Beginnings

Hi all,

Monday will be the start of what promises to be an amazing journey, sponsored generously by the Circumnavigators Club Foundation. I'll make a circuit of the planet, visiting 8 countries over the course of 10 weeks. During the trip, I'll be conducting a study on the welfare of people with disabilities in each country, in effort to investigate low-cost methods to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

In the United States the average person will have at least one disability by the age of 69. (72 in Canada) The blog is titled "This is Personal" because the way society treats people with disabilities will affect every single one of my readers at some point in their lifetimes. This is a topic that you need to care about.

The blog will cover stories of travels, people met, places visited, and food eaten. I'll post pictures whenever I can. Knowing me, there will also be some comical moments along the way. You might laugh at me and not with me. I'm prepared to accept that. In a sinister attempt to educate my readers, I'll also work in information about disability studies. For those interested in a constant stream of my musings, follow me on twitter @MadelineList.

Now I'm going back to packing and other trip preparations. Stay tuned for more updates on Monday!