December 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Ramsey Karpovich participates in Semester at Sea program Erin Karpovich, a Ramsey native who is studying at High Point University in North Carolina, is currently participating in Semester at Sea. The 117-day program will take Karpovich and her peers to a total of 15 countries, where they are engaging in humanitarian efforts. “It’s called a ‘global comparative study abroad program’ in that we visit many countries and aim to synthesize a compara- tive view of the countries at the end of the program,” Karpovich explained via e-mail. “Instead of a ‘traditional’ study abroad pro- gram that immerses students in a culture, we have gotten a taste of many different countries. While at sea, we take college classes that are accredited through the Uni- versity of Virginia. Classes range from art classes, business, social sciences. I believe there are 80+ offered this voyage! While in port (anywhere from two to five days) we are given the chance to explore the areas we just learned about earlier that week in class. There are no classes while in port. Each class has a field lab component where our textbooks essentially come to life. For instance, for my business ethics class, we visited a family winery in Spain and talked to the CEO about their ethical practices. Semester at Sea is unique because it is not merely reading information and never get- ting the chance to experience it, we can walk and talk alongside those we just read about.” Asked how she was selected for the trip, Karpovich said, “Lots of hard work, time, and patience paid off to get me where I am today. After applying and receiving accep- tance to Semester at Sea, the real hard work starts. Applying for visas and getting vac- cinations are part of the winding process to make sure we are all set to go.” While in Germany, Karpovich and other SAS students spent a day at Peace Village International in Oberhausen. The organi- zation serves as a center for children sus- taining injuries from their war-torn homes, bringing them to the camp where medical care is provided. The children come from different countries affected by war, includ- ing Afghanistan and Angola, and remain at the home until they are well enough to return to their families. During their visit, Karpovich engaged with the children, work- ing on crafts, playing games, and hearing (continued on page 31) Erin Karpovich visiting the Iguazu Falls in Brazil.