This coming summer, myself along with two friends will be traveling to Southeast Asia for six months, spending time in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Each of us are going with specific missions in mind, we want to make something of our journey, something meaningful, something we can share and enjoy doing. My name is Reza Kay Pienaar, and I'm following my heart but more importantly, I'm fol
lowing my dream. I want to taste the authentic, ethnic, and flavorful foods of Southeast Asia. I will document how these local chefs prepare their dishes, recording the process and putting it out so people can have access to authentic recipes and prepare them in the comfort of their own homes. I want to create a documentary along with a Video Recipe Blog that would feature not only the preparation of delicious foods, but it would also tell the story of Southeast Asia from the perspectives of the locals living there, building a fuller and more robust picture of how culture influences cuisine. I am 18 years old and graduating high school in May. I was born in South Africa and I grew up in Boston, and now as I finish school and enter the world, I have the opportunity to create my own life and follow my own dreams. Ever since I was young, my dream has been to be an explorer. Wanderlust has always been an integral part of my personality. I've always been fascinated by different cultures, peoples, lifestyles, and exotic flavors. I want to spend my life creating art inspired by the world, whether it is in the form of film, music, cuisine, or drawing and painting I want to have enough money to establish myself and make my creations available to the world. Going to Southeast Asia with my friends marks the beginning of my new life, a life that I create and have responsibility for. And with this opportunity I want to make something out of it. This trip is something I'd like to remember for the rest of my life, and it is also something I'd want to share with other people who have a similar wanderlust and passion for culture, arts, foods, music, nature, people, and the wonders of life. With funding and support, I will be able to buy the proper equipment needed to kickstart my dream into reality. I would need tools like a video camera and some video editing software to complete the job, but with more money and connections, I will be able to take my documentary further. More money would be used to establish myself in the world, so I can spend my life following my calling, which is creating art and sharing it others to expand a sense of awareness and connectedness with one another.