Travel Grant Recipient:
Samuel Byker

The Los Angeles Council of HI-USA promotes and supports the pursuit of world exploration and experiential education by bestowing an annual travel grant of $1,000.  The grant is awarded to a HI-USA member between the ages of 17 and 26 who lives in the greater Los Angeles area.  The purpose of the grant is to assist the recipient in realizing their goals through travel.

After the review of 13 interesting and worthy grant proposals, the Los Angeles Council of HI-USA is proud to award a $1,000 Travel Grant to Samuel Byker.  Sam is nineteen years old and a Los Angeles resident attending Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.  His travel plans have him and six of his classmates, members of Brown’s chapter of Students of the World, traveling to the Indian states of West Bengal and Assam for four weeks.  Their desired project is to make a documentary about a newly created non-governmental organization working there called Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL). 

In the next four years, LaBL will bring solar-powered light to millions of households in rural India.  “LaBL provides a comprehensive approach to sustainable development, satisfying a fundamental need for electricity while also stimulating entrepreneurial activity.  Its innovative model is replicable throughout India –and beyond– but the organization remains in the early stages of growth,” states Sam.  This project will boost LaBL’s international presence and hopefully launch a website for them, which they currently lack.  After university, Sam wishes to pursue a public service career. 

Pre-trip planning has brought Sam and his classmates to study documentary and interviewing techniques, LaBL’s growth model, theories of international development, and the cultures of the regions that they will travel.  By immersing themselves, the team plans to collect raw media by visiting villages where LaBL’s program is firmly established and to villages still under development. 

From the ground Sam and his team will blog about their work so HI-USA members and others interested can read about their experiences. Go to http://www.seechangenow.org to view Sam’s blog.  Additionally, Sam plans to visit the region of Ladakh, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, on his own before returning home. 

In the 2008-2009 school year, Sam and his classmates will create and distribute their feature-length documentary as well as produce media for LaBL, such as videos, podcasts and slideshows.  Additionally, a shorter documentary will be presented at the Clinton Global Initiative Summit.  The Clinton Global Initiative is a nonprofit organization founded by President Clinton and a partner with Students of the World. 

For The Wanderer audience, Sam will submit photos and an article featuring his trip experiences.  He will also give HI-USA some photos and videos that we will post on our website. 

This will be Sam’s second time abroad.  We congratulate Sam on his grant and wish him luck on his documentary.  Safe travels! 

Eurail Train Pass & Ticket Promotions

So you’re ready to see what spectacular, summertime Europe has to offer!  Rail Europe has four money-saving offers to help you get more Spanish Jamon Serrano, London Tube t-shirts, or Belgium chocolates (for instance) for your buck.  All promotions are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.  Please click here to read more. 

Purchase your Eurail passes, tickets, and more at the HI-Travel Store: 1434 Second Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 393-3413

Budget Travel Workshops

Planning your first trip abroad?  World Travel 101 is a travel workshop series that features speakers who have been-there and done-that!  These region specific travel veterans offer you terrific advice on accommodations, health, money, budgeting, packing, safety, transportation and responsible travel.  Come with questions.

Workshops take place at the HI-Travel Store—1434 Second Street, Santa Monica, 90401.  Admission is $5 for HI members and $10 for non-members.  They all begin at 11a.m., unless otherwise noted, and usually run 90 minutes.  Two hour free parking is available in the public parking structure across the street.  Workshops are subject to change or cancellation, so please make a reservation at (310) 393-3413. 

To read more about topic descriptions, please click here.