Globalroamink’s Weblog

It was only a matter of time.

Oprah Winfrey has encouraged Americans to lose weight, read books and give away money. Now, she wants Americans to go abroad. Specifically American kids.

It’s not every day that I watch the Oprah show. But I happened to be home, and I happened to turn on the TV, and it just so happened that Oprah was there on the screen talking to groups of teens about their experiences doing mission work in other countries.

After talking to the teens, the show would play a video clip of the kids out and about in the world doing their good deeds. Again and again the show returned to a particular group of American teens who’d spent time in Africa building a school for local children.

The American kids were often teary eyed talking about their experience in another country, helping other people. They were proud of themselves — as they rightfully should have been — to have traveled so far from home, made new friends in another language, and built a school from scratch with their own hands.

Heck, I was even teary eyed watching the show. These kids had gone off and done exactly what I want Global Roam ink to encourage teens to do: go travel, go get smart, and return home changed and determined to be active, educated, and global in their outlook. I KNEW I was on to something when I hatched my Global Roam ink plan!

At any rate, Oprah is going to get American teens out there and doing good by starting a new organization aimed at supporting parents, teachers and students interested in the idea. Her new initiative, O Ambassadors, supports the whole thing.

There is even a whole section of the site devoted to teachers who want to start an O Ambassadors after school club at their school.

Or, click here if you want to watch excerpts of the O Ambassador kick off episode.