HI, I’M MARGE ULLRICH. COME BE MY GUEST AND LET ME TAKE YOU ON A SEA CRUISE!  THIS IS NO ORDINARY SEA CRUISE, BUT ONE WHERE 750 STUDENTS FROM THE US AND 16 OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING MY HOMELAND OF ESTONIA, TRAVEL THE GLOBE BY SHIP.

WE ARE HEADING FOR 11 COUNTRIES IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN AID. IN PLACES LIKE VIETNAM, INDIA, CHINA, SOUTH AFRICA, AND MOROCCO, I WILL WORK AND INTERACT WITH ORPHANAGES, SCHOOLS, HOSPTIALS, AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND OPERATION HUNGER.

I WILL PARTICIPATE IN HOME STAYS WITH LOCAL FAMILIES AND GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CULTURE AND NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE. IN EACH COUNTRY, I WILL HAVE HANDS ON EXPERIENCE EXPLORING ISSUES SUCH AS: WOMEN’S RIGHTS, ILLITERACY, FAMILY PLANNING, HANICAPPED CHILDREN, FACTORY CONDITIONS, AND MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES, TO NAME A FEW.

THIS AROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGE WILL ALLOW ME TO DO IN DEPTH FIELD WORK WHILE TRAVELING WITH PROFESORS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR AREA. THIS EXPEDITION TO A WORLD OF PEOPLE IN DIRE NEED WILL PROVIDE ALL OF US INVOLVED WITH REAL CONTACT – AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE WHERE WE INTERACT AND LIVE AMONG THOSE WHOM WE ARE TRYING TO HELP.

WHAT I STRIVE TO LEAVE BEHIND ON THIS TRIP IS HOPE. I WANT THE PEOPLE WHO I MEET TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THEIR FUTURE. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT STUCK IN THEIR SITUATION. I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS A WORLD OUTSIDE OF THEIR UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES. I WISH THEM TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY CARES.

SO PLEASE COME AND JOIN ME FOR THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE BOTH ON AND OFF SHORE. I WILL BE FILING A VIDEO DIARY FROM EACH DESTINATION TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS WITH YOU AND TO BRING A GREATER AWARENESS OF THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR GLOBAL VILLAGE.

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER FROM MY FIRST PORT OF CALL!