Si prefieres leer esto en español da da clic en este link: http://jpenggoon.blogspot.mx/2015/06/letters-to...
"Send a letter is an excellent way to move elsewhere without moving anything except the heart." - Petronio
"What you wanna do?"
I'm Juan Pablo Eng Goon, I'm from Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, I'm 18 years old and I want to change the world. I know it sounds a little bit crazy, but let me explain you. Last year I finished High School, and the actual society says that you need to choose some career, so I was there, choosing something that I didn't want to choose, so I did paperwork to the international business career, but at the end I didn't do the exam, cause I realize that it wasn't my passion. I don't think do something that I don't want to do, so I thought: What would make me happy? So I imagined me, traveling; meeting new places, new culture, maybe new language, but the most important: new people. Everybody has a story to tell, so with letters and photographs I want to be a storyteller.
So this is the plan: take an airplane to cross the atlantic ocean, doesn't matter to much the destiny, the most important is the people that you are about to meet. So start living, don't have a plan cause I think that the best things in life are the ones that we don't plan. At the end of the day write a letter about that day and send it to unknown people.
But why handwritten letters?
Probably you think that is unnecessary, cause we live in a technology era, where we can send a message instantly with all the social networks that actually exist, but I believe in the magic of handwritten letters cause when you write them, you put a part of your soul on it. There is something beautiful in the imperfection of your letter, in the time where you have to wait, because in that time you learn to appreciate. We live in a world where everything is so fast, but sometimes you need to slow down, and contemplate, learn to value.
So I don't only want to write letters for traveling, I really want to go back to the good old times, I want to go back to that old beautiful way of communication.
"So why you need my money?"
I made a budget of $3500.
- Airplane ticket to somewhere in Europe: $2000 (round trip) I'm going to take the flight in the U.S, cause is cheaper.
- Photography supplies: $1000 (film, paper, chemicals)
- Basic needs: $500 (somewhere to stay, food, that's all. So I want to stay between two and three months, so it's like seven dollars per day.)
Maybe you think that is too little. Seven dollars is not too much, but the idea is to keep as austere as possible.
I thought in really good awards:
- Handcrafted true black & white prints made by me with an enlarger and chemicals in a darkroom.
- Handwritten letters that are going to be unique pieces cause it will be only one per day. You can choose between spanish or english and it will be sent in the city where was written.
- Also instant photographs made with a fuji instax mini, that will be sent in the same envelope with the letter.
- At the end it will be a thank video for all the people who supported.
"So yeah you are going to travel, so funny, and what else?"
So with this project I just don't only want to raise the money to travel, that is not my purpose. My goal is to promote the beautiful art of handwritten letters. So when you collaborate you make a compromise of sending a letter to a person; maybe an old friend, your mom, your dad, your son, whoever.
How long ago you don't send a letter?
Or maybe you are of my generation that didn't experience that. If so, I can tell that is something beautiful, is something that you have to live.
Also with film photography
Is pure magic. If you like photography you really need to live that experience, shoot with film is a rewarding, you have to wait, is everything slow; you learn to admire.
You can be part of this big change, to go back and bring that beautiful costume. More funds, more film, more photographs, more letters, more stories to tell.
"It's is too risky, you shouldn't do it"
Maybe you think that is something crazy, because I don't have a plan, because I don't know what I'm gonna do, what is gonna happen, and that, that is a reason to do it. I am aware of the danger, but it would be more dangerous don't do it, cause we only live once, and if I have the chance to do it, why don't do it?
"I only have one dollar, how else I can help in your dream?"
So one dollar is good enough. I believe that is not only the money, is everything that you do to help. If you know someone who may be interested tell him, you can be part of this big dream.
Thank you!