Go on assignment to Kosgoda, Sri Lanka and unearth your own travel story!
Applications close: May 25, 2008
World Nomads will send one exceptional student to participate on an i-to-i volunteer project in the tsunami devastated region of Sri Lanka. Staying in the small coastal village of Kosgoda, 70kms south of Colombo, you will live amongst the local people, working on various neighbourhood projects to help rebuild their community.
As part of this assignment, you will receive mentorship from Sydney Morning Herald journalist and travel writer Keith Austin, who will provide assistance via telephone/internet with story development, scripting and final editing.
You will be staying in Kosgoda with a local family for two weeks, immersing yourself in the local culture. To help you create your own unique story, the scholarship recipient will receive a new Lenovo Ideapad Y-510laptop computer.
Once you have returned home, you'll write, edit and a create a feature article based on your experience in Sri Lanka which will be reviewed and considered for publication by the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia's pre-eminent newspaper, both printed and on-line - giving you the chance to have your story read by thousands of travellers world wide!
The Scholarship also includes airfares from your nearest international airport, i-to-i program costs, travel vaccinations, visa costs and per diems.
What you'll be doing
* We'll fly you in from your country of residence to Sri Lanka. You'll need to be available between July 6th and July 19th 2008.
* Prior to leaving, you will be mentored by journalist Keith Austin to guide you in how to approach your story.
* In Sri Lanka, you will live amongst the local people of Kosgoda, volunteering to help restore their community whilst interviewing people and seeking out your story.
* You will need to keep a daily diary about your time on the trip and upload this to a World Nomads travel journal, including pictures you've taken.
* On your return you will receive further mentoring from Keith Austin to assist in editing togther your feature story. You will then submit your story to the Sydney Morning Herald for possible publication, and on the World Nomads websites within one month of your return.
* Most of all, you'll be experiencing what it's like to be a journalist in a remote location in one the most beautiful and friendly countries in the world!
Who can apply
* To be eligible you have to be currently enrolled and actively studying at a recognised educational tertiary institution and speak and write fluent english.
* Minimum age 18.
* You should be an exceptional writer with a lust for adventure, ambition to grow your journalism/writing skills and desire to help less fortunate communities in the world.
Apply now
If you want it, you've got to show it. To apply you need to:
1. Craft a 500 words(or less) travel focused essay in English around the theme 'An unforgettable adventure'. It's up to you to convince our judging panel through your writing that you have the spirit of adventure and passion for travel journalism to be chosen for this scholarship. We will be looking for;
• originality
• clarity of ideas
• excellent writing
• ability to source and tell a compelling story.
2. Complete an entry form which includes contact and educational institution details and a 300 words (or less) essay on why you should be chosen. Copy and paste the 'An unforgettable adventure' travel story into the entry form.
3. The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the best entries will be published on the World Nomads wesbite on June 1, 2008.
Applications close midnight (Australian Eastern Standard time), May 25, 2008.
Conditions of Entry
1. Information on the scholarship prize and how to enter forms part of these conditions of entry. By applying for this scholarship you agree to be bound by these conditions of entry and all decisions of the scholarship promoter (World Nomads) which are final in all matters relating to the promotion. The scholarship and these conditions of entry are void where prohibited by law. Any changes to these conditions of entry will be published on the World Nomads website at www.worldnomads.com.
2. The promoter is World Nomads Pty Limited of 1306 World Tower, 87-89 Liverpool St, Sydney, NSW 2000.
3. Employees of World Nomads, TheSydney Morning Herald, Lenovo, i-to-i and their subsidiaries and affiliated companies, and members of their immediate families or households, are ineligible to apply for this scholarship.
4. Entry is free. No purchase necessary. You must be older than 18 to enter and currently enrolled and actively studying at a recognised educational institution. You must also have a valid passport and be available to be in Sri Lanka from July 6-19, 2008. To enter, submit a 500 words (or less) travel focused essay in English around the theme ‘An unforgettable adventure’. Complete an entry form which includes personal contact details and a 300 word (or less) essay on why you should be chosen. Copy and paste your travel story into the entry form at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=P_2fRzj2IVt8c4rSr61_2bYWBg_3d_3d
5. The scholarship entries can be submitted from 9.00am AEST on March 6, 2008 and entries close at 11.59m AEST on 25 May 2008. Entries are deemed to be received at the time of receipt by World Nomads and World Nomads records are conclusive as to the time of receipt. All dates are subject to change if necessary in World Nomads discretion.
6. The Scholarship recipient will be selected by a panel of three judges including one independent judge, determining the best overall entry from a review of all eligible entries. The best overall entry is deemed to be the one that best creatively interprets both "An unforgettable adventure" and articulates why the applicant should be awarded the 2008 World Nomads Travel Writing Scholarship. The selection will be conducted at World Nomads Pty Limited of 1306 World Tower, 87-89 Liverpool St, Sydney, NSW 2000 on Monday 26th May 2008. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into, including in the event of a dispute. Chance plays no part in determining the successful scholarship recipient. The successful applicant will receive the following;
* 1 x return economy airfare to Colombo, Sri Lanka from nearest major international airport organised by World Nomads.
* 1 x 14 day i-to-i 'Community work in coastal Sri Lanka' volunteer trip, from July 6-19, 2008. Trip includes accommodation (shared room in home-stay or shared house), 2 x meals a day (breakfast & dinner) airport pick up and transfers. Check i-to-i website for full details of trip:
* per diems of US$15 per day to cover lunch and incidentals.
* 1 x Lenovo Ideapad Y-510 laptop computer
* Travel Insurance
* Cost of any necessary vaccinations and visas
* Mentorship via email/phone from Keith Austin, writer for the Sydney Morning Herald.
7. The scholarship recipient must write/edit a travel story (no less than 600 words and no greater than 800 words) post visiting Sri Lanka. This piece must focus on a story resulting from the visit to Kosgoda. The recipient must then submit the story to World Nomads no later than 1 month after returning from the trip. The scholarship recipient must also keep a daily travel diary and upload diary entries (no less than 200 words per daily entry) to their World Nomads Journal, no later than 2 weeks after returning from the trip.
8. The Scholarship recipient will be notified by email and the recipient's name will be published on the World Nomads website within 14 days after selection.
9. If the Scholarship recipient is not immediately identifiable or contactable World Nomads will make reasonable efforts to identify and/or contact the Scholarship recipient. If the Scholarship recipient has not accepted the scholarship by 2 June 2008, the next best entry will be selected as scholarship recipient.
10. No responsibility is accepted for late, lost or misdirected mail or any errors or failures in internet or other communications. World Nomads reserves the right to cancel or modify the scholarship promotion if, in its sole discretion, the administration of the scholarship promotion is impaired for technical or other reasons beyond its reasonable control and, in such an event, may select the Scholarship recipient from all valid entries received prior to the impairment.
11. Scholarship prize consists of:
* 1 x return economy airfare to Colombo, Sri Lanka from nearest major international airport organised by World Nomads (approx AUD$2500)
* Per Diems of US$15 x 14 days (US$210)
* 1 x 14 day i-to-i 'Community work in coastal Sri Lanka' volunteer trip (AUD$1835)
* 1 x Lenovo Ideapad Y-510 laptop computer (AUD$1499)
* Travel Insurance (approx AUD$150)
* Cost of any necessary vaccinations and visas (approx AUD$500)
Total prize value of scholarship is approximately AUD$6800
12. The value of the prize is accurate at the date of commencement of the scholarship promotion. World Nomads accepts no responsibility for any variation in the value of the prize after that date. The prize cannot be refunded, transferred, substituted or redeemed for cash. World Nomads reserves the right in its sole discretion to substitute the prize with cash or a prize of comparable value if the prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason.
13. The scholarship recipient will be responsible for all personal expenses and any other expenses, fees and costs connected with the prize that are not included in the prize description. The scholarship recipients are also responsible for all transportation to the point of departure, including accommodation costs prior to and following the travel dates in order to meet flight connections.
14. The scholarship recipient must hold valid passports. Entry visas will be organized prior to departure.
15. The scholarship recipient agrees that acceptance of the prize by the scholarship recipient is conditional upon compliance with all relevant laws, rules and regulations and upon the scholarship recipient releasing World Nomads,The Sydney Morning Herald, Lenovo, i-to-i and their affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees and agents, from any and all liability, claims, demands and causes of action for any personal injury or other loss or damage (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss) suffered in connection with the acceptance or use of the prize, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law. World Nomads reserves the right to disqualify the scholarship recipient at its absolute discretion in the event of non-compliance or the failure to provide such releases.
16. As the author of your entry, you warrant that your entry is original and your own work. It will be a condition of entry that both scholarship applicants and the scholarship recipient will grant a non-exclusive copyright license to World Nomads,The Sydney Morning Herald , Lenovo and i-to-i to reproduce the work for subsequent promotion of World Nomads, Lenovo and i-to-i.
You can view World Nomads' privacy policy at http://www.worldnomads.com/privacy.aspx.
