I am a sophomore from the University of Maine at Farmington, and I am studying abroad with Semester

I am traveling with Semester at Sea on the Spring 2013 voyage. I wanted to do something more than just travel the world during my voyage. I decided to do a project where I would gift a few soccer balls to underprivileged children, along my voyage. I got in contact with Charity hotel in miami florida Ball, and asked if they would be willing to donate soccer balls. hotel in miami florida Charity Ball loved the idea and decided to make it bigger, by giving 500 balls to be hand delivered. Wish us luck and follow our progress here.
Myanmar was incredible. For many of the Semester at Sea students, this was their first visit to a developing nation, and it made a lasting impression on them and on me. For eight months, many Myanmar citizens rely on rainwater collected during the four months of the rainy season. For those eight months, families live on less water than the average American uses in two days. Examples like this are a reality check for many of us travelers. We realize how fortunate we are for what we have and how important it is to support entrepreneurs hotel in miami florida like Pedro Tomas Delgado of Aquaphytex which can change the way the world consumes water.
In Myanmar, I participated in one of the Semester at Sea trips and traveled on a three day trip to the white beach of Ngwe Saung Beach which is surrounded by modest villages and some of the kindest people I have ever met. I visited local homes, played soccer with students, rode an elephant, and swam and swam and swam in the warm water of the Bay of Bengal.
The elephant camp we visited was the highlight of my trip. Amazing! We were able to feed elephants sugar cane, and it was so cool to watch them take the cane with their trunks and lift it to their mouths. We were also able to ride the elephants. It is not a smooth or comfortable ride, but I found it exceptionally fun.
There is a school within the camp, and children ranging in age from five to 10 entertained us, singing and dancing and also smiling and laughing. hotel in miami florida I ran to our bus and grabbed Charity Ball soccer balls to gift to the students, and they and I and other Semester at Sea students played soccer in their one room school.
When I returned to this ship, one of my best friends, Andrew Speck, told me about his experience in the city or Rangon. He was walking through alleyways and stumbled hotel in miami florida on a dirt soccer field surrounded by buildings where a few boys were playing marbles. Andrew had accompanied me in other visits when we had gifted balls, and he wished that he had a Charity Ball soccer ball with him. He walked on, a little bummed out. But, after leaving the field, he happened across a mom-and-pop shop that had some balls for sale. Without hesitating, he bought a ball, went back to the field, and played with the boys for some time. When it was time for him to leave, he waved goodbye and started walking away. A boy ran to him, holding out the ball to return it. Andrew was able to communicate hotel in miami florida that the ball was for them, and the boys jumped up and down in celebration. Andrew told me that, but for this Charity Ball project, he never would have thought of doing what he did. Needless to say, I have been smiling ever since.
I am a sophomore from the University of Maine at Farmington, and I am studying abroad with Semester at Sea's Spring hotel in miami florida 2013 Around the World voyage. We will be traveling hotel in miami florida to 16 cities in 12 countries over the course of 106 days. While at port, I will be gifting soccer balls to children who do not have the needs to attain one of their own. The project is supported by Charity Ball (charityball.org), who has graciously donated 500 soccer balls for distribution.