The youth Ambassadors will travel to Southern Africa this summer for a total of four weeks. During this time in Africa, the HERO Ambassadors will be working with those affected with HIV/AIDS.

To understand how and why this program was initiated, I will provide a quote from the “rules”:

The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) is looking for 20 high school juniors and seniors and college freshmen (Canada: Grades 11, 12 and 1st year university) to participate in its HERO Youth Ambassador Program for the summer of 2008 (the “Ambassadorship”). Youth Ambassadors will travel to Southern Africa for a total of four weeks as representatives of American and Canadian youth interested in helping those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Youth Ambassadors will visit a number of communities and work at schools funded by UNA-USA’s HERO campaign. Youth Ambassadors will interact with African school children and administrators, lead or participate in extracurricular or enrichment activities involving students, and repair, renovate or paint buildings and classrooms. Activities of the Youth Ambassadors will be photographed, videotaped, chronicled and made available publicly to further public awareness of the Youth Ambassador Program, UNA-USA, and the impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa or for other purposes. Youth Ambassadors will be required to engage in fund raising to defray basic program costs.

HOW TO APPLY:

In the United States, go to one of the following websites:

www.beinggirl.com
www.heroaction.org

In Canada, the link is:

www.protectingfutures.com

WHAT IS REQUIRED:

1) Download, print, and read the search rules (2 pages)

2) Download, print, read and sign the application (3 pages) (parental/legal guardian permission for those under the age of 18)

The application includes a total of 8 essay questions that require detailed answers.

3) Two typed letter of reference (see application for further information)

4) Download, print, read and fill out the “Application Procedures and Program Terms (2 pages)

*5) $5000.00 which will be used for airfare, meals, and other travel expenses

* Part of the “Program Terms” is to raise money for the trip. To quote the program terms, one of the requirements is:

I will create and execute fund raising programs in my school and/or community, designed to defray the costs of my participation in the Youth Ambassador Program and further public awareness of the Youth Ambassador Program, UNA-USA, and the impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa, and will raise a minimum of $5,000 USD to be submitted to UNA-USA no
later than June 15, 2008;

7) Other items needed will include proof of identity, passport, medical insurance, travel insurance, proof of immunizations, letter of medical examination (proof of fitness), plus several other conditions. (See the Application Procedures & Program Terms for details).

Application Submissions may not be made by any other method, and any Application Submissions received by any other method, including via the Internet, by hand delivery or overnight delivery service, will not be considered

If you have read this far, meet the qualifications, and are still interested in traveling to Africa, time is of the essence. All entries must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2008.

For a chance of a lifetime, click on one of the above links and begin your journey.

Good Luck!

If you are chosen, drop me a comment so I can cheer you on.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a free, one stop shopping site, for trips and vacations?

A search engine, for travelers?

A search engine that would provide comparisons between airlines, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and/or vacation packages?

Well, now there is.

Actually there are two.

1) Kayak.com
2) Sidestep.com

Both of this sites offer that one stop shopping (searching multiple sites) you may be looking for.

All you do is, enter your trip information, and these sites do the rest of the work for you.

They scan hundreds of sites, and give you dozens of results to choose from.

They both offer side by side comparisons, and provide a link to the specified site.

Keep in mind, these sites are not “resellers”, or online “travel agencies”.

I checked out both sites.

I input the same flight information into both sites, and both basically gave me the same results.

Whether you use one or the other, becomes a personal preference.

Check out both, and add them to your “favorites”.

In the future, when you are planning a trip, you are just one click away from all of the best deals and travel information you will need.