As Bushie's World Turns (The Update Thread)

[bullmoose88]

Then, in early January, I'm going to start gathering things together that I might need to take and purchase what I need to purchase.

Will this interfere with Easter decorating?

The better question is whether this will interfere with his taking down his Christmas displays.

[BushKenya]

Anyway, according to my calcuations and the verbal commitments I have gotten over the phone just this evening, by the first weekend of December, I will have raised $900 for my trip including the deposit, passport, and a big chunk toward the airfare.

[BushKenya]

Then, in early January, I'm going to start gathering things together that I might need to take and purchase what I need to purchase.

Will this interfere with Easter decorating?

The better question is whether this will interfere with his taking down his Christmas displays.

No, since I put the decorations up so early, even I get tired of them by December 26, so they are usually down and put away and my house back to normal before New Years, usually around December 27-29 time frame.  This year, I will probably take it down on December 28.

[memphis]

Then, in early January, I'm going to start gathering things together that I might need to take and purchase what I need to purchase.

Will this interfere with Easter decorating?

The better question is whether this will interfere with his taking down his Christmas displays.

No, since I put the decorations up so early, even I get tired of them by December 26, so they are usually down and put away and my house back to normal before New Years, usually around December 27-29 time frame.  This year, I will probably take it down on December 28.

I'm sure we've had this conversation before, but no love for the Epiphany? You can have an extra two weeks of Christmas. Yes, you can!

[Keystone Phil]

I've confronted BushOK on this before. Decorations should remain up until at least the Epiphany.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Can someone shutdown National Lampoon's Kenyan Vacation before it turns into another update?

If it turns into update, I don't care.

Favorite. Mod. Ever.

:') - tears of happiness

[RomneyGekko Situation Hairgel]

Bushie, are you focusing more on this or Christmas?

[BushKenya]

Bushie, are you focusing more on this or Christmas?

Really, both equally, with a slight edge to Christmas.

[Meeker]

I don't really get where some of the negativity in this thread is coming from. I think it'd be good for the guy to go somewhere different and see the world. This church has done this trip multiple times; I'm sure it'll all be fine. Bushie has made a lot (A LOT) of boneheaded moves in the past few years but I don't really see how this is one of them.

[Gravis Marketing]

I don't really get where some of the negativity in this thread is coming from. I think it'd be good for the guy to go somewhere different and see the world. This church has done this trip multiple times; I'm sure it'll all be fine. Bushie has made a lot (A LOT) of boneheaded moves in the past few years but I don't really see how this is one of them.

Yes, agreed, Suze Orman would scream "denied" on this trip if he called into her show... but people make decisions considerably more destructive than this all the time, and it will be a great experience.  

[Secretary Polnut]

Anyway, according to my calcuations and the verbal commitments I have gotten over the phone just this evening, by the first weekend of December, I will have raised $900 for my trip including the deposit, passport, and a big chunk toward the airfare.

How the hell does that even cover that?

[Gustaf]

I'm disappointed that my question received no answer. Oh, well.

I'll also add that I agree with the negativity being a bit bizarre. This may not exactly be a wise move, but it's hardly disastrous either.

[BushKenya]

Anyway, according to my calcuations and the verbal commitments I have gotten over the phone just this evening, by the first weekend of December, I will have raised $900 for my trip including the deposit, passport, and a big chunk toward the airfare.

How the hell does that even cover that?

It won't cover all of it, for sure, but it will cover quite a bit

I'm disappointed that my question received no answer. Oh, well.

Gustaf, no I'm not being called to up and move to Kenya.  I'm just being led to lend my hand in whatever way I can for the 3 or 4 days we'll be there.  The trip is a week long, but you can probably estimate 2 days to get there and 2 days to get back which only leaves 3, maybe 4, days to serve on the ground.

Anyway, a new update.  I talked to the guy over the phone for the first time this evening after work.  I've been talking to him via texting before now.  I am going to fax the application in tomorrow and then talk to him in person and lay down the deposit on Wednesday, November 30.  I will hopefully apply for the passport the same day.

The trip is $850 + $1500 airfare, so $2350 total plus passport, shots, and spending money.  It's a little more than I originally thought, but I'm going with the flow and it's not excessively more.

[Lіef]

Don't you still owe your parents a bunch of money?

[BushKenya]

Don't you still owe your parents a bunch of money?

I do owe them some money, but we have never actually counted how much it is, because I could never repay them.

[BushKenya]

Would you look at that... Through all the commitments I have already secured, I have my trip pretty well paid for already.  In fact, I have over $3,200 at my disposal if I need it.  The airfare is $1500, the trip itself is $850, spending money/visa money is $200, passport is $135.  All together that is $2685.  The deposit is $250, so that brings the balance down to $2435.  The passport is $135, so balance is now $2300.  My grandmother will give me $300 at the beginning of December and the beginning of January, so balance is now $1700.  I will contribute $200 in December, January, February, and March, so that's now $900.  I have secured donations from my brother and his wife for Christmas and my missionary friends from China also for Christmas, probably $100 each.  The balance is now $700.  My grandmother will give me another $300 at the beginning of February to bring it down to $400.  I will contribute my own spending/visa money, so that's now $200.  That leaves my mother and dad only having to contribute $200.  That's not even including if my church can help me out some.

[BushKenya]

The dates have been modified to March 16-25, instead of March 16-23.  So, if I switch to a Monday-Friday schedule again, I will only have to take 6 days for the trip and 1 day for jet lag recovery for a total of 7 days (56 hours).  Under the current 4/10 schedule, I would have to take 70 hours leave which would definitely not work.  So, I am going to switch my schedule the first of January.

[BushKenya]

I also just realized I could fax from my home computer and scanner, so I just sent him my app via fax!!

[Secretary Polnut]

Would you look at that... Through all the commitments I have already secured, I have my trip pretty well paid for already.  In fact, I have over $3,200 at my disposal if I need it.  The airfare is $1500, the trip itself is $850, spending money/visa money is $200, passport is $135.  All together that is $2685.  The deposit is $250, so that brings the balance down to $2435.  The passport is $135, so balance is now $2300.  My grandmother will give me $300 at the beginning of December and the beginning of January, so balance is now $1700.  I will contribute $200 in December, January, February, and March, so that's now $900.  I have secured donations from my brother and his wife for Christmas and my missionary friends from China also for Christmas, probably $100 each.  The balance is now $700.  My grandmother will give me another $300 at the beginning of February to bring it down to $400.  I will contribute my own spending/visa money, so that's now $200.  That leaves my mother and dad only having to contribute $200.  That's not even including if my church can help me out some.

Um... $150 for spending money?

Ah... ha... when it comes to spending money always over estimate.

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

While your rule there is certainly a good one, $150 is over 13,000 Kenyan shillings.

[BushKenya]

Would you look at that... Through all the commitments I have already secured, I have my trip pretty well paid for already.  In fact, I have over $3,200 at my disposal if I need it.  The airfare is $1500, the trip itself is $850, spending money/visa money is $200, passport is $135.  All together that is $2685.  The deposit is $250, so that brings the balance down to $2435.  The passport is $135, so balance is now $2300.  My grandmother will give me $300 at the beginning of December and the beginning of January, so balance is now $1700.  I will contribute $200 in December, January, February, and March, so that's now $900.  I have secured donations from my brother and his wife for Christmas and my missionary friends from China also for Christmas, probably $100 each.  The balance is now $700.  My grandmother will give me another $300 at the beginning of February to bring it down to $400.  I will contribute my own spending/visa money, so that's now $200.  That leaves my mother and dad only having to contribute $200.  That's not even including if my church can help me out some.

Um... $150 for spending money?

Ah... ha... when it comes to spending money always over estimate.

It may be more than that, but I've got extra money available should I need it!

[Јas]

While your rule there is certainly a good one, $150 is over 13,000 Kenyan shillings.

Your point being?

[Sibboleth]

I'll also add that I agree with the negativity being a bit bizarre. This may not exactly be a wise move, but it's hardly disastrous either.

It certainly isn't the most idiotic thing he's done in his life.

[BushKenya]

He did receive the application this morning and is reviewing it.  The next three days I'm going to pour over the budget quite a bit and look at the website more and get more ideas of what to do.  I'm about to show the website to my mother this evening for the first time and let her look at it.

I do want to thank the forum, for the most part, you have been very receptive of this idea and I haven't heard any scathing criticisms of this adventure.  Even the negativity I have received hasn't been mean or nasty and I have pretty much just laughed it off.  I think this is the first adventure I've taken in the past two or three years that the forum as a collective group actually approves of.

[BushKenya]

There were really no further developments today, nor will there be the rest of the weekend because of Thanksgiving.  However, I did show the Maisha website to my mother last night (I'm spending 3 nights with them), and she was impressed by what she saw.  She said it will certainly be different for me, but she thinks it will be good for me to go out there and experience a whole new culture.  I have 113 days until I leave, which is about 3 months and 3 weeks.