What is The Trip That Changed my Life? The last few weeks you may have seen a Facebook post or Tweet by us asking you to buy a book and contribute to charity. Just two more weeks and our campaign will be over, so you are just in time to get your book. Well, maybe this means it’s also about time we tell you a bit more about this project Lisanne has been working on with more than 50 travelers.

The Trip That Changed my Life

When traveling you often get to experience amazing new cultures, eat delicious food, lie on beautiful beaches, visit magnificent temples or shop in urban cities. But in some countries you are also confronted with people that are less fortunate than you and struggle on a daily basis to get by. This was what made Hung Thai – the founder of this project – decide to get a community of travelers together and get all of them to write one story about a trip that changed their lives. With this book we want to give back to this world, while also showing how beautiful and powerful travel can be.

What can you expect in the book?

Honestly, we haven’t read all the stories that will be published in the book. That means it’s a bit of a surprise how it will all turn out. But we already know that all the contributors are very interesting people that have been on amazing journeys. Thus, each and every story is very promising! There are more than 50 travelers working on this book, meaning you have over 50 unique life-changing stories about travel including amazing photos.

What is my story about?

When I was asked to join this awesome project by one of the writers, I wasn’t immediately sure that I wanted to. Of course I was already excited that I would be contributing to charity. But, at first sight the theme of the book “The Trip that Changed my Life” seemed a bit too “dramatic” or overdone, and I guess I’m a bit too down to earth to claim that a (long-term) trip has changed my life. My life is changing constantly at this phase in my life anyway, whether I’m on a trip or not. But when I read the guidelines for writing the stories in full detail, it said:

“The trip doesn’t have to completely change your life. You don’t have to have volunteered in a third world country or met Batman – though if you did and it changed your life, please write about it. The intent is that while traveling (near or far), you came to some realization or saw something dramatic or experienced something that moved you in some way – and this event altered your views on an aspect of your life or thinking or way of doing things.” 

This was something that I could write about. Because during travels you often learn a lot and even if it doesn’t completely change you or your life, it does change something inside of you. That’s why I wrote about the trip we are currently still on. Not only because it’s one of the most longest and intense travels I’ve been on, but basically because I’m experiencing this trip at this moment.

This project gave me some time to reflect on this trip, and it made me think: “Am I changed? Is there something that has changed in the way I think? Or in the way I act?” Yes, I think the trip Jeffrey and I are on is changing us both in many ways. But I can’t tell you exactly in what ways we are changed yet. For now, we both feel the same and we don’t notice these changes ourselves.  It’s hard to say because we’re in the middle of it all.

But I know that I’ve already learnt quite a few things while I’m here and I do think differently about certain topics.  One of the things I’ve learnt is that we’re very lucky to be on this trip, and that is the topic I wrote my story about. We have worked hard for it, and still are working hard for it, but we are lucky to have the opportunity to pack our bags and explore the world with no end date in sight.

You’ll have to buy the book to read how I came to this conclusion.

What happens with the funds for the book?

Save the Children and Unbound

We are proudly supporting Unbound. This organization provides support to communities by helping mothers and their families build a healthy environment, which, in turn, will improve the lives of children in those communities. Furthermore, Unbound spends 92.5% of all donations towards programs and not overhead costs. We are also proudly supporting Save the Children. This organization provides direct support to children all around the world in time of crisis and puts together safeguards for the future. Programs include education projects, emergency response during disasters and crises, health and nutrition, protection from harm, and many other initiatives. Furthermore, Save the Children spends 89% of all donations towards programs and not overhead costs.

How much of our funds go to Save the Children and Unbound?

Our 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.

So how much would $5,000 afford for a community in a developing country? The cost of living varies by countries, but, as an example, for just the cost of a latte at Starbucks, clean drinking water could be provided to a person for 20 years (according to WaterWellsForAfrica.org). You are making a HUGE IMPACT with every dollar this campaign donates.

Do you consider buying a book and support our cause? This are the different packages you can purchase:

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]

All costs are approximate and might be higher/lower depending on how many books are printed. The more we print, the lower the cost! 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.

Please check out the campaign page if you haven’t already and get your book today: The Trip that Changed my Life – book for charity.