Ho Chi Minh City or otherwise known as Saigon is a charming city that is booming with high end retail stores and small shops selling local goods and food. We docked in a tourist port that was right outside of downtown and had easy access to the main tourist area of the city. Because it was difficult to walk there we had shuttles that took us into the center of town and dropped us off at the well-known Rex Hotel… knowing that I only had 2 days in the city I tried to maximize as much as I could by prioritizing my time. The first day I led a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels which was an area that shows the way the Viet Cong built and dug tunnels underground as a strategy against those they were fighting in the war, including the U.S. They were pretty interesting… the guide showed us the various ways they would hide the tunnels and create ways to survive below ground including a hospital and kitchen… we were also able to walk through 2 of the tunnels which were pretty intense… and cramped… we also were able to go into a tunnel through a hidden entry way that was super small… After seeing the tunnels we returned home and I went back out to check out the sights in the city and shop a little. We walked over to the Ben Thanh market and then had dinner at a highly recommended restaurant called Vietnamese House. As usual, I tried the local beer which I really liked called 333 (or in Vietnamese it would be called bah bah bah). After dinner we headed over to the Majestic Hotel and Casino to go up to their rooftop bar for a beautiful view and great drinks… including a live band…. While we were there a few friends randomly showed up and while we were talking, I learned that the places that make suits for folks were open until late – midnight…. So we had a few drinks and headed over to Nam Silk, a tailor shop that I wanted to get suits from… I didn’t think I was going to be able to make anything because of my limited time (since I had to go to Cambodia for most of my trip) but they were able to turn it around in 2 days… and a friend picked up the final items for me so I was set! Long story short… I got 2 suits, 2 shirts, pants, and shorts made for me and the woman threw in a tie! Pretty cool… I also got some nice dress shoes for 20$ at the market so I am pretty set for job interviews and the Alumni Ball!
The one thing that I forget, as do most tourists, how the prices in Vietnam and Cambodia are so low that you end up spending more than you want because you feel like you can buy anything and everything… I can’t speak on personal experience because I gave myself a budget at each port, but I noticed other people who go all out in purchases – but then I think… do they know how much they have spent cumulatively? Because I hear people going to the ATM everyday or even twice a day… sure it is great to have items for so cheap but you end up spending more than you want! So note to travelers, unless you put yourself on a budget, you may spend more than you think you want to! For example.. massage for an hour for $6… amazing… North Face backpack (of course its fake)… $5.00… or t-shirts for $2. I spent more money of food and ate more than I needed too but yeah… a dollar can go far here but with our American tendencies to indulge in excess, it can actually be pretty pricey.
Anyway… so along the lines of spending money… The following day I decided to just walk around and soak in the city and eat some more! It was great to see the Market again and experience what life is like inside. I had a fun experience as the vendors, mostly women, were heckling me and asked me to buy their goods. I went in on the experience very jovially and really entertained their assertive sales pitches… well anyway, one woman grabs my arm (I am also getting pinched a lot…) and asks me where I am from and I tell her… umm.. New York… so she says back, “no, where are you really from?” and so I say… “ok, L.A., California..” and then she pauses, frowns, and then asks, “ where are your grandparents from?”… so I tell her that she got me and that I was Korean… and then she proceeds (while still holding my hand) to ask me if I wanted a t-shirt… since I didn’t want one I kept telling her “no thank you” and as I try to pull away, she asks “what about a massage?” and cracks all my knuckles of the hand she is holding on to… mind you while this is happening another woman walks right by and smacks me in the behind… what a sight… it was all very entertaining and the people I came to the market with were just laughing.. .as you can only laugh at the spectacle that was happening… all in all it was a fun experience and I wont ever forget my time in the market.
Cambodia was just as educational, fun, and amazing… not only were we able to see the temples of Angkor Wat but we also added a few other temples in Angkor Tohm and the Elephant Terraces as well as check out the night life and markets. We stayed at really nice hotels and I guess that is what you also pay for. Siam Riep, the city that Angkor Wat is located in is also beautiful and really built to cater tourists… we had great food, a fun cultural show at the buffet we had for dinner, and the night market wasn’t bad either. But first we visited Phnom Penh, which is the capital of Cambodia that maintains the King’s Palace and was a site for the Killing Fields Pol Pot used for the mass genocide he executed a few decades ago. Compelling and shocking at the same time we saw the remnants of the concentration camps and area where he murdered thousands of people due to his want for the utopian agrarian society. It was sobering and astonishing that something like that could happen to a group of people. We also visited a children’s orphanage called Palm Tree where they housed over 100 orphans from Cambodia. It looked like a great place with some vibrant staff and children. We only had an hour there and I wished we had more since it was just picking up when they told us we have to leave. We played games and it was great to see the students on the trip really immerse themselves into the environment. I have to admit that and the sunrise at Angkor Wat was one of the most memorable experiences I will have from the voyage. It was a great trip but too short, I do have thoughts about coming back here again and for a longer duration of time so that I can really soak in the sites and get a true feeling of the vibe of both Vietnam and Cambodia… the people here are very friendly and welcoming. All in all it was a great trip and I am so happy to have saw and experienced what I did with the time I had here…
Oh as for the food – the Pho is really different here. The noodles are round and thicker… so I was concerned I didn’t get the right dish but after a few observations it was clear that the Pho in the U.S. is different… but I did see similar noodles at a few of the street stands. I cant be sure what to call authentic now but all I know is that the food is out of sight – although I can say that the food I have tried at home is pretty similar… so when people are freaking out or saying how delicious something is it is hard for me to be on the same boat… the one other great thing about the food, especially in Cambodia, is that they always have kimchee because they have a lot of Korean tourists. I must have ate kimchee for breakfast, lunch and dinner, at every place we went too… it was nice to have familiar flavors – especially because I am starting to get tired of the ship food…
Friday, March 25, 2011
A Day in Singapore
Our next stop had us dock in Singapore for day, well… more like 8 hours. It was a nice pit stop and a place I would like to discover more if I had the time. With the small amount of time I had I was able to lead a trip to the School of Hard Knocks which is a pewter store that sells a variety of goods made out of the metal and they have a lab inside where you can make your own bowl. The store was in Clark Quay (pronounced Key) so that was nice to see that part of Singapore and also bring back a neat little souvenir. Once we got there everyone was given a small tour and overview of how pewter came to be important for Singapore and then we were given instructions on how to make the bowl. It is a lot of hammering and molding. They gave everyone a circular and flat piece of pewter which ultimately had to be shaped with molds and engraved by a hammer. It was fun but really loud. Afterward, our tour guide Grace allowed us to walk around the area. It resembled Citywalk in L.A. with dozens of restaurants and shops as well as those fountains that shoot water out from the ground when you least expect. Singapore is unique… it has the hustle of a city and sterility of a suburb all mashed together. The subway (or MRT) is really easy to figure out – the only difficult thing is that the stations are pretty far away from each other so it would be similar to how the Chicago subway stations are located… not too close like NY but close enough to walk from one station to another or get to a point from a certain area without it being a hassle.
After the School of Hard Knocks I headed back to the ship to drop stuff off and reconnect with the group. Oh, and the docking area was a cruise terminal which was a full mall with a food court, retail stands and high end stores so it was interesting to walk around the mall as well… but shopping really wasn’t what I wanted to do… My agenda was to see as much of Singapore in the few hours we had and also eat. So… after reconvening with my traveling buds we set back out into the city and headed to Chinatown where we wanted to get some lunch at the Maxwell Center, which is considered a Hawker Food Station…. It is pretty much an open air food court where you can get the usual cuisine… Oyster Omelet’s, Carrot Cake (which is another type of omelet), all sorts of dumplings, noodle soups, and other local dishes. I also got some Tiger Beer to wash down the great food the Hawker stands had to offer. After grubbin’ we walked around Chinatown and perused the vendors, which I didn’t know but figured out.. .that you can also bargain there too! After some time we headed to Esplanade where the huge Dorian Fruit shaped theatre complex was. That was interesting to see, from the few art installations inside to the outside dome of the theatre and its architecture. Afterward we headed to the Golden Mile Food Center which is another Hawker Center where I got Dorian Shaved Ice and Tulong… which is a bone marrow dish. Of course, more Tiger Beer too. Afterward we headed back to the ship because our time was up. Although it was a short and sweet visit, I had a great time in Singapore… I wish I could have also seen the Marina Bay Sands which is a casino that has a great view of the city and maybe visited Sentosa Island, but I can always list that for next time.
As for the status of Japan… we have learned that it our trip to Japan is officially cancelled due to the recent tragedy that occurred as well as the many health risks related to entering the country. Although it is sad that we have to re-route ourselves my main concern is sending good thoughts and hope to all those who are impacted. A trip is a trip and no matter where we go it will be fine… however, seeing the news reports and watching the events unfold, I cant imagine being there and having to deal with the many issues and concerns Japan currently is facing.
For our change in destination… they provided 3 options, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. It was recently announced that we will be heading to Taiwan after Shanghai... just as exciting.. .and truth be told, I am kind of glad that it was not South Korea… it would be too short and I wouldn’t have been mentally and emotionally ready to go to South Korea for the first time… especially this way. So… it is off to Taiwan.
After the School of Hard Knocks I headed back to the ship to drop stuff off and reconnect with the group. Oh, and the docking area was a cruise terminal which was a full mall with a food court, retail stands and high end stores so it was interesting to walk around the mall as well… but shopping really wasn’t what I wanted to do… My agenda was to see as much of Singapore in the few hours we had and also eat. So… after reconvening with my traveling buds we set back out into the city and headed to Chinatown where we wanted to get some lunch at the Maxwell Center, which is considered a Hawker Food Station…. It is pretty much an open air food court where you can get the usual cuisine… Oyster Omelet’s, Carrot Cake (which is another type of omelet), all sorts of dumplings, noodle soups, and other local dishes. I also got some Tiger Beer to wash down the great food the Hawker stands had to offer. After grubbin’ we walked around Chinatown and perused the vendors, which I didn’t know but figured out.. .that you can also bargain there too! After some time we headed to Esplanade where the huge Dorian Fruit shaped theatre complex was. That was interesting to see, from the few art installations inside to the outside dome of the theatre and its architecture. Afterward we headed to the Golden Mile Food Center which is another Hawker Center where I got Dorian Shaved Ice and Tulong… which is a bone marrow dish. Of course, more Tiger Beer too. Afterward we headed back to the ship because our time was up. Although it was a short and sweet visit, I had a great time in Singapore… I wish I could have also seen the Marina Bay Sands which is a casino that has a great view of the city and maybe visited Sentosa Island, but I can always list that for next time.
As for the status of Japan… we have learned that it our trip to Japan is officially cancelled due to the recent tragedy that occurred as well as the many health risks related to entering the country. Although it is sad that we have to re-route ourselves my main concern is sending good thoughts and hope to all those who are impacted. A trip is a trip and no matter where we go it will be fine… however, seeing the news reports and watching the events unfold, I cant imagine being there and having to deal with the many issues and concerns Japan currently is facing.
For our change in destination… they provided 3 options, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. It was recently announced that we will be heading to Taiwan after Shanghai... just as exciting.. .and truth be told, I am kind of glad that it was not South Korea… it would be too short and I wouldn’t have been mentally and emotionally ready to go to South Korea for the first time… especially this way. So… it is off to Taiwan.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Chennai, India
Chennai, India
India… so everyone says that India is the turning point for the voyage. What does this mean? Well… I guess India is a sobering and eye opening port for all the people on the voyage including the staff. We prepared by doing a variety of presentations (remember preports?)… and informing students of everything they need to know about traveling in India. I have to admit… India is an amazing place, in particular Chennai. It is sensory overload and there is a lot going on all the time and the people and car traffic blows New York out of the water… including the abundance of auto-rickshaws…. The scene is intense and can be overwhelming but I took it all in and was in awe of the culture, the pace, the smells, and the energy. The first day we set into port the Indian customs wanted to do face to face passport clearance with all the members of the shipboard community, so a part of our job is to organize the line, pull passports, and push everyone through… since we did this twice already it was an easy breezy process. Once everyone was cleared we had to get a few more tidbits of information. The port of Chennai is a import/export port so rather than entering a port with cultural dancers and port agents, we were greeted by a fleet of cars… these really small compact Hyundai hatchbacks. It was kinda funny… check out my pics to see what it looked like. Anyway… so the port is a bit complicated. We are not allowed to walk on the port terminal areas because of the safety issues and because it’s just desolate…. So they got a 24 hour shuttle that would transport people to the main entry way for the port and drops students and staff off… but theres another security measure… once we get dropped off we have to report to the gate agent and provide them with our passports so they can check us off…. This is also because India is on High Alert for terrorism and travel policies… so there are a lot of measures even before seeing the city. Anyway… it is what it is and its not as complicated or time consuming as it may sound… So, the first day I was leading the City Tour and Orientation… it was great because we got to see the majority of the city, some cool landmarks, and really get our bearings… 90 people went, which was generally unusual because the city orientations are not well attended, but again, it was India… so I am sure everyone was a bit concerned about jumping into the city without a proper orientation. After the orientation trip I came back and washed up – it is pretty hot… no actually it is really hot here and dusty… so got cleaned up and then hit the town again for dinner where we met a really nice cab driver named, Raja…. He took us to a nice restaurant with South Indian Cuisine… where I pigged out and then we got some Ice Cream at a local ice cream shop called Arun and even though they have told us not to eat ice cream I figured I would try it, I have a lot of Pepto and some antibiotics… and not that having drugs justifies me to be risky but still… I have seen so many students eat ice cream elsewhere I figure why not… right? Right.
The next day we were ready to set out to Egmore where they have a hotel, the Ambassador Pallava, where they also have an office that sells the Japan Rail passes… we have to get the passes before we enter Japan because they don’t sell the 7-day unlimited rail passes so we put that on our agenda in Chennai… turns out that there are too many pieces of red tape to get it in India so I am going to just wait until we get to Singapore or Hong Kong (I am adding this post-tsunami/earthquake in Japan and writing this initial blog entry... but maybe it was a sign and a good thing we didn't get a pass because of what happened... but Japan is not out of our itinerary and will be closely monitored). No worries though… we ended up hitting up the Governors Museum which was interesting, to say the least, and then had an amazing lunch that was outta control… and then made it back home to rest a bit before going shopping at a place called Spencer’s Plaza, which resembled a mall/swap meet with some interesting stores… from your everyday electronics… oh by the way, I saw a 16GB flash drive for $20… why didn’t I just get a whole bunch here to sell on e-bay? Lol… anyway… yeah… so I bought a few things from a traditional outfit (but its more casual so nothing fancy) and then some trinkets and souvenirs including postcards… oh, I do have to say, that I am pretty good with postcards and post offices abroad. Hahahha… but yeah… so ran those touristy errands and then headed back for some dinner on the ship – which is hard to eat when you eat such good food off of the ship, especially here in India.
After an easy night of port duty I woke up to head out with Faith, Mark, and Wei Man to Mamallapuram, a city that is known for its ancient temples and structures that were all created and carved in the 7th century. It was awesome and breath-taking, especially the Shore Temple. That took the whole day but decided to rally and go our for another dinner and I was totally jones-ing for a Dosa so that is what we got… when you look at pictures all the stuff I am talking about will make sense or you will have an image to what I am talking about… so check out my Picasa Web Album.
After another night of light duty – although I did get called a few times… I jumped on a service trip to a special needs school called Sankalp . We learned a lot about how learning disabilities and the differently abled children are provided services and how they negotiate the school system and exams in India. It was quite fascinating and it was interesting to talk to the teachers and students about their experience. The highlight was when a student asked us where were from and when I said New York, he completely lit up and was excited to meet someone from NYC since he was recently there (for some tests)… It is amazing how much these students get so excited to meet people from the United States and it really puts things into perspective about the position of the U.S., people’s perceptions, and the privilege we have as American citizens… I have to say… the idea of being “happy” and/or satisfied… I am not really sure exactly what I mean but just an idea I am mulling through… concepts such as values, needs, and what it means to be content and happy. Not too deep but deep enough for me to ponder throughout the day.
Also, after the service trip I chilled a bit and then finished writing postcards and then headed out to dinner… Indian food is so good. I mostly ate South Indian food and spent almost as much money on food as I did on transportation and sightseeing. After dinner I headed back for a chill night on the ship and got ready for the next morning.
The next service trip was to an orphanage and special needs school called Sankalp. It was an intense experience that really tested my ability to adjust to different environments as well as lead a group. We did a series of activities and cleaned the facilities. I am still processing the experience and reflecting on the many elements of the trip. After the service trip I met up with a few ship staff to go out and hit the town. We went to an area called Pondi Bazaar which is like an outdoor market and row of shops. It was fun to take pictures of the sights as well as to see what goods were being sold. I bought a lot of snacks and a few souvenirs. The best part of the trip was packing into a taxi with 5 people and just hitting the town. After some sightseeing, shopping, and dinner I was back on duty which was quiet. One interesting and fun thing to watch around the ship was that a lot of people returned from their overnight trips to Delhi and Agra and all the students wearing the different items they purchased. Many students had the casual traditional clothing from India but other students, in particular the women, went all out and bought sarees in a multitude of colors and patterns… it was like a fashion show of students with their gear from around the world.
On my last day I went out to see some last minute shopping areas and just to hang with Faith, Mark, Sunny, Bill, little Alex and Wei Man. We looked around for a local chain store called Fabindia which had a variety of locally made goods - since it was a chain retail store there was no bargaining and haggling instead the people just leave you alone and you shop like you would back in the States. But before finding Fabindia we went into Pondys which is a huge fabric and clothing department store. It had fabrics on all the walls and clothing broken into men’s, women’s, and children’s floors. It was pretty neat to see and the way the shopping works is interesting… each section within the floor has its own cashier and check out process and in order to purchase something you have to ask a clerk to help you, get a receipt for the item and then bring the receipt to the register.
India has been a great port and I saw and learned a lot just being in Chennai… I would definitely come back and hit up other places like Agra, Delhi, and Varanasi… so the Taj Mahal can wait. Next it’s Singapore with thoughts of Japan on my mind... truth be told, the possibility of not going to Japan will be a massive disappointment, HOWEVER... I really do not care about being able to go as much as how people are managing the crisis over there. They are broadcasting the Aljazeera News channel for us to see updates (as well as other world news, such as the issues in Libya, etc.) but... to see the footage and think about all those who have been impacted by the tsunami makes me hope for only the best and to send good thoughts toward Japan... I am also hoping (and it appears to be coming true) that the sentiment is not about us and the trip as much as it is about sending positive energy to Japan and hoping they will recover soon. But if you do want to know the update for the voyage... it has not impacted us in any major way... we are still headed toward Singapore and then Vietnam...
India… so everyone says that India is the turning point for the voyage. What does this mean? Well… I guess India is a sobering and eye opening port for all the people on the voyage including the staff. We prepared by doing a variety of presentations (remember preports?)… and informing students of everything they need to know about traveling in India. I have to admit… India is an amazing place, in particular Chennai. It is sensory overload and there is a lot going on all the time and the people and car traffic blows New York out of the water… including the abundance of auto-rickshaws…. The scene is intense and can be overwhelming but I took it all in and was in awe of the culture, the pace, the smells, and the energy. The first day we set into port the Indian customs wanted to do face to face passport clearance with all the members of the shipboard community, so a part of our job is to organize the line, pull passports, and push everyone through… since we did this twice already it was an easy breezy process. Once everyone was cleared we had to get a few more tidbits of information. The port of Chennai is a import/export port so rather than entering a port with cultural dancers and port agents, we were greeted by a fleet of cars… these really small compact Hyundai hatchbacks. It was kinda funny… check out my pics to see what it looked like. Anyway… so the port is a bit complicated. We are not allowed to walk on the port terminal areas because of the safety issues and because it’s just desolate…. So they got a 24 hour shuttle that would transport people to the main entry way for the port and drops students and staff off… but theres another security measure… once we get dropped off we have to report to the gate agent and provide them with our passports so they can check us off…. This is also because India is on High Alert for terrorism and travel policies… so there are a lot of measures even before seeing the city. Anyway… it is what it is and its not as complicated or time consuming as it may sound… So, the first day I was leading the City Tour and Orientation… it was great because we got to see the majority of the city, some cool landmarks, and really get our bearings… 90 people went, which was generally unusual because the city orientations are not well attended, but again, it was India… so I am sure everyone was a bit concerned about jumping into the city without a proper orientation. After the orientation trip I came back and washed up – it is pretty hot… no actually it is really hot here and dusty… so got cleaned up and then hit the town again for dinner where we met a really nice cab driver named, Raja…. He took us to a nice restaurant with South Indian Cuisine… where I pigged out and then we got some Ice Cream at a local ice cream shop called Arun and even though they have told us not to eat ice cream I figured I would try it, I have a lot of Pepto and some antibiotics… and not that having drugs justifies me to be risky but still… I have seen so many students eat ice cream elsewhere I figure why not… right? Right.
The next day we were ready to set out to Egmore where they have a hotel, the Ambassador Pallava, where they also have an office that sells the Japan Rail passes… we have to get the passes before we enter Japan because they don’t sell the 7-day unlimited rail passes so we put that on our agenda in Chennai… turns out that there are too many pieces of red tape to get it in India so I am going to just wait until we get to Singapore or Hong Kong (I am adding this post-tsunami/earthquake in Japan and writing this initial blog entry... but maybe it was a sign and a good thing we didn't get a pass because of what happened... but Japan is not out of our itinerary and will be closely monitored). No worries though… we ended up hitting up the Governors Museum which was interesting, to say the least, and then had an amazing lunch that was outta control… and then made it back home to rest a bit before going shopping at a place called Spencer’s Plaza, which resembled a mall/swap meet with some interesting stores… from your everyday electronics… oh by the way, I saw a 16GB flash drive for $20… why didn’t I just get a whole bunch here to sell on e-bay? Lol… anyway… yeah… so I bought a few things from a traditional outfit (but its more casual so nothing fancy) and then some trinkets and souvenirs including postcards… oh, I do have to say, that I am pretty good with postcards and post offices abroad. Hahahha… but yeah… so ran those touristy errands and then headed back for some dinner on the ship – which is hard to eat when you eat such good food off of the ship, especially here in India.
After an easy night of port duty I woke up to head out with Faith, Mark, and Wei Man to Mamallapuram, a city that is known for its ancient temples and structures that were all created and carved in the 7th century. It was awesome and breath-taking, especially the Shore Temple. That took the whole day but decided to rally and go our for another dinner and I was totally jones-ing for a Dosa so that is what we got… when you look at pictures all the stuff I am talking about will make sense or you will have an image to what I am talking about… so check out my Picasa Web Album.
After another night of light duty – although I did get called a few times… I jumped on a service trip to a special needs school called Sankalp . We learned a lot about how learning disabilities and the differently abled children are provided services and how they negotiate the school system and exams in India. It was quite fascinating and it was interesting to talk to the teachers and students about their experience. The highlight was when a student asked us where were from and when I said New York, he completely lit up and was excited to meet someone from NYC since he was recently there (for some tests)… It is amazing how much these students get so excited to meet people from the United States and it really puts things into perspective about the position of the U.S., people’s perceptions, and the privilege we have as American citizens… I have to say… the idea of being “happy” and/or satisfied… I am not really sure exactly what I mean but just an idea I am mulling through… concepts such as values, needs, and what it means to be content and happy. Not too deep but deep enough for me to ponder throughout the day.
Also, after the service trip I chilled a bit and then finished writing postcards and then headed out to dinner… Indian food is so good. I mostly ate South Indian food and spent almost as much money on food as I did on transportation and sightseeing. After dinner I headed back for a chill night on the ship and got ready for the next morning.
The next service trip was to an orphanage and special needs school called Sankalp. It was an intense experience that really tested my ability to adjust to different environments as well as lead a group. We did a series of activities and cleaned the facilities. I am still processing the experience and reflecting on the many elements of the trip. After the service trip I met up with a few ship staff to go out and hit the town. We went to an area called Pondi Bazaar which is like an outdoor market and row of shops. It was fun to take pictures of the sights as well as to see what goods were being sold. I bought a lot of snacks and a few souvenirs. The best part of the trip was packing into a taxi with 5 people and just hitting the town. After some sightseeing, shopping, and dinner I was back on duty which was quiet. One interesting and fun thing to watch around the ship was that a lot of people returned from their overnight trips to Delhi and Agra and all the students wearing the different items they purchased. Many students had the casual traditional clothing from India but other students, in particular the women, went all out and bought sarees in a multitude of colors and patterns… it was like a fashion show of students with their gear from around the world.
On my last day I went out to see some last minute shopping areas and just to hang with Faith, Mark, Sunny, Bill, little Alex and Wei Man. We looked around for a local chain store called Fabindia which had a variety of locally made goods - since it was a chain retail store there was no bargaining and haggling instead the people just leave you alone and you shop like you would back in the States. But before finding Fabindia we went into Pondys which is a huge fabric and clothing department store. It had fabrics on all the walls and clothing broken into men’s, women’s, and children’s floors. It was pretty neat to see and the way the shopping works is interesting… each section within the floor has its own cashier and check out process and in order to purchase something you have to ask a clerk to help you, get a receipt for the item and then bring the receipt to the register.
India has been a great port and I saw and learned a lot just being in Chennai… I would definitely come back and hit up other places like Agra, Delhi, and Varanasi… so the Taj Mahal can wait. Next it’s Singapore with thoughts of Japan on my mind... truth be told, the possibility of not going to Japan will be a massive disappointment, HOWEVER... I really do not care about being able to go as much as how people are managing the crisis over there. They are broadcasting the Aljazeera News channel for us to see updates (as well as other world news, such as the issues in Libya, etc.) but... to see the footage and think about all those who have been impacted by the tsunami makes me hope for only the best and to send good thoughts toward Japan... I am also hoping (and it appears to be coming true) that the sentiment is not about us and the trip as much as it is about sending positive energy to Japan and hoping they will recover soon. But if you do want to know the update for the voyage... it has not impacted us in any major way... we are still headed toward Singapore and then Vietnam...
Mauritius and Ship Life
Mauritius and Ship Life
Mauritius, a small island connected to Africa was our next stop after Cape Town. It was only for a day but it was definitely worth the stop. We had about 8 hours from when we docked to experience what the island had to offer. Because of the limited time and my inability to fully research the activities or sights to see I signed up for an organized trip through the program. Initially I signed up for the hike and beach tour but due to significant amounts of rainfall our tour company for Mauritius cancelled our hike, Instead, I had the option to pick another trip and chose to do the Adventure Park and Beach trip. Adventure Park may sound a bit touristy and could have had the potential to be hokey but it was a full on ropes course with 2 parts. The first course were primarily bridges and then another hike up to the 2nd course led us to a more difficult course which started with a small hike. It was definitely a challenge but I am happy to say that I did all 14 courses. The zipline, which was promoted to catch the eye of the participants was the most underwhelming – we have video of me doing the zipline and some courses and the courses were definitely the highlight. After the ropes course we were provided with lunch and then we were off to Flic and Flac Beach, one of the best beaches in Mauritius. After a couple hours at the beach we headed back to the ship for on-ship time. After we got everyone on board we headed off to Chennai, India.
I realized that I have been blogging a lot about the ports we dock in and what I do while on land but don’t really talk about ship life. At first, I felt that ship life was not as interesting to write about but considering that half of the time we are at sea, it was important to write about ship life for my own reflection but also to provide some snapshots for you so that you can also visualize what I am actually doing on a day to day. Also, so I can dispel any misconceptions of what we do on board. Many people may misinterpret our roles on board as cruise ship life… but in reality I think I work just as hard or possibly harder on a day to day on board than I would on a campus. My day pretty much starts at about 7am and ends around 11pm depending on the day. Some days we will have programs and activities that go until 11pm and some days there is alcohol service nights (AKA Pub Night) on board where our duty shifts end at 11:30pm. Without going into more detail about work – the other parts of ship life is fun and interesting. For example, we had a Curry Night for the faculty and staff last night where there was special catering from the ship Hospitality staff. I guess a lot of the adults were getting tired of the dining hall food and this was definitely a special night – also because it was Faith’s Birthday. We got to celebrate with an amazing dinner and a huge ice cream cake… couldn’t have asked for a better night – and then right after I was a judge for The Ultimate SASser competition – more than a pageant it was a competition that mirrored a pageant but with appropriate and tasteful categories and it was a duo, not individual, competition. I was pretty honored and happy to judge the competition alongside some other shipboard staff members, including Randi Sue the Nurse on board and 2 other adult, lifelong learners who are on the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Ice cream cake seems to be a common theme when we celebrate things. Our lead security officer, Savio, who has been an awesome source of support and a great team player is also leaving in Chennai, India… so we got him an ice cream cake and surprised him the night before we docked in India. I just think how things like an ice cream cake are so valued because of the limitations we have while at sea… anyway… so ship life.. definitely something I am very used to by now and it seems like I can do this for a while… the only thing that is holding me back from applying to every other semester is the fact that I don’t have a job and income and the many other life moments that will be happening in the future, such as weddings and oh yeah… my own graduation. LOL!
I have also reflected on the multiple communities I have on board and I am quite happy with the many people I have interacted with on the ship. Some include my extended family, who are a group of students who are assigned to me as their honorary “older cousin”… most others go by “mom and dad” but that just freaks me out and I am not old enough to be called that, especially by a college students, so I just told them that I would be the extended family member that is an older cousin that gets them ice cream and hangs out with them than giving any type of sage advice… although I think I have a lot to give… lol… and then I also have weaved together a pretty tight group of smokers on the smoking deck… as usual they are the students who are unique, have their own issues, but are as tight as glue because of all the time we spend together… and its funny to see a new face as the group is cemented and when we find a new person smoking on the deck at this point in the voyage we have to double take but do welcome them to the circle of smokers….The professional staff are awesome and I love hanging out with any of them… although we have a hierarchy of positions it really feels communal and team oriented and I love the fact that we are in close quarters and the culture of the community here is that everyone is a community member that is valued and has something important to contribute…The faculty are hilarious and a bit quirky which I love as well because I understood the presence of faculty and their importance in the development of a rich community within an educational setting but their presence and visibility on the ship is totally different and fun.
More on ship life to come...
Mauritius, a small island connected to Africa was our next stop after Cape Town. It was only for a day but it was definitely worth the stop. We had about 8 hours from when we docked to experience what the island had to offer. Because of the limited time and my inability to fully research the activities or sights to see I signed up for an organized trip through the program. Initially I signed up for the hike and beach tour but due to significant amounts of rainfall our tour company for Mauritius cancelled our hike, Instead, I had the option to pick another trip and chose to do the Adventure Park and Beach trip. Adventure Park may sound a bit touristy and could have had the potential to be hokey but it was a full on ropes course with 2 parts. The first course were primarily bridges and then another hike up to the 2nd course led us to a more difficult course which started with a small hike. It was definitely a challenge but I am happy to say that I did all 14 courses. The zipline, which was promoted to catch the eye of the participants was the most underwhelming – we have video of me doing the zipline and some courses and the courses were definitely the highlight. After the ropes course we were provided with lunch and then we were off to Flic and Flac Beach, one of the best beaches in Mauritius. After a couple hours at the beach we headed back to the ship for on-ship time. After we got everyone on board we headed off to Chennai, India.
I realized that I have been blogging a lot about the ports we dock in and what I do while on land but don’t really talk about ship life. At first, I felt that ship life was not as interesting to write about but considering that half of the time we are at sea, it was important to write about ship life for my own reflection but also to provide some snapshots for you so that you can also visualize what I am actually doing on a day to day. Also, so I can dispel any misconceptions of what we do on board. Many people may misinterpret our roles on board as cruise ship life… but in reality I think I work just as hard or possibly harder on a day to day on board than I would on a campus. My day pretty much starts at about 7am and ends around 11pm depending on the day. Some days we will have programs and activities that go until 11pm and some days there is alcohol service nights (AKA Pub Night) on board where our duty shifts end at 11:30pm. Without going into more detail about work – the other parts of ship life is fun and interesting. For example, we had a Curry Night for the faculty and staff last night where there was special catering from the ship Hospitality staff. I guess a lot of the adults were getting tired of the dining hall food and this was definitely a special night – also because it was Faith’s Birthday. We got to celebrate with an amazing dinner and a huge ice cream cake… couldn’t have asked for a better night – and then right after I was a judge for The Ultimate SASser competition – more than a pageant it was a competition that mirrored a pageant but with appropriate and tasteful categories and it was a duo, not individual, competition. I was pretty honored and happy to judge the competition alongside some other shipboard staff members, including Randi Sue the Nurse on board and 2 other adult, lifelong learners who are on the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Ice cream cake seems to be a common theme when we celebrate things. Our lead security officer, Savio, who has been an awesome source of support and a great team player is also leaving in Chennai, India… so we got him an ice cream cake and surprised him the night before we docked in India. I just think how things like an ice cream cake are so valued because of the limitations we have while at sea… anyway… so ship life.. definitely something I am very used to by now and it seems like I can do this for a while… the only thing that is holding me back from applying to every other semester is the fact that I don’t have a job and income and the many other life moments that will be happening in the future, such as weddings and oh yeah… my own graduation. LOL!
I have also reflected on the multiple communities I have on board and I am quite happy with the many people I have interacted with on the ship. Some include my extended family, who are a group of students who are assigned to me as their honorary “older cousin”… most others go by “mom and dad” but that just freaks me out and I am not old enough to be called that, especially by a college students, so I just told them that I would be the extended family member that is an older cousin that gets them ice cream and hangs out with them than giving any type of sage advice… although I think I have a lot to give… lol… and then I also have weaved together a pretty tight group of smokers on the smoking deck… as usual they are the students who are unique, have their own issues, but are as tight as glue because of all the time we spend together… and its funny to see a new face as the group is cemented and when we find a new person smoking on the deck at this point in the voyage we have to double take but do welcome them to the circle of smokers….The professional staff are awesome and I love hanging out with any of them… although we have a hierarchy of positions it really feels communal and team oriented and I love the fact that we are in close quarters and the culture of the community here is that everyone is a community member that is valued and has something important to contribute…The faculty are hilarious and a bit quirky which I love as well because I understood the presence of faculty and their importance in the development of a rich community within an educational setting but their presence and visibility on the ship is totally different and fun.
More on ship life to come...
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