After spending some time talking to PayPal and e-bay I finally got everything straightened out and I was able
to donate to Dinesh and Kavita. Whew! But they are worth the effort.
Just happy to be part of this great event.
Thanks Kari for setting it up and to all who have contributed.
For current exchange rates, see here: XE - Universal Currency Converter
At the time of writing, the rates are as follows (based on 10GBP):
USD 16.1474, EUR 11.6319, INR 728.042
The goal amount in USD was calculated yesterdays exchange rate. I have now corrected it using the latest available rate.
The current amount in USD was a typo. It's also corrected now.
Please notice that only the EUR amounts mentioned are accurate (only rounded to next full Euro), all other's converted using the rates I get from the European Central Bank's website, and then rounded.
For Boohbah's pleasure, here's the situation as of 3:30 PM today CET:
We have reached 39% of the goal. Ongoing updated situation can also be found here as mentioned before.
Kari
No problem Kari.
Seems like you might have been busy building a web page and dealing with Paypal etc. yesterday so we forgive you.
I apologize - I am not in a financial position to donate. I freely offer my good wishes however!
I do not know how to say this but let's try.
I have grown to like Dinesh in a way I can not fully understand. I mean, I have for instance never met him in real life. But we have had quite intensive contact, also outside SF. We have talked on phone and Skype, sent text messages and so on. From the beginning of his wedding plans it was quite clear I'm going to attend.
I am especially grateful to him because of how he maintained the contact with me when I had difficult to talk, type, use computer and so on in August through October. He was there with his messages, encouraging me all the time.
When it was finally clear he's going to marry Kavita, I suggested he sets up a donation site. He is the sole breadwinner of his family, taking care of a lot of people, and I understood it could be very difficult for him to go through everything. I was quite sure, and told it to him, that not only me but also other members of this community would like to participate. What's a lot to him and Kavita, a lot in India, is not so much for us living in the western world.
At the time I was not aware of PayPal restrictions regarding private payments to India. When it was clear he could not manage it, not because of himself but because of these restrictions, I knew we his friends had to find something. John PM'd me in about the same time I was thinking of alternatives, asking if I could be the one, and suddenly it was clear. I felt I was a bit responsible of this, first telling him he could collect our donations legally using a website, then telling him sorry it's not possible.
I am happy I can do this for Dinesh, and proud of his friendship. Next two months of my life are going to be funny and happy because of this and doing travel plans, planning Dinesh' bachelor party
Life is good.
Kari
And don't forget Kari we are going to want to see lots of photo's of the happy event for all those unable to attend.
YES!
My doctors don't like the idea of me sitting so many hours in a plane but I'm going to do it anyway. Trying to live healthy until that, take my medicine and generally obey both Angie and doctors.
Angie got the idea of first driving to Zurich, Switzerland and fly from there, taking one hour away from flight time, but in my opinion it's meaningless. I mean, what's the difference if I fly 8 hours or 9 hours? Anyway, Zurich it is. Flight LX154 on 2nd of May, back exactly a week later.
Out of personal nterest I first checked the trains :). You know, over the Balkan states to Turkey, from there to Iran, Pakistan and finally to India. Only two problems: first, Iranian government has a tendency to arrest western tourists as spies
I have traveled a lot in my life, from backpacking to luxury cruises. Never before have I felt such a "travel fever", counting days. Still 54 days to go, 4 days more to the wedding :)
Kari
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