Coca Cola is starting a year long quest to find out what makes people happy named Expedition 206. The trip, which includes short stays of a day or two in each of the 206 countries, incorporates all forms of social media. Greer Cornish is one of the candidates for Expedition 206 and she's hoping her team will be chosen for this incredible opportunity.
In a previous story about the Coca Cola Expedition 206 trip, explained how the team of 3 will meet with locals, tell stories on the trip's Web site and take part in events like the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The trip begins January 1, 2010 in Madrid. The three social media travellers will visit 17 countries, including Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia and Panama in the first month.
Greer Cornish, part of Team WOW,shared her thoughts about the trip she is hoping to be a part of:
How did you get involved in the Coca Cola Project?
I found about about the job opening through Lonely Planet as I am on their supplier list, and Coca-cola advertised the job through companies who would find applicants with relevant experience. At the time I had no idea that it was for Coca-cola, just that if was a year of paid travel searching for happiness - and that sounded pretty good to me. I created a video application in one day and the application form as well. Within no time I was on a plane to Atlanta to meet the 17 other finalists. It all happened very quickly!
Do you know the other 2 on your team or was the team formed by Coke?
I met my team in Atlanta when we went for our interview/selection week. All the teams were placed together by coke after a week of team building exercises and filming expeditions to see who we all worked best with. I was very surprised when our team was formed as we have two girls, and it had been planned that all teams would have two boys for safety reasons while travelling. I reason that they must see how tough and practical both Erin & I are, so we will be absolutely fine!
What are your expectations from this amazing adventure?
I expect that, like the whole application process and experience so far, it will be a fast paced roller coaster; but it is a whole year. Its like running a marathon at sprint pace. I expect we will experience all the things, ups and downs, that everybody does through a year, perhaps heightened by the constant travel and changing of environments. I also hope that we can engage with the people we meet, despite the pace of the trip and build some lasting friendships.
What are you doing to help promote your team?
My team mates and I are very busy creating daily online video content. We wanted to give our friends and fans a reason to vote for us everyday & demonstrate the efforts we are willing to go to, to succeed in this project. We are contacting every single person we can think of to spread the word beyond our immediate networks, as well as contacting media locally and internationally. It is not easy to fit all this into our normal work/life schedules but we are all highly motivated and excited to be involved in the expedition!
Who named the team?
We named the team together in a very short time frame. We liked WOW because it was simple and fun, and we balanced that by having a very meaningful motto 'I am because you are'. We also like WOW as the two 'W's represent the 2 women on the team, with Brendan stuck in between us!
What do your family and friends think? Is everyone supportive?
Everyone has been absolutely wonderful. There are so many people I would like to thank for their help to get me this far. My family and friends all see what a great opportunity this is, and also how much this project suits me personally.
Are you nervous about the trip? Any reservations?
I had my reservations about the pace certainly, but having thought about it more I am feeling very confident that if anyone can do it, my team can. We are all working so well together. We know how to have fun but have our feet on the ground. I have reflected a lot about what it might mean if we go on this expedition and the reason I know that I can handle it is that I do not feel scared. I am not afraid to experience whatever may come our way, good or bad. Life is a journey and I am ready for it
WOW! is a team of 3 adventurers. EZ, a Canadian writer with Turkish background. Greer an Aussie with South American influence and Brendan from the U.S.A, now a rockstar in China. Together they are ready to adventure aroud the world to 206 destinations.
Voting for the winning team ends November 6, 2009. If Greer, Brendan and EZ get the most votes as Team WOW!, I will be following their journey around the world with articles full of information about their journey. Certainly the trip of a lifetime and the ability to carry the message of happiness around the world is an opportunity that is rarely made available.
Read more about the Coca Cola Expedition 206:
Team WOW! Facebook Fan Page
Vote for the winning team.
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