diseases that can be present. Environmental conditions may also change, and up to date information about risk by regions within a country may also not always be available.

Tickborne encephalitis (TBE) is widespread, occurring in warmer months in the southern part of the nontropical forested regions of Europe and Asia. Most intense transmission has been reported in Russia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia. The annual incidence rate of tuberculosis is high in some countries in the region.  High rates of drug-resistant TB are found in Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, parts of Russia, and Uzbekistan. Cases of diphtheria have declined (after a large outbreak in the 1990s) with improved rates of immunization.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has been documented in wild birds or other avian species in several of the countries in Eastern Europe. Human cases and death were reported from Azerbaijan in 2006.  Avoid all direct contact with birds, including domestic poultry (such as chickens and ducks) and wild birds and avoid places such as poultry farms and bird markets where live birds are raised or kept. For a current list of countries reporting outbreaks of H5N1 among poultry and/or wild birds, view updates from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and for total numbers of confirmed human cases of H5N1 virus by country, see the World Health Organization (WHO) Avian Influenze website.

Staying Healthy During Your Trip

Prevent Insect Bites

Diseases, like tickborne encephalitis (TBE), are spread through tick bites. One of the best protections is to prevent these bites by:

• Using insect repellent with 30%-50% DEET. Picaridin, available in 7% and 15% concentrations, needs to be applied more frequently. There is less information available on how effective picaridin is at protecting against all of the types of mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
• Wearing long-sleeved shirts which should be tucked in, long pants, and hats to cover exposed skin.  When you visit areas with ticks and fleas, wear boots, not sandals, and tuck pants into socks.

For detailed information about insect repellent use, see Insect and Arthropod Protection.

Be Careful about Food and Water

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating.  If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel (with at least 60% alcohol).
• Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles.  Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.  If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
• Do not eat food purchased from street vendors.
• Make sure food is fully cooked.
• Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.

Diseases from food and water often cause vomiting and diarrhea. Make sure to bring diarrhea medicine with you so that you can treat mild cases yourself.

Other Health Tips

• To avoid animal bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague) do not handle or pet animals, especially dogs and cats. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound immediately with soap and water and seek medical attention to determine if medication or anti-rabies vaccine is needed.

"Buna!" dream team,

I felt it would be a good idea to share some fund-raising ideas that have helped me in the past. Since we have a geographically distributed team to India, obviously it becomes challenging to organize a team fundraising event in any particular location. However, you could start by using some of the suggestions below in your own communities (friends, colleagues & family) to raise awareness of what Habitat for Humanity does and what we will be doing.

a)      If you haven’t already done so, start by creating your own fund-raising space on http://www.habitat.org/cd/gv/participant/create.aspx

1.       Ensure you enter your 8-digit Habitat ID without spaces or dashes

2.       Ensure you enter “gv9467” and not just “9467” in Step 4 “Enter your trip number” [few people had trouble here]

3.       You should now have your own URL/link that you can email to friends/colleagues/family and request them to donate securely using all major credit cards towards your trip

b)      You can ask me for an email template that I used to connect with friends, relatives and co-workers and raise funds for my previous trips. I have customized this template to be Romania-specific, so please feel free to re-use this content. You can also choose to add/remove information as you wish. You will find more details about Habitat for Humanity Romania here:

http://www.habitat.ro/en/ 

and

http://www.habitat.org/intl/eca/171.aspx

c)      For those who are internet-savvy, start your own blog online. I personally recommend Windows Live Spaces, since it is very easy to create a website from scratch without any programming necessary: http://home.services.spaces.live.com/

Windows Live Spaces allows you to add various pre-built “gadgets” to your page – so you could get your website up in no time at all. See an example of my Windows Live Space for a GV trip I led to Thailand (http://willyoujoinme.spaces.live.com) – I used a thermometer to indicate progress as people donated money. I also acknowledged people’s contribution (monetary or otherwise).

·         Something creative I chose to do is offer a “Lucky Draw” for all those who donated towards my trip. Just before I left for Thailand I conducted the draw and announced winners on the blog. You can use your own imagination to extend this idea further. I’ve learned that in many parts of Asia, you need to “incentivize” people to donate towards charitable causes, however, this may not be necessary in the US, where giving is more predominant.

·         I also contacted a number of companies in Singapore and requested if they would sponsor my trip – in return, I would add their company’s website link on my site. A number of small and start-up companies responded. You could price this at $100 for each sponsor as a guideline.

·         In addition, you could add photos, YouTube videos (of Habitat Global Village Program for instance) and anything else that you believe will help your potential donors know more about yourself and your passion to make a difference in the world.

d)      If you have presence on Social Networking sites like Facebook or MySpace, make sure you place your website link there to attract visitors. Remember, the more visitors you get, the more money you will potentially raise!

e)      For those of you who are studying, you could ask your friends to donate used books that you could re-sell on Ebay or any 2^nd hand bookseller. You could raise a fair amount of money this way. You could alternatively offer to help clear some of your friends’ precious storage space at home/office by selling some of the stuff they no longer use to companies like Cash Converters in Singapore, USA or even The Netherlands!

·         Cash Converters International locations: http://www.cashconverters.com/default.aspx?MenuID=7

·         Sample list of what they buy: http://www.cashconverters-asia.com/whatdowebuy.htm

This idea can also be implemented as a community garage sale, etc. depending on where you live.

f)       Organize a fund-raising dinner among your friends and family where you can tell them more about your trip. One member in my team to Thailand baked cookies and packaged them four to a box, that she sold to colleagues in her office after receiving orders via email.

Finally, I found that it is useful for people you contact to know the following about Habitat:

THE HABITAT DIFFERENCE: Home-owners build houses alongside volunteers and pay for their home in multiple micro installments over the years - their money and yours goes towards building new Habitat homes - a sustainable cycle!

Habitat for Humanity invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.