Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
What a long stretch at sea! Things are pretty much as usual and its starting to feel like we're wrapping things up out here. Both nothing and alot seem to be going on at the same time. In the past few days since we left Hawaii, there have been alot of ups and downs but overall I know that I'm ready to come home. I will say that I'm a little disappointed we haven't sailed though any real storms thought. How is it possible to circumnavigate the world and not hit any weather??? Some rain and moderate seas here an there but nothing crazy. We will reach Costa Rica in 3 days and Miami in 10!!!
The Ambassador's Ball a few nights ago which was a big end of voyage dinner and dance (fundraiser of course) for the whole ship. Everyone was decked out in new dresses and suits custom tailored in Vietnam. A Sari or two was also to be seen. I wimped out and did not wear my sparkly black sari and since my dress from Vietnam requires a little more tailoring, I opted for a dress from home. Dinner was nice and everyone had good time. Unfortunately, a good number of students were also pretty wasted and the latter part of the evening we spent dealing with intoxicated students and some damage was done to the ship. Ahhhhh.
Let's see....what else? Since the Ball, Pub nights have been suspended which is great becuase that mean's no Pub Duty so Amanda, Noah, Mario and I have instituted game night. We've spent a few nights up playing Celebrity and others games which is fun and last night was Faculty Staff Appreciation Day so there was a nice Social hosted by the Deans. It was nice to receive Thank You notes from my students as well. As much as there are some problem children, I have a bunch of great students who've been a pleaure to work with and get to know.
After the social, my other excitement for the night happened. (It's not really that exciting.) I had a little incident and now have 4 stitches in my left foot. It was the strangest thing. I was trying to turn around one of the ridiculously heavy/awkward chairs and nicked my foot. I didn't think much of it until I looked down and saw it bleeding. Ok...no big deal. I got a napkin to wipe it off but it wouldn't stop bleeding pretty heavy even with a pile of napkins. Then I started to not feel so good and the next thing I know I'm slouched over in a chair and the doctor is taking my pulse. When I came around and the bleeding had stopped, we went down to the medical clinic just to clean it off and get a band-aid. We get down there, take off the napkins and its pretty clear that we need more than a band-aid. Apparently I did a pretty good job and it was cut all the way down to the tendon. Gross! Doc Brown was very good and I have 4 lovely stitches. Yuck!
Classes are over and students are busy writing papers, studying for exams, and laying out. The RD's have a bunch of end-of-voyage stuff to do but nothing crazy. Its strange that our ship culture will be separated soon and the bubble that exists around the M/V Explorer will burst. We've been living without culture for awhile now. During most study abroad programs, you become immersed in a foreign culture...here, we are removed from mainland US culture but also never truly immersed in any one foreign culture. Its not necessarily bad, just an observation. Also that none of the 800 or so people that make up the community on this voyage will ever truly all be together again. I may not have had many positive things to say about SAS recently but there are also alot of good things and I am grateful for the experiences. I know that it is one that has impacted me in many ways and will continue to do so. I have also met some wonderful people and if at the end of anything, you come through having formed even one or two great friendships, then you have certainly gained.
Finally, I reached my goal of getting published in Parachutist Around the World. I haven't seen the magazine yet, but word is that one of the pictures I submitted of me with my Parachutist magazine at the Taj Mahal is in the new issue. Its funny too because that is the one place I almost got in real trouble for taking pictures with the magazine. The guards did not like it, took away all of my stuff and sent me to some security holding area. A few students got in trouble too for taking pictures with their "Hi Mom and Dad" signs. Yay...Mission Accomplished.
- comments