Quote of the Day!

So, we get a Dean's Memo every day from SAS detailing what is happening today and tomorrow, what is coming up, what we need to be aware of, and stuff like that. They always have a quote on them, so I am going to start posting the ones I like so I can remember and share them with you! Today's is:

Part of the urge to explore is a desire to become lost.
-Tracy Johnston

Pretty awesome huh? Maybe I will get lost AND eat bull testicles!

ONE MORE DAY!!!!!

We officially made it across the Atlantic Ocean! YEAH! We saw land for the first time since we left today, and it was SO exciting. You don't realize how much the small stuff means. Just to see birds and land was SO exciting. My Spanish vocabulary diary was due today which was interesting to do. There is a boy named Javier who is only on the ship until Spain, and he is also my TA for Spanish. So, I had him check my sentences yesterday because we had to write a sentence with each vocabulary word we picked. One of my words was honey, and I was trying to write the sentence "I like honey in my tea." He was reading through all my sentences and stopped at that one and burst out laughing. So, I was like what? What does it say? And his native language is Spanish so it took him awhile to find the right words, but the sentence I wrote basically said "I like honey inside of me". Yah. I'm learning Spanish at lightening fast speeds if you can't tell.

We also had a pre-port meeting tonight which was about the cultural aspects of Barcelona, so now I am super excited to get off. Except for the fact that right now the ship is stopped because we have to refuel. Apparently there is some law that they can't refuel in Barcelona. So, we are sitting idle for 5 hours, and it is costing us $500,000 to refuel. Crazy right? We also have a logistics meeting tomorrow night and then we get to Spain on Monday morning. I'M SO EXCITED. Everyone keeps warning us about pick pockets, but I think I have been warned so many times that I will be aware of it. I am just dying to get off, I can't even explain it. AHHHH. We are also finally on Spain time so we are 6 hours ahead of EST. I am pretty tired. haha.

My friends and I made a bucket list for the trip. Here is "most" of it. ;-)

1. Go skinny dipping in Greece.
2. Ride a camel.
3. Eat bull testicles in Spain. (they warned us not to order it)
4. Go cliff jumping in Croatia.
5. Stay in a cave hotel in Turkey.
6. Stay out till 6 am in Spain.
7. Eat hot croissants on our way home from our 6 am night out.
8. Find Megan and Maggie a Kostas in Greece. (from sisterhood of the traveling pants)
9. Throw coins in the Trevi fountain.
10. Bargain for a leather jacket in Italy for Katie.
11. Order an enormous ice cream cake and eat it all. (they are available to buy on the ship for birthdays)
12. See a sunrise.
13. Become Bronze Goddesses (AKA really really tan)
14. Ride a donkey in Greece
15. Ride a gondola in Italy.
16. Get a Turkish bath. (not the tourist one)
17. Eat an actual pizza in Naples. (AKA the whole thing)
18. Sleep in a tent in the desert.
19. Take cheesy pictures with the Leaning Tower of Pisa

That is actually the whole list so far. I decided not to edit it for entertainment purposes.

So, I don't mean to be a dick, but..?

I realized today that I haven't given many details about my classes which do take up the majority of my day. So, since it is a little overcast today (aka I don't have a good chance of becoming more of a bronze goddess), I thought I would tell you about them!

Firstly, the way classes are scheduled are that from last sunday to this sunday we have class every day. They do not consider weekends since it is really all dependant on when we are in port. There are 8 class days before we get to Spain, and this makes up about 1/3 of the total class. So, before we even get anywhere, I will be 1/3 of the way down with my classes which is kind of nice becuase I will want to focus on the countries once I am in them. Also, they only have 2 of the 6 engines working so that we don't get there ahead of schedule which is kind of annoying, but I guess it is Semester at Sea.

This morning I woke up at 4:30 EST for my 8 am Spanish class. I really enjoy Spanish. I am having a good time learning it, and my professor is really cool. His name is Fernando Diaz, and he is from Spain. So, of course, Spanish is his first language. But he is so full of energy and excited to teach us about it that I can't help but love him. We are in classroom 1 which is right off of the dining hall. So, we have to shut the doors for noise reasons, and the classroom can get pretty toasty. Since my professor is so excited about Spanish, he usually has the BIGGEST pit stains I have ever seen by the end of the class. I haven't made any really good friends in the class, but it is still early. I am enjoying the material, so it is all good. We have  a final, quizzes, a journal that is due after each port, and a word diary that we have to record 20-30 words in each week that we learn. I am learning fast, and I hope that I will not be too lazy when I get back to Pitt and will continue taking it. We also have to pick to of the following to do in Barcelona: speak spanish at a resturant, ask for directions, visit a museum, and some others. I will probably do the first two. I am super excited to get there.

Secondly, I have Global Studies at 9:20 after Espanol. MOST BORING CLASS EVER. It is all about the anicent history of all the countries we are going to which has never been an interest or a strong suit of mine, and I hate it. Also, the professor is super annoying and is always trying to hard to get everyone to laugh which bothers me. Yesterday, I fell asleep, and my notebook slide down my legs and into the chair ahead of me. Luckily, Candice was there to laugh at me. It is just totally not my thing and not enjoyable at all. We only have a midterm and final, so I will probably just cram for them. Sorry mom and dad, but it is DULL.

Last is my negotiating for value class. I LOVE THIS CLASS. The professor is from Canada, and he is super knowledgable and funny and has great, real world examples to explain the material. The classes are also really interactive so we are not always just sitting and listening to him lecture which I love. We are basically learning about negotiating and how it is different from bargaining. Also, we are learning about the balance between the outcomes and the relationship with the other party, and I really think I will be able to use what I learn in real life. A lot of the stuff reminds me of business things that my dad has told me about, which makes me sure that I will use it. For example, today in class we started an exercise we will do every day for the next 10 days of class. We have to turn in a sheet of paper saying whether we are going to cooperate as a class or compete. It has nothing to do with any sort of action, but it is just the idea. This exercise accounts for 5% of our grade. So, if the whole class decides to cooperate, everyone gets an 89% for the day. But if one person decides to compete, everyone gets an 85% and the one who competed gets a 109%. If two people decide to compete, then everyone gets an 82% and the two who competed get a 105%. And it continues. But if everyone competes, we all get a 25%. And it is anonymous. So, we did it today and 9 people competed. JERKS. I clearly didn’t. Everyone who cooperated got a 68% for the day, and everyone who competed got a 92%. So, after that was done, we were allowed to talk, and we decided to all cooperate. But there were these two guys who didn’t seem to thrilled about it. Even though we all agreed, I am sure they will mess it up. So, whatever. I’ll keep you posted. But I really love the class.

Also, the amazing race was yesterday which was a scavenger hunt sort of thing and whoever won got to get off the boat first in Spain. We didn’t win, but it was really fun. The puzzles were super hard, but we didn’t do too bad. It was crazy though. People were all over the ship. The main rule was that we weren’t allowed to run which was pretty funny. Haha. We also had a meeting for intramurals today, and all of my friends and I signed up to do basketball. In the meeting, there were a bunch of guys and girls, and it is basically being run as like a pick-up game sort of thing. So, this boy was sitting in the back and raised his hand and said “So I don’t want to sound like a dick, but I don’t like playing with girls. So, are we like splitting up or what?” LIKE WHAT THE HELL? All of my friends and I now hate him, and I am definitely going to elbow him in the face when I get to play against him. I understand that it is different, but couldn’t he of said “Are we splitting up girls and guys?” or “Is it going to be co-ed or should we split up?”. It was just annoying. So that is all for now. Still on the ship and still losing an hour of sleep tonight! What a joy!

Does the Ocean Ever End?

It is the end of day 5 on the ocean and 4 days on the middle of the open ocean. I cannot even explain to you how excited I am to see dry land. To all those navy readers out there (haha), I don't know how you do it. Just an update on the sunrise, we MISSED it due to the time change. We have lost an hour of sleep the past two nights and that's how we missed it. So, since we were already up, Katie and I lifted out on the deck and drank some coffee with some friends. We also went through the Bramuda Triangle yesterday which was pretty exciting. STILL HERE!!!!

The days consist of getting up super early, my 3 classes, and meals which is super dull to be honest. That is all that is technically planned. So, once my classes are over which is around 1:30, I get pretty bored. I have been exercising and laying out in the afternoon while studying. It has given me a lot of time to study Spanish which I am really enjoying. I would really love to be able to speak it at least a little when I go, so I am studying it a lot. Last night they played Inception which was pretty cool but they didn't play it until super late so I stayed up to watch the whole thing. You can't leave in the middle of Inception!!! We learned today in global studies (aka the worst class ever because it is all about history) how to catch an octopus! You drill a hole in the bottom of a pot, wait for an octopus to hid in it, haul it up, and get it out with extra salty water. I am not exactly sure how you know when you have an octopus, but whatever. Mandice (Candice) and I were basically laughing the whole class. All of my friends here seem to think I am pretty funny. I guess they just aren't used to me yet. haha

So, I am going to get a little deeper now. One crazy thing that I have realized is how relative time is. Since we have been losing an hour each night, I am constantly changing my clock, yet it doesn't change my day. It is just crazy that time doesn't really mean anything. It is almost an organizational system. A way to stay balanced. I never really thought of it that way before.

Also, there was a seminar tonight about Food in Barcelona. This guy gave us a huge list of food to order, when to eat, and how to tip. He was really funny too and super interesting. I am glad I went. He said to definitely get churro con chocolato, crochetas, and queso manchego. AKA SO EXCITED TO EAT!!! It was also Pub Night today which is when you can get 2 drinks after dinner. It is super annoying though because beer and wine are $3.50 which is so not worth it. But so many people participate. I like a drink just as uch as anyone, but we will have plenty of time to drink in port in my opinion. So that is all. I have to get bed! Bueno Noche!

Ship days!

Classes started today, so hopefully I will be able to get into somewhat of a rhythm. There really isn't much to do on the ship, so I am glad classes have started. Except that I have an 8 am Spanish class where today was the only day he is going to speak English. So, that is terrific. I'm definitely going to struggle with that. My negotiating for value class is going to be fun. We have quizzes every other day that count for 40% of our grade, and no final. So, we will see how that goes.

In my global studies class, which is the class that everyone has to take, we learned about the ship and the captain came to class. We got to ask him any questions we wanted. It was actually really funny. People asked "who is steering the ship?" and "Should we worry about pirates?". His answer to the pirates question was that they only really attack cargo ships, and even if they did, he could speed up the ship and create a 3 meter high wake! Isn't that crazy? Someone also asked how much it cost to insure the boat and us and stuff, and it is about 2 million. Also kinda crazy.

We also watched this Katie Couric video about UVA and its honor code which is super strict. Anyways, the video was messed up or slowed down somehow, so we watched the beginning of Katie's speech as if she was retarded. It was hilar. I also exercised today on the elliptical today which was interesting with the rocking of the ship, but I managed. Mom, you should be proud! I then tanned on the deck with my friends while studying. Rough life huh? We also watched the sunset which was gorgeous, and I am definitely watching them every day from here on out.

They had the activities fair this evening, so I signed up for basketball, yoga, insanity, extended family, and hanging out with the professors kids that are on the ship. Hopefully I will have time to do all of this. But I gotta go, because I am getting up tomorrow at 5:45 to see the sunrise!

Orientation!

So, the post I posted earlier today was technically supposed to be yesterday. Just so you know. Today was orientation day. AKA the worst day on the ship ever. We had to listen to speakers and rules and stuff about classes all day long. Then, we had a book discussion in the evening. We had a little break in the afternoon to lay in the sun which was nice, but I am glad that classes start tomorrow. I almost slept in this morning because the alarm on my watch is definitely not loud enough. What a shocker. So, I think I am just going to use my phone tonight. We pretty much lose an hour of sleep every night until we get to Spain from here on out which kinda sucks, but hopefully it will be a better transition without jetlag.

Katie is keeping a quote journal where she writes down stupid stuff we say. Let me just say, it is not going well for me. The food isn't too bad either, but I am sure I will get sick of it. One girl dropped her breakfast in her lap this morning, so I hope that doesn't happen to me! Well, sorry for the short entry, but I gotta go get some frozen yogurt up on the pool deck. Peace out!

Boarding Day!

So, today we boarded the ship! Pretty exciting huh? The way they did it was by last name so Candice and Katie went earlier, and Megan, Maggie, and I went together since Megan and I both have M last names. Maggie doesn't, but who wants to board the ship alone? Anyways, we rode in this crazy lady's taxi cab which was super entertaining considering the fact that she was yelling at people to be more aggressive and saying she would be a great driver in New York which I wouldn't disagree with. We finally got there, and Candice wasn't even through the line when she had gotten there an hour earlier. She said she knew it was me because I was pushing my two, huge zebra suitcases with all my might. Pretty typical. Anyways, the line stretched as far as the eye could see, so we headed for the back. Don't forget. We are outside...in the Bahamas. So, we are basically sweating to death and waited in line for over an hour. We finally got inside where they put our luggage through a water detector and proceeded to go through all of my stuff to make sure I didn't try to sneak on any alcohol. No worries. I was clean!

Megan, Maggie, and I then went to board the ship which is totally awesome. They have a library, a spa (which is actually reasonably priced), workout facility, dining room, pool and pool deck, and much more. It is really a nice place. So, we set up our email and internet and found Candice's and Katie's rooms which was a little trying. The boat can be a little confusing, but it is only day 1! We then went to get some food which is nothing to rave about, but it will do. Typical college food for the most part. I met my roommate whose name is Isabel. She is really nice and is from Virginia, and I think we will get along great.

We didn't actually set sail until after we did a wonderful lifeboat drill which involved putting on life vests, long pants, long sleeves, and closed toed shoes. Remember that we are still in the Bahamas. We had to line up outside of our designated lifeboat and swelter while they called out all of our names. Pretty exciting. But we finally set sail and now as far as the eye can see is only water. I don't know if I am a fan of it or not yet because I am getting a little seasick. But hopefully the dramamine and my mental strength will help me to be balanced. We then had a welcome meeting where we were introduced to the faculty and such. The dean and academic dean and others talked a little bit about how this voyage should be about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and taking advantage of all of the different people that are in our shipboard community. I really hope I can take this advice to heart, but I have been a little shy so far on this voyage. I am not sure why, because that is not really how I am, but I think I am just exhausted. We had a little one-on-one time with our "sea" which is basically the people we live around on the ship. Sort of like dorms. And there is a sea olympics where we compete with other seas, so that will be fun. But I just had a dramamine and the ship is rocking, so I am going to sleep. Talk to you soon!

I'm officially a Bahama Mama !

So, I am boarding the boat tomorrow morning, and I am SO excited. My stay in the Bahamas was great. I have some great roommates here, Candice and Megan. Candice is from Philly (Yes, flyers fan) and Megan is from Northern California. Megan and I met in the airport in Atlanta and flew to the Bahamas together. Going through customs with someone was really nice. We also met up with a girl named Evie who is actually from Atlanta. So, customs went fine, and we met up with Candice in baggage claim. Then, we all got a cab together to the hotel, BUT the cab did not have air conditioning. SERIOUSLY? this is the Bahamas mon. Kinda ridiculous. Anyways, we got there and headed straight to the beach where we discovered the water was crystal clear and the drinks were 8 bucks! Yet, a bottle of rum in the liquor store was $15. So, I'm sure you know which we picked. Food is also ridiculously expensive here which sucks. Also, a TON of high school kids are staying at the resort for their senior trip. Ya. Seniors in high school. You can only imagine how mature they are. But the resort is beautiful, the sand is white, and the water is amazing. So, no complaints.

We pregamed on the porch for a little bit and a few people came up to talk and mingle. I also ended up borrowing a salt shaker from a leftover room service tray. NBD. We then went to Senor Frogs the first night and had a couple of drinks. We met a few more people from Semester at Sea and wandered around town a little bit. It was really fun, but we called it an early night and went back since we had been up for so long. The next day we went to breakfast which is included in our package and is a buffet. So, basically we stashed a bunch of cereal and fruit in our bag to snack on for the rest of the day. Poor college students remember? Then, we went on a dolphin encounter which was also included and got kisses, hugs, and danced with this SeXy dolphin named Andy. I might be in love with him. FUN FACT: Dolphins can see babies in a pregnant woman's stomach. Isn't that awesome? We got pictures and Evie bought us all the group picture of us in magnet form which was really nice. That night we hung around the resort and met up with Katie, who goes to Point Park, and Maggie, who goes to CMU. It was karaoke night at the resort and was definitely the worst karaoke I had ever been to. The equipment was awful, so it consisted of people yelling REALLY bad karaoke songs. I feel like there is a standard set of songs you sing, and they were way off the mark with their choices. But we had a SAS group out on the beach, and I met even more people.

Today we went snorkeling which was really fun. Candice was totally failing at being able to breathe with a tube in her mouth, so since I was watching her drown for the first 10-15 minutes, I was laughing the whole time. It was definitely the funniest thing that has happened thus far. Totally hilarious. Megan was also afraid of getting eaten by a shark, so of course, I was scaring her too. Pretty hilar. The best part of the whole thing was that we saw and swam with a TURTLE!!!!! Yes! It was awesome. He had a gimp fin and came to the surface to swim with us. I definitely considered taking him home, but I think the guys running the boat would get angry. We had complimentary pitchers of rum on our way back which was terrific, and we played kings. There were a bunch of SAS people on the trip, so I met more people then too.

We then went to Senor Frogs for a HUGE SAS get together since we get on the boat together. It was packed and super hard to meet anyone, but the DJ was good and we had a couple of drinks. It was quite the party because some of the senior trip high school kids were there (the drinking age is 18), so that was definitely interesting. Katie and Maggie were there, and we were watching all the sights which consisted of girls dancing on the stage/floor.

So, tomorrow is the day we get on the ship. I am super excited/nervous because I don't know who my roommate is going to be. And trust me. There are a lot of different types of girls here. Going through the process of getting on the ship and orientation is going to be super annoying, but oh well. I know this entry was probably a little boring, but I'll try and do a little better from now on. It was more of just the process of meeting people.

Two Weeks!

So, two weeks until I set sail on Semester at Sea Summer Voyage 2011. Pretty crazy considering I have been wanting to do this for about two years now. First and foremost, I NEED to thank my parents for making it possible for me to do this. I definitely wouldn't have been able to without them, and I will be forever grateful. Love you guys.

Now, back to the present. Two weeks. Two weeks to fit everything I have into two suitcases. Two weeks to get a general idea of what I want to do in each country. Two weeks to spend time with family, friends, and Brandon before I disappear for 66 days. Two weeks to find shoes that will be appropriate to walk around in all day in 120 degree weather. And in this two weeks, I will be working at Westinghouse. So, my plate is pretty full. I haven't started packing yet, but I do have a list of all of the stuff I need to buy before I go. Not short. haha. Yet, with all of this to do, I have never ever been so excited for anything before in my life. In the next two months I will have visited the Bahamas, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Morocco, Turkey, and Bulgaria. How SICK is that?

Not saying that I don't have some fears too. The bombing that occurred in Marrakech (Morocco) a few weeks ago rattled me a little bit, along with the riots in Greece. In addition, all of this talk from alumni about how I am going to change so much during this summer is a little odd to think about. Not that change is a bad thing. I'm not going to shy away from that at all because I am sure it will be for the better, but it is a little intimidating. All in all, not too many fears. Probably not nearly as many as my mother has for me :-)

So, just a brief precursor to the trip. Basically, super excited/ can't wait to go/ nervous/ worried about heat exhaustion/ looking for a fake wedding ring to trick moroccan men.
CANT WAIT!!!!!