"Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need." -Voltaire

Well I just made my deposit of $2,500. No turning back now....not that I would!
I need to make $2,600 by March 31st along with between $1,000 and $2,000 for my flight and then an additional amount for food and expenses while overseas.
I hate that this is all about money; I'm sorry.
But! Once the meetings start and I learn more about the class I will be taking and the trips that will be available, the site will spice up!
This weekend I will be working on my scholarship: filling out applications and hopefully writing some essays.
Thank you to all who are staying with me!
On a different note, I have started in the classrooms with my education classes. On Mondays and Wednesdays I am in a Kindergarten all day and on Fridays I am in a Pre-school. It is so great. I cannot wait to have my own classroom and my own students one day. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in second grade and I can't believe that it is beginning to happen! These past two weeks of classes have been hard; I don't ever remember being this tired. Last weekend I spent 20 hours in the library. But it is all worth it! I want to learn everything I can and be the best educator I can be!
Best wishes to everyone :)

"If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it." - Jonathan Winters

So far, no meeting on Italy. But I did go to one about a scholarship for study abroad. It is the Gilman Scholarship. According to the meeting today, I can earn between $500 and $5,000. If I earn the $5,000, that would cover my next payment, my airfare and some of my expenses overseas. It would be such a blessing. However, if I can win the $500, it would help. I need to fill out an application and write two essays by March 1st (if I remember the date correctly). If I won, I also need to do a "follow up" project when I return from Study abroad.
Also, my mother and I found another great possibility of a direct flight to and from Italy.
I have until March 31st to make my $2,600 and honestly, I am scared I won't make it. I am working a job while at college but am only able to work 6 hours a week, which doesn't add up to much. Even if I put every cent to Italy, it wouldn't be possible. I need to find a way to do this.
I am very sorry for such a long time between posts. School has gotten pretty intense. I am in an elementary school from 7am to 4pm Mondays and Wednesdays, in a Pre-school on Fridays, have classes all day Tuesday and Thursday, work afternoons and then do homework at night. This past weekend I did homework from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturday and from 9 am to 4pm on Sunday. Don't worry, I am not complaining. I love being busy and hate sitting still. So this is a good thing...as long as I have time to get everything done. Thats the life of a Junior in college.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Any comments on how to raise money?
Fun stories that happened to you recently?
A joke you want to share?
Anything! I love getting comments even if I can't respond right away :)

"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." - Francis Bacon

I feel so close yet so far from my deadline. I need to make about $300 more dollars to make it. Unfortunately, I did not get called in to substitute teach over break. Which is a real bummer because it wouldn't have only been good money, but it would have been great experience for school. Oh well. I did get odd jobs around town. Today I went to a neighbors house and stained their French doors for them. I have babysat, helped clean and do housework for others as well. We got a lot of snow today and will have even more tonight...maybe someone will take me up on the shoveling job.
I will let everyone know about the meetings our Italy group has once we get back to campus. I love my family but I am ready to be back at University.

Love to you all

"To reach a port, we must sail—Sail, not tie at anchor—Sail, not drift." - Franklin Roosevelt

So I have spent the last two days getting things organized for the trip. Yes, I know I still have 5 months but I am so excited. I have created an Italy Binder to organize everything. In this binder I am keeping track of my money, what I have, what I need, and my list of vocab words. I have been studying Italian. It's a slow process but I think I can do it. My friend at school is very good at the language so he said he will tutor me this coming semester.
My mother and I have also been looking up fights. We have found a few options but are trying to find the best one.
I am working odd jobs around my town until I go back to school. My first big payment is due January 31st and the final payment is due March 31st. I am pretty sure I can make both of these payments on my own. My parent's have offered to help me with my plane ticket but I plan to pay them back when I return from the trip and get a summer job. I will also have a month and a half of work between the last payment and the trip. This money will be used for food in Italy. I am very excited to get my daily meals from street vendors.
Don't forget my link to Amazon at the bottom of my page. Even if I get a few cents from you purchasing something by clinking through, it's a few cents more than I had and a few cents closer to Italy.
Also, I plan on doing another fudge sale later this year, probably for Valentine's Day or Easter. My question is, what else should I sell? Is there anything you would be interested in buying? Or something you think would sell well?

Thank you everyone! Don't forget to comment!!