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In order to raise some money for a volunteering project in Vietnam I have decided to challenge myself to complete 10,000 sit-ups/crunches in 6 weeks! I'm starting on the 1st March and I'll keep you updated on how I'm doing...

The challenge is now complete and I don't think my abs have ever been more toned! Unfortunately I don't have a six-pack to show you all but my other half is now scared when he pokes my stomach as it's un-naturally hard! Thank-you so much for your support and I'll see you when I return.

So why am I doing this...

In May I will be going to Giao Xuan in Vietnam for 4 months to volunteer in an bio-diversity through eco-tourism project with Volunteer for Peace Vietnam (VPV).

Giao Xuan is a small town on the border of Xuan Thuy National Park which provides a key habitat for many birds and animals. The aim of the project there is to provide an alternative sustainable livelyhood for the people that live there and contribute to environmental conservation and protection of the National Park.

While in Vietnam my role will include teaching english. As many of the visitors to the centre speak english this is important to VPV and the project as it will enable better interaction with visitors. I will also be involved in development of the eco-tourism sites website and blog. A large part of the role will involve community engagement to allow an exchange of cultures wih an aim to improving the success of the eco-tourism site.

The project has been arranged through ICYE which is an international charity. The money I raise will pay for my stay in Vietnam as well as acting as a subsidy to allow someone from a developing country to spend time in western europe thereby enabling complete cultural exchange.

I was in a bit of a quandry of what to do to raise some money. I hate running so couldn't imagine pushing myself to do this, however I still wanted to do something that would be a real challenge. So I came upon the idea of doing as many sit-ups and crunches I could. I then developed this into a 6-week sit-up/crunch marathon to get a total of 10,000. This is the equivalent of 225 every day - at the end of this I'll either be in constant pain or will have a stomach of steel!

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