Steem Around the World Challenge - Exciting New Developments

We're still getting ready ...

...but making some good progress in the meantime. Since my last update a few things have happened that I wanna mention here. But first, let me quickly summarize the idea behind this challenge.

Steemians around the world who like to create things deepen their connections by sending their products to each other as gifts, in a pay-it-forward fashion. The goal is to create a chain spanning the world, so the first participant sending something will receive something from the last one on the list. The details of how to link the people together will be decided together, in form of posts, comments, and replies, here in Steemit. The shipping fees will be covered from the rewards payed out to these articles, as well as others posted specifically for this purpose by every participant, and transferred to the one whose turn it is to send the next item.

So much in a nutshell. Please note, that I've written this summary of a summary several times now. So if it is too compact, please feel free to read through the previous ones, where this project is explained in greater detail (and much repetitiveness). Though there is always a chance you might come across some forgotten idea, so it's worth giving them glance:

Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4 Post 5 Post 6 Post 7

New Articles by Interested Participants

Okay, 'new' may not be the right word here, making it even more important to mention this one before it gets forgotten in the folds of the web. It was published by Hive account@ecoknowme, who was also responsible for seeding this original idea of this project. In his post STEEM Around the World!!! The EcoKnowme want to send YOU something special... Just PAY IT FORWARD ;) he offers some ideas on how this project could be realized. What I especially like about it, is his mention of Pay It Forward, which is essentially one of the core ideas behind this whole endeavor, even though I hadn't realized it myself. This post generated 0.86 SBD, which he even transferred to me. I'm deeply grateful for it, and want to add it to the slowly growing list of funds, intended to pay for the first shipping (whoever may send whatever item to whomever, wherever in this world...).

The other article tagged with #steemaroundtheworld was posted by Hive account@ecoinstant and is titled Steemit International Commerce – Can Steemit help solve the problems that Artesans, Makers, and Growers face world-wide? I was quite happy to read this, as it presents the Steem Around The World Challenge as much more than a fun pastime for artisans, homesteaders, and steemians. Instead, it handles it as a feasible way to directly connect producers with consumers, as illustrated in his example as a coffee grower. The post generated a nice reward as well, which I don't want the author to send to me right away. Certainly, I always appreciate donations, and I didn't object to Hive account@ecoknowme sending me the rewards from his post either. However, I think it would be more just, as well as better for fostering cooperation, if the author merely agrees to send the rewards of a given post to the actual person who's going to send a given shipment, once the time comes. This way, when the details have been decided (who, what, where from, where to, how much, etc.), the sender will receive funds from several other members.

The third article I'd like to highlight here was written by an entirely new member, Hive account@nature-sauvage from Quebec. Her post is in French and English called FR-ENG Voici ce que mes doigts d'artisane aiment créer!!! - Here is what my artisan fingers like to create! It is a super beautiful post, introducing her feather-work for jewelry and pencils, doll-making, drawing, and woodcarving. Plus she's interested in Steeming Around the World with us! Since her feather jewelry are feather-light, I think she would be an ideal candidate to go first. I don't know the details, but I would guess that with the funds already accumulated we could even pay her to send a pair of earrings all the way down to Hive account@overthewait in Australia. What do you all think? By the way, her article has been up for less than three days, so there is still time to give her an upvote (which it certainly deserves, not only for our challenge).

Where are We in Terms of Funds and People?

Here's a list of everyone who said they may be interested in participating, as well as the bits of money accumulated so far:

Post Rewards:

Post 1: 0.027 SBD, 0.025 SP
Post 2: 0.125 SBD, 0.115 SP
Post 3: 0.335 SBD, 0.245 SP
Post 4: 1.336 SBD, 1.007 SP
Post 5: 0.048 SBD, 0.038 SP
Post 6: 0.098 SBD, 0.079 SP
Post 7: 0.209 SBD, 0.186 SP

Subotal: 2.178 SBD, 1.695 SP

Post by Hive account@ecoknowme: 0.86 SBD (transfered to Hive account@stortebeker)
Post by Hive account@ecoinstant: 6.091 SP (in own account)

Donations:

July 29 5 SBD
July 31 30 SBD

GRAND TOTAL: 38.038 SBD, 7.786 SP

Interested Participants:

@ecoinstant --- Tolima, Colombia 371048 --- 1lb hand picked and finely roasted organic coffee (mmmhhh).
@stortebeker --- Mexico City 11850 --- a bottle (750ml) of home-brewed mead or a jar of spirulina pesto.
@nerd-minion --- Missouri, USA 65742 --- a lost treasure, found with his metal detector!
@greenacrehome --- North Carolina, USA --- a hand-made soap or an item from his woodworking shop.
@spaingaroo --- Southern Spain 23670 --- medicinally modified extra-virgin olive oil (or, depending on the local laws, maybe another non-food item).
@ecoknowme --- India --- soap, oil, and spices that you would expect from South India AND COFFEE.
@overthewait --- Queensland, Australia --- a handmade steempunk item.
Hive account@nature-sauvage --- Quebec, Canada --- feather-jewelry or another beautiful artisan item

Okay, Now What?

What's next? How shall we move on? Are we ready to make the first shipment? If so who should send what to whom? Or do we need more people interested in participating? Is it best to start early or rather wait till we got more people on board? What are your thoughts, ideas, suggestions? In any case, I think many more articles will be necessary to complete a loop around our globe. I am going to mention each one here that is tagged with #steemaroundtheworld, and assume that its rewards will be offered to fund the shipping.

Hoping for some exciting responses, new ideas, theoretical descriptions, or even fictional accounts, as I've suggested in Post 4 and Post 6 .