"I love my culture," she said Sunday afternoon, as she told about her journey thus far.

She has taken a couple extra days around the Detroit Lakes area to visit her grandmother, Sue Rawson, and her aunt and uncle, Wally and Lue Rawson, who live in the area.

Letofsky said that the idea of walking around the world came to her in 1974, when she was 12 years old living in Minneapolis.

"I was reading the newspaper and realized there's more to the world than my backyard," she said Sunday at Grace Lutheran Church, where she told of her experiences to a group of about 25 people.  "I was fascinated with a guy who was walking around the world."

***

In July of 1999, she rented a vehicle and packed up all of her belongings.

"I took it all to a flea market and sold it all by 3 p.m. " she said.  She continued by quitting her job, breaking up with her boyfriend, and began walking Aug. 1, 1999.  "I was 37.  it's not like backpacking across Europe at 21," she said.

****

Ins each country that Letofsky has passed through, the money raised in that country went to breast cancer education, facilities and organizations in that country.  In the United States, some of proceeds go to find a cure at The Breast Cancer Fund in San Francisco, Calif.

Other funds have been raised go to different organizations around the United States.  Letofsky said that the Detroit lakes Lions donated $1,000 to the Roger Maris Cancer Fund in Fargo.

****

Letofsky said that India was the most difficult country she went through, for many reason, including the heat (110 degrees), the lack of sanitation and culture as a whole.

"It was like being deposited on Mars," she said.  "You have to scratch everything you've ever known---right down to common sense."

***

Being a white woman in India, Letofsky said that she would have posses of men following her through the villages.  One time she was purchasing a chocolate bar at a roadside booth, when she turned to find the village completely surrounding her at the booth.

"When we stand in line, we have about three feet of space around us.  There they have about 3 inches," she said.

****

She said about 70 percent of the time she has been walking alone, but she (often) has the name and number of the Lions member that is on "Polly duty" for that section of her trip.

Other times, survivors or other people in the city will walk for a period of time with Letofsky.

When the Lions came aboard, Letofsky said that it was the "single most successful moment" in her walk.  She was walking in Melbourne, Australia, and was lost.  She began talking to a lady about finding directions and what she was walking for.  The lady happened to be the president of the local Lions Club. 

The lady got a chain going for Letofsky, leading her to hook up with Lions members across the world.

She has gotten most of her accommodations paid for either by organizations, hotels donating a room or staying with families.  She has gotten half of some her airline tickets paid for.

****

Someday, Letofsky says that she plans on writing a book of her experiences.

And with all the culture and experiences, Letofsky said that walking through Minnesota has been the best part of her trip.