What should I wish for?

September 4, 2010 1:06 PM

I'm going to be a recipient of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. I get one wish. What should I ask for?

I am a fifteen year old girl from the States. For some reason, this opportunity is kind of stressful. It's been a tough few years and I want to have some fun, but I don't want to waste my wish on something frivolous either. But at the same time, I am tired of thinking about practical things - and I've been working super hard to stay up on school work and go to doctor's appointments and I'm tired of thinking about all of that.

So, I have thought about:
1.) Going to Greece.
2.) Going on a cross-continent tour of Europe.
3.) Going on a Mediterranean Cruise.

There's no guarantee I can get these wishes, they'll have to be approved, but they told me to think big, so I am.

The problem is that I don't know what I'm passionate about and I don't want to just waste my wish on something cool, I want it to be unforgettable, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But I'm worried that I'll look back and think I wasted my wish.

So, what would you do? If you could wish for anything, what would you wish for?

Throwaway e-mail: [e-mail]

posted by anonymous to Grab Bag (42 answers total)

I can't imagine regretting travel overseas. It's fun, it's memorable, and it's "educational" without being dully educational.

Personally I might do a transatlantic cruise followed by a cruise of Europe, particularly if I had any mobility/energy issues (not having to pack/unpack is the real benefit of a cruise, IMHO). But then you'd have to miss the inland parts. You could maybe tour in interior by train at the end and the fly back, or fly over, tour the inland, then cruise the ports and cruise home.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:09 PM on September 4, 2010

hmm it sounds like you've been bit by a travel bug. how about a round-the-world trip? Make sure you hit every continent (but you'd probably skip Antartica...although I do know someone who has been there)
posted by saraindc at 1:12 PM on September 4, 2010

It sounds like you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself to find the "perfect" wish - unforgettable forever, best thing ever, etc. No matter what you do, if you enjoy yourself, you won't waste the wish. The wish isn't meant to cause you more stress! You totally deserve to do something frivolous, fun, enjoyable, whatever. I think that whatever you pick, it will be unforgettable regardless.

All of those ideas sound cool - I am wont to recommend experiences over things. Are you leaning towards anything? Go with that. Give yourself some time to think, and consider, but don't worry about finding The Best Wish. Just find a good-enough wish, a wish that will be fun and let you relax and enjoy.
posted by quadrilaterals at 1:12 PM on September 4, 2010 [2 favorites]

I think you're in a tough position because no matter how great your wish is, you may be overwhelmed by thoughts that it could have been better or more perfect or more inspirational, more fun, more meaningful, etc etc etc. I suggest trying really hard to let go of these feelings now, and just focus on what you would like to see, and what types of things you enjoy. Clearly you're focused on travel. Why not go to a library or do some internet research and see what amongst these locations interests you most?

And I do want to 2nd a cruise -- it might be nice to have lots of aspects of your travel taken care of for you, especially if you're dealing with health issues.
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:13 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

Do you have any personal heroes you've always wanted to meet? Maybe in conjunction with travel?
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 1:16 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

It sounds like you really want to travel & go to Europe. :)

Some questions that might help the suggestions:

Logistical:

* how long do you think you have for a trip? a week? 2 weeks?
* when would you be going on the trip?
* do you have any travel difficulties that require advance planning or make things hard logistically?
* who would be traveling with you?

Personal Tastes:

* What do you dream of seeing? Ruins? Art? Sporting Events? Cultural Events?
* Do you prefer to sit & chill in one place (e.g. the beach), or move around a lot?

All three of the things you listed are fantastic ideas, but some may be harder than others depending on the time of year. Greece, for example - it's beautiful, but island hopping is really hard to do as a tourist once October rolls around.

The cross-continent tour of Europe is a classic, and I'm sure you'll get no end of suggestions on every possible place from people here if you can provide a little more information about what you really like.

And don't put too much pressure on yourself to make it the *perfect* trip. If you find yourself doing something you've always dreamed of, it will be. :)

Good luck!
posted by swngnmonk at 1:16 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yikes, it definitely sounds like you're stressing about this! I see where you're coming from, but don't pressure yourself so much to make this the *best experience ever*. Just make it a gift to yourself. School trains you to always go after your true passion (whatever that is) but don't let that idea infect you. Just pick out something that sounds like fun!

Personally I like the idea of a cruise! (I've never been on one.) Traveling is great but getting from place-to-place can be stressful. Sometimes it's nice to lie back and relax (and eat a lot, if that's an option. I'm a lazy gluttonous person ;) ) But if there's a travel destination that sounds super cool, feel free to suggest that.

The old trick is to flip a coin, and see which way you want it to land when it's in the air.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 1:18 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'll argue against a cruise. Cruises are by and large not intended as a way to "see the world" as a way to have a "traveling resort". You'll spend a lot more time on the boat than you will in port, so if you want to see stuff that is not-a-boat and people who are not-on-a-boat, cruises are not for you.

If you are moderately mobile and can treat or cope with your disease for at least two to four weeks, consider a hostel/backpack tour in Europe. You'll see lots of different places very intimately and have amazing experiences with hundreds of different people -- experiences that are absolutely unavailable to people who are led around by tour guides on programmed vacations (like cruises).

If you're not so mobile or need more frequent medical interventions, planning to visit two big cities connected by rail in Europe or Asia would probably work well minimising travel but still giving you a lot of variety.

Have a great time, and don't worry about making it THE BEST EVER. Know this: you'll never forget your first trip even if you have a hundred of them.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:22 PM on September 4, 2010 [7 favorites]

World cruise with Cunard? You'd see the world but also be able to rest and keep up with schoolwork if you wished - having the same bedroom the whole time and wifi for the trip will cut down on the tiring parts of travel while still giving you all the locations.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 1:22 PM on September 4, 2010 [2 favorites]

I have never been to Greece, done a cross-continent tour of Europe or gone on a Mediterranean Cruise. One of my few regrets in life is not traveling as much as I could have when I was around your age.

Go on the cross-continent tour. Drown yourself in cultures and places and people that are not your own, live it up and enjoy all you can. It will be a once a in a lifetime event.
posted by nomadicink at 1:22 PM on September 4, 2010 [2 favorites]

Personally, I lean toward the cross-continental European trip and I have one thing to add on that point: trains! Trains trains trains trains trains trains trains. I love trains.

(The train to Mont Blanc in France is particularly nice in this manner and Chamonix is charmante.)
posted by maryr at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

Cruises are sort of boring. Assuming you don't have mobility issues, I'd go for Greece or Europe.
posted by k8t at 1:37 PM on September 4, 2010 [4 favorites]

I might just suggest one thing. Whatever you end up choosing, it would be nice if it could include your best friend(s). These things are best done with friends...someone that sees it all the same way you do...enjoys the same things. Memories like this are best shared. Not only will you enjoy it more, it's a special gift to give memories to friends. You will be amazed at how this will help relieve the pressure you are feeling.

Peace.
posted by nickjadlowe at 1:45 PM on September 4, 2010 [11 favorites]

Since you want to remain anonymous, why not register a second account here (it's called a "sockpuppet") so you can participate in the discussion? That way you can tell us whether you like ruins, beaches, strange people or whatever.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:08 PM on September 4, 2010 [2 favorites]

"The problem is that I don't know what I'm passionate about and I don't want to just waste my wish on something cool."

One way to discover what you're passionate about is to do cool things and see where they lead.

Take the trip you feel like taking. Don't worry if it's the perfect trip; just go. If you go with your eyes open and pay attention to what you experience, you are basically guaranteed to learn a lot about yourself — and to discover all sorts of stuff you're more enthusiastic about than you realized.

Maybe it'll be straightforward ("I went to Greece and saw the Parthenon and that's how I discovered my passion for ancient history") or maybe it'll be convoluted ("I went to Greece and by total coincidence I met this really nice girl on the train and she lent me a copy of the book she was reading and it was about all the different beetles that live in Greece and it turns out beetles are really cool and that's how I discovered my passion for entomology") but either way it'll be worth it.
posted by nebulawindphone at 2:13 PM on September 4, 2010 [3 favorites]

In high school someone I know got to go to the Superbowl. He was a HUGE NFL fan and it meant a lot to do that - definitely a once in a lifetime thing, too.

So I'd say don't worry so much that your wish defines you as a person - try to think of something you wouldn't otherwise ever get to do if it weren't for this (hint: plane tickets to greece are not really all that expensive, if you were 18 you could probably go to greece on your own without even having to stress much about it).
posted by Sara C. at 2:21 PM on September 4, 2010

it would be nice if it could include your best friend(s)

this is a really great idea, when I was your age, my parents sometimes let me bring friends along on trips, and it made them so much fun. All your ideas sound great, and very worthwile.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:31 PM on September 4, 2010

People are gonna think I'm nuts but I'd wish to be involved in a film or show that I love. That way, I'd be on set, meeting the people that make art that inspires me, and be visible on screen for me and all my friends and family to see forever.

This might sound ridiculous, but a kid did this a few years ago with Deadwood. David Milch mentions it in the commentary track for the episode. It wasn't make a wish--it was just a boy (12, I think) who wanted to be an actor and was very ill and it got mentioned to Milch and he gave the kid a small speaking part. The boy passed away shortly after (but did see the episode completed). He got to live his dream and his parents got to see him live his dream and they now have a record of that experience. The kid only had 2 or 3 lines, but he was terrific; I thought so long before I knew the story behind it. (Milch says he'd rather work with non-professional actors than professional ones... he's got another show with Dustin Hoffman and other shooting for HBO now/soon!)

Obviously, this isn't super interesting if you have no desire to act or their aren't entertainment professionals who inspire you, but maybe the answer isn't necessarily travel, but to do something that doesn't require financial investment, just connections, something the Make a Wish people may have. Maybe you could watch a favorite painter or sculptor work--or be their subject. Or have your favorite author read your favorite book to you. Etc.
posted by dobbs at 2:32 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

What sort of family history do you have? A really fun idea might be to go to whatever country your family came to the U.S. from generations ago. You'd have a great trip and learn more about your family and ancestors in the process.

...just a thought!
posted by 2oh1 at 2:35 PM on September 4, 2010

Your ideas sound fun. Personally, my wishes would focus on an experience of nature. People have told me that up-close encounter with an animal or an immersion into a vast wilderness was one of the most profound things that they've experienced. I would look into spending time in the jungle with gorillas, raft through the Alaskan wilderness, kayak with the whales. Alaskan cruises involve lots of amazing vistas and wildlife, I hear. But that's just what's high on my list, and you should do the things that are highest on yours.

No matter what you choose, I don't think you'll feel like you wasted your wish if you choose something that you researched and truly enjoy. Even if you later move on to liking other things, you'll see this as a step along the way. So, as you research, I would consider what the moment-to-moment experience will be like. For instance, if you hate crowds, you might look into how crowded certain places are. That said, no matter what, it may end up being very different from what you expected, and the unexpectedness might be the most interesting part of it.
posted by salvia at 2:44 PM on September 4, 2010

I have been on 2 cruises and they were both excellent (and not at all boring!). There's great food and lots to do on the boat. You'll generally visit a different city/country every 1-2 days so you don't get bored or run out of things to do. There's usually organised excursions you can go on or just get off the boat and go exploring. You can go to bed in Barcelona and wake up in Monte Carlo. The med cruise we went on was far more interesting than the week we spent in Sorrento before-hand (with the exception of the 2 days we travelled out to pompeii - if you can get a cruise that stops in Naples, Pomeii is amazing). We visited the vatican, the sistene chapel and the colleseum when we were in Rome, several art galleries and museums in Barcelona and went on a Nemo submarine trip in Mallorca. I stayed on the boat while my parents went to Monte Carlo since I wouldn't be allowed in the Casino but there was plenty to do on-board. There was a quiz, karaoke, bingo plus a swimming pool and sunbathing aswell as the fitness center/salon etc (which all cost money).

Cruising might not be for you but I dont want you to be put off by some of the comments up-thread claiming cruises are boring and you'll be stuck on the boat most of the time. For me, if it were a choice between backpacking, staying in hostels and traveling on public transport or seeing most of what a city has to offer in a day then going back to my floating hotel room, taking a shower, getting dressed up and going to a top restaurant then going to sleep in a nice comfy bed and waking up in a whole new country ready to start again - well its not exactly a tough choice but that's just the sort of person I am. I like seeing new places but I hate travelling (and I also like great food - thats already been paid for!)

IMO cruises are a great way to see a lot of different places in a short amount of time without all the stress and hassle of travelling.
posted by missmagenta at 2:59 PM on September 4, 2010

If I was asked to choose a wish, it would be to go to somewhere that would otherwise be difficult financially - Tokyo, New York, South America, Antarctica even. You don't say if there are any health issues that might affect where you go or when you go, but it sounds like you NEED to travel.
posted by mippy at 3:13 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

Have you read Maureen Johnson's book "13 Little Blue Envelopes"? The premise of the story is that the main character's (Ginny, age 17) late aunt has bequeathed her 13 envelopes, which lead her on a kind of self-discovering scavenger hunt adventure across Europe. Could you ask them to find someone to devise such an uncertain adventure for you?
posted by sarahnade at 3:20 PM on September 4, 2010

I've always wanted to do a National Geographic tour. My neighbors went all over the world last year.
posted by Sara Anne at 3:22 PM on September 4, 2010

You've got some good advice here. IMHO:

Definitely don't stress. In all likelihood you'll end up doing something amazing and it will definitely be memorable.

Consider something relatively exotic (a city/culture unlike the ones around you - or different geography: mountains, equatorial islands, glaciers). If you want a memory to stand out, try something brand new.

If you're not sure what excites you, try buying a bunch of national geographics and travel/photo magazines. Don' t worry about "picking" anything, just look through them all. When you've read a bunch, the places you remember will be the ones that you will become more & more excited about.

Meeting people as you travel is a wonderful thing. Having someone to take you to their favorite little bistro or a hidden beach makes that place so much more special than it would be if you found it on a walking tour. See if you, your family, or your friends know someone awesome you can meet along your way.

posted by doub1ejack at 3:40 PM on September 4, 2010

Tell them you want to see seven wonders of the world. Just mix and match your own from this list. Even if they can't do those, I'm sure they'll be able to arrange for you to see seven other awesome things, which is about six more than most people will ever see.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:37 PM on September 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

Don't worry about what you'll miss out on (every decision you'll ever make means missing out on all the other options)... all your possibilities could make for a great time. When I travel, I like to pick a region that interests me and spend several days in just a few cities or towns. When you spend a lot of time in each, you have the time to learn the area, find a nice place to have breakfast every morning, visit places you like at different times of the day. It feels like you get a taste of living there; like you can almost imagine an alternate life in which you're a native of that place.

You might try checking out a few books on countries that interest you - Greece for starters, and see if they spark more interest in seeing them. You don't have to pick a place that's the Best Ever. Just pick a place you'd like to experience, and go.
posted by itstheclamsname at 5:11 PM on September 4, 2010

What do you like? I only know one thing about you, other than that you're a fifteen-year-old girl from the US with some kind of chronic health condition -- your user name includes the word 'giraffe'. Maybe you like giraffes, maybe you think they're cool, maybe you're passionate about them, maybe not, but here's a travel idea: you could visit a giraffe reserve in Africa (assuming that whatever health facilities you need are there), or another place. here's one.

I agree that taking a friend with you who will also have fun is a great idea.
posted by amtho at 5:43 PM on September 4, 2010

If you do decide to go to Greece, consider going to a school there for a few weeks. It may sound a little odd to want to go to school on vacation, but you would be welcomed like a long lost friend and that truly would be a once in a lifetime experience.

Best of luck.
posted by fantasticninety at 7:56 PM on September 4, 2010

When I was in high school I worked closely with a community theater group in my town. One of the other teenaged kids who performed with us had a kidney condition and was a recipient of the Make-a-Wish foundation. He took the entire company out for dinner in New York City and then to see Wicked during its first couple weeks on Broadway.

This is in no way saying you have to do something so selfless. I'm more just recounting a fond memory I have and noting how great it is that Make-a-Wish is out there.
posted by spitefulcrow at 8:17 PM on September 4, 2010

"Dream big" is right. I don't know what research you've done on the wish-fulfillment process itself, but everything I've read says the Make-A-Wish people go all out. If you haven't already, browse through some of the stories in the "Adventure" category of wish.org, particularly the "International Travel" section. It'll give you a good idea of the kind of effort they throw into even the most prosaic travel requests.

But don't let yourself get boxed into travel unnecessarily. You're with an organization that has a lot of connections. Do you have a hero you've always wanted to talk to? They've managed to set up meetings with Steve Jobs, the Jonas Brothers, Elmo, and the Pope (twice). Likewise for pretty much any location -- world-renowned museums, movie or TV sets, exclusive locations from Hearst Castle to the Oval Office. If you can think of it, they're almost guaranteed to find a way to make it happen.
posted by Rhaomi at 8:41 PM on September 4, 2010

Travel is a great idea, especially if you will have help coordinating the logistics. Longterm travel can be draining, since you're "on" a lot of the time, figuring out which train to take next and where you're going to eat etc. Be sure to build in rest times.

Europe is full of amazing things, so is Greece (don't overlook Turkey, as well). Those are wonderful ideas. It helps to pick a few places and learn more about them (their history, the importance of the art in their museums, local foods, etc) before you go - then you get more enjoyment out of the trip and don't feel like you're just racing around.

Here are a couple of fun videos - they're videos of a guy named Matt who took a break from his job to travel, made one little video for his friends (he called it 'where the hell is Matt?"), and then got sponsored by a company to travel more and make a longer video with more exotic places. (Then did it again a year later, and invited his internet fans to come meet him and be in his video in their city.) These might be good for seeing some "if you could travel anywhere, where would you go?" inspiration.

Dancing Matt 2006
Dancing Matt 2008
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:49 PM on September 4, 2010

One fun idea (my idea of fun, maybe not yours!) would be a flight on the "vomit comet" - Zero G Corporation operates passenger flights that take you up and down to the edge of space, giving you the experience of weightlessness. The flights are 1-2 hours long. Tickets are about $5,000 each.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:03 PM on September 4, 2010

I assume that the group includes companion travel (rather than sending someone 15 off on their own) so might it be possible to combine a trip to somewhere that interests you with something really special for someone (presumably someone near and dear) who would travel with you? It sounds like it could be lots of fun for you if you do something like seeing London and going to a Wimbledon final, if someone near and dear is a tennis fan, Italy and seeing an opera at a famed opera house if someone near and dear is an opera aficianado, etc.
posted by ambient2 at 11:52 PM on September 4, 2010

Since you sound like you're leaning towards travel, let me emphasize one of doub1ejack's points:

Meeting people as you travel is a wonderful thing. Having someone to take you to their favorite little bistro or a hidden beach makes that place so much more special than it would be if you found it on a walking tour. See if you, your family, or your friends know someone awesome you can meet along your way.

A few years ago my husband and I visited 6 European countries in 3 weeks and the places that we remember and love the most are the ones where we made new friends and spent time exploring the city with them, or just hanging out. In fact, we're going back to visit some of those new friends in just two weeks!! So don't just view the trip as a way to see new places, but also as a way to meet new people!
posted by platinum at 12:43 AM on September 5, 2010

I leaned towards Greece because...
1) the cruise, as people mentioned, is a traveling resort with less in the means of really knowing the areas you travel to (in general).
2) the cross-continent trip has to be really, really long in duration to know anywhere you go well, and it is relatively stressful, living out of a suitcase, arranging the reservations constantly, dealing with frequent changes of culture and language and climate (Europe is much less homogeneous than the US, when looking at the same scale).

A stay in Greece, though means
1) seeing all the historic stuff plus thriving, modern cities
2) being able to know one country or even one region very well in its subtleties and variety. But, owing to the homogeneity thing, even within one country you will find variations in foods, architecture, language, etc.
2b) If you stay in the same town for a few weeks you will soon develop relationships with individuals, too, which you can cherish in the long-term
3) is much less of an energy draw than being all over the freakin continent. This is not just about your health, this is true for everyone!
4) allows you to get in contact with appropriate medical professionals or clinics, in case of emergency or maintenance visits. All of these countries work on different medical systems and have different availability of technology, pharmaceuticals, and staff. Working with ONE system is a headache, following up on eventualities all over Europe would be a nightmare on its own.
5) being able to tie the trip to something you are interested in or want to learn about. history? mythology? Greek language? The things you learn are the ones that will last you the longest.
posted by whatzit at 1:06 AM on September 5, 2010

I'm currently on a month-long vacation in Greece and can report that most places are showing signs of shutting down for the season on the various islands. It's a nice time to be here, but it seems unlikely that your trip would be organized before most of the local places/smaller islands close.

On the other hand, I've been non-stop bowled over with the kindness, friendliness and welcoming nature of the local folks I've met on this trip. Traveling mostly alone, I've never been lonely, have always had new an interesting folks to make conversation with and to learn local tips from.

A few of my favorite places so far:

• The cliff-side Chora on Folegandros
• Watching hordes of kitesurfers and windsurfers on a beach in Naxos
• Meeting the monks in the cliff-side monasteries at Meteora
• Enjoying the view over a cold beverage in Oia, Santorini

I would caution against a cruise for this particular area, as most of the local culture is best enjoyed in the evenings, well after cruises depart for their next port. Being 15, I don't expect that you'll be out at bars, but Greek children are quite often awake and enjoying life with their families well into the evenings due to the afternoon siestas in summertime. That said, as a passionate sailor, I've always wanted to take a windjammer/windstar cruise.

Best of luck, and do bring a friend -- or two!
posted by cior at 2:00 AM on September 5, 2010

If you were going to do Greece or some of the Mediterranean, you could map a trip following the footsteps of Odysseus as he returned home from the Trojan War.

(There is a great poem by Tennyson, called Ulysses, about how the great hero comes home from the war and then finds he's unsatisfied staying in one place, and he rallies his shipmates and says: let's head out again for adventure, and test ourselves against the toughest stuff we can find. Its last lines are very inspirational.)

You could also do this with some other famous story/historical journey - you could follow the pilgrimage trail from England to Jerusalem that people would have followed in the Canterbury Tales, or follow the route of Caesar's or Alexander's army on a famous campaign, etc.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:29 AM on September 5, 2010

Mod note: From the OP:

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all of the great advice.

Just to answer some of your questions:

My condition is called Neurofibromatosis II and it shouldn't interfere with my mobility so I'm pretty sure that that won't affect my trip. So if I do end up going on a cruise, it will be because of the reason any other person would go on one Also, I'd probably be going in the summer, so I would be free from school and to those who were concerned about things shutting down, I would probably be there around prime tourist season. (Ah!) Yes, I am definitely interested in travelling, in fact if I HAD to say something was my passion, travelling would be it. I'd love to go everywhere but Europe is the most important to me. I spent some time in Italy a couple years ago and loved it, but it was a very personal trip and I have some connections there so it would be much easier to go back there than to travel to some of the other amazing European countries. I definitely would love to invite a friend! I've been planning to ask about that in particular, and my choice would to bring my mom, sisters, and a friend (if they let me bring more, then I will definitely add to that list, but I think that it would be hard to facilitate a trip with so many people. For those of you who have mentioned meeting celebrities, I have kind of shied away from this because I've been told that while some people will give you a lot of time to spend with them, others will just do a very quick meet-and-greet and it could take a very long time to plan out. Plus, my heroes are my friends and family, and they give me all the time I ask for. In response to 'sarahnade' I actually just read that book last week! Unfortunately I don't think I've got anyone who could create a list of things that they knew would lead me to self discovery. To 'amtho' yes, I have a very hilarious inside joke about giraffes which led to a kind of weird obsession with them, however my favorite animals are actually the penguin and dolphin. To 'salvia' living with the gorillas would definitely be something to remember! If they let me go on a world tour, it would be an awesome thing to include, however, I live in the far out country so I crave some city life as well. To 'LobsterMitten' I literally lol'd at Matt and his dancing, and it's funny you mentioned space because someone recently said to me, "They said you should think big, so ask to go anywhere you want! Except maybe the moon... I think that might be just out of reach." Of course that seems like a (relatively) cheap way to get the same kind of experience so I will add it to my 'list of choices.' To all the rest of you, I'm definitely thankful for all of your suggestions and I'm going to spend a good amount of time researching all of them.

But, along with all of these answers, I'm afraid I have some more questions. Such as:

I'm completely lost between practicality and what I really would like to do (travel SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE!). Should I be asking for something more along the lines of a lifetime supply of 'Avastin' (the treatment I use for neurofibromatosis) or college tuition? Or should I be donating to an awesome charity? I have an awesome opportunity, shouldn't I be using this for the greater good? To ease financial worries or to help other people who are much worse off than I am? On one hand I feel like these things would definitely make more sense, but I have a much stronger feeling of 'who the hell cares?!' I'm fifteen after all, and I've had to be serious and practical for so long now, I want to feel carefree. What do you think about this?

Also, a completely foreign idea: what about writing an autobiography and having it published? My aversion to this is that Make A Wish can't control whether or not people actually read it or not.

Once again, thanks everyone! I'm starting to get a little less stressed and more excited, but it's still a lot to take in.

posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:12 PM on September 5, 2010

Should I be asking for something more along the lines of a lifetime supply of 'Avastin' (the treatment I use for neurofibromatosis) or college tuition?... or something for the greater good...?

You'll want to talk to your folks about this of course.
But bear in mind what kinds of stories the Make a Wish people like to feature on their promotional materials -- it's the "think big", fun, inspiring, neat stuff, right? That's because people who donate to Make a Wish, and the people who volunteer and get involved with making it happen, enjoy the idea of giving you (who have faced some hard stuff that kids your age don't usually have to face) something that's fun, no strings, something that's what you want. Exactly so you don't have to worry about practicalities etc, so you can "feel like a kid" -- which means different things for everyone, I guess, but you should think about what it means for you. That's what they want to do for you. They don't want to stress you out and make you think about how you should be helping others. So I don't think you're obligated to use the wish for anyone else -- they're giving it to you, hoping that you will use it for yourself.

I had a friend in college whose mom had died when she (the friend) was 18. The mom had told the daughter very firmly: "see the world. When I was your age, I wanted to travel but I waited and put it off, and now there are a lot of places I wanted to go that I won't get to see." She basically told her to postpone college for a while and just travel, have adventures, soak it all in.

There's something very right about that -- when someone gives you a chance to do something big and optional, take it! The practical must-do stuff like medicine is stuff where you'll come up with a way to make it work (obviously ask your folks about this!) but the optional stuff like travel is easy to put off indefinitely. I think people get excited to give money and time to Make a Wish because of that -- wanting you to have the chance to do some of these optional things, when so much of your life is constrained by what needs to be done.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:47 PM on September 5, 2010

OP, you make me all schmoopy. Not only are you caring, bright, and a MeFite, but you want to give away your wish to help others? You're amazing and inspiring.

I'm fifteen after all, and I've had to be serious and practical for so long now, I want to feel carefree.

That's exactly how Make-A-Wish wants you to feel. Not to forget about your problems entirely, but to lighten your load for a while. No one here will tell you that you are immoral for choosing what's best for yourself in this experience.
posted by sarahnade at 5:00 PM on September 8, 2010

I would be extremely disappointed to hear that you donated the money to charity. (And I say that as someone who donates regularly.) This is an opportunity for you to create a unique life experience for yourself - a memory that will always be a part of you.

Like everyone else said, don't stress about this. There is no wrong choice - whatever you choose will be amazing.

Good on you!
posted by widdershins at 2:19 PM on September 9, 2010