Instagram influencers ‘Another Beautiful Day’ quit social media after begging for cash for trip
An Instagram couple who quit social media after begging for more than $16,000 to fund a trip have returned to the internet after only six days.
Confidential
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The instagram couple who quit social media for 30 days after they were mercilessly mocked for begging the internet to fund their Africa adventure could not last a week without making a post.
Catalin Onc and Elena Engelhardt, aka Another Beautiful Day, launched a GoFundMe campaign with a target of $16,229 (10,000 euros) so they can tandem cycle to Africa.
The couple said that getting a job would be “detrimental” and that there aren’t many jobs for which they are qualified, revealing that one of their mothers was working two jobs to support them.
Following the backlash, Catalin, who hails from Wolfsburg in northern Germany, quit Instagram to do some “soul work” — but has now returned to respond to the heavy criticism.
He shared a video showing him writing on a piece paper and holding it up to the screen — it read: “Sometimes it’s better to say nothing”.
He then drops it from between his hands and forms a love-heart shape with his fingers.
However, he didn’t appear to get the response he was hoping for, with the bizarre reappearance angering many.
“I seriously thought you were gonna say you found a job???” one person wrote.
“Your break from social media didn’t last long … 6 days?,” another commented.
“What happened to staying offline for 30 days?” another asked.
The couple received an intense backlash after The Daily Telegraph revealed their absurd plea to fund their trip.
“It has now come to the point again where we must ask for money in order to continue doing what we do,” an Instagram post read.
“Some will just tell us to get jobs, like everyone else and stop begging. But when you have the impact we do on others’ life, getting a job is not an option.
“We could model and make fast money, but we don’t want to advertise consumerism. A normal job at this point would be detrimental.”
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But the request backfired with just $1070 (657 euros) raised in 12 days as many of the couple’s 45,000 Instagram followers expressed their disbelief and anger at the campaign.
The couple attempted to defend themselves, protesting that the GoFundMe wasn’t about money before telling followers that they were “stepping away” from their account.
“And with this post, I will step away from social media for a little while,” Catalin posted three days ago.
“Much love to you all. Time to do some soul work.”
Cat and Elena list themselves on Instagram as “lovers, travellers, dream chasers”.
They spent time in Australia in 2016 and their globetrotting posts document travels to Indonesia, Italy, France, New Zealand, the UK, Nepal and Denmark.
The pair says that Cat’s mum is even funding the couple’s lifestyle by working two jobs.
“At this very moment, my mother is funding us, she works two jobs and has not much herself. We didn’t ask her for money but she loves that she is able to help.
“Mom, I want you to know, that it is not only us but hundreds of others that benefit from your help.”
The outrageous post initially said that during a recent trip to the Himalayas they decided it would be “selfish” not to stay on social media.
“After recently spending time trekking in the Himalayan mountains, learning about myself and seeing how others live, not returning to social media would have been selfish.”
Reactions online have been scathing. Comments on the GoFundMe page included: “This is a joke, right?” and “You don’t inspire anything but laziness and self importance.”
The couple told Confidential that they would comment after their tandem trip.