Hello friends and family!

The conception of this blog and my impending adventure occurred last week when I was summoned by the U.S. Olympic Committee’s chief communications officer and asked two simple questions: “Do you have a passport?” Yes. “Do you know where Indonesia is?” Yes.

With the utterance of those two affirmations I accepted the opportunity to travel to Bali, Indonesia, for the 1st Asian Beach Games. During my three week stay in Bali (Sept. 23 – Oct. 15) I will assist in the strategic planning and placement of a media relations infrastructure necessary for smooth press operations at a worldwide sporting event and also serve as an assistant manager of the Main Press Center (MPC). Even though I will not be attending the Games, it will undoubtedly be an invaluable learning experience in project planning, implementation and management.

Now, a trip to Bali, also known as the Island of Paradise, can’t be all work and no play. I’m planning to visit many of Bali’s breathtaking temples, hike its most sacred mountain, traverse an active volcano and relax in many of its serene botanical gardens. Travel around the 55 mile (from north to south) and 90 mile (from east to west) island should be quite painless using a combination of buses and my two feet. Not only will travel be easy, but extremely affordable. The exchange rate is currently $1 USD for $9,385.30 IDR, meaning basic accommodations will run about $15 per night and bus rides around the island will cost mere pocket change.

I will be updating this blog frequently once I arrive in Bali, barring any internet censorship that might make the Web site inaccessible. If anyone has travel suggestions, please give me a call (817-475-2276) or shoot me an e-mail. As they say around here at the Olympic Training Center, “Amazing Awaits.”

Until Bali,

Ben Z Samples