Get Dinah to China for Greg's Wedding
My brother Greg has lived in China for nearly 6 years and, in that time, has met the woman of his dreams - Rose. My goal is to attend their wedding in Wuhan this April.
In the 6 years Greg has lived in China, I am the only family member to visit him in his new country. That was nearly 3 years ago.
This April, Greg and Rose will tie the knot in a Chinese wedding ceremony attended only by Rose's family and local friends. Unless I can afford to fly out and represent the Russell clan for my brother. He doesn't say it, but I know it will mean a lot to him to have his sister with him.
Times are tough for all of us, which is why any amount will help me in my mission to support my brother at this important moment in his life.
Any funding donated will first go directly toward the cost of my plane ticket, second toward the cost of staying in China (food and lodging, etc.), and finally any potential remainder (if there is any) will contribute to the cost of the rewards. No matter how much is raised, all rewards will be disbursed! So worry not!
Breakdown of costs:
~$1,000 for plane ticket
~$225 for visa to enter China
~$350 for food and lodging
~any remainder to help pay for cost of rewards (or extras for rewards if we get past my goal!)
Rewards Q&A
I'd like to take a moment to walk through each of the rewards levels to clarify a few points.
First, any contributor of $50 or more will receive a packet of tea I bring back with me. I am happy to mail this tea anywhere in the world!
I don't live in Chico. Can I still claim rewards?
I am happy to ship ANY reward ANYWHERE in the world. However, depending on the size of the prize and where you are, I may require $5-10 additional to your donation to help cover shipping.
Tea parties are unfortunately only available locally, as I cannot afford to travel around for that as well. Sorry! However, I am happy to ship you the tea and conduct some basic "tea training" via Skype!
What is the Gaiwan and cup set mentioned in the Tea Lover reward level?
Great question! It's a traditional style Chinese cup used to brew tea. You can see an example of some here:
I'll chat with those who claim this prize in advance to determine what kind of patterns I should look for when picking a set for you and will also provide training on how to use them effectively.
What's this Crazy Foodie and Crazy Stuff magic?
These rewards are only available to 2 people each (due to the quantity of items I'll need to carry home with me). I'm sure we've all seen some of the silly and straight up weird items and foods that come out of China. My goal is to put together 1 box of weird yet popular Chinese sweets and treats and 1 box of just weird Chinese things! I honestly have NO IDEA what is going to end up in each of these boxes, but I'm really excited to fill them!
Popsicle stick people? Really?
Heck yes, really! If you can't travel to China, why not make it look like you did WITHOUT PHOTOSHOP!? Heck, it'll practically be like you were there yourself! I'll even give you context for each photo you receive. This stuff is fun!
Plus, for one person only, I'll print out and make a full-on, personal album of "your" Chinese adventure. Show it off to your friends and suddenly you'll be the most cultured person in the room!
Besides, look how fun it is to be a popsicle stick person:
