US Expedition-one week to go!

Blog written by Dan Cullum, 19, New Zealand

In a large crowd of people, whether that be at a sports event or New Year’s Eve, the ‘countdown’ only ever really begins at ‘10’, and thus with my fellow Young Explorers around the world, our 10 day countdown begins today! To be completely honest, everything this still such a whirlwind experience and I’m just soaking it all in, from hearing that we’ll be going on an eight day kayaking journey, to receiving all the Quechua Expedition Gear, to following on Google Maps the distance we’ll be covering from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans, it is overwhelming in the best possible way.

Last night, I was invited to speak at the Lions Club of my community. They have been so supportive of me over the past 2 years and it was an absolute privilege to be able to return there to share with them about Mike Horn’s Dream, the Young Explorers Program, and what we will be doing in the Everglades and Gulf of Mexico. Telling to an audience about the adventure to come made it all the more real that it is happening so soon!

At the moment I’m also in the middle of Final Exams at University. It is no easy feat trying to study mathematics with the knowledge that I’ll be on Pangaea soon with Mike and the Young Explorers, but I am very thankful that my exams are finishing before the Expedition so I can give my all to it when I’m there.

So right now it is back to the books for me, with my mind almost all the time floating off to the Expedition to come. What an opportunity, what a journey to experience, I love being a Young Explorer!