All the rewards from these steemfest post I make will be used to help dedicated steemers, needing financial support, to travel to steemfest2 in Portugal, Lisbon. All reward will go in saving until contest begins and ends.

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The generosity of steemit inspired me to go to steemfest!

Yesterday was Friday the 11th (posting this later than originally intended), which happens to be the exact day and date of when steemfest first began 8 months ago on November 11th in Amsterdam! This was the day when I first received my steemfest wristband.

Going to steemfest was my first time visiting Europe, which was a very expensive trip that I would not have taken in the past. Yet I was inspired by the kindness and generosity I have received from all steemers. I probably would have never gone if I hadn't felt connected to this amazing community that is here on steemit. The final thing that tipped my decision to go to steemfest was when @infovore gifted me a ticket steemfest ticket (worth 111 SBD I think) from a giveaway he was doing on his steemMag series.

I am so glad that I made the jump to go. It was such a great steemfest conference and the experience helped me grow beyond my comfort zone. After going to steemfest it also inspired my girlfriend @danilamarilu to also start blogging on steemit too! In my opinion I think she has surpassed me and become a better steemer than I am.

I have grown so much since then and it helped me to learn that experiences are greater than money. Although the support I received from @t-r-f and the value of the steem I have collected overtime has actually become more than I spent on the trip; So I actually got to have my experience and keep my money too ^_^

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Now I need your help, I want to give back the gifts I have received!

Now I would like to give back some of the kindness and generosity I have received to other steemers!

I would like to give the same gift that @infovore gave to me to one or several other deserving steemers. I am going to be posting a series titled "blast to the steemfest past", where I will be posting all the picture and things I experienced during steemfest and while I was in Amsterdam! All the rewards from these post will be used to help dedicated steemers to travel to steemfest2 in Portugal, Lisbon.

All steem and SBD reward will go to the contest for the lucky steemer(s). All SP will help support my travel cost to go to steemfest2...... Which I haven't decided if I want to go yet because it seems far, expensive and I am good at making up excuses.
If I decide not to go then all SP earned from these steemfest post will go to other steemers needing fincial support for the travel cost to steemfest2!

I haven't figured out how to organize the contest of who the rewards should go to. If @steemfestdreams would want to collaborate with helping me that would be awesome! Until I decided I will just be storing the rewards in my saving. Here are some things you can do to help these post crowdfund for the contest more efficiently!

1. Resteeming my steemfest posts
2. upvoting
3. Commenting

Once I have collected the reward on these post then I will update on how the contest rules work to decide who/whom will receive the steemfest travel/ticket support.

My 8 month old steemit wristband..... still on my wrist

So I have been wearing the steemfest wristband every since I received it; For some reason I never took it off. Trust me when I say that there is not way to slip it off without cutting it (at least no on my wrist). 6 months ago I made a post about my steemfest wristband, letting everyone vote on if I should keep it on or take it off. The vote was an overwhelming majority of 10-4 in favor of keeping it on (go figure, not sure why I expected differently).

So now it is time that I take off the wristband. I have decided that I will be making a video at the end of the month of me cutting off the wristband...... with scissors. I almost was going to make a funny "hostage video" of me threatening to cut it off if a certain amount of rewards wasn't earned

Some time soon after that, all rewards raised from these post will be put into a steemfest2 contest to help those in need of financial support. Look forward to being able to be a part of something that helps another steemer(s) make their steemfest dreams come true!

First day I checked into my room at the volkshotel while preparing for the meet and greet later that night.

Keep an eye out for my next steemfest post which will be titled "Blast from the steemfest past:"! Thanks you all for all the support you have given. Steemon!