Japan & the Philippines

That flight to Japan was definitely the longest flight I've ever been on. If it wasn't a barking dog, it was a crying baby. The flight to the Philippines wasn't much better either. Sleep is what I'm looking forward to the most right now, although I won't be able to for awhile yet! Yesterday I had been awake for 32 hours and I should've been tired, but I only got a few hours of sleep. Apparently they party here until about 6am so that's great... I arrived in the Philippines last night (July 31st) at 10:30pm and got to the hotel around 12:30am. Since I'm ahead 13 hours in time, I completely missed the day of July 31st. It's currently about 9am here on August 1st and I'm about to go on a tour of the city. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing, but I'll be sure to post later on!

Chicago & Detroit

It was a long ride to Chicago, but I made it safely to the Quality Inn, Elk Grove Village hotel around 9:00pm last night! I'm blessed to have such great parents who took me all the way down there even though they had to work in the morning. After a big breakfast this morning, our leader and group of 10 students headed to the O'Hare airport and waited for our 10:05am flight. About an hour and a half flight later, we landed in Detroit. Now we will sit here until our 2:35pm (ET) flight boards. Next stop: Nagoya, Japan. I'll reach land again in 13 hours.

Pre-Trip Thoughts

I’m currently a student at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay aspiring to make a difference. I joined Habitat for Humanity to give people a sense of hope and happiness through my selfless acts. In just a couple days now, July 30th - August 9th, I will be traveling to Manila, Philippines as a volunteer to impact the lives of many. I will be building houses within the community for victims of the typhoons that have struck the Philippines over the years. In order to replenish what they have lost, I have been fundraising the past couple months. I’ve managed to raise a total of $5,243 - that’s more than it costs to build a home in the Philippines!

I’m so blessed for all the help I have received from donors and supporters; I truly would not be able to participate in such an amazing opportunity without the generous donations from so many incredible people who believe in the cause I’m supporting. My family and friends have been an outstanding support system throughout this entire process; helping me fundraise, organizing a car wash, and pushing me to achieve my goals. I can’t thank them enough for this.

As I make my 19 hour journey to the Philippines on Wednesday, I will be thinking about every single person who made this mission trip possible for me. I’m looking forward to the unforgettable experience and memories I will make over these next several days, and more importantly, the impact I will make on those affected by this disaster; whether that be families whose homes were damaged, or families whose homes were completely destroyed.

Some people say that you can't make a difference for everyone - but I will make a difference for some, and that is a truly gratifying feeling.