Visiting Kroka

Hola,

I am super excited because I am going to be visiting Kroka on the weekend of the 30th and I will get to meet many of the other 11 kids who are doing Kroka.  It is so strange wondering what the other kids will be like, knowing that they will become my close companions during the 4 months in Ecuador.  It will also be cool to meet our teachers.  Some are coming all the way up from Ecuador to meet the 12 of us during the weekend.

I feel like I am finally part of Kroka now.  I got a letter from Kroka with a bunch of information about our trip and how to prepare for the journey.  When I was reading the letter it suddenly hit me that I am actually going to be a part of this experience.  At the end of August I will begin the adventure that I have been preparing for and working towards for so many months.  It is still hard to comprehend and I know that meeting the kids and instructors and visiting Kroka's farm in New Hamshire will make my image of what I'm working towards even more real.

All this time I have been fundraising I have imagined what the four months will be like, using the past Semester blogs and Kroka's descriptions to fuel my excitement.  I have used the excitement to keep pushing closer to my fundraising goal, used it to work harder then I ever have before in my life and I have done so much more this year then I ever would have if I weren't doing Kroka.  It is incredible that my whole life has been shifted by a single choice that seemed crazy at the time.  The choice to raise $12,000 dollars for a four month journey into the heart of another land.


I have a long ways to go in my fundraising but with the support of all the amazing people in my community I know I can make it.


Thank you everyone for helping make this crazy, life-changing decision seem not nearly as crazy. 

Clayton

Fundraising Update

I have been super busy the past few weeks.  I have been working a bunch on my album but I have also been working a lot of odd jobs in an attempt to reach my $1,200 a month goal.

Jobs:
Interior house painting (Finished for a while)
Gardening at Judy Berks
Yard work
Computer work
Splitting and stacking wood at Newforest

Clayton

2nd Ecuadorian Dinner Success

Hi all!

We had an amazing Ecuadorian dinner on April 9th.  Hila (who is also fundraising for Kroka) and I were collaborating on this event and it went really smoothly and was a lot of fun. 
We didn't have to publicize this dinner at all because it filled up so fast!

Here is the delicious menu we served up that night.

Menu                                                                                                        

Starter:

Locro de Papa, a creamy cheesy potato soup with avocado                                                                                                              
Maine Course: 

Frijoles Negro with Arroz Amarillo, deliciously spiced black beans with yellow rice

Sweet Plantain 

Spicy Chicken Empanadas with white cheese and a Roasted Vegetable Empanada, both served with a Jalapeño-lime Dipping Sauce
Dessert: 

Flan de Coco a lovely sweet coconut flan (we kept the coconut flan due to its incredible popularity at the first dinner)

Clayton

Bought Back Pack for Kroka!

Just won an Arc Teryx Bora on Ebay for $166 dollars!!!!

It was a very tense, nerve-wracking moment as I refreshed the page for the final count down. Whew!

This is the exact model that Kroka recommends.

Clayton

Halfway there!!!

I've reached $6,000!!!!
I still have to raise $1200 a month to make it by September.
$300 a week
 $60 a day (five days a week)
I am really excited about my album because it is coming along really well and will hopefully raise a lot of money.  The hardest part will be figuring out the cover and case.
I've been getting a lot of good yard work offers for the summer (including a couple $15/h).  I will have to do a lot of juggling around with my different jobs but I'm still open to work opportunities.

I have been researching all the equipment I need for Kroka.  I will try to send a UUBB request for some of the gear.

Clayton