Heidi Marschke, Tanzania 2014

I participated in ILE's Summer Program to Tanzania/ Zanzibar in 2014. I have since transferred to Gallaudet University in Washington DC, where I am designing my own major. Gallaudet is the only Deaf/Hard of Hearing University in the world, with all classes held in American Sign Language. Since traveling with ILE, I have traveled to Jamaica twice. I plan to travel to Thailand within the next year to work with elephants. I am also planning to visit the countries of my family's heritage in Europe, Canada, as well as a road trip across the United States. In addition to exploring new places, I will to return to Africa and Jamaica to establish businesses. I have begun discussing plans to establish a Wildlife Conservation and Rehabilitation Center in Tanzania. There has also been suggestion of ASL interpreted tours, as well as establishing some schools/or programs for Deaf and Special Needs Children. In Jamaica, I would like to establish my own beach lodge and restaurant.

Other than traveling and setting up business propositions internationally, I have had the opportunity to meet my idol Jane Goodall, and shared my Conservation plans with her. I was also the youngest person invited to the Wildlife Conservation Society's Gala event, "Saving the Last of the Wild: From the Brink of Extinction."

The ILE experience as a whole - the things I learned and saw, the people I met and connections that I made, ALL helped me jump start the path to my wildest dreams.

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