Sailing away to Spain...

January 25, 2009 (A3) I think that's right? Sunday right? I really have lost track of what day it is...I just know if its "A" day or "B" day... So I haven’t updated in a few days so I thought I would post some thoughts. So far this trip has been amazing. I’m so lucky to be a part of this trip and join the 1 percentage of people around the world who have circumnavigated the globe! So much has happened it seems and it hasn’t even been a week since I’ve been on the ship. I’ve met so many people and am making some good friends that I hope will last for a long time if we can stay in touch. The ship has slowed down a bit from an average speed of 21 knots to 15 knots or so. I guess we were a little ahead of schedule and we can’t get there early because the ship only paid for so much dock time and space. I for one, as well as many others love the fact we have slowed down. It definitely makes me happy because I’m not sea-sick anymore. I never did get real “sick” like you think, but I didn’t find the hurting stomach comfortable. It was also really windy at the beginning of the week, which made the seas a little rough with white caps, and us sailing so fast through it made for a bumpy ride. I’ve gotten used to it now I think and trying to walk and stand still, is still a challenge at times but makes for good entertainment anyways. I’ve been in classes for a few days now. Global Studies is more interesting now that we’ve moved onto topics in the countries that were going to and learning more about the places. Although I did enjoy learning about the ocean current patters and temperatures, wind direction, climate characteristics and how it all comes together and affects each area of the globe. I found it quite interesting. I really like my art class so far mainly because of the professor I think. The professors here I’ve noticed, most of them anyway are so passionate about what they are teaching which is something I don’t know if I’ve experienced all around to this level. Its such an amazing thing to be able to go to the places they talk about and see what they are sharing. Every one of them is so passionate about this program and feels so strongly about it and it shows in their lectures to us and activities. It’s really exciting to be somewhere, like on this ship in the middle of the Atlantic right now where everyone is from all over the world and so different yet we all have the same strong passion for this program and what it offers. There are students are here that have had siblings go before them and even parents. There are families of faculty members here with their kids who have been sailing and going to school on this ship for years. The high school students get high school credit as well as college credit when they attend the college courses. Not only that, but they get to tour around the world to so many different countries multiple times. There is so much to learn from everyone here about the world, traveling and life in general. Another thing I wanted to share with you all is about the crew. Every one of them is from another country and most of them have been working on the ship for a long time. They are so nice and do so much for us. Not just by cooking and working in the gril and bar and things but they do soooo much for this ship 24/7 to keep it running well, safe and CLEAN! It’s so clean here, they are constantly cleaning the ship. As passengers on the ship we get our rooms cleaned every morning just as if it was a hotel. We get our beds made and new sheets and towels daily which is really nice. Sometimes if you leave clothes out, like I will leave a sweatshirt on the bed sometimes. Every morning its folded perfectly on my newly made bed. They really do their best here to keep things in top shape. Even at meals they clear our plates and tables for us. We feel bad but they never complain. Everyone seems to love it here and lots of them like to sing while they are working. They are very nice. In our cabin and everyone’s cabin there hangs a picture in which the captain will tell you not to take down. However, apparently it is tradition for past SAS-ers to leave the future SAS-ers messages. These include nice notes and tips to do or not on Semester at Sea. Some even left money. We had a converter on the back of ours picture and a red feather that my roommate and I are supposed to display with pride in our cabin. Apparently, its lived in the Cabin for a long time. I’m not sure where it’s from. One of the “Things to do on SAS” that someone left and which a lot of past SAS-ers recommend is getting to know the crew because they are amazing and you can learn so much from them. I’ve only been here a week but it is so true! It’s been a lot of fun hanging out on the ship so far. Basically my day at Sea consists of classes from 9:20-Noon or 1:30 depending weather its an “A” or “B” day

“A”: Global Studies 9:20- 10:35
Classical Islam 10:45 – 12:00
Psychology: Learning and Cognition 12:15- 1:30

“B”: Global Studies 9:20- 10:35
Intro to Art/Art History 10:45 – 12:00

Once I’m done with class if I have time I get lunch and then change to come out on the deck and layout in the sun all afternoon studying, reading and doing homework. Sometimes I doze off occasionally. At about 4 to 5 or so I go back to my cabin and get ready for dinner which is offered at 5:30. After that I do homework and just hang out with friends doing various activities. Every night there are different things to do. Many clubs have formed, some of which I have joined such as “Extended Family” which is groups of people that are put together as sort of a “family” while on the ship. I also spoke with the Theater professor here and I’m going to be a stage manager for the play they are putting on here called The Persians. It should be fun since I’ve always wanted to stage-manage and it will be a great way to meet more people and hang out. The other night was open mic night. That was VERY enjoyable! There are so many talented people on the ship, mainly guys got up and played their guitar or piano and sang. Some performed their own work. It was really nice, I can’t wait for the next one. Maybe I’ll do something. I hung out with my roommate the other night and got to know her better, she’s cool and we get along great.

Yesterday I went to class in the morning and layed out on deck all afternoon until dinner. I hung out with Courtney and Holly last night and got dinner with them on deck. We had updates to share from our last conversation. It was enjoyable and I like hanging out with them and our other friends a lot. They are just the first two I met here. We all met the night before sailing outside of the parent meeting and have been hanging out since and met a lot of others and been hanging out with them and even planning some trips in port. I’m so glad I was able to make good friends so fast. It’s amazing how close you get with people while on the ship. I think cause we all have one big thing in common that means so much and we are all so passionate about and also we are in close quarters and love being here and want to meet people and make good friends. I was worried at first because I didn’t know anyone coming here, but now I’m glad that was the case because I’ve met so many people and they are just like me ☺

Last night was pub night again which is insane on this ship! It’s packed with people every time. Courtney and I and others went up to get smoothies and hang out. It’s a bad thing I’ve discovered smoothies here because they are AMAZING! Soo Good! A good thing to have when you’re hungry which I always am…especially here now. If I were to recommend something to the future SAS-ers, that is to bring snacks!!! The food is fine, but it’s the same food every meal, every night! I brought crackers and fruit snacks and things to carry with me while in port but I find that I’m eating them now because the lunch or dinner wasn’t filling.

Basically it consists of:
Salad Tomatoes Celery Carrots Rice salad mixture dish Pasta salad mixture dish (which is usually the vegetarian option)
A Meat (beef, chicken)
Fish on occasion
Rolls
Vegetable Mix
A fruit (apple, pear, orange, banana depending on the day)
1 dessert (brownie, cake, cream puff)

Students sneak out rolls and fruit for something to eat later when they are hungry or have to miss a meal every other day like me for class. We’re not supposed to be its kind of necessary. There is a grill open during the day and night when the dining hall isn’t. But to buy those items it comes from your shipboard account, so its extra if you don’t have money credited to your account. The food is good, its just getting old really fast.

Today we got our final field excursions for the “Pre-Sale” and “Sale 1” confirmed. I am doing SAS trips and independent ones. So far the ones that I know of are…

SPAIN: CAD04 Cadiz City Orientation
CAD06 Andalucian Flamenco Night and Bullfight
CAD11 White Town Route (Arcos & Ronda) --- After the SAS tours for the first two days, I’m taking a train to Seville with some friends I met here and we are staying in a hostel there for a couple days.

MOROCCO: CAS11 Marrakech Tour and Camel Riding in Palm Groves/Sahara Desert for three nights

NAMIBIA: 4x4’s and African Animal Safari/Camping in the desert for 3 night/4 days (Indy Trip)

SOUTH AFRICA: CAP04 Robben Island Tour
CAP41 Township Music (and traditional dance) ---
Hiking Table Mountain/Rappelling Down Table Mountain (Indy Trip)

MAURITIUS: MAU11 Blue Safari: Undersea World & Marine Conservation (Submarine dive to coral reef, exotic fish, and old shipwrecks)
MAU-- Service Trip – Children Homes/Orphanages

INDIA: CHE21 Taj Mahal and Varanasi 4 day tour – Group B

THAILAND: BKK04 Sri Racha Tiger Zoo/Visit to Mini Siam (holdf,feed baby Tigers)
BKK09 Bangkok Overnight tour BKK18 Pattaya Elephant Village (tour, show, ride elephants) BKK20 Nong Nooch Cultural Village

VIETNAM: --- Tour of Vietnam (Lots of stuff, more to come later)

CHINA: Biejing/Shanghai: Peking University Overnight/Tours (Great Wall/Forbidden City/Temple of Heaven/Gardens/Acrobatic Show and other stuff)

JAPAN: --- Nothing planned yet, Daytrips to be planned later

HAWAII --- Nothing planned yet, Daytrips to be planned later

GUATEMALA: GUA05 Tikal: Skyscrapers in the Jungle --- Day trips to be planned later


I’ve had such a blast on this ship and this program so far and I haven’t even gotten to the first country yet! Everyone is so excited and is preparing for Spain! We have two more days of sailing until we get there! We’re going to sleep our on the deck one of these night soon, its starting to get colder because we’re closer to Spain. After that though we will, there’s soo many stars it’s beautiful! Well it’s about dinner time right now and I should get back inside and get ready. Hope everything at home is well!! E-mail me! I will update again soon! ☺ ~Em