UPDATE: MAY 28, 2011!
Hey everyone!
I’d like to thank you all for coming by, giving my video a watch and spreading the word about my campaign. I would of course like to thank those of you who have donated to the campaign! I do have a long way to go in not much time, so I hope you will help get the word out again.
I have officially gotten my acceptance letter from the University of Iceland so I need your help more than ever to make this happen. I am so close to bringing this to fruition! Please blog this, tweet about it, post on facebook and hit the like button if you would. It won't take a moment!
Today something pretty cool happened too – I got a little bit of Icelandic press about my campaign! Check out this article (in Icelandic) by Guðný Hrafnkelsdóttir who interviewed me about what I’m doing:
http://www.pressan.is/Frettir/LesaFrett/syngur-um-island-svinaflensu-og-tattu-og-heldur-fjaroflun-til-ad-koma-aftur-myndband
Thanks again! Keep on dreaming loves!
My name is Rebecca Louder. I am 25-years old and I'm a writer. I've been splitting my time between Montreal and Iceland since May 2009. It has my heart.
My love affair with Iceland started in November 2006 on a spur-of-the-moment vacation. Like most people who find themselves there, I was completely enchanted and became determined to find a way to go back for a longer period of time. Three years later I was finally able to go back to give it a three month living test-run which passed with such flying colours I almost didn't leave. I got my first real writing gig there being an intern for The Reykjavík Grapevine, made so many friends, traveled all over the country and knew the city like the back of my hand. I was home!
I went back the next summer working as a journalist and trying to figure out a way to get a visa to stay permanently but things did not work out as hoped and I had yet another teary departure.
This year I finally didn't miss the deadline to apply for a Bachelor's in English Literature at the University of Iceland!!! This is wonderful for many reasons:
1. I have been educationally unconventional and still do not have a degree to my name. I want this to change!
2. Uni Iceland is an adorable little school with lots of fun people and great profs on a lovely campus.
3. My life is already pretty much set up over there: wonderful people, nice living digs and future job prospects.
4. I will be very happy.
But here is the thing.
The problem is that as a citizen from a non-EEA country I need to get a visa and show I can support myself for six months. I cannot work over there immediately. Unfortunately I had to declare personal bankruptcy several months ago, before any of this was in the cards, so I am unable to apply for any kind of loan for the next FIVE YEARS! I do not come from a family of any kind of means - we are all starving artists and academics who dress really well and listen to good music but have zero money. My parents have given me so much over the years, but they cannot give me anything more and I need to do this on my own.
So while I do not relish in doing this, I truly do need all the help I can get and whatever generosity you can give will be so deeply appreciated!
How much will this cost exactly?
After converting all amounts from Icelandic krona to USD and taking into account the IndieGoGo fees, the breakdown goes as such:
Visa processing - $107
Financial support for six months - $6690
Medical insurance policy - $360
Criminal record check - $50
IndieGoGo bank processing - $25
3% third-party payment - $218
Possible 9% don't-make-my-goal fee - $653
TOTAL: $8103!
I've knocked it down to $7000. I will be putting every penny I make freelancing into this from now until I go to the airport.
(My application is due on July 15 at the very latest.)
HELP ME GET THE WORD OUT!
Please tell your friends and family and anyone you know who would like to contribute to someone's dreams. Put this on your Facebook and Twitter the crap out of it!
Join the Facebook event!
One thing you can do that won't cost you a thing or require you to sign up to anything is to scroll to the end of the Perks and click the link that says 'Feature it!'. This will help get me onto IndieGogo's front page and get the word to more people.
As an added bonus for everyone, whether you can donate or not, here is a mixtape of some of my favourite songs by some of my favourite Icelandic bands, some of them being my friends (I love you!):
If you have a tumblr, PLEASE REBLOG!!!
Thank you so much!