Ok, I am testing this out to see if my albums also post to my blog... maybe this will make it easier to post pics!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Amazon Riverboat
Ok, I am testing this out to see if my albums also post to my blog... maybe this will make it easier to post pics!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Brazil, The Amazon, and Monkey Bites
So… let’s see, where do I begin, I guess I should go back to the night before heading into Manaus, Brazil. We entered the Amazon on the 20th but docked in port on the 23rd. It was an interesting sail down the Amazon. The water clearly was different from the blue ocean water and the humidity stuck to our skin tightly. It was like being in Miami but with a different scent and vibe in the air. We sailed along the river and saw a variety of small local communities throughout the way that began preparing us to be ready for what was to come. We docked around 7AM and you can hear the bass from the music and I looked out my window to see Brazilian dancers decked out in tribal-like outfits welcome the MV Explorer. I wasn’t sure if that was the most appropriate welcome but I realized we were the “American Tourists” that they were used to and a bit of popularized culture probably didn’t hurt – it got the students excited. I went out to one of the decks and as usual took pictures of the local boats and port. While taking pictures I noticed 3 river boats perched on the side with banners on the front saying “Welcome Semester at Sea.” I pretty much guessed those would be the three boats we would be boarding to start the Amazon and Rio field program… After some time I made up to the Faculty Staff Lounge where the groups were meeting to take roll call and then head onto the boats that await us. At the meeting, prior to students coming for the trip we were briefed on a few things – my take aways: don’t eat the ice cream, the fruit has a higher fiber content so that might give you the poops, Rio is generally a touristy beach type area but beware of unmarked cabs, and whatever happens there will be people to help. I think that was good since I figured my crisis training was good enough from the past.
Sure enough – those were the boats. I was Boat #1… My group was great – a good mix of students who really didn’t know each other and the next 2 days on the Amazon River and Rio Negro will be filled with getting to know one another and experiencing an adventure not many people can say they have done. Once getting on the boat we were greeted by our guides – Antonio and Ronaldo. Antonio is in his 40’s and wore a small canvas safari hat with the strap and held a sign that said “B1 – Amazon & Rio”. I assumed we were asked to go out first and the other signs had B2 and B3 that B1 would mean Boat #1 and he was our guide.Ronaldo was a stout middle aged man who had a gentle expression on his face and always held more concern for us as a group than Antonio did. Rolando’s demeanor was always of care and concern while Antonio was more free spirited and wanted us to full experience the Amazon. Once I introduced myself to the guides I yelled for Boat #1 to follow me we were ushered up onto the boat where a center table of cookies, fruit, and crackers welcomed us. As usual, the students swarmed to the snacks and stood around as we waited to set sail. After taking roll again to ensure that all 30 of the students who are a part of my group were on I let Antonio know and we were off into the Amazon. Stop 1 – the meeting of the rivers. This is where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes meet… the Rio Negro is a black coffee color but if you look closely it is actually reddish in hue. This is because it is one of the most acidic rivers in the world. Due to it’s acidity not the biodiversity of the river is not as rich as the Amazon or Solimoes. That is actually a great thing for us as there would be less mosquitoes and other insets that could potentially give us bites and other diseases. Safety first! LOL… Once we sailed into where the rivers met we took pictures and then it was off to Victoria Regia water lilies. Basically there are huge lily pads that congregate in a specific part of the Amazon in Lake Januari. It was a small hike over a wobbly bridge that made a trail to the pond of lilies. Upon entering the area there was a small viewing area perched above the lilies. There were also little kids dressed in the same tribal attire as the dancers that welcomed us at port who stood around for picture opportunities, but not without a small fee. We also a few large Cayman alligators and Antonio brought a piece of raw chicken to toss into the pond to attract more for our viewing pleasure. After a handful of pictures and gawking we headed back for lunch on the riverboat and then a 3 hour sail down the Rio Negro to go Cayman hunting in the night. Once we got to the next destination we hopped onto smaller motorized canoes. Each canoe held 15 people and we sailed into the dark. After about 20 minutes and some wandering Antonio spotted a 2 foot long Cayman and caught it. While sailing the sky was speckled with hundreds of stars that made it hard to decipher the usual constellations that I was familiar with. The darkness and pitch black night made it easy to see almost every star in the sky. Also, a lightning storm to the west made the night even more memorable and eerie. Anyway… after Antonio caught the Cayman he passed it over to Ronaldo to educate us on the species. After a small lecture about the animal he allowed us to pet it and some students were even brave enough to hold it for pictures. After that excitement we headed back to the riverboat for some snacks and bedtime. We went to bed early because we needed to be up by 5am to go Piranha fishing – and really… I thought it was a joke and the fishing would be just us sitting around. Was I wrong… yes, there are piranhas and our bait was red meat… you place it on a hook on the end of a long stick and once you feel the bites you yank out the stick quick… which would also leave the potential for the fish to be flung across the boat into another person or the other side of the canoe. Oh, by the way, we took the same motorized canoes as we did for the Cayman hunt. After about 30 minutes and 6 catches we headed back to compare which of the 2 boats caught the most. I believe they said that the Piranhas would be made into soup but not for us. After fishing we had lunch and then it was off to an Amazon Survival hike to see a variety of plants, trees, animals, and tips of how to last in the forest. We learned where to find water sources, larvae for protein, and how to make things out of palm reeds to escape jaguars and make a roof for a hut. Pretty cool… Then we stopped by a local community where they showed us how grains were processed and turned into a cornmeal for food. The woman at the location cooked the cornmeal into a pancake like snack that was slathered with butter and fried on a large skillet that resembled one of those cooking surfaces for Mongolian Barbeque you see behind plexiglass windows in a mall. Afterward we returned to the riverboat and headed back to Manaus to get ready for our overnight red eye to Rio! Since we had some time I showered quick to get the deet and sunblock off my body and headed into Manaus to get some snacks and take pictures of the city since it was the only time we had to see the port city. The city is definitely untouched from tourism so that was a great perspective.
The locals stared at me… a lot – but it was expected as we prepare ourselves and students about situations like this. It is a point of understanding that as we have the luxury to go into these destinations it is imperative to realize and understand that many of the people who live in these places may never have been exposed to or interacted with Americans. Not only just White people but all races who identify as being from the United States. It happen more in Rio as people came up to us and wanted to pictures because they have never physically encountered a White or Asian person. Very fascinating and thought provoking when it comes to thinking about how big the world is, how lucky we are to be able to have the opportunities to be exposed and learn about issues related to diversity and difference. For these people it was almost a crash course in the exposure to difference piece as they were shocked and intrigued by actually talking to people who are ethnically and racially different and rare to them.
Rio de Janeiro was a great beach city. When we had our preport overview and interport preparation lecture it appeared as though it may be dangerous… but after the first night and doing some observations I can tell that the main area we were in (Copacabana and Leme Beach) was very touristy, safe, and full of heavily armed police. In NY we see the national guard and officers at main hubs of transportation with rifles but on the beaches of Rio it was almost standard that all officers are coupled with a nice rifle… and they weren’t afraid to show it. I guess it all boils down to safety. We stayed at a hotel called the Golden Tulip Continental right in front of the beach. It was what you would expect from a hotel room, basic double beds with a small TV and the mini fridge. But before the hotel the adventures in Rio started with some organized chaos (or I would like to think that it was organized). We had a red eye flight that had a layover in Brasilia… the problem was that when we all checked in for the flight they changed out layover flight from 7am to 11am which disrupted the itinerary and plans to hit the city and squeeze in as much as we could in 2 days. Long story short, we were a bit upset and I, being the trip leader, was going into a contingency mode on how we would reorganize the trip with the tour guides. I was prepped to call the emergency line for the staff on the ground once we hit Brasilia to inform them because the office (because it was the middle of the night) was closed… the entire 3 hour flight to Brasiia, the layover destination, I was formulating a game plan… too bad it was for no reason because once we started to disembark the plane a gate agent from the airline cut us off before we entered the gate area and redirected us into another plane… it was the fastest, most confusing, process. As we all entered this new plane with no concept of what was going on, I just hoped that this plane was taking us to Rio – which indeed it was. With no one who can speak Portuguese, I had no idea what was going on beside the fact that we were asked to board a new plane. We made it on time, actually earlier than expected, and as we taxi-ed to the gate in Rio I just prayed that our guides were not cancelled for the correct arrival time. After advising the other trip leader to collect students and come on down to the baggage area, I ran down first to see if anyone from the tour company was waiting for us – to my surprise they were there holding signs saying “Semester at Sea”. We were on our way… first up breakfast on Copacabana Beach and then a city wide jeep tour where they packed 10 each into a large jeep to take us to see the Christ the Redeemer statue. We had to also get off the jeeps and hop onto a mini van that took us up the rest of the way to see the statue. After that we toured botanical gardens and had a few snacks here and there. We also saw Rio’s waterfalls and also did a bike through Ipanema Beach into Leme Beach where our hotel was. It was friggin’ hot but well worth the experience. The statue of the “White Christ” was definitely an experience… it was like seeing the Status of Liberty for the first time… it is overwhelming at first, you are in awe for a little bit, take a ton of pictures, and then step back and soak it all in. The view around the statue was also pretty sick. I took a lot of city pictures and it reminded me a little of being on the top of Diamond Head in Hawaii when I saw the beached and ocean from the viewing point. Once we showered and got settled into the hotel it was dinner on our own – I found a nice Italian place along the beach where all the students congregated and as they made their night plans to hit the town I decided to call it a night and sleep knowing that the next day would be jam packed with a tree-top canopy ropes course ending with a zipline and then the afternoon on our own where I wanted to go to Sugar Loaf Mountain and ride the cable cars up to the top of the mountains, then check out the malls and shopping along the beach, have a huge Brazilian BBQ (all you can eat) dinner at a place known as Porcao and then hit the night market. Then it was time to catch the morning flight by getting everyone on the bus at 5am to head back to Manaus. I had to deal with a minor or major, depending on your perspective, issue with a missing student that was resolved in a matter of an hour and made it to the ship with all the participants we started with.
So, did all that and then I came back just in time to help with on-ship docking of all the students. With only one slight situation of a missing student for on-ship time, who we traced and brought onto the ship without any major issues… then we quickly set back into the Rio Negro taking us into the Amazon River as we head into Ghana. And now that we are back on board the stories are overflowing… the major one that I want to share is about another group that went on an Amazon Jungle tour that had time to play with some of the animals that were a part of the itinerary… well, it turns out that 3 students who were on the trip got bit by one of the monkeys that were playing with the group members. 15 others were lightly scratched… not sure what was going on but if I saw a monkey bite down on students and scratch people I would have stopped the entire trip to assess what was going on. Regardless, it happened and apparently the folks who were bit had to get 3 shots of immunizations to make sure they didn’t have rabies and the rumors are running rampant. I did however ask if they had to kill the monkey as that was one major rumor roaming through the ship – I had visions of the movie Outbreak and how someone had to trace this monkey and find it, knock it our with a tranquilizer dart to get the vaccine – however, that is a movie and the real story is that they will not have to find the monkey just get the vaccination shots from the clinic and inject it into those poor folks who were bit. Good times… one thing I am really enjoying about the position is that we lead a variety of mini-communities within the ship… so I have a reflection group that meets to discuss the various experiences each student had and I, of course being me, throw in some critical thinking questions to provoke some thinking as well as connect it to a diversity and social justice perspective which I think is interesting as they may not be thinking that will be the content of the conversation. My game plan for these discussions is to let the student talk about the fun and then quickly transition that into the deeper, richer conversations that they may not necessarily be wanting to talk about or think to examine. I love my job. The other communities are the extended families where we get randomized groups to hang with and talk about anything and everything. I have a small group that is made up of very different students. I think I will coax them with some ice cream next as this group does not really have a vision, mission or direction – I get to make it what it is… this should be fun. LOL!
Well, we have 9 days at sea now as we make our way to the Takoradi port. So what do we do at sea? Well this will be the long stretch where students get back into the groove of school, we get back to the daily grind of work and creating programs, community, and managing all other aspects of student life, and the one thing I am very much looking forward too – SEA OLYMPICS! It is a competitive atmosphere and the trash talking and display of Sea Pride has already been established… now it’s about reppin’ and taking the prize. I chose 2 great Sea Olympic Captains and my 2 staff members and other residents of the Almighty YELLOW Sea are ready! Will post again after the Olympics and let you know how we do!!! But for now… take care my friends… I am a bit.. not too much… missing people, as I know that Spring semester has gone underway… but I know whatever is going on, I am sure people are doing well and I am sending my best for all my friends and loved ones to be doing great. And yes… I do miss everyone… I saw a quick youtube video of the roll call that the GG staff did for winter training and obvi… I am impressed and there was a few tugs to my heart as I wished I was there, but without a doubt I was there in spirit. But it did, however, get me pumped for an amazing Sea Olympics and for me to focus my energy and pride I have for GG toward my sea and the amazing group of students and leaders here…
Sure enough – those were the boats. I was Boat #1… My group was great – a good mix of students who really didn’t know each other and the next 2 days on the Amazon River and Rio Negro will be filled with getting to know one another and experiencing an adventure not many people can say they have done. Once getting on the boat we were greeted by our guides – Antonio and Ronaldo. Antonio is in his 40’s and wore a small canvas safari hat with the strap and held a sign that said “B1 – Amazon & Rio”. I assumed we were asked to go out first and the other signs had B2 and B3 that B1 would mean Boat #1 and he was our guide.Ronaldo was a stout middle aged man who had a gentle expression on his face and always held more concern for us as a group than Antonio did. Rolando’s demeanor was always of care and concern while Antonio was more free spirited and wanted us to full experience the Amazon. Once I introduced myself to the guides I yelled for Boat #1 to follow me we were ushered up onto the boat where a center table of cookies, fruit, and crackers welcomed us. As usual, the students swarmed to the snacks and stood around as we waited to set sail. After taking roll again to ensure that all 30 of the students who are a part of my group were on I let Antonio know and we were off into the Amazon. Stop 1 – the meeting of the rivers. This is where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes meet… the Rio Negro is a black coffee color but if you look closely it is actually reddish in hue. This is because it is one of the most acidic rivers in the world. Due to it’s acidity not the biodiversity of the river is not as rich as the Amazon or Solimoes. That is actually a great thing for us as there would be less mosquitoes and other insets that could potentially give us bites and other diseases. Safety first! LOL… Once we sailed into where the rivers met we took pictures and then it was off to Victoria Regia water lilies. Basically there are huge lily pads that congregate in a specific part of the Amazon in Lake Januari. It was a small hike over a wobbly bridge that made a trail to the pond of lilies. Upon entering the area there was a small viewing area perched above the lilies. There were also little kids dressed in the same tribal attire as the dancers that welcomed us at port who stood around for picture opportunities, but not without a small fee. We also a few large Cayman alligators and Antonio brought a piece of raw chicken to toss into the pond to attract more for our viewing pleasure. After a handful of pictures and gawking we headed back for lunch on the riverboat and then a 3 hour sail down the Rio Negro to go Cayman hunting in the night. Once we got to the next destination we hopped onto smaller motorized canoes. Each canoe held 15 people and we sailed into the dark. After about 20 minutes and some wandering Antonio spotted a 2 foot long Cayman and caught it. While sailing the sky was speckled with hundreds of stars that made it hard to decipher the usual constellations that I was familiar with. The darkness and pitch black night made it easy to see almost every star in the sky. Also, a lightning storm to the west made the night even more memorable and eerie. Anyway… after Antonio caught the Cayman he passed it over to Ronaldo to educate us on the species. After a small lecture about the animal he allowed us to pet it and some students were even brave enough to hold it for pictures. After that excitement we headed back to the riverboat for some snacks and bedtime. We went to bed early because we needed to be up by 5am to go Piranha fishing – and really… I thought it was a joke and the fishing would be just us sitting around. Was I wrong… yes, there are piranhas and our bait was red meat… you place it on a hook on the end of a long stick and once you feel the bites you yank out the stick quick… which would also leave the potential for the fish to be flung across the boat into another person or the other side of the canoe. Oh, by the way, we took the same motorized canoes as we did for the Cayman hunt. After about 30 minutes and 6 catches we headed back to compare which of the 2 boats caught the most. I believe they said that the Piranhas would be made into soup but not for us. After fishing we had lunch and then it was off to an Amazon Survival hike to see a variety of plants, trees, animals, and tips of how to last in the forest. We learned where to find water sources, larvae for protein, and how to make things out of palm reeds to escape jaguars and make a roof for a hut. Pretty cool… Then we stopped by a local community where they showed us how grains were processed and turned into a cornmeal for food. The woman at the location cooked the cornmeal into a pancake like snack that was slathered with butter and fried on a large skillet that resembled one of those cooking surfaces for Mongolian Barbeque you see behind plexiglass windows in a mall. Afterward we returned to the riverboat and headed back to Manaus to get ready for our overnight red eye to Rio! Since we had some time I showered quick to get the deet and sunblock off my body and headed into Manaus to get some snacks and take pictures of the city since it was the only time we had to see the port city. The city is definitely untouched from tourism so that was a great perspective.
The locals stared at me… a lot – but it was expected as we prepare ourselves and students about situations like this. It is a point of understanding that as we have the luxury to go into these destinations it is imperative to realize and understand that many of the people who live in these places may never have been exposed to or interacted with Americans. Not only just White people but all races who identify as being from the United States. It happen more in Rio as people came up to us and wanted to pictures because they have never physically encountered a White or Asian person. Very fascinating and thought provoking when it comes to thinking about how big the world is, how lucky we are to be able to have the opportunities to be exposed and learn about issues related to diversity and difference. For these people it was almost a crash course in the exposure to difference piece as they were shocked and intrigued by actually talking to people who are ethnically and racially different and rare to them.
Rio de Janeiro was a great beach city. When we had our preport overview and interport preparation lecture it appeared as though it may be dangerous… but after the first night and doing some observations I can tell that the main area we were in (Copacabana and Leme Beach) was very touristy, safe, and full of heavily armed police. In NY we see the national guard and officers at main hubs of transportation with rifles but on the beaches of Rio it was almost standard that all officers are coupled with a nice rifle… and they weren’t afraid to show it. I guess it all boils down to safety. We stayed at a hotel called the Golden Tulip Continental right in front of the beach. It was what you would expect from a hotel room, basic double beds with a small TV and the mini fridge. But before the hotel the adventures in Rio started with some organized chaos (or I would like to think that it was organized). We had a red eye flight that had a layover in Brasilia… the problem was that when we all checked in for the flight they changed out layover flight from 7am to 11am which disrupted the itinerary and plans to hit the city and squeeze in as much as we could in 2 days. Long story short, we were a bit upset and I, being the trip leader, was going into a contingency mode on how we would reorganize the trip with the tour guides. I was prepped to call the emergency line for the staff on the ground once we hit Brasilia to inform them because the office (because it was the middle of the night) was closed… the entire 3 hour flight to Brasiia, the layover destination, I was formulating a game plan… too bad it was for no reason because once we started to disembark the plane a gate agent from the airline cut us off before we entered the gate area and redirected us into another plane… it was the fastest, most confusing, process. As we all entered this new plane with no concept of what was going on, I just hoped that this plane was taking us to Rio – which indeed it was. With no one who can speak Portuguese, I had no idea what was going on beside the fact that we were asked to board a new plane. We made it on time, actually earlier than expected, and as we taxi-ed to the gate in Rio I just prayed that our guides were not cancelled for the correct arrival time. After advising the other trip leader to collect students and come on down to the baggage area, I ran down first to see if anyone from the tour company was waiting for us – to my surprise they were there holding signs saying “Semester at Sea”. We were on our way… first up breakfast on Copacabana Beach and then a city wide jeep tour where they packed 10 each into a large jeep to take us to see the Christ the Redeemer statue. We had to also get off the jeeps and hop onto a mini van that took us up the rest of the way to see the statue. After that we toured botanical gardens and had a few snacks here and there. We also saw Rio’s waterfalls and also did a bike through Ipanema Beach into Leme Beach where our hotel was. It was friggin’ hot but well worth the experience. The statue of the “White Christ” was definitely an experience… it was like seeing the Status of Liberty for the first time… it is overwhelming at first, you are in awe for a little bit, take a ton of pictures, and then step back and soak it all in. The view around the statue was also pretty sick. I took a lot of city pictures and it reminded me a little of being on the top of Diamond Head in Hawaii when I saw the beached and ocean from the viewing point. Once we showered and got settled into the hotel it was dinner on our own – I found a nice Italian place along the beach where all the students congregated and as they made their night plans to hit the town I decided to call it a night and sleep knowing that the next day would be jam packed with a tree-top canopy ropes course ending with a zipline and then the afternoon on our own where I wanted to go to Sugar Loaf Mountain and ride the cable cars up to the top of the mountains, then check out the malls and shopping along the beach, have a huge Brazilian BBQ (all you can eat) dinner at a place known as Porcao and then hit the night market. Then it was time to catch the morning flight by getting everyone on the bus at 5am to head back to Manaus. I had to deal with a minor or major, depending on your perspective, issue with a missing student that was resolved in a matter of an hour and made it to the ship with all the participants we started with.
So, did all that and then I came back just in time to help with on-ship docking of all the students. With only one slight situation of a missing student for on-ship time, who we traced and brought onto the ship without any major issues… then we quickly set back into the Rio Negro taking us into the Amazon River as we head into Ghana. And now that we are back on board the stories are overflowing… the major one that I want to share is about another group that went on an Amazon Jungle tour that had time to play with some of the animals that were a part of the itinerary… well, it turns out that 3 students who were on the trip got bit by one of the monkeys that were playing with the group members. 15 others were lightly scratched… not sure what was going on but if I saw a monkey bite down on students and scratch people I would have stopped the entire trip to assess what was going on. Regardless, it happened and apparently the folks who were bit had to get 3 shots of immunizations to make sure they didn’t have rabies and the rumors are running rampant. I did however ask if they had to kill the monkey as that was one major rumor roaming through the ship – I had visions of the movie Outbreak and how someone had to trace this monkey and find it, knock it our with a tranquilizer dart to get the vaccine – however, that is a movie and the real story is that they will not have to find the monkey just get the vaccination shots from the clinic and inject it into those poor folks who were bit. Good times… one thing I am really enjoying about the position is that we lead a variety of mini-communities within the ship… so I have a reflection group that meets to discuss the various experiences each student had and I, of course being me, throw in some critical thinking questions to provoke some thinking as well as connect it to a diversity and social justice perspective which I think is interesting as they may not be thinking that will be the content of the conversation. My game plan for these discussions is to let the student talk about the fun and then quickly transition that into the deeper, richer conversations that they may not necessarily be wanting to talk about or think to examine. I love my job. The other communities are the extended families where we get randomized groups to hang with and talk about anything and everything. I have a small group that is made up of very different students. I think I will coax them with some ice cream next as this group does not really have a vision, mission or direction – I get to make it what it is… this should be fun. LOL!
Well, we have 9 days at sea now as we make our way to the Takoradi port. So what do we do at sea? Well this will be the long stretch where students get back into the groove of school, we get back to the daily grind of work and creating programs, community, and managing all other aspects of student life, and the one thing I am very much looking forward too – SEA OLYMPICS! It is a competitive atmosphere and the trash talking and display of Sea Pride has already been established… now it’s about reppin’ and taking the prize. I chose 2 great Sea Olympic Captains and my 2 staff members and other residents of the Almighty YELLOW Sea are ready! Will post again after the Olympics and let you know how we do!!! But for now… take care my friends… I am a bit.. not too much… missing people, as I know that Spring semester has gone underway… but I know whatever is going on, I am sure people are doing well and I am sending my best for all my friends and loved ones to be doing great. And yes… I do miss everyone… I saw a quick youtube video of the roll call that the GG staff did for winter training and obvi… I am impressed and there was a few tugs to my heart as I wished I was there, but without a doubt I was there in spirit. But it did, however, get me pumped for an amazing Sea Olympics and for me to focus my energy and pride I have for GG toward my sea and the amazing group of students and leaders here…
Friday, January 21, 2011
Into the Amazon! My finalized trips and the Rumor Ranger...
My initial task while having some “me” time has been trying to figure out how to upload pictures, but because the internet is not as fast as it would be on land, I am most likely going to upload a few pics at a time and will finish uploading everything when I return or at an internet café, if I find one. Today we have headed into the Amazon, the water is clearly different, brown and murky, but cool nonetheless. During the day you can see the crocodiles poke their eyes up from the brown water as if they were taking a peak at the ship as it sails through the river. I also took a really cool picture of a fly that was perched on the banister outside.
For work, it has become easier as each day passes. Initially it seemed overwhelming and a bit daunting, but after I got a few systems set up, I am feeling better about what I need to be doing – this is also the beauty and curse of SAS as we have to create an entire student life structure within a few days. Sunny, the Dean of Students, announced at our meeting that it has been 8 days since we have set sail – 8 days…. We have set up a full functioning student life and services operations (of course with a little history and archive available)…. I would say that it is an impressive feat and something we should be proud of. The LLC team (Living Learning Coordinators) are a bunch of impressive people that I learn from each day and inspire me to be on point with my end of the team operations. I am getting more and more excited to further my relationship with them as this is a unique experience that no one else will share with me… Beyond the day to day stuff, meetings, and programs we also are prepping to head into Manaus, Brazil. While in Brazil, I will be leading a large trip of 81 students down further into the Amazon and do a series of activities… after that excursion is done we will head to the airport to fly to Rio for 3 days. I am definitely looking forward to this leg of the journey.
I have also been notified of all my trips to come… the laundry list (which includes the previous stop in Dominica) includes:
· Emerald Pool & Trafalgar Falls (Dominica)
· Amazon River and Rio Trip (Brazil)
· Accra and Aburi Overnight Tour (Ghana)
· Lions Head Hike and Picnic (South Africa)
· Habitat for Humanity Service Project (South Africa)
· Three Day Safari at Kariega National Game Reserve (South Africa)
· Hike the Mountains and Beaches of Mauritius (Mauritius)
· Chennai City Tour (India)
· School of Hard Knocks Pewter Factory and Dish Making (Singapore)
· Cu Chi Tunnels (Vietnam)
· Mekong Delta Day Trip (Vietnam)
· Phnom Penh & Angor Wat (Cambodia)
· Hiking the Great Wall (Beijing)
· Yokohama and Tokyo Tour (Japan)
· Trip to Kyoto (Japan)
So those are the coordinated trips from our field office… there are other things I will do while in port in cities such as Ghana, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and in India. Also, there are a lot of day trips that have last minute openings that I will try to jump on if they have space… at first I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be able to do things – but it turns out that there are always options… as long as you are open to them. I am probably going to squeeze in a few more service-based trips as well.
Being on SAS is an interesting journey. It feels like it has been 3 years on the ship but when I look at the the calendar ahead, it looks like it is also going by faster than I want. I have feelings of excitement, anxiety, stress for so little time, but in the mix, I feel like the world is moving at a snail’s pace. It’s the weirdest experience ever. Oh, and I guess I got a bit too excited about SAS apparel, I have everything from flip flops to a throw blanket. LOL! I am still getting used to the nautical military time on the ship – it shouldn’t be that hard but it is. I always have to count in my head (and sometimes use fingers… funny, right?
As for what’s ahead… on board, we have Neptune Day and Sea Olympics coming up – Neptune Day is when we cross the equator, but looking at the itinerary I don’t think that is the correct date scheduled, however, it was something I believe we did strategically to make sure students are also studying. Regardless, this will be the day students will be practicing the ceremonial and ritualistic practices of shaving their heads, rubbing themselves with fish guts, and kissing a dead fish. I think I will watch. As for sea Olympics, the competitive climate has already begun. I will see how this pans out but the students get very excited because the grand prize is not only pride but the sea of students who wins will be the first to disembark when we arrive in San Diego. Definitely going to be a fun event.
I am sure some people want to know what the people are like, in particular the staff… the students are students… there are the ones who are here to experience a unique adventure filled with challenge and self discovery as well as a life altering journey… they are spiritual and focused, hopeful to change the world, and eager to learn… and then on the other end of the spectrum there are those who may see this as a long pleasure cruise with some educational lessons that occur in a collateral way. Overall they are all good people with different goals that cannot be, and should not be, judged. But of course, it is hard not to slam down the gavel when their behavior becomes and issue... but those are few and far between.
Another funny element of the shipboard community that I think could be translated into "land campus" residence halls might be this idea of the Rumor Ranger. Everyday a "Dean's Memo" goes out to all the students via email, televised as a powerpoint on the TV, and printed on bulletin boards - this memo notifies students of all the events and reminders for the day. It is read by everyone on the ship... the Rumor Ranger is a section where a staff member responds to the most random, funniest, or just obsurd rumor that is floating around the small community - whether staff members hear it in passing or if someone sends and email to the Romor Ranger directly... murmurs such as the talk of Jennifer Lopez getting on when we port in Brazil to someone having a major medical emergency and getting a helicopter to land on board to take them to a nearby hospital are addressed. The most recent: that there are dolphins and whales in the Amazon River... I am pretty sure these are going to continue, but I was thinking... how fun and hilarious would it be to have a Rumor Ranger in all communities of our lives. I am sure it would come in handy in all aspects when it comes to residence halls and our friends and family.
For work, it has become easier as each day passes. Initially it seemed overwhelming and a bit daunting, but after I got a few systems set up, I am feeling better about what I need to be doing – this is also the beauty and curse of SAS as we have to create an entire student life structure within a few days. Sunny, the Dean of Students, announced at our meeting that it has been 8 days since we have set sail – 8 days…. We have set up a full functioning student life and services operations (of course with a little history and archive available)…. I would say that it is an impressive feat and something we should be proud of. The LLC team (Living Learning Coordinators) are a bunch of impressive people that I learn from each day and inspire me to be on point with my end of the team operations. I am getting more and more excited to further my relationship with them as this is a unique experience that no one else will share with me… Beyond the day to day stuff, meetings, and programs we also are prepping to head into Manaus, Brazil. While in Brazil, I will be leading a large trip of 81 students down further into the Amazon and do a series of activities… after that excursion is done we will head to the airport to fly to Rio for 3 days. I am definitely looking forward to this leg of the journey.
I have also been notified of all my trips to come… the laundry list (which includes the previous stop in Dominica) includes:
· Emerald Pool & Trafalgar Falls (Dominica)
· Amazon River and Rio Trip (Brazil)
· Accra and Aburi Overnight Tour (Ghana)
· Lions Head Hike and Picnic (South Africa)
· Habitat for Humanity Service Project (South Africa)
· Three Day Safari at Kariega National Game Reserve (South Africa)
· Hike the Mountains and Beaches of Mauritius (Mauritius)
· Chennai City Tour (India)
· School of Hard Knocks Pewter Factory and Dish Making (Singapore)
· Cu Chi Tunnels (Vietnam)
· Mekong Delta Day Trip (Vietnam)
· Phnom Penh & Angor Wat (Cambodia)
· Hiking the Great Wall (Beijing)
· Yokohama and Tokyo Tour (Japan)
· Trip to Kyoto (Japan)
So those are the coordinated trips from our field office… there are other things I will do while in port in cities such as Ghana, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and in India. Also, there are a lot of day trips that have last minute openings that I will try to jump on if they have space… at first I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be able to do things – but it turns out that there are always options… as long as you are open to them. I am probably going to squeeze in a few more service-based trips as well.
Being on SAS is an interesting journey. It feels like it has been 3 years on the ship but when I look at the the calendar ahead, it looks like it is also going by faster than I want. I have feelings of excitement, anxiety, stress for so little time, but in the mix, I feel like the world is moving at a snail’s pace. It’s the weirdest experience ever. Oh, and I guess I got a bit too excited about SAS apparel, I have everything from flip flops to a throw blanket. LOL! I am still getting used to the nautical military time on the ship – it shouldn’t be that hard but it is. I always have to count in my head (and sometimes use fingers… funny, right?
As for what’s ahead… on board, we have Neptune Day and Sea Olympics coming up – Neptune Day is when we cross the equator, but looking at the itinerary I don’t think that is the correct date scheduled, however, it was something I believe we did strategically to make sure students are also studying. Regardless, this will be the day students will be practicing the ceremonial and ritualistic practices of shaving their heads, rubbing themselves with fish guts, and kissing a dead fish. I think I will watch. As for sea Olympics, the competitive climate has already begun. I will see how this pans out but the students get very excited because the grand prize is not only pride but the sea of students who wins will be the first to disembark when we arrive in San Diego. Definitely going to be a fun event.
I am sure some people want to know what the people are like, in particular the staff… the students are students… there are the ones who are here to experience a unique adventure filled with challenge and self discovery as well as a life altering journey… they are spiritual and focused, hopeful to change the world, and eager to learn… and then on the other end of the spectrum there are those who may see this as a long pleasure cruise with some educational lessons that occur in a collateral way. Overall they are all good people with different goals that cannot be, and should not be, judged. But of course, it is hard not to slam down the gavel when their behavior becomes and issue... but those are few and far between.
Another funny element of the shipboard community that I think could be translated into "land campus" residence halls might be this idea of the Rumor Ranger. Everyday a "Dean's Memo" goes out to all the students via email, televised as a powerpoint on the TV, and printed on bulletin boards - this memo notifies students of all the events and reminders for the day. It is read by everyone on the ship... the Rumor Ranger is a section where a staff member responds to the most random, funniest, or just obsurd rumor that is floating around the small community - whether staff members hear it in passing or if someone sends and email to the Romor Ranger directly... murmurs such as the talk of Jennifer Lopez getting on when we port in Brazil to someone having a major medical emergency and getting a helicopter to land on board to take them to a nearby hospital are addressed. The most recent: that there are dolphins and whales in the Amazon River... I am pretty sure these are going to continue, but I was thinking... how fun and hilarious would it be to have a Rumor Ranger in all communities of our lives. I am sure it would come in handy in all aspects when it comes to residence halls and our friends and family.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
From Nassau to Roseau...
So we set into Dominica today and it was awesome, I woke up as usual, around 6:00am and head up to Deck 7 Forward, the front, to see the sunrise as we enter port. It was slightly overcast as you can see by the pictures but it was worth it to soak in the first destination. As we sailed in it looked smooth as can be. It’s really cool to see the small rain showers from afar as we came closer to land, even passing through a few. The students were excited, staff calm and ready, and we were ready to start the day! The field programs for the morning began lining up at the gangway which they changed to the 5th deck and I got to watch people disembark through my window since the staircase was right in front.
A lot of people decided to do their own day trips and hike up through the botanical gardens, as for me… well, I decided to take it easy the first day but as things happen, I ended up hopping on to the Island Style Hot Baths trip which took me to Screw Hot Mineral Baths. Before we went to dive into the baths, we took a Botanical Garden Tour of Roseau, Dominica which was cool, we saw different trees and plants and some Sisserou Parrots (and some lizards). Prior to the Garden we stopped for an view of the city from the top of a mountain which people can also hike up. We can see the MV Explorer docked and the way the city was built. At the hot springs, we just jumped in an enjoyed the hot sulfur spring pools as well as cooling off in the cold pool. After they gave us a variety of fruit, although they stated in the description that students would also be served Rum Punch, there was not a drop to be found… which was disappointing to the students, but I was more sad that they didn’t have hammocks lined up so we can just chillax and take in the moment. Once done with the excursion it was off to meetings and some dinner, a nice way to end the day and then we went up to the Faculty/Staff Lounge (where students are not allowed) and had an exciting game of Catch Phrase with a few drinks. Nice way to unwind while the faculty and staff get to know each other better – I really like the group that is forming with the student life staff and faculty – everyone’s perspective on building a cohesive community is on the same page and it has been a treat.
After Sunday, it was off to Trafalgar Falls and Emerald Pool where I get to lead with 2 other staff and faculty a group of 70-some students and staff to this must-see destination. Both places are two of the top 10 things to do while in Dominica! Amazing… the only bad part was that it was raining, a lot. But, like our guide said, what do you expect it’s a RAIN forest… LOL. The waterfalls and pool was really amazing and magnificent, that is pretty much the only way to sum it up.
As for the voyage in total…The food is still great but I am noticing slow changes such as the bananas turning brown (rumor has it that the fruit was still from the last trip)… As for work, I think I am getting the hang of my position and it couldn’t be more well-suited for me. I get to manage all the scheduling for the co-curricular programs… Oh before I forget, we also do something called an Pre-Port Seminar where we have guest speakers and a review of health and safety. Although the presentations by the interport student and lecturer was interesting and helpful the best presentation was by the Medical Team led by Doctor Bill and Laura – they did a skit on protecting yourself from major issues that happen in port… and the message was:
· Don’t get BIT (by rabid dogs, mosquitoes, etc)
· Don’t get HIT (by cars, because traffic is the opposite way of the States)
· Don’t do IT (be sexually active with others, especially strangers)
· Don’t get LIT (drugs and other hallucinogens)
· Don’t get the SHITs (be careful what you eat)
So we head into BRAZIL! First, the Amazon… so we check in and port in Macapa to go through the visa and entry process, I heard all they do is scan all voyagers’ passports and then let us through – this should be awesome and pictures will definitely be taken. I am excited as I get to lead the Amazon and Rio trip which takes up the entire time we are at port. I just found out that I got paired with one of the Faculty members that has really immersed himself with the Living Learning Team and is really fun to be around. We get to take 81 students down the Amazon… a riverboat will be my home for 3 days sleeping in hammocks and we will see the “meeting of the waters” where the Rio Negro meets Rio Solimoes that creates the Amazon River proper.
OH another funny thing.. the TV in the room only has 6 or so channels… and channel one is the guide , showing you where we are at and trip basics, how fast we are going, time, date etc… well… this channel also streams satellite music and today I randomly heard Korean Pop music played in between George Michael and BoyzIIMen… I started laughing and thought about how much influence Korean Pop Music has, intentionally or by accident. Regardless, it was just random and funny….
Update – we also got another grip of Field Programs for us to choose that are more affordable and they look really awesome, so Bianca, another LLC and I were looking or placed to go while we aren’t on duty. Right now… a picnic in Lion’s Head Hike in Cape Town and the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam…and the Mountain and Beach Hike in Mauritius.
The students have been amazing, for the most part. There are those that are interesting in the partying more than the other experiences but they will also come around in different parts of the trip as they know this is an experience that goes beyond just the drinking and partying. I understand that it can become that way but I know they all want they can reap from this experience, its just the peer pressure and need to fit in that conflicts with their individual goals and purpose for the voyage. As expected I created a small (actually kinda big) community with the smokers and there is a great bond that is happening that consists of students who are very different but have that one common bound that people think is a nasty habit. I do know that the long term smokers will not be a part of this group – they are letting go and probably smoke to use it as a social tool to interact with others – and hey, cant diss that… right?
Today’s day at sea has been extremely rocky we are going at 24 knots which is pretty fast I think… and the waters are choppy so people are getting tossed around, but what a great way to have another common experience… everyone is going through the process of being seasick and maintaining balance and all you can do is laugh, smile, say hi and keep going. BTW, I dont know if I get seasick since I put the patch on and wont ever know unless I take it off the next time we set sail... but do i really want to take that chance?
Ok, one more thing... YES I do work, actually it's a lot of work but I am not really going to write about it because 1) its boring 2) its a lot 3) would you really want to know what I did on a day to day related to work? and 4) I don't want to write about work.
A lot of people decided to do their own day trips and hike up through the botanical gardens, as for me… well, I decided to take it easy the first day but as things happen, I ended up hopping on to the Island Style Hot Baths trip which took me to Screw Hot Mineral Baths. Before we went to dive into the baths, we took a Botanical Garden Tour of Roseau, Dominica which was cool, we saw different trees and plants and some Sisserou Parrots (and some lizards). Prior to the Garden we stopped for an view of the city from the top of a mountain which people can also hike up. We can see the MV Explorer docked and the way the city was built. At the hot springs, we just jumped in an enjoyed the hot sulfur spring pools as well as cooling off in the cold pool. After they gave us a variety of fruit, although they stated in the description that students would also be served Rum Punch, there was not a drop to be found… which was disappointing to the students, but I was more sad that they didn’t have hammocks lined up so we can just chillax and take in the moment. Once done with the excursion it was off to meetings and some dinner, a nice way to end the day and then we went up to the Faculty/Staff Lounge (where students are not allowed) and had an exciting game of Catch Phrase with a few drinks. Nice way to unwind while the faculty and staff get to know each other better – I really like the group that is forming with the student life staff and faculty – everyone’s perspective on building a cohesive community is on the same page and it has been a treat.
After Sunday, it was off to Trafalgar Falls and Emerald Pool where I get to lead with 2 other staff and faculty a group of 70-some students and staff to this must-see destination. Both places are two of the top 10 things to do while in Dominica! Amazing… the only bad part was that it was raining, a lot. But, like our guide said, what do you expect it’s a RAIN forest… LOL. The waterfalls and pool was really amazing and magnificent, that is pretty much the only way to sum it up.
As for the voyage in total…The food is still great but I am noticing slow changes such as the bananas turning brown (rumor has it that the fruit was still from the last trip)… As for work, I think I am getting the hang of my position and it couldn’t be more well-suited for me. I get to manage all the scheduling for the co-curricular programs… Oh before I forget, we also do something called an Pre-Port Seminar where we have guest speakers and a review of health and safety. Although the presentations by the interport student and lecturer was interesting and helpful the best presentation was by the Medical Team led by Doctor Bill and Laura – they did a skit on protecting yourself from major issues that happen in port… and the message was:
· Don’t get BIT (by rabid dogs, mosquitoes, etc)
· Don’t get HIT (by cars, because traffic is the opposite way of the States)
· Don’t do IT (be sexually active with others, especially strangers)
· Don’t get LIT (drugs and other hallucinogens)
· Don’t get the SHITs (be careful what you eat)
So we head into BRAZIL! First, the Amazon… so we check in and port in Macapa to go through the visa and entry process, I heard all they do is scan all voyagers’ passports and then let us through – this should be awesome and pictures will definitely be taken. I am excited as I get to lead the Amazon and Rio trip which takes up the entire time we are at port. I just found out that I got paired with one of the Faculty members that has really immersed himself with the Living Learning Team and is really fun to be around. We get to take 81 students down the Amazon… a riverboat will be my home for 3 days sleeping in hammocks and we will see the “meeting of the waters” where the Rio Negro meets Rio Solimoes that creates the Amazon River proper.
OH another funny thing.. the TV in the room only has 6 or so channels… and channel one is the guide , showing you where we are at and trip basics, how fast we are going, time, date etc… well… this channel also streams satellite music and today I randomly heard Korean Pop music played in between George Michael and BoyzIIMen… I started laughing and thought about how much influence Korean Pop Music has, intentionally or by accident. Regardless, it was just random and funny….
Update – we also got another grip of Field Programs for us to choose that are more affordable and they look really awesome, so Bianca, another LLC and I were looking or placed to go while we aren’t on duty. Right now… a picnic in Lion’s Head Hike in Cape Town and the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam…and the Mountain and Beach Hike in Mauritius.
The students have been amazing, for the most part. There are those that are interesting in the partying more than the other experiences but they will also come around in different parts of the trip as they know this is an experience that goes beyond just the drinking and partying. I understand that it can become that way but I know they all want they can reap from this experience, its just the peer pressure and need to fit in that conflicts with their individual goals and purpose for the voyage. As expected I created a small (actually kinda big) community with the smokers and there is a great bond that is happening that consists of students who are very different but have that one common bound that people think is a nasty habit. I do know that the long term smokers will not be a part of this group – they are letting go and probably smoke to use it as a social tool to interact with others – and hey, cant diss that… right?
Today’s day at sea has been extremely rocky we are going at 24 knots which is pretty fast I think… and the waters are choppy so people are getting tossed around, but what a great way to have another common experience… everyone is going through the process of being seasick and maintaining balance and all you can do is laugh, smile, say hi and keep going. BTW, I dont know if I get seasick since I put the patch on and wont ever know unless I take it off the next time we set sail... but do i really want to take that chance?
Ok, one more thing... YES I do work, actually it's a lot of work but I am not really going to write about it because 1) its boring 2) its a lot 3) would you really want to know what I did on a day to day related to work? and 4) I don't want to write about work.
I promise I will try to get pics up - the internet is HELLLLLLA slow... so having probs... if Picasa doesn't work I will try facebook (I guess).
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Staff Training, Prep, and SETTING SAIL!!!
It has been a whirlwind of events and planning as we prepared to welcome students and get started with the voyage of a lifetime. Since January 9th, once we got on board it has been non-stop… but unlike thoughts that people have about full day trainings, this is different because you go through the motions in about 2 days instead of a week or more for the general pro-staff or student staff training experiences. But I will talk more about that a little later.
Nassau was beautiful and I had a really nice stay there – it was like any other small vacation break to the Caribbean, beautiful beach, nice pool. The only difference about Nassau is that Downtown shuts down at sundown (Around 7pm) and the nightlife or any type of life, in general, seems to happen at the Atlantis Casino and Resort - which pretty much resembles a Las Vegas Casino or the Borgata. It is super nice, tons of tourists and people from all over. They tout that they have an amazing aquarium but didn’t get to see much because I went after things closed and it was at night, but I did wander the compound with my new colleagues and did more “getting to know you” than gamble (actually didn’t gamble at all)… and took in the sights, I guess it was more of a great backdrop to the relationship and team building for us.
On the 9th was our time to board the ship to start training, since then I haven’t set foot on land. I looked at it as I took breaks outside but didn’t have time or got a chance to get off the ship… which was ok. For 3.5 days we trained and went over as much as we could – but I realized the other day that this is a “address or tend as we go” type of system since you never know what could happen. Without boring you to death, training dealt with the general information we need, language on the ship (such as nautical ship terms as well as unique policies to the SHIP (not boat or cruise)… and where things are. So lets cover a few areas people might have questions about.
My Room – it’s awesome. All the staff have cabins that are generally double occupancy cabins (not rooms) and we have steward service everyday. My steward’s name (btw, steward is Housekeeping). Is Don and he is awesome, he gave me the ins and outs of living in the cabin and without asking (but it was on my list of things to do) he put the two double beds together to make a larger bed for me… although I sleep on one side and it really doesn’t matter, I guess it is nice to be able to have the larger option. The cabin comes equipped with everything I need, maybe more… like a showerhead that I can detach but really… my concern was about the water pressure, which was better than I expected. And yes, you can drink the water that comes out of the faucet – it does taste different – it has a slight tinge of chlorine-flavor and a metallic after-taste, but honestly… once I put an Emergen-C in it, its fine. I also like the size, its perfect and is accustoming me to the possible studio that I will/may get when I return to New York (if I get a job in the city)... And I brought just enough stuff that I will be fine for 3-4 months...
The Ship – I keep getting lost, but I honestly think that is going to happen the entire trip. I did figure out the most important places…such as getting to the main programmatic and academic spaces, where the public bathrooms are, the smoking area and the fasted route from my cabin to this particular area, and the dining hall – the eating area is in the AFT of the ship (which is the back) and my room is 3rd Deck (floor) forward (or front)… you like how I am integrating the ship terms? I need to get used to them so might as well write them for practice… right? It is funny because it used to be cruise liner, so the Casino is the Library, the Banquet Room is the Lecture Hall and such. The Captain is the ruler of the ship and whatever he says goes and he is to be respected and revered. He is a very funny but also presents a command that everyone tends to – although that might be because he is already in the role and we are told these expectations before hand – but the students, staff, and faculty seems to treat him the same… with respect, period. The silence… I wish I could have the Captain with me when I am talking to a group of rowdy people… because it would be silent in a hot-minute. As for the food.. its pretty good.. I am not a finicky eater so it really meets my needs, but who knows… I heard that in a month or so it doesn’t get as appetizing as it used to be – but coming from dining hall food… this ain’t bad.
STUDENTS ARRIVE! How exciting and scary… it was like move-in day again but in a different way… doing ResLife for a couple years, you expect to have certain measures ready, but this is different… if the weather is bad (like it was in Atlanta) and someone has a flight delayed or cancelled, you have to create a contingency plan unlike a residence hall… because you can just say, “No worries, you can check in until next week.” But here, since we have another departure time to set sail… plans need to be changed. For us, we pushed back the time to set sail to 8pm, so I don’t really have good pics but it was awesome to just feel the boat below and see how this all happens. Anyway, I digress… the students, they are like I had imagined, like any other campus there are students who are excited and can’t wait to jump in, students who put up the cool front because that is their method of operation to gain friends, or those who are reserved shy. Many personalities, many colleges and universities, and many questions. All in all, great and the same… but also different. As for staff, I have been assigned an RA and a Program Assistant… the RA helps me with administrative detail and community building, no crisis or duty… which I think is cool… She is awesome, from ASU and is a Teaching and Learning major. My Program assistant is from Colorado and he will be helping me with the ins and outs of my functional responsibilities as the Academic Success LLC (Living Learning Coordinator). For anonymity’s sake, I will leave it at that, but I am sure you will see pictures of them shortly. The best part was meeting their parents and families as they start this voyage… the fears, excitement, nervousness, and most of all, the look on their faces as they know that a staff member will have a direct connection with them… and yes, obviously, I will be taking care of them along the way.
SETTING SAIL… so we hit the water and my biggest fear up until now is sea sickness. Luckily I got the patch and Meclizine (sea sick pills) are given out like candy. I haven’t had any sickness and slightly enjoy the rocking in my cabin, I know I am tired from all the events and festivities from the start of the voyage but I fell asleep pretty quick. A lot of students are sick and several have gotten really sick – but none of the staff or faculty seem to be too impacted. I was grateful since I had to lead a meeting in front of my Sea of 93 students…. So… ok, we also did a Life Boat Drill which I was excited about but also didn’t realize that since I have one of the biggest SEAS (or floors) that my lifeboat drill will also have just as many and some more… let me share how the boat drill works quickly – you hear the sirens, you grab the life vest, it has a number that corresponds to where you line up… you go to that station and line up in front of the boat… single file, squeezed together, and complete silence to hear directions. I have the opportunity to read names.. some people had 55 names, average… 70. I had 130… So I asked the boat captain… how many people fit in that boat and am I the largest group? And he replies “130 max… and you are section A1… so they picked you as the best for these emergencies… you must be good at emergencies” I kinda took it as a complement but also freaked me out a bit, but I guess I qualified that as we need to do roll call to ensure all parties are not missing… as he begins to hand me the megaphone… I tell him its ok and that I can use my voice… Well…. I think I also surprised them because I called out all 129 (I was also on the roster) without a hitch… it was also nice because now the students saw me before we did the first meeting together… so I got some clout that way… hahaha.. Ok, check in, life boat drill, first meetings, and staff and faculty orientations….done!
So, it’s off to Dominica (I heard the official way to pronounce it is DAH-MI-NEE-KAH)… but that can be challenged, I suppose. So the first 2 days at sea we have student orientation to acclimate students to the ship, give them information about everything from conduct to field trips and classes. And then we head into port… and then the travels begin. I am pretty excited as I get to lead a trip to Tralfagar Falls and hike a few trails. I wasn’t bumped from any trips so I am pretty stoked, so if you talked to me about my trips while in port, then know that I am going to all of them… from Amazon and Rio to the hike up to the Great Wall…. Can’t wait! Peronsally, I am also excited to open each of the cards as my ritual that friends signed and Katrina gave to me... Also, yes, I am wearing the GREEN bandana although I am the YELLOW Sea.. each grouping of living communities are titles "SEAS" and I am the YELLOW SEA! We are one of the biggest... and after last night's meeting I have a feeling we have a good chance at winning the Sea Olympics and having great connections and memories with my residents... (BIG SMILE).
Well, that’s all for now… I have a lot of other things on my mind specific to work, but who wants to hear about that? Right? So basically, I will be narrowing the scope of this blog to the travels I have and the people I meet… and adding cool pictures. Sorry that I talked a lot about work on this entry – that has consumed me so far and I had a few minutes to write as we do alcohol education and policy review… LOL. I am literally outside the Lecture Hall listening but typing away… Once we port in Dominica and start my travels, will post more!
BTW.. the internet is not as bad as I thought but it is definitely slow… but patience is a virtue and I am hoping to gain more virtues during this voyage. Miss you all and hope all is well where you are. ALSO!!! If you are curious about something – the voyage, ship, etc… feel free and ask in the comments section! I will do my best to answer ya back! Pics will come a bit later... sorry!
Nassau was beautiful and I had a really nice stay there – it was like any other small vacation break to the Caribbean, beautiful beach, nice pool. The only difference about Nassau is that Downtown shuts down at sundown (Around 7pm) and the nightlife or any type of life, in general, seems to happen at the Atlantis Casino and Resort - which pretty much resembles a Las Vegas Casino or the Borgata. It is super nice, tons of tourists and people from all over. They tout that they have an amazing aquarium but didn’t get to see much because I went after things closed and it was at night, but I did wander the compound with my new colleagues and did more “getting to know you” than gamble (actually didn’t gamble at all)… and took in the sights, I guess it was more of a great backdrop to the relationship and team building for us.
On the 9th was our time to board the ship to start training, since then I haven’t set foot on land. I looked at it as I took breaks outside but didn’t have time or got a chance to get off the ship… which was ok. For 3.5 days we trained and went over as much as we could – but I realized the other day that this is a “address or tend as we go” type of system since you never know what could happen. Without boring you to death, training dealt with the general information we need, language on the ship (such as nautical ship terms as well as unique policies to the SHIP (not boat or cruise)… and where things are. So lets cover a few areas people might have questions about.
My Room – it’s awesome. All the staff have cabins that are generally double occupancy cabins (not rooms) and we have steward service everyday. My steward’s name (btw, steward is Housekeeping). Is Don and he is awesome, he gave me the ins and outs of living in the cabin and without asking (but it was on my list of things to do) he put the two double beds together to make a larger bed for me… although I sleep on one side and it really doesn’t matter, I guess it is nice to be able to have the larger option. The cabin comes equipped with everything I need, maybe more… like a showerhead that I can detach but really… my concern was about the water pressure, which was better than I expected. And yes, you can drink the water that comes out of the faucet – it does taste different – it has a slight tinge of chlorine-flavor and a metallic after-taste, but honestly… once I put an Emergen-C in it, its fine. I also like the size, its perfect and is accustoming me to the possible studio that I will/may get when I return to New York (if I get a job in the city)... And I brought just enough stuff that I will be fine for 3-4 months...
The Ship – I keep getting lost, but I honestly think that is going to happen the entire trip. I did figure out the most important places…such as getting to the main programmatic and academic spaces, where the public bathrooms are, the smoking area and the fasted route from my cabin to this particular area, and the dining hall – the eating area is in the AFT of the ship (which is the back) and my room is 3rd Deck (floor) forward (or front)… you like how I am integrating the ship terms? I need to get used to them so might as well write them for practice… right? It is funny because it used to be cruise liner, so the Casino is the Library, the Banquet Room is the Lecture Hall and such. The Captain is the ruler of the ship and whatever he says goes and he is to be respected and revered. He is a very funny but also presents a command that everyone tends to – although that might be because he is already in the role and we are told these expectations before hand – but the students, staff, and faculty seems to treat him the same… with respect, period. The silence… I wish I could have the Captain with me when I am talking to a group of rowdy people… because it would be silent in a hot-minute. As for the food.. its pretty good.. I am not a finicky eater so it really meets my needs, but who knows… I heard that in a month or so it doesn’t get as appetizing as it used to be – but coming from dining hall food… this ain’t bad.
STUDENTS ARRIVE! How exciting and scary… it was like move-in day again but in a different way… doing ResLife for a couple years, you expect to have certain measures ready, but this is different… if the weather is bad (like it was in Atlanta) and someone has a flight delayed or cancelled, you have to create a contingency plan unlike a residence hall… because you can just say, “No worries, you can check in until next week.” But here, since we have another departure time to set sail… plans need to be changed. For us, we pushed back the time to set sail to 8pm, so I don’t really have good pics but it was awesome to just feel the boat below and see how this all happens. Anyway, I digress… the students, they are like I had imagined, like any other campus there are students who are excited and can’t wait to jump in, students who put up the cool front because that is their method of operation to gain friends, or those who are reserved shy. Many personalities, many colleges and universities, and many questions. All in all, great and the same… but also different. As for staff, I have been assigned an RA and a Program Assistant… the RA helps me with administrative detail and community building, no crisis or duty… which I think is cool… She is awesome, from ASU and is a Teaching and Learning major. My Program assistant is from Colorado and he will be helping me with the ins and outs of my functional responsibilities as the Academic Success LLC (Living Learning Coordinator). For anonymity’s sake, I will leave it at that, but I am sure you will see pictures of them shortly. The best part was meeting their parents and families as they start this voyage… the fears, excitement, nervousness, and most of all, the look on their faces as they know that a staff member will have a direct connection with them… and yes, obviously, I will be taking care of them along the way.
SETTING SAIL… so we hit the water and my biggest fear up until now is sea sickness. Luckily I got the patch and Meclizine (sea sick pills) are given out like candy. I haven’t had any sickness and slightly enjoy the rocking in my cabin, I know I am tired from all the events and festivities from the start of the voyage but I fell asleep pretty quick. A lot of students are sick and several have gotten really sick – but none of the staff or faculty seem to be too impacted. I was grateful since I had to lead a meeting in front of my Sea of 93 students…. So… ok, we also did a Life Boat Drill which I was excited about but also didn’t realize that since I have one of the biggest SEAS (or floors) that my lifeboat drill will also have just as many and some more… let me share how the boat drill works quickly – you hear the sirens, you grab the life vest, it has a number that corresponds to where you line up… you go to that station and line up in front of the boat… single file, squeezed together, and complete silence to hear directions. I have the opportunity to read names.. some people had 55 names, average… 70. I had 130… So I asked the boat captain… how many people fit in that boat and am I the largest group? And he replies “130 max… and you are section A1… so they picked you as the best for these emergencies… you must be good at emergencies” I kinda took it as a complement but also freaked me out a bit, but I guess I qualified that as we need to do roll call to ensure all parties are not missing… as he begins to hand me the megaphone… I tell him its ok and that I can use my voice… Well…. I think I also surprised them because I called out all 129 (I was also on the roster) without a hitch… it was also nice because now the students saw me before we did the first meeting together… so I got some clout that way… hahaha.. Ok, check in, life boat drill, first meetings, and staff and faculty orientations….done!
So, it’s off to Dominica (I heard the official way to pronounce it is DAH-MI-NEE-KAH)… but that can be challenged, I suppose. So the first 2 days at sea we have student orientation to acclimate students to the ship, give them information about everything from conduct to field trips and classes. And then we head into port… and then the travels begin. I am pretty excited as I get to lead a trip to Tralfagar Falls and hike a few trails. I wasn’t bumped from any trips so I am pretty stoked, so if you talked to me about my trips while in port, then know that I am going to all of them… from Amazon and Rio to the hike up to the Great Wall…. Can’t wait! Peronsally, I am also excited to open each of the cards as my ritual that friends signed and Katrina gave to me... Also, yes, I am wearing the GREEN bandana although I am the YELLOW Sea.. each grouping of living communities are titles "SEAS" and I am the YELLOW SEA! We are one of the biggest... and after last night's meeting I have a feeling we have a good chance at winning the Sea Olympics and having great connections and memories with my residents... (BIG SMILE).
Well, that’s all for now… I have a lot of other things on my mind specific to work, but who wants to hear about that? Right? So basically, I will be narrowing the scope of this blog to the travels I have and the people I meet… and adding cool pictures. Sorry that I talked a lot about work on this entry – that has consumed me so far and I had a few minutes to write as we do alcohol education and policy review… LOL. I am literally outside the Lecture Hall listening but typing away… Once we port in Dominica and start my travels, will post more!
BTW.. the internet is not as bad as I thought but it is definitely slow… but patience is a virtue and I am hoping to gain more virtues during this voyage. Miss you all and hope all is well where you are. ALSO!!! If you are curious about something – the voyage, ship, etc… feel free and ask in the comments section! I will do my best to answer ya back! Pics will come a bit later... sorry!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Nassau!
Touchdown! I have landed in Nassau, Bahamas and it is beautiful. The people are super friendly and I was slightly afraid of carting all the luggage around. From JFK to Nassau there was always a friendly person who was ready to help me with a cart - I mean, it is their job but still it was way easier than I had imagined. I was afraid the snow in NYC would put a wrinkle in my getting to the Bahamas but we got out before it started impacting air traffic, thank you Mother Nature!
I totally forgot that the Wyndham was a casino resort so guess what I am going to do tonight? For those who don't know me - I do like the dabble in adult gaming and love casino buffets... so what a great way to start this adventure. LOL! But yes folks, I am also here to work - contrary to popular belief, but I will let all the responsibilities and expectations come once orientation commences. For now, I get a day to play... so why not?
Also, I hesitated if I should get a smoking room or not, but after some contemplation I decided to just do it since I will be alone in the room. So after asking the desk attendant about the smoking rooms she says "Just go for it, plus I have a room with a balcony and it overlooks the pool and our lovely beach... and all other non-smoking rooms face the parking area." So... with a little arm twisting (kinda) I decided to take the smoking room... (stop shaking your heads and tsk-ing me!)....
I am going to change into some board shorts and a t-shirt (its 72 degrees, if anyone wants to know) and wander the compound so I can get a lay of the land... and maybe ill try my hand in Black Jack and grab a bite to eat. I think after my tour of the hotel it may just sink in that this is happening and I am really about to begin this journey. The feeling I have with regard to missing people is pretty heavy but it balanced out by my imagination and thoughts of whats to come - and the nice view from my hotel helps too... more to come (since I paid for the internet for 24 hours, might as well post again tomorrow!). For now, here is a pic from my hotel room balcony... enjoy!
I totally forgot that the Wyndham was a casino resort so guess what I am going to do tonight? For those who don't know me - I do like the dabble in adult gaming and love casino buffets... so what a great way to start this adventure. LOL! But yes folks, I am also here to work - contrary to popular belief, but I will let all the responsibilities and expectations come once orientation commences. For now, I get a day to play... so why not?
Also, I hesitated if I should get a smoking room or not, but after some contemplation I decided to just do it since I will be alone in the room. So after asking the desk attendant about the smoking rooms she says "Just go for it, plus I have a room with a balcony and it overlooks the pool and our lovely beach... and all other non-smoking rooms face the parking area." So... with a little arm twisting (kinda) I decided to take the smoking room... (stop shaking your heads and tsk-ing me!)....
I am going to change into some board shorts and a t-shirt (its 72 degrees, if anyone wants to know) and wander the compound so I can get a lay of the land... and maybe ill try my hand in Black Jack and grab a bite to eat. I think after my tour of the hotel it may just sink in that this is happening and I am really about to begin this journey. The feeling I have with regard to missing people is pretty heavy but it balanced out by my imagination and thoughts of whats to come - and the nice view from my hotel helps too... more to come (since I paid for the internet for 24 hours, might as well post again tomorrow!). For now, here is a pic from my hotel room balcony... enjoy!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The countdown...
So, today is my last day at work and it is very bittersweet... I have been realizing the I am not that good with goodbyes, but I guess theres no good way to say goodbye to those you love and will miss dearly. However, its good to know that I will be back in approximately 4 months and the adventure I am about to embark on will provide me with wondeful people and reconnections with old friends.
My trip will start in Nassau, Bahamas a few days early so I have some down time and reflection to myself. Once there I will probably soak in the sun as I leave the colder climate in NY. It sounds odd but people tell me how great it is that I get to escape the frigid weather but I kind of like it - not going to lie. The cold weather isn't that bad - the only thing I get worried about is slipping, which I have never had the pleasure.
As the time comes closer I have a few more things to take care of and do... grab dinner with some homies, peruse Duane Reade for any last minute thing-a-ma-gigs... especially in Yellow... since I was just assigned to the "Yellow Sea" - the Seas are similar to your "floor" for an RA... so basically, all those students who reside in the Yellow Sea area of the ship are my residents. I really hope they are ready because I have a few things in store for them, from community building to just making it the most outrageous, exciting, unforgettable living environment. I will continue to further explain the unique aspects of Semester at Sea through the blog so people can follow... but for now... the next time I post should be when we depart Nassau to head into the Amazon River and Brazil... lets hope I haven't gotten sea sick by then ;)
My trip will start in Nassau, Bahamas a few days early so I have some down time and reflection to myself. Once there I will probably soak in the sun as I leave the colder climate in NY. It sounds odd but people tell me how great it is that I get to escape the frigid weather but I kind of like it - not going to lie. The cold weather isn't that bad - the only thing I get worried about is slipping, which I have never had the pleasure.
As the time comes closer I have a few more things to take care of and do... grab dinner with some homies, peruse Duane Reade for any last minute thing-a-ma-gigs... especially in Yellow... since I was just assigned to the "Yellow Sea" - the Seas are similar to your "floor" for an RA... so basically, all those students who reside in the Yellow Sea area of the ship are my residents. I really hope they are ready because I have a few things in store for them, from community building to just making it the most outrageous, exciting, unforgettable living environment. I will continue to further explain the unique aspects of Semester at Sea through the blog so people can follow... but for now... the next time I post should be when we depart Nassau to head into the Amazon River and Brazil... lets hope I haven't gotten sea sick by then ;)
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