My Trip to the Amazonas

I arrived back in Salvador and back to the ship yesterday at about 1pm from my trip to Manaus, Brasil and the Amazonas region. (Manaus is pronounced Muh-Nouse) Let me start at the beginning. The night arriving into to Salvador I didn't really get any sleep and watched the sunrise come up over the city. It was beautiful and very exciting to see land. We got off the ship at about 10am and spent the day wandering around the city. Some buildings were beautiful, but many parts of Salvador are very poor. The streets smell like urine and we saw countless people doing their duty on the streets. I did not enjoy that part one bit. Sunday, September 7th, is Brazil's Independence Day. We saw a parade which was fun but there were so many people, we really had to watch our bags. As you can imagine, a lot was closed in the city because of what day it was. We mostly just did a little shopping, and we also got lunch at a Brazilian restaurant where they spoke only Portuguese. We were trying to get some authentic Brazilian cuisine, and were trying to communicate with our waiter... After we tried to order one thing and they were out, we settled on something with the word "frito" in it. This means fried if you were wondering. So anyways, can you imagine what food we ended up with??? French fries!!! Way to be American... We laughed quite a bit but they were delicious anyways. We also saw two men performing capoeira. This is a mix of a form of karate as well as dancing. It's very interesting; it's like an art form. We also got suco, which is juice...and we settled on orange, and it happened to be very good. We were concerned they might use Brazilian water but we didn't get sick so it was okay. We planned on going to dinner that evening but things closed early (6pm!) Later that night I went out with a bunch of friends to the beach and we tried a capourenina (wrong spelling). Basically it is lime juice, sugar, and a sugar cane alcohol. It was pretty good but a little strong for my taste. It's the traditional drink of Brazil though so it was interesting to try. We had a good time...there were 10 girls including myself and 2 guys looking out for us so it worked out well.

 
At 4am the next morning, we had to get up for our flight out of Salvador. We were all so exhausted, but luckily I fell asleep on the plane and I think in the airport too. We arrived in Manaus on Monday at about noon or so where we met our guides for the next few days. Enilson, or as we fondly referred to him, Ennie, was amazing. He is maybe 5 feet tall, speaks both Portuguese and English and is hilarious. We had a great time with him and he taught us everything we could hope to know. We took a bus from the airport to the river where we boarded our riverboat. We gad 30 hammocks strung up maybe an inch from each other! The boat was nicer than I thought actually, although the bathroom was not and the shower was in the same room so the water drained in the floor. I only took a shower once because it was so gross and you kept wondering what was splashing up on your leg... On the riverboat headed down the river, we saw the Meeting of the Waters where the Rio Negro and Solimoes Rivers meet. The Rio Negro is black and the Solimoes is a brownish color, and because of their temperatures, densities, and acidies, they never mix. Then...much to my excitement...we saw dolphins!!! We saw at least 15 dolphins within the first half hour of the trip! Not only did we see gray dolphins...we saw the elusive pink dolphins which I have heard are very rare. They are a very light pink color and I was ecstatic at this point. Next we went to Lake Jacaures to see the giant lily pads. We also saw some howler monkeys in the trees. It's so hard to get pictures of wildlife in nature because it's not like at a zoo where they pose for you and aren't hidden in the trees. We saw a caiman (alligator) on a lily pad and he actually did seem to be posing for our pictures. It was beautiful there. On the way to our next activity, there were locals on a canoe going down the river. Two of them were holding sloths (I think they're very cute) and another local was carrying a bag. Out of the bag he pulled out a huge anaconda!! It was so cool, I wish I had gotten to see it closer. It turns out another group got to hold both the sloth and the anaconda!! Next we docked the boat at some trees and went piranha fishing with bamboo poles. I didn't get anything - I got a few bites - but two people in our group did. When it began to get dark, we were in search of caimans. When our guide found the eyes of one with a flashlight, he dove out of the boat, grabbed it, and hopped back on. It happened faster than I knew what he did. The alligator was only maybe 2 feet long but he was really cool. I have a surprise picture to post soon.... :) When we got back to the riverboat they had dinner waiting for us. The food was better than I thought it would be, and everyone would agree that the pineapple was absolutely delicious!

 
The next day we woke up at sunrise (maybe 5:30 or 6am?) and got ready to go on a trek through the Amazon rainforest. We spent a few hours exploring the area and honestly it was so hot and we were so tired, it's hard to remember exactly what happened from this point to the end of the trip. Let me just say the Amazon rainforest is nothing like you might imagine. It is very different from what I imagined as a child. First of all, it is not misting like pictures seem to depict. And more importantly, there are not animals everywhere. In fact, there are really not any visible animals anywhere. We heard monkeys and birds but they are not perched on trees like I expected. Contrary to what I expected and dreaded for the last 3 months, there are no tarantulas to be found! Not on the trees, not on the ground, not falling onto my face. Not one. The most I saw was a spider smaller than a golf ball that was actuallu quite cool looking. It was bright orange and black. However, the girl in front of me squealed and I was sure she saw a tarantula. So I kinda yelled and ran away only to realize it was just a little thing! We saw a few bugs here and there but honestly there were not that many. And there were mosquitoes, but not in the rainforest. I really can't explain it, but the Amazon is nothing like what I thought, yet I still had an amazing time. It was an experience of a lifetime and I can say with almost certainty that I will never go back. Although I do miss Ennie and if you ever decide to go and want to see for yourself, find him with the company Brasil Nuts. I can guarantee he will provide you with an amazing time. Later on we went to a village and played soccer with the Brazilians...native inhabitants of the Amazon. It was amazing and we got to interact with a variety of people as well as the cutest and most friendly children you can imagine. They were so happy to see us and loved seeing the pictures of themselves. We went to bed very early both nights we were in the Amazon ...they really wore us out. I do remember they had a cookout for us on the beach with lights strung up and a great barbeque. The next day we went to a caboclo, which is a small settlement where people do not buy anything and only live off the land. A woman made us traditional pancakes of the Amazon, which are really not pancakes at all, and have a sort of jelly consistency. They live off manioc root found in the jungle and the fruit ascii, which we had actually tried in the juice form. We visited local beaches later in the day and you cannot imagine how hot it is. I am developing a nice tan. That night they had a big party for all of the Amazon groups (about 180 students). An Amazonian tribe performed a traditional ritualistic dance. It was absolutely beautiful. The costumes were elaborate and colorful and there was a story behind all of it. I can't really explain it but I did take a video of some of it so if I will upload it if I can find a way. I actually got split up with my roommate Brittany because even though we were both in group B, we had to be split in half an alphabetical. Even though I missed her, it forced me to branch off and meet new people. I met so many nice, interesting, cool people and had a great time. Marcella (my friend I met the first day) was also in my group and we were both thrilled we did not see spiders! :)

 
Alright so I am sure there is a lot more that we did, and if it comes to me I will update or add another post. As you can see, this was very long, so if you took the time to read it, I hope you found it interesting. All in all, Salvador has helped me to appreciate what I have as I seem like a millionaire compared to many of its inhabitants. Their living conditions and standards are so different compared to ours. I am glad I got the chance to experience the culture, and I am happy I stayed safe as I have heard that it was the most dangerous port we were docking in. As for the Amazon, again, it was nothing that I expected. But somehow it was more. I don't know Portuguese, and although I know some Spanish, it didn't matter. You can interact in a way that goes further than the language, and even the attempt of a simple "Oi" (hello), "Obrigada" (thank you), "Tchau" (goodbye) puts a smile on their faces. The most you can do is try and out of respect, I think it goes a long way. A simple smile to a local, whether an old man or a little girl, lets them know that you care, and that you are interested in their culture and lifestyle. I got the chance to experience something most never will, and I will appreciate it and cherish it for life.

 

Pictures from Brasil

My direct roommate & I at our beach party at the end of our trip in the Amazon

One of the guides who made the headband you see out of Amazon tree leaves ...he picked me to give it to!
The adorable puppy we found in the Manaus village ...there are cuter pictures of him, but none with me in it :)
This little girl was adorable...she lived in the village and loved being twirled around and seeing her picture after it was taken

Me in the rainforest along with one of our guides...he only spoke Portguese and carried a machete!
The riverboat 30 of us called home on the Amazon River

View of our ship from the port in Salvador, Brasil!

Day 8: Neptune Day & Day 9: Day Before Brazil!

Yesterday we woke up to the sound of flutes playing distantly down the hall only to hear them come closer along with the beating of drums. This signals that Neptune Day has begun. All the crew are dressed up with funny hats and their faces painted. Brittney somehow scrambled to the door and got a video of it so I will post it if I ever can. We got dressed and went up to the deck to have breakfast, and then went to the top deck where the pool is for the festivities. I was wearing my bathing suit and tanktop as I knew what was to come. The captain shaved two kid's heads because they won a raffle to have him do it and everyone was cheering. Students of Service raised $600 so a Learning Life Coordinator (LLC, sort of like an RA or Resident Associate back home) shaved his head as well as one of my professors. All of the money will be going to a charity at the end of the trip. So next we went over and waited in line to have fish juice/guts dumped on our head and then we had to jump in the pool. Then we had to kiss a fish! I promptly wiped that off. It was a lot of fun though anyways and everyone was really excited. My roommate Savannah shaved her head! Well actually she has a mohawk but it looks really cute. My other roommate Rebecca was really sick yesterday but we took care of her along with the medical center and she's feeling much better today. I did a few drawings of the ocean later on for my art class which was relaxing although I was on deck with 200 screaming kids, the pool, and loud music. It was fun even though I was just sitting at my table drawing. Last night we had our first cultural pre-port. We were taught a little bit about the language (Portuguese...very similar to Spanish so hopefully I will be able to get around with that), and they showed us different foods and popular dishes, as well as the music and dance of the area. Tonight we have a logistics pre-port so we can figure out where to go and how to get around. I actually have meetings from 8-11 tonight for that, then Students of Service, and then the Amabassador's Intercultural committee. I think we are sleeping on deck tonight because it is really popular to wake up for the sunrise arriving into port. We will be in Brazil very soon! Tomorrow we plan on just wandering around Salvador, getting a good meal, I want to get a few trinkets, and then getting a good night's sleep. I have to be ready to leave for the Amazon trip at 4:30am! ..That would be 3:30 for most of you guys! I just checked out a book from the library titled Voices from the Amazon which should be an interesting read for the 7 hour flight to Manaus.

Alright well I will try to post tomorrow about my first day in Brazil, wish us luck!

P.S. - We found out about all our trips today. I got all the ones I wanted except for the Beijing Great Wall trip :( I marched right down there and signed up for the Peking University one (I signed up for another university trip before), and hopefully I will find out tomorrow I got in it! The only real differences is that they are going to the site of the summer olympics and the Beijing zoo. Although the summer olympics site would be cool, I didn't really get into the Olympics so I could give that one up. The SAS program stresses "flexibility" so that's fine, but I will NOT give up the Beijing Zoo. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love animals and zoos are my favorite. Apparently there are not only the giant pandas, but all kinds of animals from all over the world. So anyways, I am going to find out how to go to that, got a long way to go til China!

A Week at Sea

Today has marked our first week at sea. I attended classes today and went to see an art video put on by one of my professors teaching us about perspective. Oh and I saw a flying fish when I was looking out the window during class. Then we went to dinner only to find perhaps the worst one yet. Rebecca ate a butter sandwich. Yes, butter on two pieces of bread. I had a PB&J, as always. We noticed on the way out that they had grapes but we are not supposed to take things from the caf ...I grabbed the biggest bunch I could find, hid it under my shirt and ran out. It was hilarious if you were there. My roommate went up to the snack bar later, and like a fabulous friend, brought us back reeses peanut butter cups. We were ecstatic.

At 2030 tonight, we crossed the equator! Everyone was outside and cheering. Then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean in the Union. Very fitting. Oh yes, and apparently there are real pirates in the Malaysia area, so when we go in their water, we speed up. Interesting isn't it? I may come home with a real pirate ship picture. Tomorrow is Neptune Day and I hear they wake us up with drums at an obscene time. Also tonight we had our first Ambassador's Intercultural meeting. I am co-chair! So back to the Neptune Day thing, Students of Service is raising $300 to have this guy Bill agree to get his head shaved. A lot of us have donated $1 towards it and it all goes to a charity of our choosing at the end of the semester. So I am off to shower since we may be waking up very early... Good night and enjoy your weekend!

P.S. - look up the site "digging to china" or something like that ...my roommate has told me that on this site you can look up the furthest point from your home address ..you can see the time I will be the furthest away from where you live, and when I will get closer again! Land in a couple of days, we are so excited!

Day 6

I just got back from filling out 9 forms to disembark in each country. It took us 45 minutes and I should have my passport # memorized by how many times I've written it. I also found out today I have to fill out a form for the Ambassador's Intercultural Committee. There were only 12 of us at the first meeting and we made our next meeting for tomorrow, yet somehow there are now 40+ people on the distribution list. We just had to write paragraphs on why we were interested, what skills we can bring, things like that. Also, if you all are interested, there is a slideshow for our voyage embarkation in Nassau. It is on the SAS website... http://www.semesteratsea.org/news-and-events/press-releases/watch-a-slideshow-with-audio-of-fall-08-embarkation.php

I'm on it one time obviously but a couple other times my head is popping up somewhere :) We have this MV Explorer tv station (we don't really have tv just whatever the ship wants to play), and right now there is a Brazilian movie on, but it seems very violent from what I've seen. Ratatouille is on tonight though so my roommates and I will be watching that. We are very excited for land Sunday and plan on stocking up on food. I ate a PB&J and orange for dinner so some snacks in our room will be nice. We are still waiting on our forms to see if we got the trips we wanted for the first sale that took place onboard. That's all for now... thanks for all the comments yesterday, very appreciated! :)

P.S. Debra, what's your daughter's name, I'm curious if I know her. Tell her I live in 3001 in a quad if she ever wants to stop by and say hi!

Day 5

I'm currently laying in a lounge chair on the top deck listening to music and relaxing before my 1420 class (2:20pm). We lost an hour last night and are cruising along the side of Brazil right now. No land in sight but the water is beautiful as well as the weather. A little choppy and I can see the white peaks of the waves breaking, but I have adjusted and do not feel the sea sickness of day 2. I have not been taking any meds since that day either, and many people are wearing the wrist bands but I chose not to because I am trying to adjust instead of wearing those the whole voyage. We still do zig-zags walking the hallways and stairs and sway in our seats...it's an interesting sensation. The ship rocks me to sleep at night and gives me a restful 8 hours ...and slowly declining as we continue to lose hours. Well I guess that's all for now. My roommates are a lot of fun and we are becoming accustomed to life at sea.. The food has not improved, although today I must say I left lunch more full than usual. I am having at least 2 pieces of fruit a day, which anyone who knows me knows that this is new for me. I expect to have lost a few pounds by the time I reach land in Brazil...I am hoping I can keep my strength to face the Amazon!

"For this is what [it] is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest sleeping in the unplowed ground. Is our world gone? We say "Farewell." Is a new world coming? We welcome it--and we will bend it to the hopes of man."

Day 3 at Sea

Today was the third day at sea, although not really, because we were docked in Puerto Rico from about 8am until 6pm. I'm not sure why it took so long but I know we were fueling at least some of that time. We were all wishing they had let us off. I saw the ship leaving port as I was sitting on the deck eating dinner at sunset. It's so beautiful looking out at the ocean, but I am excited for land again in Brazil! I had my philosophy class this morning, which was interesting to say the least. I'm not going to add more details, but it should make for awkward discussions. The food here I have got to say is not all that delicious. I was so hungry by the time dinner came along...I ended up eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and brownies! It's kind of an unwritten thing that the dessert will be the best part of the meal. I know my roommates will agree. We were laughing so hard at dinner about our various food items. I snuck out 2 bananas because around here we can't eat whenever we want. Breakfast is only from 7-8:30am each morning. I obviously missed that, as I didn't have class until 10:45am today. Actually...I did get up at 8:45 though so I just missed it. My psychology class seems like it will be fun as well. It will be interesting to see the happiness levels of people around the world, despite their income and status. It seems that some of the most poor people are the happiest, as they are not always wanting more and are content with what they have. My professors I have met so far are really nice; all 4 of them are fairly young males, which is weird because most of the others are either women or old.

I went to the activities fair with Rebecca tonight too. I signed up for the Ambassadors Intercultural Committee where I will be welcoming diplomats to the ship, presenting the Dean's gifts, and greeting our interport students when they arrive to the ship. It sounds like a fun experience and will also help me to learn more about international relations as my second major is Global Perspectives. I also signed up for Students of Service. Basically we organize the supplies and gifts for the schools and orphanages in the ports we are visiting, and develop the activities and fundraising events on the ship. The last one I joined is the Bible study and I had planned to do that before I came. It will be nice to meet people with similar interests.

The ship lost my water bottle so I bought one from the store tonight. The store was so packed, it was crazy. I also got a SAS lanyard for my ID card so I don't lose it. That was priced ok but I was surprised the water bottle was pretty expensive...I better get good use out of it :) I can't remember if I mentioned this already but we have cabin stewards that clean our rooms and make our beds. I came back to find my blanket laid out nice with my stuffed animal by my pillow. They organize all our things like papers and fold our PJs and put them on our pillow. They moved my glasses and I was looking for them for like 10 minutes! lol They also made the point on the toilet paper in the bathroom, like they do at hotels. They are really babying us I guess.

I am signing up for more port adventures too. Here is the summary of the trips I have so far...
In Brazil, I will be doing the overnight Amazon trip...this will take up all of the time I have there, except I have the first day free in Salvador. Namibia I am going to a salt mine that crystallizes into a pink color and flamingos flock there, very scenic...I have to go there as an FDP (faculty directed practica) for my art class. I am also going to go quadding in the sand dunes and camel riding, and would like to go on a catamaran as well. South Africa will be busy busy. The first day I am going to an ostrich ranch! I get to see a bunch of different kinds and where they nest and even take a picture on one with Table Mountain (beautiful scenery) as the background. Then I am going to Durbanville Hills to a winery, because the winelands are so well known and I have heard that they are amazing in South Africa. The next day I am going on my 3-day safari to Kwazulu Natal that I am so excited about! One of the last days I am going to Operation Hunger which should be a very eye-opening experience. There are so many poor people in the area and I am visiting various townships and meeting people who live there, as well as seeing the efforts made by the Operation Hunger organization. In India I am going to the Taj Mahal and many other sites overnight including Jaipur, and I am hopefully riding on an elephant to Delhi! I am doing a service project there as well where I will be working to rebuild a school. In Malaysia I am going to the Kek Lok Si Temple with my art professor. I have heard the temples are beautiful. I am also doing an overnight trip to Kuala Lumpur. If you haven't heard of these places, look them up - you will be amazed. I am doing a Service Visit to St. Joseph's Orphanage as well. I am excited to play with the children and give them the stickers and little gifts I brought for them! Vietnam I have not booked anything but I plan to go to Ha Long Bay which my sister has said is gorgeous, and I also would like to visit some of the temples and see their extraordinary architecture. In China, I am going to the Great Wall, with my tour guides being local Chinese university students. We will be visiting Tienanmen Square, the Forbidden City, the giant panda zoo, seeing an acrobatic show, and visiting the site of the Summer 2008 Olympics as well. In Japan, my roommates and I as well as others plan on getting the bullet train pass where you can travel anywhere in the country as often as you like for the duration of our stay. We plan on traveling all hours of the day and sleeping on the train at night. (Mom especially - don't be nervous about this. We'll be a big group, I promise!) I'm excited for this as we don't really have a plan and can see as much as possible. We are in Hawaii for Thanksgiving, so most things are closed, but I am hoping to go on the snorkeling trip. Costa Rica I am deciding between La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Cloud Forest and Poás National Park, because they are both on the same day at the same time. Maybe I can do one independently.

So anyways, those are a lot of the things I'm doing. Some things could change over time but most of those are pretty definite and I am sure I will be adding more to the list. That's all for tonight; hope you are enjoying my blog so far and leave me comments with the link at the bottom of this post! :)

Day 2

The ship is rocking so much right now. I am feeling sea sickness at it's finest. Well not quite because I have kept dinner down but I shouldn't speak too soon. Hurricane Gustav is a category 4 and there is a tropical storm nearby as well. It's really bringing those waves on. We are actually taking a little bit different of a route to avoid it, landing in San Juan, Puerto Rico tomorrow - although we are not getting off the ship, just stopping for fuel. I have a field excursions meeting in 15 minutes and then a Sea meeting (we are the Yellow Sea ..located near China!) After that we're done for the day, which is good because I can't take much more. I will be taking a drowsy dramamine as soon as possible. Tomorrow (Sunday) is my first day of classes and I have my philosophy and psychology classes which I think I'll enjoy. We also have an activities fair where I will sign up for some things to keep me busy. Well I don't feel so great so that's all for now, but hope all is well back home!

First Day at Sea

I woke up this morning at about 8am and got all of my things ready to take a taxi down to Prince George Port by 10:20am. I was happy my last name is closer to the end of the alphabet, because the A's had to be there at 8am. We waited in line for what seemed like much longer than the actual probably 30 minutes it was, because it was so hot I could feel myself melting. I met my first friend, Marcella, who is so nice and is in the same group with me for the Amazon trip! She's terrified of spiders too :) My roommate is on it too. We were told that there are 74% girls on the ship; good ratio for the guys. I hadn't really noticed because there seems to be such a mix. There are about 670 students and 1,015 passengers total. I ate lunch at about noon, which was tacos. I have heard taco day is everyone's favorite and what they look forward to most, and if this is true, I am concerned. I think I will lose weight very quickly eating this food (or lack thereof) however I have managed to eat most of my bag of starburst, so once that's gone, I will go hungry. I am at sea until I arrive in Salvador, Brazil at 7am on September 7th. 9 days at sea! I met my roommates; 3 as I have a quad. They are all really nice. My direct roommate's name is Brittany, and the other 2 are Rebecca and Savannah. I am a little woozy right now and have been swaying a little. I took sea sick meds so I don't feel sick, just a little out of it. I am currently sitting on my 2 1/2 foot wide bed using the ship's wireless to get my free SAS e-mail. We got lucky and have a window in our room! Might not sound like much but many don't have one. The ship is beautiful inside and out. Very exciting though surreal and I am exhausted. It is nice to have communication with the outside world. No pictures until I arrive in the next port. (no attachments with this e-mail) It was weird to see everyone watch us depart the port and slowly we saw ourselves getting further and further from land. The only tv station we have (until we get a few movies) is the ship channel. It is 22:00, we are going 21.9 knots, and our latitude is 25 degrees 24.9N and longitude 076 degrees 7.40W. I don't even know what this means.

I unpacked everything which was good. I have my first magnet on the wall from the Bahamas (I am collecting one from every port). We can only use magnets to hang things, so my first wall decoration is a picture of Matt and I at my sister's wedding. I have a FULL day tomorrow ...from 8:30am-9pm, pretty much non-stop. No land in sight and I am feeling sleepy. There is probably more to say so I will update more when I think of it. Until then, bon voyage and good night! :)

P.S. - I wrote this blog at about 10pm or so last night (8/29) but am just able to upload it

My Semester at Sea e-mail address is: LDPromise@semesteratsea.net

MV Explorer!!!

I have to create a new post for this!!!!!
Just as I was saying I haven't seen the ship, I looked out the window of the internet cafe and it is coming into port!!!! It is huge and beautiful!!!

Life in the Bahamas

So I arrived in the Bahamas yesterday afternoon. I walked into the airport and there was a band playing Bahamian music, very interesting. Then I waited an hour going through immigration. I kept dropping stuff left and right because I had a huge hiker backpack, my laptop case, a blanket, a pillow, a little purse. When I got to the Boston airport in the morning and I was checking my bags, one weighed 78 pounds!! It was going to cost $150 so I transferred 8 pounds out (well..Matt did it!) and ended up paying $80...what can ya do. So the flight was good...the water is so beautiful here, so clear. I can't really even remember what I've been doing, it's been such a blur. We went to lunch yesterday and ordered strawberry daquiris but for some reason they didn't understand and gave virgin ones. When they realized that's not what we wanted, they brought over a cup of alcohol to put in. It was really sketchy lol
I went swimming today and it was beautiful. I already got sunburned a little ...it's going to be a really long 3 1/2 months! I packed my bags so nicely and they are already a mess all over the hotel room floor. That should be fun putting back together. I am boarding the ship tomorrow at 10:20am. It's weird because I'm away from home but it hasn't started yet. The culture is already different around here. I have a funny story from the beach already today, so ask me if you're interested. I just got caught in a rain storm, and now I'm in an internet cafe and got an hour of internet for $5. We went to the straw market; it was kinda cool but sad because the people are so poor and so pushy for you to buy their things. I haven't seen any spiders yet. I guess that is being saved up for the Amazon. Sorry that this blog is all over the place. It's been an interesting few days. I can't believe tomorrow I leave on the ship. I keep waiting for it to come into the port but I haven't seen it yet. I thought I saw it last night in the port but it turned out to be a different cruise ship.
so I can't remember if there was anything else to say.. once I get my SAS e-mail address I can connect it to my blog and will let everyone know how the ship life is.
miss you all and thanks for reading! :)

SAS International Field Programs

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.

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.

It's not far down to paradise, at least it's not for me - And if the wind is right you can sail away, and find tranquility...

In 16 days, I will be in the Bahamas getting ready to leave on the most exciting trip anyone could hope for. Coming into freshman year I knew that I would study abroad, and I always assumed it would be to Spain since I had been taking the language for so long. When I heard during my first semester about a cruise ship that takes you around the world and you get college credit for it, I knew I was going to do it. I'm still hooked three years later. It's going to be so strange to have so little contact with people from home, especially since I'm used to having my cellphone all hours of the day. My first stop will be in Brazil where I will go the Amazon Rainforest. I gotta say I am freaked out about that. I don't even know if I'm excited, I think mostly just nervous. Anyone who knows me, knows my enormous phobia of spiders ...and tarantulas fill the Amazon Rainforest. Not just ones a few inches in size, but some the size of dinner plates. It makes me shiver just typing it. So that should be an experience. Not crying or fainting will be the only goal I can hope for there. Sounds pathetic but I really am scared. And of course spiders aren't the only thing to look forward to. How about anacondas, alligators, crocs, piranhas...reptiles of all shapes and sizes. Should be thrilling. I am hoping I will see enough monkeys and pink dolphins to counteract it. Ha maybe it will get me over my fears a little, we will see. I sound so adventurous and I don't know how. I can't believe I am sleeping on a riverboat in a rainforest in a strange country. Apparently we are catching piranha and alligator for dinner, what a delicious treat. And the itinerary mentions an afternoon swim in the river. Are you kidding me? I can't say piranhas biting at me would be the highlight of my day. Or an anaconda anywhere near me! I guess I could've taken the easier route and gone to Rio de Janeiro (which is beautiful itself) ...but when am I going to go to the Amazon again. So anyways, I guess that's it really...just sharing my fear of the jungle

Only 2 more weeks of work... People are talking about going back to school...and I am basically going on a vacation...with classes. Weird that I have class everyday at sea (weekends!) But only 3 hrs of class a day...I guess I can handle that :) ...I can't believe I only have 2 semesters left of college, where did it go?

A little SAS info

Hi everyone! I decided to start a blog to keep you all updated on my trip. Since I have unlimited e-mail access, I can update the blog via e-mail wherever I am in the world.

Nassau, Bahamas -
Depart Friday August 29 1700

Salvador, Brazil -
Arrive Thursday September 07 0700
Depart Thursday September 11 2000

Walvis Bay, Namibia -
Arrive Friday September 19 0800
Depart Tuesday September 23 2000

Cape Town, South Africa -
Arrive Friday September 26 0800
Depart Thursday October 02 2000

Chennai, India -
Arrive Tuesday October 14 0800
Depart Saturday October 18 2000

Penang, Malaysia -
Arrive Wednesday October 22 0800
Depart Sunday October 26 2000

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -
Arrive Thursday October 30 0800
Depart Tuesday November 04 0600

Hong Kong/Shanghai, China -
Arrive Thursday November 06 0800
Depart Tuesday November 11 2000

Kobe/Yokohama, Japan -
Arrive Friday November 14 0800
Depart Tuesday November 18 2000

(Cross International dateline, add one day)

Honolulu, Hawaii -
Arrive Thursday November 27 0800
Depart Thursday November 27 2000 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Puntarenas (San Jose), Costa Rica -
Arrive Sunday December 07 0800
Depart Tuesday December 09 2000

(Transit Panama Canal - Thursday, December 11)

Miami, Florida -
Arrive Sunday December 14 0800

...Remember, this is all in military time... (runs on a 24-hr basis; 0800 = 8:00am, 2000 = 8:00pm)

Based on Eastern Daylight Time - the time on the ship is ahead EDT by the number of hours listed below:
Brazil (+1 Hour)
Namibia (+6 Hours)
South Africa (+6 Hours)
India (+9.5 Hours)
Malaysia (+12 Hours)
Vietnam (+11 Hours)
China (+13 Hours)
Japan (+14 Hours)
Hawaii (-5 Hours)
Costa Rica (-1 Hour)