Below you can find the 4 big trips I am doing through Semester at Sea. All other trips will either be SAS day trips, or done independently with other students from the ship.
SAL10 AMAZON EXPLORER - GROUP B
(0520, Monday, 08 September - 1245, Thursday, 11 September)
The Amazon River basin contains one-fifth of the world's fresh water. Its flow is 12 time that of the Mississippi, with 12-billion liters flowing down the river every minute - enough to supply New York City for 60 years! The Amazon rainforest, with an area greater than six-million square kilometers, supports, thousands of animal and plant species, many of them still unknown. Over 1800 species of butterflies, five major groups of primates, and over 200 species of mosquitoes are found here. Biologists are unable to identify 30% of the fish found in the markets of Belém, and botanists still bring back dozens of unclassified plants after each foray into the rainforest.
This trip will explore the Rio Negro system, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It offers unique insights into the lives of the gentle caboclos, the descendents of Amazonian tribes and early Portuguese settlers. Each group will participate in a number of exciting activities, which include trips by canoe down small tributaries, treks into the rainforest, flora and fauna observation, fishing for piranha, and night-spotting of alligators. Interaction with local people and time for relaxation by streams and on beautiful white-sand river beaches are also included.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Transfer to the airport for your flight to Manaus (about seven hours), with a change of planes in Sao Paulo. Arrive in Manaus midday and transfer by land vehicle to the pier to board a regional riverboat, your home for the next two and a half days. Your guides will distribute hammocks and conduct an informative briefing to prepare you for your Amazon adventure. Proceed to the Meeting of the Waters, where the black waters of the Rio Negro meet the brown waters of the Solimoes to form the Amazon River proper. Enter the Lake Januari region; visit the giant Victoria Regia water lilies, than anchor to accompany your guides by canoe as they spot and catch jacares (alligators) with their bare hands. Return to the boat for dinner, and enjoy the meal as you navigate up to the Jacareubal region to your overnight location.
Day 2: Arise early for breakfast as your boat continues up the Rio Negro. Stop for a trek into the forest, where you will learn about the flora and fauna of the region as well as survival techniques. Visit the manioc-producing community, observing their life-style. After lunch, visit Terra Preta, a caboclo settlement, observing their lifestyle. In the evening sail to a nearby white-sand beach for a festive cookout on the river's edge. Return to the boat for overnight.
Day 3: After breakfast, embark on an excursion by canoe for piranha fishing deep in the flooded forest, followed by a jungle trek in the region to explore the surrounding rainforest. Then visit the village of Acajatuba for interaction with locals and river swimming. After dinner on board, return to Tiwa Lodge where you will meet up with other groups and celebrate with a beach party based on the "Legends and Rituals of the Amazon."
Day 4: Shortly after midnight, transfer to the airport for your return flight to Salvador. Change planes in Sao Paulo and arrive in Salvador around noon.
CAP16 THREE-DAY TENTED SAFARI to KWAZULU NATAL - GROUP A
(0445, Saturday, 27 September - 1730, Monday, 29 September)
The province of KwaZulu Natal is referred to as the "Kingdom of the Zulus" and claims the oldest game reserve in Africa, the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve. Established in 1895, this combined reserve spans over 237,000 acres of hilly terrain and wooded savannah. The rich habitat is prime Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo) country and is the only park in its province under formal conservation. Other game include giraffe, impala, blue wildebeest, baboons, zebra, and spotted hyena. The park has the largest concentration of black and white rhino in the world. The wild dog, believed to be Africa's most-endangered carnivore, is now one of the park's conservation priorities. The park is also renowned for its wilderness trails which date back to the 1950s and its Game Capture Unit, a bench mark for animal capture and sustainable utilization throughout Africa.
Accommodations will be in the Sontuli Camp and reflect the rustic conditions of an earlier time with tents and wooden a-frame huts.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Transfer to Cape Town International Airport for your two-hour flight to Durban. On arrival, travel to Sontuli Camp. Once at camp, let your guides show you around and settle in before hearing a bush talk. In the evening, enjoy an exhilarating game drive.
Day 2: Enjoy a quick cup of tea and biscuits before you embark on a full-day adventure. After a morning game drive, return to camp and enjoy a healthy breakfast. The remainder of the morning is at leisure before embarking on an afternoon game drive or bush walk with your ranger. Enjoy dinner around the camp fire sharing entertaining bush stories.
Day 3: After breakfast, enjoy one last chance to spot the Big Five while leaving the camp on your drive to Durban for your return flight to Cape Town.
CHE03 TAJ MAHAL & JAIPUR
(1030, Tuesday, 14 October - 2130, Friday, 17 October)
It was during the Mughal period (16th and 17th centuries) that Agra first gained prominence as a capital city. For many years, travelers from around the world have visited the historical city to gaze upon what many believe is one of the world's most breathtaking sights - the Taj Mahal. The Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan, married Mumtaz Mahal in 1612 when she was twenty-one. She bore him 14 children, and it was in childbirth that she died when Shahjahan was waging a battle campaign. Grief stricken, he vowed to build her a memorial surpassing in beauty anything the world had ever seen. It was with this love that built the splendid Taj Mahal.
This trip combins the bustling city of Delhi, the majesty of the Taj Mahal, and the wonders of the "Pink City" of Jaipur. Jaipur, the capital city of the state of Rajasthan, is popularly known as the "Pink City" because of the pink-colored sandstone from which the buildings in its old, walled city are constructed. Visit the observatory designed by the astronomer Prince Maharajah Jai Singh, who founded the city in the 1700s. View the landmark of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal (Place of Winds). Also, visit the City Palace, home of Jaipur royalty, which houses a museum with an extensive collection. In nearby Amber, explore the fort which is perched on a hill overlooking the desert plains of Rajasthan.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Transfer to the airport for your 2 1/2 hour flight to New Delhi where you will be met and transferred by motorcoach to your hotel for dinner and overnight. En route visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Qutab Minar (the 239-foot sandstone tower) and Humayun's Tomb.
Day 2: The morning's activities begin very early with a wake-up call at 0345 hours. Depart for the two-hour train ride on the Shatabdi Express for Agra. Upon arrival, proceed to the hotel for breakfast before continuing to Agra Fort to view the halls and palaces of the Mughals. Next visit the fabled Taj Mahal. Afer lunch, depart for Jaipir - a drive of approximately six hours covering 150 miles. En route visit the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri.
Day 3: After an early breakfast at the hotel, depart for an excursion to Amber, the former capital. Travel to the Amber Fort by jeep. Or, if elephants are available, you may make your ascent to the citadel on the back of a gaily-caparisoned elephant. Afer lunch, enjoy an orientation of Jaipur. After dinner at a local haveli (residence), the evening is free for individual pursuits.
Day 4: After breakfast at the hotel, depart by road for Delhi, arriving at approximately 1230. Enjoy lunch before proceeding on a tour of Old and New Delhi, highlights include the Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb. In the late afternoon, proceed to the airport for the return flight to Chennai.
HKG15 BEIJING: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
(0815, Friday, 07 November - 2300, Monday, 10 November)
Tsinghua University is a comprehensive university incorporating science, engineering, liberal arts, and management departments with a special emphasis on engineering. It was founded in 1911 and is situated around a beautiful villa of the Ching Dynasty in a northwestern suburb of Peking. The campus area has been expanded to more than 800 acres with over 2,400,000-square meters of floor space.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Depart the ship for your three-hour flight to Beijing. Upon arrival, transfer to the university and check into your hotel. In the evening, attend a reception dinner with your Chinese hosts. Dinner will feature Peking Roast Duck. In addition to time for socializing, there will be a lecture about the Great Wall, Beijing Zoo, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace - all of the sites you will be visiting.
Day 2: Start your day early and head to the famed Great Wall of China. After a few hours at the Wall, proceed to the Summer Palace. In the afternoon, take part in Taiji training, a kind of traditional Chinese shadow boxing that will be held on campus in Green Garden. Enjoy dinner and social activities with Tsinghua students.
Day 3: Today's visits include Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the downtown area (Silk Street). In the evening, attend an acrobatic performance.
Day 4: Check-out of your hotel in the morning and then head to the Beijing Zoo to view the giant pandas. After lunch, visit the National Stadium (aka "Bird's Nest"), which is the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Also visit the "Water Cube" - the National Aquatics Center - before departing for the airport and your flight to Shanghai.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
My Classes
Below you can see the four courses I am taking and the course description for each. While at sea, I have class almost every day, including weekends and holidays, and then no classes when I am in port. The schedule alternates with A and B days, meaning only 2 classes a day for a total of 3 hours.
PLIR 100Z: The Rise of New Great Powers
Each time a new great power has risen up from among the collection of nations, the world has been transformed. The rise of European powers led to the colonization of vast parts of the world. The rise of Germany, Japan, and Russia led to World War and Cold War, both of which engulfed large parts of the world, forcing most nations to choose sides. The rise of the United States made the world safe for giant corporations and massive capital flows, leaving "third world" countries little choice but to go along for the ride. Now we are seeing the rise of a new great power, China, prompting important questions about how this nation's rise will remake the world.
PSYC 300M: Positive Psychology
This course explores the emerging field of positive psychology, or the scientific study of optimal human functioning. Topics will include how scientists define and measure happiness, personal characteristics and circumstances that promote happiness, and cultural similarities and differences in the ways happiness is pursued and experienced. In addition to considering scholarly works, students will undertake experiential exercises and reflection that will promote productive approaches to personal well-being.
PHIL 125Z: Philosophy of Love, Sex, & Friendship
Philosophy literally means 'lover of wisdom' and from the beginning of western philosophy love has been a focus of philosophical analysis. Hence, it is an ideal place to get introduced to the subject, and to consider a host of questions. The course objectives are the reflect on the ways in which love, sex, and friendship may differ in different cultures, and to think critically about these important philosophical issues.
ARTS161Z: Introduction to Drawing I
This course serves as an introduction to drawing as an art form. Students will gain knowledge of drawing media and techniques in order to better express their visual ideas. The course will consider form, value, composition, the object in space, and the picture plane. Precise observation as well as imaginative and conceptual approaches will be used to help students broaden their imagination and develop their visual language. Subject matter will come from the ports we visit, sketching on site, the ship, shipmates, collected mementos, and journal drawings.
PLIR 100Z: The Rise of New Great Powers
Each time a new great power has risen up from among the collection of nations, the world has been transformed. The rise of European powers led to the colonization of vast parts of the world. The rise of Germany, Japan, and Russia led to World War and Cold War, both of which engulfed large parts of the world, forcing most nations to choose sides. The rise of the United States made the world safe for giant corporations and massive capital flows, leaving "third world" countries little choice but to go along for the ride. Now we are seeing the rise of a new great power, China, prompting important questions about how this nation's rise will remake the world.
PSYC 300M: Positive Psychology
This course explores the emerging field of positive psychology, or the scientific study of optimal human functioning. Topics will include how scientists define and measure happiness, personal characteristics and circumstances that promote happiness, and cultural similarities and differences in the ways happiness is pursued and experienced. In addition to considering scholarly works, students will undertake experiential exercises and reflection that will promote productive approaches to personal well-being.
PHIL 125Z: Philosophy of Love, Sex, & Friendship
Philosophy literally means 'lover of wisdom' and from the beginning of western philosophy love has been a focus of philosophical analysis. Hence, it is an ideal place to get introduced to the subject, and to consider a host of questions. The course objectives are the reflect on the ways in which love, sex, and friendship may differ in different cultures, and to think critically about these important philosophical issues.
ARTS161Z: Introduction to Drawing I
This course serves as an introduction to drawing as an art form. Students will gain knowledge of drawing media and techniques in order to better express their visual ideas. The course will consider form, value, composition, the object in space, and the picture plane. Precise observation as well as imaginative and conceptual approaches will be used to help students broaden their imagination and develop their visual language. Subject matter will come from the ports we visit, sketching on site, the ship, shipmates, collected mementos, and journal drawings.
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