Neptune Day

Crossing the equator at 3:00 a.m., our boat was thrown into a tailspin due to the outer lying gravitational pulls. Quickly awaking, I rushed to the aft deck to admire these forces of nature. As soon as set foot on the deck, awe struck upon me. Before my eyes, three whales were circling in the midst of a large whirlpool at the ship’s end. Never before had I realized the power of gravity! No, actually, the only noticeable effect was that the water in the sink formed two separate spirals. Though, I didn’t waste my time to arise to watch it.

This trek across the equator marked the beginning of Neptune Day. With the loss of one hour at midnight, our sleep was limited. Banging loudly to the clatter of drums, the crew marched up and down the ship’s hallways, bringing irreconcilable flashbacks of early fraternity days. Neptune Day had begun!

Congregating on the top deck around the small pool, hundreds of students animatedly prepared for the events of the day. First, the King and Queen of Neptune emerged amongst the raucous crowd. After proclaiming their initial remarks, the king and queen urged for the ceremony to begin!

Within moments, swimsuit-fitted students merged poolside in a failed attempt to form a line. Stepping up, the first guy was doused with the ceremonial fish guts/leftovers/gunk/who knows. With the slimy yellow geeww dripping down his face, he was quick to leap into the small pool! Following, hundreds of students continued the age-old Semester at Sea tradition, without exception to me.

The Semester at Sea rituals were yet to be completed; it was time to for the shaving of the head. Proceeding rapidly, many students sat down for this rite, recognizing that they were on the verge of experiencing baldness for the first time. Shortly after being saturated with the foul substance, I prepared to resign from the two inches on my head. By the day’s completion, nearly 40 girls and 100 guys realized the necessity of spreading sunscreen on their hairless heads!

The equator behind us. Brazil ahead of us. And a Global Studies exam in between. Welcome to college on a ship!

TS

Puerto Rico: Abysmal

As a U.S. Commonwealth, Puerto Rico failed to meet the few expectations I had possessed prior to entry. Beautiful beaches, bio-luminescent water, Old San Juan, and historic fortresses were among my best experiences. These all maintained a moderately unique set of characteristics. Not to mention, my favorite experience was the professional cockfighting matches that we attended! While I am not a person that propagates the cruelty of animals, this was still a very interesting experience. It was more the atmosphere of the event rather than the actual “cockfighting” that I found entertaining.

My time in Puerto Rico was mostly spent with a group of about ten individuals. This was a very fun and diverse group to be around. Of the ten, seven consider themselves Christian. As a result, the morality of the group was stable and understood without mention. Yet, just as many incoming college freshmen gain a “wild hair” upon entering college, the same seemed to be the case with this group.

Going out to the bars and clubs in Old San Juan on the eve of our third day in Puerto Rico, each individual reached an intoxicated state with the exception of me. It became further clear to me that this newfound sense of independence amongst the participants of SAS will result in regrettable decisions by many.

This gives me greater awareness and incentive to fail to make such counterproductive decisions. Rather, it is my desire to grow as an individual and further my ability to love others. It seems that this voyage will provide me the opportunity to partake in both. I must note that it is not alcohol that I oppose; it is the state of being that lacks typical bodily control that I oppose. This often manifests in numerous many ways, not solely alcohol.

Most notably, I was disappointed with the lack of public transportation in Puerto Rico. Because it was essentially limited to none, I was unable to gain a true appreciation for the island. It was my desire to travel around the island, specifically in the interior. This was made impossible because lack of a public transportation system. As a result, I was confined to the city of San Juan with the exception of our travel to the fascinating bio-luminescent lagoon on the east coast. Nevertheless, Puerto Rico proved to be a good city to port in first as it allowed many friendships to form in the confinement of San Juan.

Brazil is to come!

TS

Immense

Never before has my mind comprehended the vastness of the ocean. This has changed. As I have had the opportunity to travel numerous places in the last two years, my mind seemed to grasp just how small our world is. That is, in terms of connectedness, our world seems very accessible. For nearly any city can be reached within 15 hours by plane. I am now beginning to rethink my interpretation of the world’s mass. Currently, we are in the middle of the Caribbean experiencing very rough seas. The swells run from 10-15 feet. Likely, this could increase as we approach night and steer closer to Puerto Rico. It has truly been a surreal experience for me to look off of the ship and only see blue water. This, I cannot yet grasp! It is a experience like none other, in and of its self.

Yesterday, we began classes, which is not cool. Hopefully, they won’t be to time consuming! My lineup includes: Global Studies, Globalization and International Politics, Sociology of the Family, and a MSIS class.

Tomorrow, we arrive in Puerto Rico and are there for three days. Most likely, I will spend time on the beach and try my hand at surfing (with lessons) for the first day or two. Then, I would also like to head onto central Puerto Rico, away from San Juan. Hopefully, this will give me a more direct experience of Puerto Rican culture. Plus, another SASer and I are going to try to find some cockfighting. Apparently, it is a very favorable sport in Puerto Rico. Should be fun!

It is my hope that each of you is doing well! You are welcome to send an email to schooley84@yahoo.com if you desire. Though, it may be several days before I am able to check it.

TS

The World Ahead of Me...

Semester at Sea is fast approaching as I will be flying to Nassau for our departure in 14 days! Excitement looms within me but more so for my upcoming summer of backpacking in Europe. The last two weeks, I have spent much of my time planning the logistics of that trip. As soon as my mind is realigned with this imminently approaching journey around the world, I expect to be overwhelmed with a fervor of excitement!

In the upcoming months, I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences with you as I travel throughout the world. It is my desire that these writings will prove to be thought provoking, challenging, and entertaining as I venture to share my ever-developing views on the world and life!

TS