32 Days...

OMG!!! It seems like just yesterday, I was a little girl staring at a future dream that I had to be a part of! Sitting in an auditorium (well more like dancing in the aisles!) staring at a stage filled with young people (much older than I at the time) singing, dancing, and filling the room with an unexplainable energy was way more than my eager little body and dream filled heart could take in at any given time. Little did I know that that moment in time would change my life 15 or some odd years later!


Yes my friends, I was at an Up With People Show and completely in my element! The show was incredible, but back then, I was to young to realize just how big of an impression that show had just made on my life!


Last October (2008), just 2 months shy of earning my college degree, I sat in my apartment alone, contemplating what the next chapter in my life was going to be. While I knew the pages were about to turn, I hadn't a clue what to write on them! Though it sounds a little crazy, it was at that moment, that I had an epiphany. Up With People, a program I had not thought about for more than a decade of my life popped in my head and my first instinct was "Google it!" Within one click, my future was starring back at me! The same program that had given me such inspiration as a child was right before me begging for me to be apart of it. I quickly scurried around the site, eagerly gathering information until I had only one thing left to do! Apply! And there it began, the beginning to the next chapter of my life!



I sped through the application as if their was a prize to be captured at the end of the finish line! I submitted it and immediately received an e-mail back thanking me for my application, and then waiting began. Not to long after that, I was granted an interview. I carefully read and reread any and every e-mail I received from Up With People, learning my next step in the process and selecting my interview time. On the day of my interview, I was a wreck! I was nervous, panicky, and completely freaking out! What if they didn't like me? What if I didn't get in? What if I say the wrong thing? I paced back and forth in my quiet, semi-dark apartment, cell phone grasped in hand trying to stay calm. Then, it rang! I answered it slowly, much more professionally than I normally answer my personal calls on my cell. On the other line was JC! An UWP Program Director and the person I would become quite familiar with in the next 9 months or so! He quickly explained the process to me and I immediately felt more comfortable and we began the interview.



The interview was actually a piece of cake! I mean let's be honest! Who doesn't like to talk about themselves with no interruptions for over an hour? For approximately 80 minutes or so, I got to "toot my own horn" and share all the wonderful things that come along with being me! Before I new it, the interview was over and I was overly thrilled to hear that JC would be recommending me to the program however, I had to wait several weeks to see if I was actually accepted or not! The next few weeks were awful! It felt like everyday was as long as a week, and I couldn't wait any longer to see if I had the next chapter in my life planned out for me or not!



Everything within the application process moved so fast!

October 13, 2008 - I applied

October 22, 2008 - I interviewed

November 12, 2008 - I was accepted



On November 12th, (the last possible day I was supposed to hear if I was accepted or not) I woke up nervous as ever, went to teach my morning dance classes and eagerly waited that dreaded e-mail. After work, I was about half way home, driving on the freeway when my phone vibrated! Usually, I pick it up and read the text or e-mail like I have done thousands of times before. But this time was different. I slowly picked up my phone and saw that it was an e-mail and I became frozen. With a deep breath, I scrolled through my Blackberry and clicked on the e-mail logo! As soon as I saw the title reading "Congratulations..." from and UWP address I freaked! Here Is what I read....

November 12, 2008

Hi Lynsie,

Congratulations! It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted into the July 2009 program of Up with People. We are all very excited that you will be a part of Up with People and look forward to working with you through the next several months as you complete your plans to join us. Keep your eye on your mailbox for your official acceptance letter which should arrive any day.

If you haven’t already received a phone call from your admissions counselor, I know you will very soon. Your counselor is here to help you through your enrollment process.

We are still approximately a year away from the start of your program, however, that doesn’t mean you can’t start preparing now! To start, let me update you on your Enrollment Procedures.

Enrollment Forms: These documents contain important information that you will need to print, read, complete and return to us here in Denver . I will sent you this packet via email and it should arrive in your inbox the last week of January 2009.

Student Handbook: Your Student Handbook will be sent to you (via post) in the next few months. Covering everything from education tracks to packing tips, all the information you need for your six months of international travel is included in this handbook.

Visa Information: Up with People will provide a number of documents that will help you obtain your visas.

Please note: Not all participants will receive these documents. Depending on your nationality, you may not need to get any visas for the countries you visit during the July 2009 tour. Subsequent information will be sent to you in early 2009.

Passport: You will need a valid passport to travel in the program. If you don’t already have your passport, get it now! If you do have your passport, it must be valid for at least 6 months after you return from the program. Since you will return in December, 2009 your passport must be valid until June, 2010.

The following link provides the necessary directions for obtaining your passport:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Finances: What is your financial plan? If you are interested in receiving more information about our funding options including fundraising ideas and scholarship opportunities, please reply to this email and I will send you what you need. It is never too early to start saving for the program. Many participants open up a separate savings account that they devote to Up with People.

So what can you do now? I recommend that you enroll in the program. This simply confirms for us that you plan to participate in the July 2009 program. You may enroll by sending a quick reply to this email telling me that you are working toward participating in Up with People. All further communication will come to you through this email address, phone calls, and post mail.

Since we will be keeping in touch with you through phone calls, e-mail and post mail, be sure to update us with any changes in your addresses and phone numbers J.

I look forward to working with you and meeting you in July 2009.

Sincerely,

Colleen Eastman


Colleen Eastman
Associate Director of Admissions - Enrollment
Up with People
1600 Broadway, Suite 1460
Denver, CO 80202 USA
+1 303 460 7100, ext 106
www.upwithpeople.org


I was ecstatic! The next chapter of my life was finally about to be published and I was the happiest kid in the world!

The last several months have been such a whirlwind with e-mail after e-mail between me and my program counselor JC, and endless conversations of how to come up with the overwhelming expenses of this once and a lifetime opportunity and more importantly a childhood dream come true! My mom called a few days ago to tell me that I had received another packet in the mail from UWP containing information on costuming, staging in Denver and songs that I needed to learn. (Back in January I received my first packet of information containing my official acceptance letter and my UWP Handbook) Everything is coming together so quickly and yet, I'm not sure I want it to slow down! in just 32 days, I will be on a plane to Denver with an open book just waiting to be filled with lessons, friendships, and experiences only one can dream of!

In 32 days I will officially be "TRAVELing with a purpose, PERFORMing for thousands, and IMPACTing communities"

I am Lynsie Haley, and I, am a member, of Up With People, Cast B, July 2009 Tour!