Moments of Inspiration

An excerpt from blog, “Kasee’s Scholar Ship Adventure”

Posted Wednesday, 26 March 2008

Cape Town

"We went to an afterschool program in a black township and talked and played games with the teenagers/children there. The children then performed 2 short plays for us which included these amazing evangelical songs. It was honestly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen or heard. These teenagers are so strong when their lives are so hard. They go to this program (a shack-like building with benches) to get away from all the crime and danger in the townships. They performed plays and sang about the trials of their lives including violence, discrimination, and even rape. They were so happy to have us there and they were so nice to us. They kept saying thank you to us for coming and I couldn't believe they were thanking us. They let us into their world and it was so powerful. I stood up to thank them and couldn't help crying in awe of their strength and dedication to living good lives and pushing out the bad that surrounds them on so many levels. We were all quite moved by their examples, and after taking millions of pictures with them, walked away different people.”

Kasee Moore is an undergraduate student hailing from Texas, USA, currently studying in the Conflict Studies Learning Circle aboard the January 2008 voyage.

From the ship's mail server:

Hi Everyone,

I have saved around seven thousand dollars to try and get an NPO (non-profit organization) off the ground. I would really like to try and start an organization that can do some real good and will continue to provide positive services long after I'm gone. I have a few ideas about the purpose and organization of this NPO, however, there are many aspects of the organization that are still up for discussion and I am looking for some people to get involved.

One of the main reasons I came on this program was to make connections with people that were willing to put some serious time and energy into creating something that will actually do some good. I know there are some really intelligent and driven people on this ship and I hope that some people can step up and help create something real. I feel like the purpose of this whole TSS experience is to try and utilize the resources at hand to create something bigger than our selves.

With all of the countries represented on this ship, and all the traveling we will do in the future, we can have members worldwide that can find out where and how funds need to be allocated locally to make the most impact. The beauty of this organization is that it will be ours; we all know each other and can help fund each other’s endeavors globally. I know this is a pretty broad mission statement (if a mission statement at all), and I would be interested in your ideas about how to keep it focused enough to be effective, yet broad enough not to limit ourselves.

This NPO is in no way mine, it’s ours. I don't want feedback – I want membership. The goals and principles of this organization are not set in stone. Let's make it personal and try and achieve the things we're individually and collectively really passionate about.

Thanks, everyone.

Angelo

Angelo Alfano is an undergraduate student from California, USA, currently studying in the Conflict Studies Learning Circle aboard the January 2008 voyage.

From the ship's mail server:

Hello everyone,

As some of you may already know, we have started a hardship fund for students on-board who are in need of financial assistance. This fund will pay for such things as laundry services, shore excursions and plane tickets home for those students who don't have a ride home. The fund is open to anyone who is in need of assistance and is completely confidential. Applications are available with me right now (A86) but I am looking to have them available at reception tomorrow (I have to check with Student Voice for the O.K.). We are looking for donations to the fund and for people to help with a letter-writing campaign. The goal is to send off as many letters as we can to businesses and individuals to ask for donations. I hope to have pre-made letters with postage so that people only have to write an address on the envelope. There are still a lot of details that need working out, but I hope we can all work together to make this voyage the best it can be for everyone.

Jesse Blue Dolan

Jesse is an undergraduate student from California, USA, currently studying in the Sustainable Development learning circle aboard the January 2008 voyage.