Hello Everyone!
First things first, I am no longer a Pollywog. Question: What is a Pollywog? Answer: Someone who has not crossed the Equator. So, I am speaking to you now as an Emerald Shellback, someone who has crossed the Equator at the Prime Meridian! Yes, I know, be jealous. It was the precise intersection of 0 degrees North and 0 degrees West. This momentous occasion occurred on September 26—and no, there is no big red x in the middle of the ocean to mark it, in case anyone was wondering. This new Shellback status was celebrated two days later on our reading day (no classes), aka Neptune Day. Everyone was woken up by a bunch of our crew and faculty marching around in tribal wear with drums, cymbals, and whistles, telling us to go up to the pool. There, our initiation included the pouring of fish guts onto our heads. Almost everyone, including myself, solidified their status as a Shellback with this ritual (nothing a shower won’t fix). The even more daring tradition was to shave your head. Several guys and girls (at least 10 girls, and more guys) are now bald or sporting crazy mohawks. I personally have absolutely no desire to do anything of that sort, but hey, good for those girls.
Our four days in Ghana were not enough. Everyone loved it, and Ghanaians love Americans! I have never felt so welcomed in a foreign country or been around people that are so full of joy! The first day a group of ten of us got to tour and learn about the organization, Opportunity International, a micro-financing company that provides small loans to help people start up small businesses. We had lots of interaction with both the employees as well as their clients at their offices and other locations. One woman that I met in particular, whose name was Gifta, gave me her hand-made bracelet after I said that I liked it and asked her where I could get one for myself. She responded by giving it to me! I could really share story after story that reflects the kindness that the Ghanaians showed us, but just know that this country is predominantly Christian, and their faith is truly seen in their lifestyle. I saw much of landscape—clusters of small, run down houses that look more like huts with make-shift roofs, business after business with names like “God is Love Boutique,” “Jesus is the Way Electronics,” “In His Word Fashion.” The streets were filled with children, most of them with their mothers who were carrying everything from bananas to backpacks in giant bowls on their heads. That’s certainly a great way to free up your hands! We had lunch a beautiful hotel/resort and the meal I got was called Nananom (basically a big plate of rice, shredded chicken and beef, and vegetables). It was great and I really just liked saying the name.
The next day Ana and I participated in a Habitat for Humanity service trip with about 50 other SASers. It was a three hour bus ride from the ship to a village in the middle of the African bush. We made sure to smother ourselves with 100% deet bug spray (we are all on anti-malaria medication as well), and then hiked about twenty minutes to the work site, passing several waving villagers outside of their homes, some chickens, and lots of vegetation on our way. There were three home sites—one already had walls and a roof and the other two were just block foundations. We worked on the one with a roof, digging up the dirt floors to lower/level them. The other people were mixing mortar and building up the block walls. Unfortunately, Habitat thought that we were going to be bringing our own tools (but we weren’t) and so there were way more workers than tools. We could have accomplished so much more, but we worked in shifts, and if we weren’t working we got to spend time with the nearby villagers who came to say hi and hang out. We took pictures with them (all the kids absolutely love cameras and the fact that they can look at the photo after taking it), played duck duck goose, and gave them stickers and candy. The villagers provided a lunch of chicken, rice, and tomato sauce. Oh I forgot to mention the ‘bathroom,’ which was a little clearing in the woods, a hole in the ground, and two pieces of plywood on either side of the hole to put your feet on. Tired and sweaty, we made the trek back to the bus, and were glad to be back on the ship in time for dinner.
By the end of the following day, I had an African name, Ekua Baawa, given to me at a naming ceremony at another village we visited. It was a trip through SAS and there was lots of dancing and drumming to welcome us. We also met the chiefs, Queen mothers, and elders. Basically, your first name is determined by the day of the week on which you were born (Ekua - Wednesday). I’m not sure where the other half came from. It was a long ceremony (because there were about 90 of us) with chanting by the leaders while we drank first water and then sprite (the two distinct flavors represent truth, or something like that), while one of the elders held a leaf above us (which signifies nature). There was a lot of spirituality in the whole process and a lot of respect given to God first, and then to their ancestors. During and after the ceremony we were able to interact with the children (who once again, wanted to take tons of pictures), and speak with several villagers. I met one woman who was very excited because her name was also Ekua! We stopped at a hotel on the beach for lunch on the way home which satisfied our appetites— even better was the delicious flan and fresh pineapple for dessert! When we arrived back at the ship, we did some shopping at a little market right next to the ship. There were about 12 tents set up and some of the vendors had driven close to seven hours to be there for the four days that we were there. They definitely got a lot of business from us. I mean obviously we had to buy drums, masks, bowls, jewelry, and carved bookends. I actually didn’t buy a mask; they kind of creep me out but I think I will get one in South Africa.
So the last day was definitely a highlight. A pretty large group of us went and visited Egyam Orphanage Foundation - Children’s House of Hope. Bouncing down dirt roads in a little taxi (they would not be called roads in the States; we bottomed out nearly every 20 feet) really added to the experience. We arrived there and the 52 children started talking to us while we sat ourselves at several tables to talk, color, draw, and write with them. I spent a lot of time with a 10 year old girl, Rita, and she showed me their bedrooms, lined with bunk beds and mosquito nets. She was very quiet and would just smile and write me notes on a piece of paper. After a while, someone began playing the drums and before I knew it, we were dancing, singing, laughing, throwing balloons, and shaking tambourines. This went on for quite some time and to see these children, who have no families and hardly any material possessions, radiating such joy proved itself a fun and humbling experience. During our stay in Ghana, I really felt like I got a lot of interaction with the Ghanaians and through that, brief glimpses of what their lives are like. Ghana is on my list of places I’d like to return to, one where I’d really like to not just see the culture but really experience it, which is hard to do in just four days.
We will be in Cape Town, South Africa in just three days and I have many extreme and exciting activities planned which you will hear about in the near future. Sorry that I haven’t put any more pictures up—I didn’t make time to find wifi in Ghana but I hear it is readily available in Cape Town.
Hope you all are doing well.
Love from the newly dubbed Emerald Shellback,
Heather
Friday, October 8, 2010
Morocco
Shalom!
So in the past few weeks I’ve stepped foot on three continents: North America, Europe, and now Africa—specifically, Morocco! I thoroughly enjoyed everything in Morocco from the food especially—unlimited bread at every meal, to bargaining in the markets, riding camels, watching sunsets and stargazing from sand dunes, dodging mopeds (and cars for that matter), and getting to know some nomads, all in four days. By the last day however, I was ready to leave and be back on the ship with clean water, flushing toilets, and showers. Oh the simple things of life! Upon arrival in Casablanca on September 10th, several of us took a train to Rabat, a city about an hour up the coast. A few things I noticed initially that added to the culture shock that most of us experienced: 1) Traffic is crazy! There seems to be no sense of order in their driving, making street crossing a major challenge. 2) Everyone rides a moped. Sometimes entire families (2 adults, 2 kids) are squeezed onto one. 3) Sidewalks, if any, are in very poor condition. 4) There are extreme levels of poverty as well as extreme levels of wealth. In Rabat we walked around the market which consisted of a center square/Medina and several side streets packed with people and vendors—slightly overwhelming and important to stay with a group. We got our first taste of a Moroccan dinner, which lasted over two hours. Communication was difficult and we never really knew what to expect as our waiter kept bringing us food that we didn’t order (orange juice, then soup, bread, tea, and finally the menus that had chicken or beef dishes). Fortunately, the food was really good and the bill was fairly reasonable. Our train back was only 45 minutes delayed, a minor problem compared to others who had stories of their trains being cancelled or broken down over the next few days.
The next morning began our real adventure to Marrakech, the Sahara, and the Nomad camp. It was a trip organized through SAS with 90 students, professors, kids, and lifelong learners. Our first day included a 4 hour bus ride to Marrakech, lunch (orange juice, vegetables, couscous, beef, carrots, and potatoes), a tour of the Medina, which was my first introduction to snake charmers and pet monkeys. They were everywhere! Yay for snakes around my neck and monkeys being put on my shoulder. We also visited a pharmacy shop with lots of natural herbs, spices, creams, lotions, oils. I bought some mint tea (dried mint leaves), which I grew very fond of while there. Later on, all 90 of us made our way through the narrow streets of Marrakech, and entered a restaurant through a small brown door (never would have guessed it was a nice restaurant on the inside). Once inside, it opened up into a huge, beautifully decorated room with lots of candles, tables, and chandeliers. Dinner that night included lots of bread, vegetables, olives, chicken and lemon (a popular Moroccan dish), and a flaky, pastry like cake with a yogurt frosting that was absolutely delectable. And let’s not forget the belly dancing show afterwards. What a treat.
The following day we drove eight hours (seemed like much longer) to the city of Zagora and then on to the Sahara desert (Sahara actually means desert, so it’s correct to just refer to it as the Sahara). We saw much of the Moroccan landscape, from small cities and villages, to mountains and groves of date trees. After reaching the dunes by sunset, running up and down them, and taking pictures, we found the Nomad camp which was going to be our home for the night. We were literally in the middle of the desert in a small camp of around 20 tents (each with six mattresses, blankets, and pillows) arranged in a rectangle. The space in the middle around the fire pit was covered with large rugs and there were two large dinner tents. We were welcomed into the camp by singing, chanting, and dancing nomads, and offered unlimited mint tea before eating dinner. After dinner we continued dancing around the fire. Around 11 everyone started to settle down and a few of us wandered outside the camp to stargaze from the dunes. It was even more incredible than stargazing from the ship and something that I wish could be captured. But I guess the beauty is in being there, at that moment, amazed by the splendor of the heavens. A little while later, we realized that just beyond us there were sleeping camels. More than a few…almost 100! They were spending the night there for our early morning camel trek the next morning. We were able to talk to one of the nearby camel guides, named Shokalu, meet his camel Nemon, and take tons of pictures. It was honestly such a cool experience—just sitting with Shokalu on his blanket and talking to him about his life, family, and camels, was something I never imagined I’d be doing. When we returned to the tents, we found everyone with their mattresses pulled outside their tents into the middle section so we promptly did the same and slept under the stars in the middle of the Sahara. Guess I can cross that off my bucket list! After watching the sunrise the following morning, we set off on our hour and a half long camel trek through the desert, small villages, and tree groves (mostly date trees…picked and ate fresh dates while riding my camel, whose name was KooKoo).
We had a long, smelly bus ride back to Marrakech where we spent another night. This time we ventured into the markets in the evening to do some shopping. You would have thought it was New Year’s or something—so many people! Quite overwhelming. A group of us decided to grab some pizza before starting our shopping. We all made several purchases. My bargaining skills need improvement, but overall I feel like I got some good deals on hand painted dishes, scarves, pants, a “magic” dress, and a little lantern. The next day we were back in Casablanca and oh so happy to see the ship. Many of us went out that night to a nearby hotel to use wifi. On our final day there, the only thing on our agenda was to see the Hassan II mosque, just a short walk from the ship. It is the largest mosque in Morocco, fifth largest in the world, and it is absolutely beautiful! What was truly eye opening was walking past the slums just before reaching the mosque—such poverty next to such luxury. The only explanation is really the importance of Islam to the people. Their religion was very prevalent through the call to prayer we heard several times a day, the number of mosques/minarets visible everywhere, and the distinctive Muslim dress. We were all very conservative in our dress the whole time we were in Morocco out of respect for their culture and to avoid unnecessary attention. After making a few more purchases in the market with our remaining Dirhams, mailing postcards, and spending some time on the internet, we boarded the ship. We set sail at 8:00pm, destined for Ghana!
We’ve been back on the ship now for a few days and after 10 days of traveling in Spain and Morocco, most of us forgot what school was….let alone homework! I aced my first test in World Religions, had dinner with my new “family” (they pair students with lifelong learners/faculty on the ship and mine is the nurse practitioner, her husband, and three children), joined a Bible Study, and almost won a pull-up contest. Tomorrow (Wednesday), we arrive in Ghana. This experience continues to be even better than I expected and I am truly thankful for this opportunity. I hope to be able to post pictures of Morocco at some point while I’m in Ghana…there are some good ones! Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.
So in the past few weeks I’ve stepped foot on three continents: North America, Europe, and now Africa—specifically, Morocco! I thoroughly enjoyed everything in Morocco from the food especially—unlimited bread at every meal, to bargaining in the markets, riding camels, watching sunsets and stargazing from sand dunes, dodging mopeds (and cars for that matter), and getting to know some nomads, all in four days. By the last day however, I was ready to leave and be back on the ship with clean water, flushing toilets, and showers. Oh the simple things of life! Upon arrival in Casablanca on September 10th, several of us took a train to Rabat, a city about an hour up the coast. A few things I noticed initially that added to the culture shock that most of us experienced: 1) Traffic is crazy! There seems to be no sense of order in their driving, making street crossing a major challenge. 2) Everyone rides a moped. Sometimes entire families (2 adults, 2 kids) are squeezed onto one. 3) Sidewalks, if any, are in very poor condition. 4) There are extreme levels of poverty as well as extreme levels of wealth. In Rabat we walked around the market which consisted of a center square/Medina and several side streets packed with people and vendors—slightly overwhelming and important to stay with a group. We got our first taste of a Moroccan dinner, which lasted over two hours. Communication was difficult and we never really knew what to expect as our waiter kept bringing us food that we didn’t order (orange juice, then soup, bread, tea, and finally the menus that had chicken or beef dishes). Fortunately, the food was really good and the bill was fairly reasonable. Our train back was only 45 minutes delayed, a minor problem compared to others who had stories of their trains being cancelled or broken down over the next few days.
The next morning began our real adventure to Marrakech, the Sahara, and the Nomad camp. It was a trip organized through SAS with 90 students, professors, kids, and lifelong learners. Our first day included a 4 hour bus ride to Marrakech, lunch (orange juice, vegetables, couscous, beef, carrots, and potatoes), a tour of the Medina, which was my first introduction to snake charmers and pet monkeys. They were everywhere! Yay for snakes around my neck and monkeys being put on my shoulder. We also visited a pharmacy shop with lots of natural herbs, spices, creams, lotions, oils. I bought some mint tea (dried mint leaves), which I grew very fond of while there. Later on, all 90 of us made our way through the narrow streets of Marrakech, and entered a restaurant through a small brown door (never would have guessed it was a nice restaurant on the inside). Once inside, it opened up into a huge, beautifully decorated room with lots of candles, tables, and chandeliers. Dinner that night included lots of bread, vegetables, olives, chicken and lemon (a popular Moroccan dish), and a flaky, pastry like cake with a yogurt frosting that was absolutely delectable. And let’s not forget the belly dancing show afterwards. What a treat.
The following day we drove eight hours (seemed like much longer) to the city of Zagora and then on to the Sahara desert (Sahara actually means desert, so it’s correct to just refer to it as the Sahara). We saw much of the Moroccan landscape, from small cities and villages, to mountains and groves of date trees. After reaching the dunes by sunset, running up and down them, and taking pictures, we found the Nomad camp which was going to be our home for the night. We were literally in the middle of the desert in a small camp of around 20 tents (each with six mattresses, blankets, and pillows) arranged in a rectangle. The space in the middle around the fire pit was covered with large rugs and there were two large dinner tents. We were welcomed into the camp by singing, chanting, and dancing nomads, and offered unlimited mint tea before eating dinner. After dinner we continued dancing around the fire. Around 11 everyone started to settle down and a few of us wandered outside the camp to stargaze from the dunes. It was even more incredible than stargazing from the ship and something that I wish could be captured. But I guess the beauty is in being there, at that moment, amazed by the splendor of the heavens. A little while later, we realized that just beyond us there were sleeping camels. More than a few…almost 100! They were spending the night there for our early morning camel trek the next morning. We were able to talk to one of the nearby camel guides, named Shokalu, meet his camel Nemon, and take tons of pictures. It was honestly such a cool experience—just sitting with Shokalu on his blanket and talking to him about his life, family, and camels, was something I never imagined I’d be doing. When we returned to the tents, we found everyone with their mattresses pulled outside their tents into the middle section so we promptly did the same and slept under the stars in the middle of the Sahara. Guess I can cross that off my bucket list! After watching the sunrise the following morning, we set off on our hour and a half long camel trek through the desert, small villages, and tree groves (mostly date trees…picked and ate fresh dates while riding my camel, whose name was KooKoo).
We had a long, smelly bus ride back to Marrakech where we spent another night. This time we ventured into the markets in the evening to do some shopping. You would have thought it was New Year’s or something—so many people! Quite overwhelming. A group of us decided to grab some pizza before starting our shopping. We all made several purchases. My bargaining skills need improvement, but overall I feel like I got some good deals on hand painted dishes, scarves, pants, a “magic” dress, and a little lantern. The next day we were back in Casablanca and oh so happy to see the ship. Many of us went out that night to a nearby hotel to use wifi. On our final day there, the only thing on our agenda was to see the Hassan II mosque, just a short walk from the ship. It is the largest mosque in Morocco, fifth largest in the world, and it is absolutely beautiful! What was truly eye opening was walking past the slums just before reaching the mosque—such poverty next to such luxury. The only explanation is really the importance of Islam to the people. Their religion was very prevalent through the call to prayer we heard several times a day, the number of mosques/minarets visible everywhere, and the distinctive Muslim dress. We were all very conservative in our dress the whole time we were in Morocco out of respect for their culture and to avoid unnecessary attention. After making a few more purchases in the market with our remaining Dirhams, mailing postcards, and spending some time on the internet, we boarded the ship. We set sail at 8:00pm, destined for Ghana!
We’ve been back on the ship now for a few days and after 10 days of traveling in Spain and Morocco, most of us forgot what school was….let alone homework! I aced my first test in World Religions, had dinner with my new “family” (they pair students with lifelong learners/faculty on the ship and mine is the nurse practitioner, her husband, and three children), joined a Bible Study, and almost won a pull-up contest. Tomorrow (Wednesday), we arrive in Ghana. This experience continues to be even better than I expected and I am truly thankful for this opportunity. I hope to be able to post pictures of Morocco at some point while I’m in Ghana…there are some good ones! Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.
Spain!
Hola mis amigos!
Well even more exciting than life on the ship is life in port! I am writing this from a bus in Morocco after riding camels through the Sahara this morning. More on that in a later email because this update is devoted to the incredible 4 days we had in Spain! We arrived in Cadiz at 8:00am on September 4th. So much excitement! Many of us headed straight to the train station conveniently located about five minutes from our port. It’s really an amazing thing—we literally got dropped off in Spain! We took the first train to Seville, our first via point with only a backpack. After arriving in Seville, we booked a night at Hostel de Luna. I was pleasantly surprised that many hostels offer private rooms and bathrooms, free wifi and breakfast, all for a fairly reasonable price. We walked around much of Seville (with a map in front of us at least half the time), toured Cathedals, shopped, ate paellas for dinner (chicken, rice, vegetables), and went to a Flamenco show! We ate ice cream after which wasn’t hard to find (along with Starbucks which were on every corner basically). I am going to mention here that Ana’s Spanish speaking ability was ever so helpful. All I did was smile and say “gracias,” and I’d throw in a “por favor” here and there. One thing I really noticed was how prevalent public displays of affection are between couples, family members, and friends. I found people to be very helpful, and many do speak English. They're pretty used to American tourists. I really enjoyed the small but beautiful city of Seville. I love the architecture. Every building is different which really adds more character and culture. It is also so convenient to walk everywhere (once we got rid of our backpacks…).
Our next destination—Barcelona! The next morning we were up at 5:30 to take the bus to the airport! We both slept on the plane, and got information at the tourist booth once we were there. After seeing a map we both realized Barcelona was much larger than Seville and tried to decide where to go. And over the next few days, we went everywhere. Basically we backpacked through Barcelona. We booked a hostel the first day right near the downtown area. Finally free from our backpacks (felt like we had walked for miles), we headed back out and got some food (priority numero uno, because I was famished, and not in a very good mood). After, we took the metro (which was very soon our best friend) to see the Sagrada Familia. It’s a huge cathedral that’s been under construction for a really long time. We took a few pictures, got back on the metro and went downtown to Las Ramblas street which was full of people, mostly tourists (oh, and we saw two butt naked men on the boardwalk, no big deal). We walked through another large cathedral; this one was the oldest cathedral in Barcelona. Beautiful windows and monuments on the inside. Our next stop on the metro was Placa Espanya, where the National Museum of art is. The highlight there was the fountain show, which I recommend if you ever go. The steps leading up to it were full of people and we both loved the water, lights, and music. We were both completely exhausted that night and slept til 9 the next morning, ate breakfast at the hostel, and prepared ourselves for a long day of walking. Lesson number one: I should have worn sneakers, no matter how much of a tourist it made me look like. Lesson number two: Today I needed to eat enough food so I wouldn’t be grumpy. Lesson three: Buy day passes on the metro. Our first stop was the beach! (Mostly because we wanted to delay our walking as much as possible). There we were, on a beach in Barcelona (in the minority because we were actually wearing bathing suit tops), lying on t-shirts (no room for beach towels), soaking up the sun and refusing to pay the Spanish women who kept offering us “masaje senorita! Mucho tiempo!” We had a delicious lunch at a beachside restaurant before making our way back to Placa Espanya where we saw the Olympic Stadium (hosted in 1992), and more amazing views of the city. The last thing on our agenda that day was seeing the FC Barcelona Stadium. We both got official jerseys and I picked up two more for Troy and Joelle. By this time our feet hurt and our backs hurt so we continued on to meet up with Deirdre and Jaclyn (two of our best friends from USD who are studying in Madrid this semester but who were also coming to Barcelona). Our reunion could not have been better! That night we had a delicious dinner of chicken kabobs, rice, and steamed vegetables. After, we went out to experience the crazy nightlife that Barcelona has to offer and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Our last day there included some shopping, lunch at Sandwich and friends in the main plaza, and sneaking onto the USD buses for a free ride to Park Guell. This park was absolutely beautiful and displayed artwork/architecture by Gaudi. We trekked up a path with a guide named Pepe to stand by a monument of three crosses. The view was incredible! We really made some memories that will last forever. We never really ended the day as we went out again that night and only came back to the hotel to get our backpacks before catching our 6:00am flight. I’ve never done that before and it has definitely taken me a few days to recover. Well worth it though—we had such a fun night! After our flight to Seville, with several other SAS students, we took the first train we could back to Cadiz, where the MV Explorer was waiting to welcome us. Never thought the ship would feel so much like home. For the next few hours we took advantage of a wifi hotspot close to port. Unfortunately, it was pretty slow and difficult to upload pictures (hence, I still haven’t posted on my blog—these email updates are much easier). I will try to send pictures/post on Facebook when I have the opportunity. For now, my words (I give wonderful descriptions, I know) will have to suffice.
I hope this finds you all well. Stay tuned for a recap of Morocco in the next few days!
Hasta Luego,
Heather
PS- Since writing this, I was able to upload pictures onto Facebook. So here is the link to the album. I think you can still view it if you don’t have Facebook, but if not, find someone who does!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2050266&id=1512240018&l=96f174e69f
Well even more exciting than life on the ship is life in port! I am writing this from a bus in Morocco after riding camels through the Sahara this morning. More on that in a later email because this update is devoted to the incredible 4 days we had in Spain! We arrived in Cadiz at 8:00am on September 4th. So much excitement! Many of us headed straight to the train station conveniently located about five minutes from our port. It’s really an amazing thing—we literally got dropped off in Spain! We took the first train to Seville, our first via point with only a backpack. After arriving in Seville, we booked a night at Hostel de Luna. I was pleasantly surprised that many hostels offer private rooms and bathrooms, free wifi and breakfast, all for a fairly reasonable price. We walked around much of Seville (with a map in front of us at least half the time), toured Cathedals, shopped, ate paellas for dinner (chicken, rice, vegetables), and went to a Flamenco show! We ate ice cream after which wasn’t hard to find (along with Starbucks which were on every corner basically). I am going to mention here that Ana’s Spanish speaking ability was ever so helpful. All I did was smile and say “gracias,” and I’d throw in a “por favor” here and there. One thing I really noticed was how prevalent public displays of affection are between couples, family members, and friends. I found people to be very helpful, and many do speak English. They're pretty used to American tourists. I really enjoyed the small but beautiful city of Seville. I love the architecture. Every building is different which really adds more character and culture. It is also so convenient to walk everywhere (once we got rid of our backpacks…).
Our next destination—Barcelona! The next morning we were up at 5:30 to take the bus to the airport! We both slept on the plane, and got information at the tourist booth once we were there. After seeing a map we both realized Barcelona was much larger than Seville and tried to decide where to go. And over the next few days, we went everywhere. Basically we backpacked through Barcelona. We booked a hostel the first day right near the downtown area. Finally free from our backpacks (felt like we had walked for miles), we headed back out and got some food (priority numero uno, because I was famished, and not in a very good mood). After, we took the metro (which was very soon our best friend) to see the Sagrada Familia. It’s a huge cathedral that’s been under construction for a really long time. We took a few pictures, got back on the metro and went downtown to Las Ramblas street which was full of people, mostly tourists (oh, and we saw two butt naked men on the boardwalk, no big deal). We walked through another large cathedral; this one was the oldest cathedral in Barcelona. Beautiful windows and monuments on the inside. Our next stop on the metro was Placa Espanya, where the National Museum of art is. The highlight there was the fountain show, which I recommend if you ever go. The steps leading up to it were full of people and we both loved the water, lights, and music. We were both completely exhausted that night and slept til 9 the next morning, ate breakfast at the hostel, and prepared ourselves for a long day of walking. Lesson number one: I should have worn sneakers, no matter how much of a tourist it made me look like. Lesson number two: Today I needed to eat enough food so I wouldn’t be grumpy. Lesson three: Buy day passes on the metro. Our first stop was the beach! (Mostly because we wanted to delay our walking as much as possible). There we were, on a beach in Barcelona (in the minority because we were actually wearing bathing suit tops), lying on t-shirts (no room for beach towels), soaking up the sun and refusing to pay the Spanish women who kept offering us “masaje senorita! Mucho tiempo!” We had a delicious lunch at a beachside restaurant before making our way back to Placa Espanya where we saw the Olympic Stadium (hosted in 1992), and more amazing views of the city. The last thing on our agenda that day was seeing the FC Barcelona Stadium. We both got official jerseys and I picked up two more for Troy and Joelle. By this time our feet hurt and our backs hurt so we continued on to meet up with Deirdre and Jaclyn (two of our best friends from USD who are studying in Madrid this semester but who were also coming to Barcelona). Our reunion could not have been better! That night we had a delicious dinner of chicken kabobs, rice, and steamed vegetables. After, we went out to experience the crazy nightlife that Barcelona has to offer and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Our last day there included some shopping, lunch at Sandwich and friends in the main plaza, and sneaking onto the USD buses for a free ride to Park Guell. This park was absolutely beautiful and displayed artwork/architecture by Gaudi. We trekked up a path with a guide named Pepe to stand by a monument of three crosses. The view was incredible! We really made some memories that will last forever. We never really ended the day as we went out again that night and only came back to the hotel to get our backpacks before catching our 6:00am flight. I’ve never done that before and it has definitely taken me a few days to recover. Well worth it though—we had such a fun night! After our flight to Seville, with several other SAS students, we took the first train we could back to Cadiz, where the MV Explorer was waiting to welcome us. Never thought the ship would feel so much like home. For the next few hours we took advantage of a wifi hotspot close to port. Unfortunately, it was pretty slow and difficult to upload pictures (hence, I still haven’t posted on my blog—these email updates are much easier). I will try to send pictures/post on Facebook when I have the opportunity. For now, my words (I give wonderful descriptions, I know) will have to suffice.
I hope this finds you all well. Stay tuned for a recap of Morocco in the next few days!
Hasta Luego,
Heather
PS- Since writing this, I was able to upload pictures onto Facebook. So here is the link to the album. I think you can still view it if you don’t have Facebook, but if not, find someone who does!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2050266&id=1512240018&l=96f174e69f
I'm on a boat
So the sea has definitely calmed down these past few days. The weather has been beautiful so Deck 7 by the pool is very popular—lawn chairs are crowded together, the snack bar is hopping, and endless games of ping pong get played. There are some that attempt to do homework while catching some rays….I’ve almost succeeded….
We have slowed down a little bit as we are no longer trying to outrun a hurricane and our arrival in Cadiz, Spain is Saturday at 8:00am! This morning we passed by the island Santa Maria. Yes, LAND! We woke up in time for breakfast and island spotting (took a few photos), and promptly went back to bed for 2.5 hours in our cave of a room. I can sleep at any time of day because the room is pitch black all the time. It sure makes waking up difficult. I don’t have class until 1:30 on B days so I am enjoying that, especially since tonight is our third consecutive night of moving the clocks ahead one hour. Before my class, I managed to workout and eat lunch after napping. I’d say that’s a pretty productive morning. I’m starting to get used to my schedule. Taking only four classes and not having my usual diving and work schedule really lightens the load. What to do with all my time! We’ve been doing a lot of planning and trip organizing for our upcoming ports (to be announced in a later email as plans get finalized). As for Spain, we are hoping to book last minute flights to Barcelona from Seville. So excited!
Yesterday’s highlight was seeing dolphins for the first time since being on the ship. I had just walked outside on Deck 7 and noticed everyone was looking and pointing over the railing. I ran over and immediately saw a whole pod of dolphins jumping, flipping, and twisting in the air! I didn’t have my camera but I took some great mental images. Another amazing sight was stargazing from the bow of the ship tonight. I have never seen so many stars. To top it off, there were a few shooting stars, one of which shot halfway across the sky. It was absolutely incredible.
There are also several families on this voyage. I don’t think I mentioned that earlier but several of the professors bring their families. So there are 28 kids under the age of 16 running around. The youngest is 6 months old! It’s just as exciting for them and I’m looking forward to getting to know them and hearing a child’s perspective on everything. That and our 66 lifelong learners (the oldest of which is almost 90), really add an exciting dynamic to our community. Lifelong learners are those who aren’t in school and want to take advantage of this unique experience. So for all you travelers, look into it! And we have the privilege of having Desmond Tutu sail with us for the entire voyage. He spoke to us the first day and really wants to get to know all the students!
That’s all for now. Many of you have replied and I really appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. It means a lot. I love hearing your updates so keep them coming! Have a great week.
We have slowed down a little bit as we are no longer trying to outrun a hurricane and our arrival in Cadiz, Spain is Saturday at 8:00am! This morning we passed by the island Santa Maria. Yes, LAND! We woke up in time for breakfast and island spotting (took a few photos), and promptly went back to bed for 2.5 hours in our cave of a room. I can sleep at any time of day because the room is pitch black all the time. It sure makes waking up difficult. I don’t have class until 1:30 on B days so I am enjoying that, especially since tonight is our third consecutive night of moving the clocks ahead one hour. Before my class, I managed to workout and eat lunch after napping. I’d say that’s a pretty productive morning. I’m starting to get used to my schedule. Taking only four classes and not having my usual diving and work schedule really lightens the load. What to do with all my time! We’ve been doing a lot of planning and trip organizing for our upcoming ports (to be announced in a later email as plans get finalized). As for Spain, we are hoping to book last minute flights to Barcelona from Seville. So excited!
Yesterday’s highlight was seeing dolphins for the first time since being on the ship. I had just walked outside on Deck 7 and noticed everyone was looking and pointing over the railing. I ran over and immediately saw a whole pod of dolphins jumping, flipping, and twisting in the air! I didn’t have my camera but I took some great mental images. Another amazing sight was stargazing from the bow of the ship tonight. I have never seen so many stars. To top it off, there were a few shooting stars, one of which shot halfway across the sky. It was absolutely incredible.
There are also several families on this voyage. I don’t think I mentioned that earlier but several of the professors bring their families. So there are 28 kids under the age of 16 running around. The youngest is 6 months old! It’s just as exciting for them and I’m looking forward to getting to know them and hearing a child’s perspective on everything. That and our 66 lifelong learners (the oldest of which is almost 90), really add an exciting dynamic to our community. Lifelong learners are those who aren’t in school and want to take advantage of this unique experience. So for all you travelers, look into it! And we have the privilege of having Desmond Tutu sail with us for the entire voyage. He spoke to us the first day and really wants to get to know all the students!
That’s all for now. Many of you have replied and I really appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. It means a lot. I love hearing your updates so keep them coming! Have a great week.
Aboard the MV Explorer!
I am writing this from Cabin 3095 aboard the rocking, literally, MV Explorer. This was day three on the ship, and day one of classes. Days of the week no longer exist—Today is day A1, tomorrow B1, the next A2 and so forth. My few days in Halifax were a little gloomy due to the clouds and the rain, but the sun came out on Friday for our departure! We lined up outside the ship around 10am with hundreds of other students to check in ourselves, our bags, and go through security, etc. Most parents, including my dad, stayed with their kids up to the security checkpoint before saying goodbye. Ana and I were on the ship and in our cabin by 11:30. We then had time to go back off and meet up with my dad across the street for a few hours. After saying goodbye for the second time (so glad my dad was able to see us off), we were back on the ship, unpacking, meeting other students, going through orientation, responding to an emergency boat drill (lifejackets and all!), and trying to convince ourselves that this wasn’t a dream.
When the ship’s horn began blowing at 5:00pm, everyone crowded onto the upper decks to wave goodbye to the parents whom were lined up along the shore. The ship started moving and that’s when it hit me—an overwhelming feeling that brought tears to my eyes. So many thoughts were running through my mind. I had been anticipating this for so long! And it was finally here. This is it! I’m sailing out into the middle of the ocean. Goodbye land, for now, and everything that’s familiar. Everyone was taking pictures. Ana and I walked to the bow and just stared. It’s like nothing I’d seen or felt before. The vast ocean in front of me, the wind blowing my hair, excited chatter all around. A whole semester of this. Absolutely unreal.
After dinner (food isn’t too bad…breakfast is probably the best, and there is always a salad bar at lunch and dinner so that’s been a staple), we enjoyed the sunset, more meetings, and faculty/staff introductions. Then seasickness started to affect people. The sickly ones are wearing patches, wristbands, and taking medicine. I am very thankful to not be seasick at all! The first couple hours I kept laughing because I would lose my balance. (Then a not so happy Ana would glare at me…she’s been a little seasick….). And the rocking has definitely been getting worse as I think we are making our way between two hurricanes that are in the Atlantic right now (kind of feels like a rollercoaster…) Walking proves to be challenging at times.
Yesterday was a very long day of orientation—basically just a bunch of rules and information about health and safety, traveling in port, and student conduct and expectations. Last night they introduced all the different clubs available to join. So far I signed up for an extended family (they place you with faculty members or lifelong learners and they become your “family” on the ship), Christian group/Bible study, rec classes, intramural sports, and a career development group. This morning began the first day of class! I had International Operations and Global Studies today, and tomorrow I have World Religions and Intro to Theatre. This afternoon I worked out for the second time. If walking is difficult, lifting weights proves even more challenging. We have a small, crowded cardio room where you have to sign up for machine time, and then there are free weights outside by the pool. It felt great to get a workout in but I definitely miss the gym at school.
Well, I didn’t intend to write this much, but there is just so much to talk about! Feel free to email me (hjhippensteel@semesteratsea.net) if you have any questions! Email is really our main form of communication. Phone and Internet are available but are pretty expensive. So I have all my emails forwarded to my SAS account that is free anytime. Five more days until we arrive in Cadiz. So until then, I’ll continue to acquire my sea legs, get my brain in gear for classes, and get used to limited communication. Did I mention I really love getting emails?? It’s kind of my only connection to the outside world.
When the ship’s horn began blowing at 5:00pm, everyone crowded onto the upper decks to wave goodbye to the parents whom were lined up along the shore. The ship started moving and that’s when it hit me—an overwhelming feeling that brought tears to my eyes. So many thoughts were running through my mind. I had been anticipating this for so long! And it was finally here. This is it! I’m sailing out into the middle of the ocean. Goodbye land, for now, and everything that’s familiar. Everyone was taking pictures. Ana and I walked to the bow and just stared. It’s like nothing I’d seen or felt before. The vast ocean in front of me, the wind blowing my hair, excited chatter all around. A whole semester of this. Absolutely unreal.
After dinner (food isn’t too bad…breakfast is probably the best, and there is always a salad bar at lunch and dinner so that’s been a staple), we enjoyed the sunset, more meetings, and faculty/staff introductions. Then seasickness started to affect people. The sickly ones are wearing patches, wristbands, and taking medicine. I am very thankful to not be seasick at all! The first couple hours I kept laughing because I would lose my balance. (Then a not so happy Ana would glare at me…she’s been a little seasick….). And the rocking has definitely been getting worse as I think we are making our way between two hurricanes that are in the Atlantic right now (kind of feels like a rollercoaster…) Walking proves to be challenging at times.
Yesterday was a very long day of orientation—basically just a bunch of rules and information about health and safety, traveling in port, and student conduct and expectations. Last night they introduced all the different clubs available to join. So far I signed up for an extended family (they place you with faculty members or lifelong learners and they become your “family” on the ship), Christian group/Bible study, rec classes, intramural sports, and a career development group. This morning began the first day of class! I had International Operations and Global Studies today, and tomorrow I have World Religions and Intro to Theatre. This afternoon I worked out for the second time. If walking is difficult, lifting weights proves even more challenging. We have a small, crowded cardio room where you have to sign up for machine time, and then there are free weights outside by the pool. It felt great to get a workout in but I definitely miss the gym at school.
Well, I didn’t intend to write this much, but there is just so much to talk about! Feel free to email me (hjhippensteel@semesteratsea.net) if you have any questions! Email is really our main form of communication. Phone and Internet are available but are pretty expensive. So I have all my emails forwarded to my SAS account that is free anytime. Five more days until we arrive in Cadiz. So until then, I’ll continue to acquire my sea legs, get my brain in gear for classes, and get used to limited communication. Did I mention I really love getting emails?? It’s kind of my only connection to the outside world.
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