January 19, 2010

Haiku Your Way to AMS or TYO

By Allison Park | Add a comment

Have you always wanted to tour Amsterdam’s famous art museums or update your wardrobe in Tokyo’s shopping district, but just haven’t found the opportunity? Well, we have a haiku for that:

This is your big chance
AMS or TYO
Submit your haiku

That’s right! The International Air Service Committee is giving you the opportunity to use your creative writing skills for a chance to win a trip for two to Amsterdam or Tokyo. As if round trip nonstop airfare weren’t enough, you and your guest will also receive four nights at a participating hotel. Interested?

Here’s what it takes to enter the “I Love to Fly Nonstop” Haiku Contest
*Please review the official rules here

1. Put your thinking cap on
2. Write a great haiku – remember, you can only enter once, so be sure you’re really happy with your haiku – make every word count!
3. Log on to http://facebook.com/IFLYNONSTOP – if you do not have a Facebook account, you’ll need to create one here.  Don’t worry, it is easy and free.  Simply click on the big green “Sign Up” button and supply some basic information about yourself to create an account.
4. Once you have your account, click on the “Contest” tab of the I Fly Nonstop fan page to enter the contest.
5. Fill in a title, enter your haiku under “Fill in your essay here”, and click “upload” – you’re done!
6. Post your haiku by midnight Sunday, February 14, 2010
7. Tell all your friends so they can enter, too!

A haiku is a type of poetry from the Japanese culture.  Haiku combines form, content, and language in a meaningful, yet compact form.  The form of haiku required for the I Love to Fly Nonstop Haiku Contest uses three short lines.  The first line must contain five (5) syllables, the second line seven (7) syllables, and the third line five (5) syllables.  Haiku doesn’t need to rhyme, but it should “paint” a picture in the reader’s mind.

Here’s an example of a haiku:

Wheels up.  Headrest back.
Love to fly Portland nonstop
Bitterball sushi

Helpful hints for a successful entry

A successful entry will:

• Fulfill the assignment;
• Illustrate why you Love to Fly Nonstop internationally out of PDX;
• Have a great story quality;
• Have great writing quality;
• Have something extra/special – the “wow” factor

To be eligible an entry must meet the following content / technical requirements:

• The Haiku must be an original composition of the submitter;
• Submissions must be in English;
• Contestants must be legal residents of Oregon or Clark County, Washington;
• Contestants can only submit one Haiku for the contest;
• Contestants must submit their haiku through the I Fly Nonstop Facebook fan page. Handwritten or mailed submissions will not be accepted;
• Contestants must be 18 years or older as of February 14, 2010;
• Entries involving language of a vulgar, illegal or offensive nature will not be accepted and will not be eligible to win.

Check back in to the Facebook “I Fly Nonstop” fan page between February 22 and 28, 2010.  The top ten haikus will be posted, and you will have a chance to vote on the entries. If your entry is a finalist, increase your chances of winning by encouraging your friends to vote for your submission.  The two entries with the most public votes will be announced the winners, and will win either a Tokyo or an Amsterdam prize package.

Download the official contest rules here: I Love to Fly Nonstop Official Rules