During a leave of absence from my doctoral program this fall, I am embarking on a 7-week journey to INDIA and NEPAL.  I will be traveling light, taking notes, and testing my theories by tracking my own phenomenological experiences. I am traveling (mostly) solo, and have never been to either country before... so this is a true test of "transformative travel experience" which will heavily influence my formal research in the coming year(s).

Donations to support my ability to conduct this research and hone my dissertation topic upon my return are absolutely crucial to my success.  Traveling changes US, and conscious, mindful travelers CAN change the world!  To prove that, and to create a theoretical framework to teach others how to leverage the power of travel to promote Self-Awareness, Tolerance, Sustainable Practices, and Optimal Mental Health, I will need all the help I can get!  I'm currently a full-time graduate student, with over 100K in loans, and 3 more years of research ahead of me.  If you are someone who believes in my ideas and resonates with my passion to unlock the secret of being a "Traveler, not a Tourist," please send any amount you can manage!  I am leaving for India on Sept 11, 2008.  Donations before I leave will be most appreciated!  

Donations of $25 will receive at least TWO POSTCARDS from my travels!

Donations of $25-50 will receive at least THREE POSTCARDS from my travels!

Donations of $50-$150 will receive all of the above, plus a special gift from my travels!

Donations of more than $150 will receive all of the above, plus a LIFETIME PEN-PAL PACKAGE!  Yes... for a limited number of "Angel" level supporters, I am offering my own wit and wisdom, love, friendship and eternal gratitude for making this trip a reality for me, by giving back a lifetime promise:  You will receive FOUR good ol' fashioned "snail-mail" letters per year, for as long as we both shall live!  Think how much happiness this will bring you, when you're old and gray, the kids never visit, and all that comes in the mail are bills and Ikea catalogs. You will be able to count on my letters coming every few months, hand-written and chock full of love, even if you NEVER write back!  For only a $151 now, you will be guaranteed a quarterly dose of sunshine (and a new friend) for many years to come!

To donate via paypal, use my changents.com donation link, or go directly to PayPal and send via my email address: klh@lmi.net.

You may also mail me a check or money order, payable to Krista Haimovitch, c/o TAP - The Travel Awareness Project -- 1119 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA 94702.  Write "MY TRIPPY PEN-PAL" in the memo line, and include your own legible contact information, so that I can send you postcards from India!

Please MAKE SURE you send me your FULL contact information via email, if you make a paypal donation.  Feel free to include any personal information you wish to share (favorite places, your own travel stories, questions or creative ideas re: TAP, or why you are interested in supporting my research, just as a few examples).  I take my letter-writing seriously, and will be doing my best to share something meaningful with every single supporter... even if it's "just" a postcard.  My heartfelt happiness & genuine gratitude for your support will go into every single word I write!  Later, I may come up with other ways to share what I learned while making my way forward on the cutting edge of the unknown.  I can't promise what that will be, but I can promise that every single person who supports me now will stay on my list, and in my prayers, for a long, long time to come.

I look forward to hearing from you, and THANK YOU in advance for your good wishes and support.  This trip -- and my ongoing research -- can't happen without YOU!

Namasté,

Krista