Around the world in 80 minutes

by Stephanie Boegeman

During our planning for The Power of 10 this year, the campaign team asked PEPY staff members about their dreams for the future. We got some fun and surprising answers. Some staff members want to grow strawberries. Others aspire to become leaders in their field. Several people dream of a Cambodia with ever-increasing opportunities in education and development. After looking at all of these dreams, a few patterns started to emerge. We noticed that many members of our team hoped to travel, see the world, and visit new, weird and wonderful places.

In responding to the dreams of our own PEPY team, we didn’t want to think about how we could buy plane tickets or book hotel rooms. Instead, we wanted to find a way to acknowledge their ambitions while bringing some fun and excitement to the table. To accomplish this, we formed a super-secret planning committee and brainstormed how to make the world come alive in Siem Reap. This scheming culminated in a surprise party, in which the participants used homemade “passports” to travel to 10 countries. During this world tour, our staff sampled international cuisine, examined traditional attire, and learned fun facts about far-flung places.

We drank horchata. We danced the samba. We practiced “arigato” and “de nada”. But the most important benefit from the afternoon’s international fiesta had nothing to do with travel or new cultures. We realized that once we learn about the dreams of the people in our immediate community, we become fascinated and intrigued by these as-yet unrealized goals. When a dream is shared, we learn more about our friends and family. Our relationships become stronger, and we become invested in making each other’s dreams a reality.

This process of investing in each other by sharing our goals for the future is why we’re so passionate about dreaming BIG through The Power of 10. Join us in exploring dreams from the international community and add one of your own!