Georgia’s Semester at Sea Voyage

Hello, my name is Georgia Shaffer. I am thrilled to have been accepted for enrollment in Semester at Sea (SAS) in the Fall of 2023 on Voyage 132. SAS has been offering this unique study abroad program since 1963 where students do classroom studies while at sea and take in worldly, real-life experiences while in port. I will have the opportunity to volunteer with local charities, attend classes unique to my degree in several cities, and enhance my knowledge of travel and the world around me.

I will embark on the SAS voyage in September 2023 for this 105-day voyage where I will continue to study hard while taking this adventure traveling via ship to 11 countries across 3 continents (including Belgium, Morocco, Malta, Spain, Greece, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand).

A little about me: I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, by my single grandmother since birth due to unfortunate circumstances with my parents. I graduated a year early from high school in 2021 in the top 3% of my class and am now a first-generation college goer. I am a rising senoir at Liberty University in Virginia and am studying Business Administration with an anticipated graduation of Spring 2024. This upcoming academic year will be the biggest year of my life as I become the first member of my household to travel outside of the country and to graduate college.

I cannot begin to express enough gratitude for any moral or financial support I receive from you all. Former alumni from several decades of this program have shared that this will be a life changing experience that will open my eyes to a whole new view of the world.

As I approach this experience, I am asking for continuous thoughts and prayers for safe travels. I plan to document and share my experiences with you all as this support means so much to me.

The cost of this experience will surely be a tremendous investment in my academic, personal, and spiritual journey. While I have received a few academic scholarships, am working several jobs and fundraising to avoid taking on additional student debt, I am struggling to meet the financial requirement. Several SAS alumni suggested that I create this GoFundMe page to help offset some of the costs for this once in a lifetime opportunity.

For more information about Semester at Sea, go to:

https://www.semesteratsea.org/