After Puerto Rico!

Hi readers! I hope everything is going well. I just spent 3 amazing days in Puerto Rico, seeing the sights and meeting some great people. Day 1 (Monday) started out with a pretty lame City Orientation that I would not recommend, except for seeing a fort and then walking around Old San Juan. Dad, you’d be proud – we went down an alley and found a restaurant with ONLY locals and had some awesome food for $4.50. I am now a big fan of plantains, the small bananas, especially when they are sweet and caramelized! Steph, Ryan and I wandered around Old San Juan, walked all the way from the ship there and back. At the main cruise ship docks there were HUGE ships, at least double the Explorer. They looked like buildings themselves!

 

Since Puerto Rico is US territory, there is such an influence here – fast food, stores, music… But it was fun. Monday evening I went to the Welcome Reception at Caribbean University which was awesome! I was completely blown away by the hospitality of the students and faculty who were stoked to have us there. When we arrived, they were all clapping and there were even 2 stilt walkers. The mayor of Bayamon (the city where CU is located) even presented one of our professors with a really nice letter/plaque saying how special this opportunity was! We got introduced to the faculty of the university in there extremely modern auditorium, watched a promotional film, then went outside to this huge area that was set up with a band, tons of Puerto Rican food/snacks they were constantly giving us, and some tables where we could buy things. We watched a ballet performance and then a Bomba dance with large colorful dresses and the male partners all in white tuxes with different colored ties. I also got 2 bags of Caribbean University paraphernalia like highlighters, pencils, a t-shirt, calculator, etc etc. Got back to the home away from home, hung out with my friends, and got about 4 hours of sleep! I have come to the conclusion that while we are in port, I am going to do everything possible and get very little sleep and then make up for it (or try to!) while we are on the ship.

 

On Tuesday I had an 8am start to El Yunque Rainforest. Our guide was hilarious, 3 people fell in the mud, it started to pour for 3 minutes and then stopped, I tried to find a parrot until I found out there were only 60 of them in all of Puerto Rico, so that was shot down. The rainforest was gorgeous and so was the waterfall we passed and the hike was good. Wandered around Old San Juan again that afternoon, searched for an Internet Café for an hour, and did a lot of walking. In the evening I had Bioluminescent Bay which was AMAZING! Check this out: http://www.biobay.com. Words can’t even describe how cool the experience was, and even though I had a blonde moment and left my swimsuit in the cabin, there was NO WAY I wasn’t going to swim in the bioluminescence. So, I did, which is hands down one of the coolest things I have ever done. Wow. I was glowing/sparkling and it was so neat. On the bus ride back at 1am it definitely hit me that I was doing amazing things and having the experience of a lifetime. I can’t even imagine what is going to happen next!!

 

Last day in port, I did the Rio Camuy Caves for the majority of the day which was actually disappointing. It wasn’t as big as I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, the caves were cool, but it was not what I expected. If we had maybe spent more time or been able to wander around without a guide and go propelling (like the introductory video showed us) it might have been better. But hey, you win some and lose some!! I did meet a few new people, so Katie, Mark and I headed back to Old San Juan with our laptops and sat in an Internet Café for an hour, went to Walgreen’s where it was STUFFED with SAS kids stocking up on everything you can imagine. I did a lot of SAS trips, some of which I liked and some which were okay, but it was a perfect way to meet a lot of people, especially since it was our first port!

 

Departure last night was awesome. At 10pm, everyone was out on the back deck. Pulling away from the dock was cool and watching Puerto Rico/San Juan fade into the distance marked the next leg of our journey. A ton of kids had gotten extremely wasted and were singing and dancing and being loud… definitely interesting. Everyone was using their cell phones for the last time until San Diego!! We took “leaving port” pictures and then my guitar buddies (aka Todd and Charlie) had a fun jam session as we all watched the land disappear towards the horizon. Around midnight I decided it was homework time (because yes, I am taking classes!) so I did some reading, picked out trips that I want to do for the rest of the ports, and wrote my project proposal for my Environmental Studies class – urbanization and population, focusing on South Africa, India, and probably China. I am getting to know a lot of people and slowly making amazing friends.

 

Now it’s reading time for my classes! I will try and do a short update after Neptune Day on January 30 when we cross the equator. I can’t wait to get to Brazil and the Amazon!! Bye from somewhere between Puerto Rico and South America…

Day Before Puerto Rico

Hopefully this will work – I am here sitting in the Piano Lounge with about 15 other SASers and we are all e-mailing or blogging. This journey has been amazing so far; I don’t feel like words can even describe it. Pulling out of Nassau was breathtaking, as was the sunset over the ocean. Yesterday and today have been the worst in terms of pitching and rolling, with swells up to 11 feet!! Classes began yesterday after a day of Orientation and meeting so many people that no one can remember or keep track of it all. I love my room and Janelle (my roommate) and I are having a blast. I’m glad I roomed with someone I know! Sleep has been difficult for the past 2 nights, but I think I’m getting used to being rocked to sleep.

Global Studies is interesting, especially when we have different faculty lecture for part of it. My Environmental Studies class for my Bio requirement looks like a lot of work, especially in terms of the research project we have to do along with keeping Field Notes and a Field Journal. My favorite class of all is my Marketing Tourism class. The professor is laid back, has a great sense of humor, and loves the topic. Everyone is really excited about the class, too, so it doesn’t matter that it’s at 8am! I haven’t had Business Law yet, but I know 3 people in it. We’ve had “Sea” meetings (like hall meetings) and I’m in the “Red Sea.” Everyone is so friendly and I am meeting a great group of people.

We arrive in Puerto Rico tomorrow but we still have to go through a rough storm tonight. I’ve been to the Campus Store and Supplies Store and played a ton of cards. I still haven’t watched a movie yet – but that’ll change shortly, I’m sure! I’m doing the 5 trips in Puerto Rico and can’t wait. As of right now I am planning to do China independently with some friends, I have NO clue what I want to do in Myanmar (Bagan sounds enticing..) and I want to do service visits in Brazil (day before the Amazon), South Africa, and Mauritius. Everything is just being dumped on us so hard and fast that a lot of people are getting really bogged down with things to do, myself included. E-mail has become my de-stresser since I refuse to nap yet. I’m sure that’ll change quickly, too… My favorite place, other than the Lounge, is the Pool Deck/Bar on the 7^th floor. The smoothies are amazing, especially the papaya one.

The ship is rolling and pitching like crazy. A lot of people are seasick, including some of the faculty, staff, and crew. We are all handling it pretty well – except when I had to run out of Environmental Studies yesterday morning because we had class in room 7 which is a cornered off part of the Union. I’m doing better today, it was just a few hours yesterday where I felt pretty sick. Everything is just awesome and so much fun, I feel like there is so much to do and not enough time!!

I hope you guys are having a great time wherever you may be. I am having the experience of a lifetime even though it hasn’t hit me yet and I have no idea when it will. I’ll update again after Puerto Rico!! Bye kids.

Sunshine Time!

After record rain here in Washington State, you cannot imagine how excited I am to go to the warmth of the Bahamas! 27 days of straight rain definitely has an impact on a person's psyche, especially when they are cooped up at home and anxious to leave on such an adventure!!

After months and weeks and days and hours of preparation, including numerous doctor visits/shots/malaria incidents, I am finally packed and good to go. 2 duffels bags, a small carry-on and 1 backpack later, I'm PREPARED. My parents are excited and so am I. They have been a HUGE support, being almost more excited than I am and helping me get ready and organized. Thanks to my wonderful Mom, I have manila envelopes for each country, and folders for all of my papers (class stuff, field trip stuff, mail/address labels, important documents, etc). I cannot wait to see them in Vietnam and do a trip to Hanoi/Halong Bay. They are the most amazing people and I thank them for everything they have done and given me, especially this trip of a lifetime, and I am very glad I get to share part of it with them!! Mom and Dad: Thank you for giving me the world! (I know you guys are going to be checking email and this website 23483942303 times a day!)

I fly out tonight from Seattle to Newark, NJ and then have a morning flight tomorrow and arrive in Nassau around noon. My Mom leaves Seattle 15 minutes after me, flies through Charlotte, NC and arrives in Nassau 30 minutes before me. ;) We are spending 1.5 days in Nassau before the ship embarks on Thursday at 6pm! On Wednesday, we're playing golf and in the evening she is going onto the MV Explorer for a Parent's Reception. I cannot wait to start meeting all my shipmates and making life-long friends.

I am going to try my best to update this blog, hopefully after each port. Because of our lack of internet minutes, we'll see how that goes, but I promise to make an attempt. Also, be sure to leave comments!! I want to hear about how everyone else is doing back in the States. Just click the "Comment" link below and then click "Other" and enter your name and leave a message. Postcards/letters are amazing and if you do send one (see the post below on "Mail"), make sure to include your address and you'll get one in return!

It's all finally coming together after waiting so long, and I don't want it to end yet. I'm nervous but also excited. I can't wait to be thrown out of my comfort zone: new friends, new experiences, lots of stories and pictures and adventures and doing my favorite thing in the entire world - travelling! I can't wait to explore the Rio Camuy Caves in Puerto Rico, float down the Amazon in Brazil, visit my best friend in the entire world in Cape Town, do a homestay in India, see incredible architecture in Myanmar, experience Vietnam with my parents (and celebrate my Dad's birthday the day we port!), visit the Great Wall in China, and eat sushi in Japan...

Goodbye for now, I miss everyone already and I can't wait to be back. Be ready to have your ears talked off ;) I haven't even left yet and I know my family is sick of hearing about Semester At Sea, haha!!

"For the born traveller, travelling is a besetting vice. Like other vices, it is imperious, demanding its victim's time, money, energy and the sacrifice of comfort." -Aldous Huxley

PreSale Confirmation!

What a nice way to start of the New Year. I am REALLY happy and excited. I got my PreSale confirmation trips in the mail. In Puerto Rico, I'll be doing, City Orientation: Old and New San Juan,
Welcome Reception, El Yunque Rain Forest, Bioluminescent Bay, and the Rio Camuy Caves. I chose to do a lot of day trips in Puerto Rico to get to know people, plus I wanted to do all these ones :) In Brazil, I got the Amazon trip!!! This, of all the trips that SAS offers, was definitely my FIRST choice! I'll be exploring the Amazon on a small boat for 3 days. I know that I would never visit the Amazon otherwise, and who knows what will happen to the place in the future. I think it's a wonderful opportunity. My other overnight trips include a Village Homestay in Erode, India and Hanoi/Halong Bay in Vietnam with my parents when they visit me there. Needless to say, I am VERY excited about all of them and have heard nothing but amazing things from SAS alumni who have done these trips.