tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75692504831898005092024-02-19T08:15:50.375-08:00Around the World in 108 Days"I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship"-Louisa May AlcottKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-38597661288363555882010-12-05T11:46:00.000-08:002010-12-05T11:58:41.947-08:00Mardy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gqA9KpWlEc1J0q7kSTxq7nzpsR5y_qNrVhJLPAvDGavHqXxlKdUGF656gGs4-gQu0Z8N5DYCAljnMPwruhrjkw_IEb-iKfDxW_Vwysf9lW6ASCj0xVetY-dJhXJrtxW-qi7XpQcyBZz_/s1600/IMG_2540.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gqA9KpWlEc1J0q7kSTxq7nzpsR5y_qNrVhJLPAvDGavHqXxlKdUGF656gGs4-gQu0Z8N5DYCAljnMPwruhrjkw_IEb-iKfDxW_Vwysf9lW6ASCj0xVetY-dJhXJrtxW-qi7XpQcyBZz_/s320/IMG_2540.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547287617870521602" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/kendrahartwell/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>292</o:Words> <o:characters>1669</o:Characters> <o:company>Colorado State University</o:Company> <o:lines>13</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2049</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; 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mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">T</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">ime is passing faster and the memories of SAS are growing dimmer.</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">Last night I was unable to sleep because I could not remember the name of my favorite crew member on the MV Explorer.</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">After an hour (and going through a list of popular Filipino baby names) I finally remembered Mardy.</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">It is not fair to let these important memories slip away simply because I procrastinated on finishing my blog.</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">So here it is again!</span><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);"> </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal">I suppose it is fitting that I write about Mardy today since he was on my mind last night.<span style=""> </span>I have written previously about how amazing the crew of the Explorer was, but Mardy is in a class of his own.<span style=""> </span>Every once in a while, I would have a day where I felt lonely or homesick and wished that I was not in the middle of the ocean.<span style=""> </span>It was on one of these days that I met Mardy.<span style=""> </span>He walked right up to the table where I had been sitting alone and started chatting with me.<span style=""> </span>At the time, I was annoyed and wished he would let me mope.<span style=""> </span>I thought that this one incident would soon be forgotten, but every day for a week, he came up and started talking to me again.<span style=""> </span></p> <p face="arial" style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);" class="MsoNormal">From this time on we were friends.<span style=""> </span>I was his “favorite friend from Mexico” (I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was from NEW Mexico) and he always made sure I was smiling.<span style=""> </span>If the food was terrible, he would find me peanut butter and jelly so I wouldn’t go hungry.<span style=""> </span>He would bring me hot water for my tea and ice cream if the line was too long.<span style=""> </span>Mardy taught me a secret handshake and greeted me every day with a resounding “It’s KENDRA!”<span style=""> </span>He was a better friend to me than many of the students I met on the ship. <span style=""> </span>The last time I saw Mardy was when I was disembarking the ship in Fort Lauderdale.<span style=""> </span>He had been taking coffee to the customs officials, but when he saw me, he set down the tray and gave me a big hug.<span style=""> </span>Unlike my other SAS friends, I have no way to speak to Mardy.<span style=""> </span>I cannot email him or write him a letter to let him know how much his friendship meant to me.<span style=""> </span>I hope that wherever Mardy is now, his life is wonderful!
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<br /></p> <!--EndFragment--> Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-5425399535120239962009-06-19T09:17:00.001-07:002009-06-19T09:17:52.523-07:00Pineapples of Vietnam<p class="MsoNormal">It is amazing how little we all know about certain parts of American History.<span style=""> </span>Take the Vietnam War for example.<span style=""> </span>What little we know about the Vietnam War was learned from the internet, a few family members, and a two minute lecture in High School history classes.<span style=""> </span>I did not know that it is actually called the American War in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>I did not know that it had been classified as genocide.<span style=""> </span>I did not even know the full effects of Agent Orange on the Vietnamese population.<span style=""> </span>All of a sudden I was thrust into a culture that I knew nothing about.<span style=""> </span>I knew that pho was tasty and that there is nothing better to eat than Vietnamese eggrolls.<span style=""> </span>But really, how much does that matter?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I ate alone the morning we arrived in <st1:city st="on">Ho Chi Minh City</st1:City> (from here on will be called <st1:place st="on">Saigon</st1:place>).<span style=""> </span>All the parents who had come to meet students at the halfway point on our world journey were holding large signs and waving and crying.<span style=""> </span>And I wished that I had someone down there waving at me.<span style=""> </span>Luckily my day brightened with the arrival of a young group of Vietnamese girls who held out a huge sign that welcomed Semester at Sea to <st1:place st="on">Saigon</st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>I spent the first day in <st1:place st="on">Saigon</st1:place> with my friends Win, Zach, and Jill.<span style=""> </span>We went to a tailor and ordered custom dresses and bought Vietnamese rice hats at a chaotic market.<span style=""> </span>We went to a chain restaurant named Pho 24 where we ate delicious pho noodle soup and eggrolls.<span style=""> </span>That afternoon we decided to go to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">War</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placename st="on">Remnants</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>It was very difficult to see <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> from a point of view like the Vietnamese.<span style=""> </span>They did not hold grudges, but they did not sugarcoat history either.<span style=""> </span>I can’t really say much about the museum.<span style=""> </span>It was one of those things that I can simply hope more people have a chance to experience.<span style=""> </span>We spent the rest of the day buying pirated DVDs and souvenirs for all the folks back home.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next day we took a bus to the Mekong Delta. Our first day next to the Delta was spent eating a box lunch on a boat before continuing to a candy factory on the river.<span style=""> </span>Coconut chewy candies and ginger rice crispy treats were being cooked right before our eyes.<span style=""> </span>We got to try and make rice paper, have tea with the locals, and even do a little shopping. <span style=""> </span>Later that day we went into town and spent the afternoon wandering through the market areas next to our hotel.<span style=""> </span>There were fruits of all different shapes and sizes.<span style=""> </span>Bright pink dragonfruit, tiny bananas, and the fuzzy Chom Chom (which tastes oddly like a flavorless kiwi) filled my belly.<span style=""> </span>That night we ate dinner alongside the river and watched the houseboats float by.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next morning was an early start for all of us.<span style=""> </span>After a 5:30 am wake-up call we walked down to the riverbanks and boarded a long boat on the river.<span style=""> </span>We went into the heart of the <st1:place st="on">Mekong</st1:place>, home of the world’s largest floating market.<span style=""> </span>People in tiny boats would pull alongside us and offer anything from mangos to bottled water.<span style=""> </span>They were interested in us just as much as we were interested in them.<span style=""> </span>Now I have to admit that I was glad I skipped breakfast.<span style=""> </span>There is nothing in the world as tasty as fresh pineapple that has been sliced into a beautiful creation.<span style=""> </span>Then we bought a pound of mangos for $1!<span style=""> </span>My fingers were sticky and covered in all sorts of fruit juice by the end of our time in the market.<span style=""> </span>This was not the end of our river trip and we continued on, watching the people sleep in hammocks on the houseboats.<span style=""> </span>Every boat had eyes on the front and it felt like a magical world.<span style=""> </span>That evening we returned to the ship and wandered around <st1:place st="on">Saigon</st1:place> searching for DVDs and other cheap technology.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The fourth day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region> was one of my unique days.<span style=""> </span>Up until this point on the voyage, <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cape Town</st1:place></st1:City> had been the only place I traveled alone.<span style=""> </span>It was pretty easy in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cape Town</st1:place></st1:City>; someone always spoke English, I always could see the ship, and I never left the nice part of town.<span style=""> </span>When I traveled alone in <st1:place st="on">Saigon</st1:place> it was a completely different experience!<span style=""> </span>I have no words that can give justice to the terrors of Vietnamese traffic.<span style=""> </span>Imagine crossing I-25 in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Denver</st1:place></st1:City> during rush hour, but with motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic and less care for human life.<span style=""> </span>It is best to cross the street with one person on either side of you because then you have human cushions should a car refuse to stop!<span style=""> </span>Anyway, I had spent the morning of this day at the zoo with children from a school for the deaf.<span style=""> </span>It was a lot of fun and I made some new friends.<span style=""> </span>I had no plans for the afternoon so I decided to wander alone and go to the tailor and maybe find a grocery store.<span style=""> </span>Nothing exciting happened, but for an entire afternoon, I was alone in a city with few English speakers, high risk, and no sense of direction.<span style=""> </span>It is the small things that make for an adventure.<span style=""> </span>That night I went out clubbing with my roommate and some other friends and then for a change in pace we decided to walk back to the ship.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My last day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region> was pretty calm.<span style=""> </span>I bought postcards and stamps, made a few last-minute purchases, and bought a few groceries.<span style=""> </span>Overall nothing exciting happened, unless I have successfully blocked it from my memory.<span style=""> </span>After all, I had <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> to look forward to!</p>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-59518649117360597552009-06-15T15:10:00.000-07:002009-06-15T15:14:20.434-07:00Thailand!!<p class="MsoNormal">Oops?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Well now that I have completely failed to keep up with my blog, I suppose there is no pressure on me anymore!<span style=""> </span>Lucky for all of you, I am now stuck at work where I have copious amounts of free time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><br />So here is <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region>:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region> was stunning.<span style=""> </span>Imagine elephant rides, ancient ruins, and beheaded Buddhas all mixing together for five amazing days.<span style=""> </span>The first day was spent at an elephant village in Pattaya.<span style=""> </span>We watched the elephants haul logs, play basketball, and eat bunches of bananas straight from our hands!<span style=""> </span>Some students rode them into the nearby pond for their daily bath, but I chose to stay dry on my elephant ride.<span style=""> </span>Let me just say that elephants are much wider than horses.<span style=""> </span>They are also taller.<span style=""> </span>Picture, if you will, a tall, really white girl attempting to drag herself on top of an elephant (and actually succeeding with the help of the elephant!).<span style=""> </span>Now unlike riding horses, you sit on an elephant’s neck instead of its back.<span style=""> </span>Even on the neck you feel like your legs have been dragged into the splits.<span style=""> </span>There is nothing to really hold on to and every step of the elephant makes you worry about the plummet to the ground.<span style=""> </span>Was it one of the best experiences of my life?<span style=""> </span>Of course it was!<span style=""> </span>After we left the elephant village, my friend Alicia and I spent the rest of the evening relaxing in Laem Chabang.<span style=""> </span>Well there isn’t much to do in Laem Chabang.<span style=""> </span>We hung out at the mall and cooked our own dinners at a restaurant called Hot Pot.<span style=""> </span>After that we made new friends while drinking beer with the cabbies that were camped out on the pier.<span style=""> </span>It was a good day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>The second day had my small tour group leaving for the River Kwai.<span style=""> </span>I had never really thought about WWII in terms of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region> before and this was a learning experience.<span style=""> </span>We took a bus to a small town where we ate lunch in a jungle restaurant.<span style=""> </span>None of us really knew what to expect when, after lunch, we were taken to the local train station.<span style=""> </span>Now the Death Railway was built by 60,000 POWs from Allied countries.<span style=""> </span>The Japanese wanted the railroad to stretch to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region> and help in the Pacific war efforts.<span style=""> </span>16,000 POWs died while building the railway.<span style=""> </span>One of the faculty members on our trip found the train ride very emotional as her own father had been one of the POWs.<span style=""> </span>It was an amazing journey that ended after the train crossed the re-built bridge over the River Kwai.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">On the third day we had some new surprises.<span style=""> </span>We were taken to the banks of the river and put into small boats in groups of 4-6.<span style=""> </span>The boat ride was beautiful and our tour guide “Witty” made sure we had a good time.<span style=""> </span>We got off the boats at the river entrance to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">JEATH</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">War</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>This museum was designed as a replica of the huts that the POWs lived in.<span style=""> </span>The name JEATH comes from the countries that were involved (<st1:country-region st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region st="on">England</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region st="on">Australia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region>, and <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Holland</st1:place></st1:city>).<span style=""> </span>Following our visit to the museum we went to the cemetery that held only a fraction of the POWs. <span style=""> </span>That afternoon we took a bus to <st1:city st="on">Ayutthaya</st1:city>, the former capitol of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Siam</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>We visited some of the ruins and climbed to the top of the pyramid-like temples.<span style=""> </span>All the Buddhas were in ruins missing anything from an arm to a head.<span style=""> </span>Despite this destruction, the ruins were unbelievably beautiful.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My tour group spent most of the fourth day wandering through the ruins of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Ayutthaya</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>We went to various sites of old temples and destroyed buildings.<span style=""> </span>I bought a travel-sized wooden Buddha to come back on the ship with me for good luck!<span style=""> </span>We continued on to Bang Pa In, the <st1:placename st="on">Summer</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Palace</st1:placetype> of the kings of <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>It was a beautiful mixture of Eastern and Western styles.<span style=""> </span>There were elephant topiaries next to a Thai pavilion across from a traditional Western palace.<span style=""> </span>That afternoon we went into <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bangkok</st1:place></st1:city> to do some shopping, but it wasn’t nearly as memorable as the rest of the day had been.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I decided to go back to <st1:city st="on">Bangkok</st1:city> for my last day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>I was very lucky and the trip I signed up for went to Wat Po, home of the most amazing reclining Buddha in the world.<span style=""> </span>He is the largest Buddha in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region> and is 152 feet long with mother-of-pearl feet and gold plating.<span style=""> </span>I really cannot describe this Buddha at all, but I promise to put up photos!<span style=""> </span>After going to Wat Po my group took a refurbished rice barge down the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Chao Phraya</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place> and ate a delicious lunch while watching the city go by.<span style=""> </span>After lunch we visited a fish market and then took a bus to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Vimanmek</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Palace</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>Imagine a Victorian palace made completely out of teak.<span style=""> </span>It is no longer used as a residence, but as a demonstration of Thai culture.<span style=""> </span>That evening we returned to Laem Chabang and the ship.<span style=""> </span>I was sorry to leave <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region> behind me, but I felt like my time there could not have been better spent.<span style=""> </span>Besides, if there is one thing that Semester at Sea taught me, it is that there is always another port on the horizon</p>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-79080530243389024182009-04-26T17:09:00.001-07:002010-03-19T08:13:58.296-07:00India Part II<div style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" > <div><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Okay, now for <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>First of all, please read my previous blog as well as this one because it means a lot to me.<span style=""> </span>Secondly, I know my memory is getting a little fuzzy in terms of travel details so if you have any questions just email me!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Day four of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> was fairly tame.<span style=""> </span>Most of the students had decided to sleep in and forgo the morning tours and so our group had maybe twenty people at most.<span style=""> </span>The day started with a visit to the Baha’i Lotus temple.<span style=""> </span>It was an amazing temple that (believe it or not) is the most visited building in the world with over 4.5 million visitors per year.<span style=""> </span>We were lucky enough to arrive just before the services began and our group was lucky enough to hear religious services for multiple religions in a fifteen minute period.<span style=""> </span>It was amazing to see all those different groups come together under one roof.<span style=""> </span>After visiting the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Lotus</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Temple</st1:placetype></st1:place> we went to a Sikh Gurudwara (Bangla Sahib).<span style=""> </span>This was a very interesting experience for me because we went through the entire ceremony with local Sikhs and those who had made a pilgrimage to the gurudwara.<span style=""> </span>I ate the food they gave me which symbolizes god and enlightenment and I dipped my feet in the holy water that would cure all ills.<span style=""> </span>I covered my hair and walked with no shoes and felt like I was no longer a tourist, but a part of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>We left the gurudwara and headed to the capitol buildings for a brief glance at Indian government.<span style=""> </span>The buildings were beautiful in a western style, but after everything I had seen, they were nothing special.<span style=""> </span>There was only one building in the governmental part of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> that held any real draw for me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At the “Palatial Birla House” on <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Albuquerque Road</st1:address></st1:street> I followed raised footprints though a garden path to the spot where Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi was assassinated.<span style=""> </span>I cannot describe how this felt.<span style=""> </span>Gandhi was one of the people that I idolized growing up.<span style=""> </span>He stood for his beliefs no matter what the consequences were.<span style=""> </span>I watched all the movies about his life and read stories about the changes he made.<span style=""> </span>I was never able to understand how someone was able to stand up and shoot him in cold blood.<span style=""> </span>Visiting his <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> home was absolutely amazing.<span style=""> </span>I walked through his garden where he would have nightly public walks.<span style=""> </span>I saw his home, filled with only the barest necessities, and his room, untouched since the day of his death.<span style=""> </span>Throughout the grounds of the house there are amazing flowers and signs with messages of peace and non-violence.<span style=""> </span>I do not have that many photos of Birla House because I felt the need to be there in the moment instead of seeing it all through a camera lens.<span style=""> </span>I cried a few tears of joy because I was there.<span style=""> </span>I was standing in the same place that he had stood over fifty years ago.<span style=""> </span>If I had any life changing moment in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, this would be it.<span style=""> </span>The Taj Mahal, paupers on the street, and Hindu temples could have nowhere near such a huge affect on me.<span style=""> </span>I grew up knowing that “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” and it meant more to me than I can say to be standing in Gandhi’s garden.<span style=""> </span>Thank you Mom and Dad!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">That evening we flew back to Chennai.<span style=""> </span>My final day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> was spent wandering from place to place in Chennai.<span style=""> </span>I did some last minute shopping, went to an internet café (had some really good waffles there too!) and visited a few more temples.<span style=""> </span>It was a fairly calm day and it was nice to just relax and not feel the pressure of doing touristy things.<span style=""> </span>I was exhausted that night when the ship departed from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, but I was glad that I had been there.<span style=""> </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> was filled with extremes.<span style=""> </span>There was extreme wealth and poverty, extreme natural beauty and pollution, and even extreme culture and exploitation.<span style=""> </span>It was amazing and someday I would like to visit again.</span></p></span></div></span></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-14487347458624096132009-04-26T15:43:00.000-07:002010-03-19T08:11:27.819-07:00Social Stratification<div style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" > <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Here is a small blog rant and then I promise to write part two of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>So for the last two weeks SAS has been running the <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Shipboard Drive</st1:address></st1:street> in which we donate money that goes towards scholarships, new gym equipment and so on.<span style=""> </span>Well this year the <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Shipboard Drive</st1:address></st1:street> is a competition between the seas (hallway groups kind of like dorms) and the winning sea will get a pizza party.<span style=""> </span>This didn’t really bother me because I knew my sea wouldn’t win and what’s one pizza party in the grand scheme of things?<span style=""> </span>Well now the competition has changed and the first seas to reach 100% participation in the drive will be the first seas off the ship in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Fort Lauderdale</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>This is absolutely despicable in my opinion. <span style=""> </span>Not only are they asking us to pay the program in order to leave the ship and see our families, but they are ignoring the huge financial schism between the seas.<span style=""> </span>For example, my sea (Baltic) is mostly economy cabins, quad cabins, and triple cabins.<span style=""> </span>These are the three cheapest cabins you can get on the ship.<span style=""> </span>Additionally, most of my neighbors either have scholarships or work study programs because it is impossible to afford the program without them.<span style=""> We are the sea that is worried about not having cab money to get to the airport once we reach Fort Lauderdale. </span>So yes, as a matter of fact we are losing the in the <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Shipboard Drive</st1:address></st1:street> with 53% participation.<span style=""> </span>Then take a look at the <st1:place st="on">Bering Sea</st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>They are all normal and suite style cabins with larger windows and some even have little sitting rooms.<span style=""> </span>These are the students who can afford to spend $50 on a quesadilla at the Students of Service Auction (really did happen).<span style=""> </span>These are the people that buy burgers every day at the grill instead of suffering through ship food with the rest of us.<span style=""> </span>They, of course, are at 90% participation.<span style=""> </span>There is a huge financial gap between “us” and “them”.<span style=""> </span>And so all I can say is:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Dear Institute for Shipboard Education, I am paying $20,000 for one semester because you refused to give me a scholarship.<span style=""> </span>I have loved traveling the world, but if you expect me to pay another cent just to disembark and see my family, you need to think again.<span style=""> </span>I hope that you are proud of the way you have divided the ship into the “haves” and the “have-nots”.<span style=""> </span>Well done.<span style=""> </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Love, Kendra Hartwell—<st1:place st="on">Baltic Sea</st1:place> 3116</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Hopefully my message will get across because we have been told that they read our blogs to see if we have done anything against the rules.<span style=""> </span>Still, I would appreciate it if any of you would be willing to call Semester at Sea and let them know what you think of the situation.<span style=""> </span>All of the contact information is at </span><a href="http://www.semesteratsea.org/"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">http://www.semesteratsea.org</span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Thanks!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Kendra</span></p></span></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-29173308329866471112009-04-22T02:04:00.000-07:002010-03-19T08:08:56.171-07:00India Part 1<div style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As a small disclaimer I need to mention that at this point countries and temples are blurring together and so I might mix up my historic sites in my <st1:place st="on">Asia</st1:place> blogs.<span style=""> </span>Anyway, here goes <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In the days before we arrived in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, everyone was getting excited and ready to have a life changing moment.<span style=""> </span>We were all told that <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> would make us laugh and cry and that we would never be the same again.<span style=""> </span>Well, to tell the truth I did not have another <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> moment.<span style=""> </span>There was not a single instant that changed me; however, I do know that I am different.<span style=""> </span>I have seen extreme poverty next to extravagant wealth.<span style=""> </span>I have seen a begging child break character once to smile before returning to asking for money.<span style=""> </span>I saw beautiful sites surrounded by extreme pollution and horrible smells.<span style=""> </span>It broke my heart and made me wish that I could do something real with my life that will make a difference.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I spent my first day in Chennai with several friends.<span style=""> </span>My trip to the Taj Mahal was not leaving until the afternoon and so I went into town with my friends Jill and Caroline.<span style=""> </span>We had our first experience of rickshaw scamming when we were told that the place we wished to go was closed.<span style=""> </span>Instead we were taken to a small luxury goods store that none of us could afford.<span style=""> </span>We browsed, bought a few things, and finally demanded that our driver take us to the place we originally wanted to go.<span style=""> </span>Well our destination was a bookstore that had two locations in Chennai.<span style=""> </span>Naturally he took us to the wrong one that happened to be more difficult to get to.<span style=""> </span>When we finally arrived at the right store, Jill and I had to head back to the ship and prepare for our next adventure.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That night I flew with 40 students to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>I have to admit that I was a little nervous about flying in a foreign country, but my fears were unfounded.<span style=""> </span>Airport security was top-notch and the flight included those fabulous TVs on the back of each seat and a full meal that they called a “snack”.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>After arriving at our hotel we were greeted with flowers and cold tea.<span style=""> </span>Colored rice on the ground stated “Welcome Semester at Sea”.<span style=""> </span>Dinner was at a traditional Indian restaurant where several friends and I promptly ignored all health advisories and ate the most delicious vanilla ice cream in the world!<span style=""> </span>Never fear, we survived.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We woke up extremely early in the morning to take a train to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Agra</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>The train station was filled with mutilated children who would drag themselves over to you and ask for food.<span style=""> </span>Our group finally had something to give and leftovers from box breakfasts were spread throughout the station.<span style=""> </span>I felt that I was making a difference even if it was only a hard-boiled egg and yogurt.<span style=""> </span>After arriving in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Agra</st1:place></st1:city> we took a bus to the hotel before continuing to several sites of interest.<span style=""> </span>Signs on the road told me to “Be Happy, You’re in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Agra</st1:place></st1:city>!”.<span style=""> </span>Our tour guide told us that <st1:city st="on">Agra</st1:city> is one of the worst cities in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> and that the only redeeming quality comes in the form of historical monuments.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That afternoon my group visited the ancient city of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Fatehpur Sikri</st1:place></st1:city> which served as the nation’s capital from 1571-1583.<span style=""> </span>In 1583 it was abandoned for “reasons that remain unclear”.<span style=""> </span>One thing that has come from my world traveling is that I now see a Doctor Who episode in every historical site.<span style=""> </span>Therefore my belief is that aliens attempted to take over <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> during this period of time and the Doctor had to come to the rescue!<span style=""> </span>Anyway, the Mughal emperor Akbar had twelve legitimate children and something like ninety illegitimate children.<span style=""> </span>Fatehpur Sikri had buildings that were built for several of the more important wives in the architecture of their homeland.<span style=""> </span>It made the city very interesting because Muslim architecture was mixed in with Hindu temples and Chinese pagodas.<span style=""> </span>That night we went back to the hotel and some people went off to a Jain festival.<span style=""> </span>I chose to stay in the hotel and rest up for the morning Taj Mahal trip.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finally it was the day that I was the most excited for.<span style=""> </span>I had a chance to visit the Taj Mahal!<span style=""> </span>It was one of those things that I had been excited to see since I was extremely young.<span style=""> </span>Just last year it was decided by the Indian government that the Taj will be closing to the public in the near future so that preservation work on the monument can begin.<span style=""> </span>The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum that was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan over the course of twenty years from 1632-1653.<span style=""> </span>The Taj was a tribute of love to Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal.<span style=""> </span>The Wikipedia summary of the story goes like this: “<span style="" lang="EN">In her dying breath, Mumtaz Mahal urged Shah Jahan to build a mausoleum for her that the world has never seen before. Shah Jahan granted his wife's wish, and construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632, one year after her death.<span style=""> </span>The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal</span>”.<span style=""> </span>My first site of the Taj was stunning.<span style=""> </span>It was like the mausoleum glowed in the sunlight.<span style=""> </span>We were given under two hours to wander through the gardens and see the sights.<span style=""> </span>I cannot really find the words to describe walking through the area surrounding the Taj Mahal and taking the usual tourist photos.<span style=""> </span>Despite the extreme pollution just a mile away, the gardens were beautiful and the fountains were clean.<span style=""> </span>I only spent about five minutes inside the actual mausoleum before deciding that the outside was much more spectacular.<span style=""> </span>Finally it was time to leave and move on to the next place, but someday I will go back and spend an entire day wandering around the grounds of the Taj Mahal.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Later that day my group went to the Agra Fort where Shah Jahan was kept under house arrest by his oldest son.<span style=""> </span>Considering how beautiful the Fort was, I can’t imagine that house arrest would be that terrible an experience.<span style=""> </span>From the Agra Fort there is a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal and the surrounding pollution of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Agra</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>Although I enjoyed visiting the Fort and learning its history, I wish I could have spent that time at the Taj Mahal instead of changing location.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That afternoon the amazing day was completed with a trip to the Mother Teresa Orphanage in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Agra</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>The full title of the orphanage includes something about home for the “sick and destitute”, but right now I am feeling lazy and don’t want to look up the official information.<span style=""> </span>I had hoped that this would be another experience like my South Africa Operation Hunger trip, but unfortunately it did not meet expectations.<span style=""> </span>Despite my small disappointment I truly enjoyed playing with the children.<span style=""> </span>On my wall is a page out of a coloring book that I helped one of the orphans color in.<span style=""> </span>When he was finished he wrote his name in Hindi on it and made me write mine also.<span style=""> </span>Then he showed it to all of his friends and gave it to me with a smile and a hug.<span style=""> </span>The hardest part of this trip was not seeing all the children, but seeing the care given to the mentally ill.<span style=""> </span>I say “care” because it is the only word I can think of. <span style=""> </span>It was more like a prison with the patients locked behind bars. <span style=""> </span>They were alone and many of them were bound so that they would not physically harm themselves.<span style=""> </span>It was heartbreaking to see people living like this and to know that their care would have been much worse if they were not in the orphanage.<span style=""> </span>I spoke with one of the sisters about the problems they face every day and she told me that even though life is difficult there are little blessings every day that make everything worth it in the end.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This is the end to my <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> blog part one. <span style=""> </span>I will write about my last two days tomorrow, but I thought it might help to split it in half! <span style=""> </span>Enjoy!</p></span></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-17059010995827788952009-04-15T18:37:00.000-07:002009-04-15T18:35:29.054-07:00Mom Love<DIV><FONT color=#ffff00>I would like for everyone in the United States to call my mom today and wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffff00></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffff00>Mom, I love you very much and I wish that I could be home to give you a hug, a kiss, and a homemade card. I hope that your day is beautiful and full of joy!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffff00></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffff00>Love, Kendra</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffff00></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ffff00>P.S. Sorry I have been such a bad blogger lately. India news coming soon!</FONT></DIV>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-13121344092194716892009-03-11T10:52:00.000-07:002010-03-19T08:06:10.327-07:00Cape Town, South Africa<div style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" > <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My blogs about <st1:country-region st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> will probably be the two most complicated to write.<span style=""> </span>It is extremely difficult for me to really share my experiences and how they affected me, but I will do my best.<span style=""> </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> was a different experience for SASers from the start.<span style=""> </span>For one thing, the port was non-industrial and had a huge mall within walking distance from the ship.<span style=""> </span>For another, this was the first country where our logistical pre-port left me terrified!<span style=""> </span>In past ports we had been warned of petty crime and occasional riots.<span style=""> </span>For <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> we were told of past student rapings, violent crimes, and some political upheaval.<span style=""> </span>This was not my experience.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My first day in <st1:country-region st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region> was spent on <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Robben</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place> where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.<span style=""> </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Robben</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place> is a fairly unique experience because they have former political prisoners work as the tour guides.<span style=""> </span>The ferry to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Robben</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place> was filled with tourists and we were given an informational video on the prison.<span style=""> </span>Our tour included the village, the leprosy cemetery, and the prison itself.<span style=""> </span>I was able to see Nelson Mandela’s prison cell and the lime quarry where he worked.<span style=""> </span>I also got to see penguins!<span style=""> </span>After getting back to the ship, my roommate Hannah and I got dressed up for a night on the town!<span style=""> </span>We chose to go to Mama Africa to meet up with some friends and try some authentic African cuisine.<span style=""> </span>And so what did we eat?<span style=""> </span>Crocodile, springbok, kudu, and ostrich!<span style=""> </span>My personal favorites were the crocodile and the springbok, although the ostrich was pretty damn good!<span style=""> </span>We also had some delicious vegetable samosas!<span style=""> </span>Mama Africa had an amazing band come in later that night which was a lot of fun!<span style=""> </span>Hannah and our friend Jillian were given a chance to dance with the lead singer which created one of the funniest videos of the voyage thus far!<span style=""> </span>After Mama Africa we met up with some more friends and went to a few more clubs before calling it a night.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Day two was by far my favorite day of the voyage thus far.<span style=""> </span>A group of about forty students boarded a bus headed to an Operation Hunger service visit without really knowing what to expect.<span style=""> </span>Our first stop was a Xhosa shanty town where only about three community members spoke English.<span style=""> </span>Our work center was the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Green</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> community center; an ironic name considering that only trash and dirt surrounded us.<span style=""> </span>The assignment was to weigh and measure all of the community children and to plant seedlings in a small garden next to the building.<span style=""> </span>At first both university students and shanty children were awkward and did not know what to say.<span style=""> </span>Finally we were able to break through the language barrier with digital photos and the high five!<span style=""> </span>I have a theory that Semester at Sea will bring two main things to children around the world, smiles and high fives!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /><span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As the more industrious students weighed the kids, I started playing ball with one little girl who was maybe five years old at the oldest.<span style=""> </span>By playing ball I mean that she would throw a tiny red ball into my hands and I would toss it back to her.<span style=""> </span>I almost felt like she enjoyed missing the ball more than catching it because when she missed it she would have to run around after it!<span style=""> </span>I could spend all day talking about that one little girl!<span style=""> </span>When she finally grew tired of her toy (which took quite a while), she and I went outside to see how the planting was going.<span style=""> </span>I left her with one of the other students while I quickly went to get my camera.<span style=""> </span>When I returned I had my personal life-changing moment.<span style=""> </span>I walked in the gate and saw her standing alone by the door looking somewhat worried and confused.<span style=""> </span>She turned to look at me and suddenly I knew what to do.<span style=""> </span>I knelt down and held my arms wide open and she ran straight to me!<span style=""> </span>As I held her I understood the power of unconditional love.<span style=""> </span>It didn’t matter that we couldn’t understand each other, or that we had only met several hours before.<span style=""> </span>At that moment I was the mother and she was the child and there was nothing else.<span style=""> </span>Sadly our time at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Green</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> had to end and I said goodbye with tears in my eyes.<span style=""> </span>We had done good work to help a community in need, but I felt that I was the one who received a real benefit.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This moment was not the end to the day and our Operation Hunger trip continued to a soup kitchen in an English-speaking township where we fed anyone who needed food.<span style=""> </span>I did not have another epiphany, but it made me feel good knowing that my actions in the world were making a difference in the lives of others.<span style=""> </span>Our trip concluded with all the students pooling together approximately $250 to buy toys for the children of Green Park and our trip leader telling us that she had seen forty students who would someday make amazing parents.<span style=""> </span>At the end of the day I was feeling fairly morose and I did not know what to do with myself.<span style=""> </span>Most of my friends were on safari and I was still having trouble digesting everything I had seen and done.<span style=""> </span>It was at this moment that Clive from deck 6 Garden Lounge told me that things would get better.<span style=""> </span>I went to a bookstore and out for coffee with my favorite professor, who had also been the trip leader for Operation Hunger.<span style=""> </span>Clive was right, things did get better!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">On the third day in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city>, I was somewhat unsure what I was going to do.<span style=""> </span>I wanted to go up to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Table</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place>, but I wasn’t sure about climbing it.<span style=""> </span>At breakfast I ran into Joan Knecht who is our ship nurse and she invited me to take the cable car with her, Shirl (a LLC), and Bob (an adult passenger).<span style=""> </span>Needless to say, I was the youngest person in our group, but it was still a lot of fun!<span style=""> </span>The cable car revolves, giving passengers a 360 view of the mountain ascent!<span style=""> </span>It also took about two minutes as opposed to the two hour hike!<span style=""> </span>Once on top of the mountain we wandered for a bit, cameras in hand, before taking a lunch break and the cable car back down.<span style=""> </span>We still had some time to kill so we decided to go to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Kirstenbosch</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">National</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Botanical Garden</st1:placetype></st1:place> which is reputed to be one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world.<span style=""> </span>I felt that it was a beautiful picnic spot and had some amazing statues, but overall the gardens were not that impressive.<span style=""> </span>It was still a fun place to be for $2!<span style=""> </span>We headed back to the ship in the early afternoon and I got ready for an exciting dinner out.<span style=""> </span>By which I mean dinner alone with a good book at a sushi bar.<span style=""> </span>It turned out to be just what I needed!<span style=""> </span>Living in close quarters with about 1000 people does not give many chances for quiet or peace.<span style=""> </span>It was great to go somewhere by myself and just relax with a book.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My fourth day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> was delicious!<span style=""> </span>Yes!<span style=""> </span>It was time for Kendra’s COOKING SAFARI!!!<span style=""> </span>One of the things I miss most about home is my kitchen.<span style=""> </span>It might be small and impossible to maneuver in, but it is still a kitchen!<span style=""> </span>There is nothing better on a stressful day of class than going home and baking brownies, or cheesecake, or bread.<span style=""> </span>Even in the dorms I at least had a kitchenette downstairs!<span style=""> </span>Our day of cooking started with an explanation of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Cape</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Malay</st1:placename></st1:place> culture and how the Indian influence is evident in the food.<span style=""> </span>After this we visited the stores that our cooking teacher had shopped at for our class supplies.<span style=""> </span>The main store was the spice shop where there was an overwhelming medley of smells in the air!<span style=""> </span>We were taught about each spice and what it does to flavor a dish. <span style=""> </span>When our spice adventure concluded we continued to our host’s home.<span style=""> </span>Our host was a wonderful woman who had volunteered to work with us students despite her husband’s surprise home renovation which left her missing half a kitchen. <span style=""> </span>Under her tutelage we learned how to fold samosas, cook up “chilli bites”, make chicken curry, and make a special kind of bread (similar to naan). <span style=""> </span>Once everything was cooked our group sat down for a fabulous meal in which we had a chance to speak to our host and guide about their lives as Muslims in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>The rest of the day was spent wandering around the V & A waterfront with friends.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The final day in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city> was bittersweet.<span style=""> </span>Most of what I did was hunt down souvenirs for family and friends and attempt to find something for myself that follows my global kitchen equipment theme.<span style=""> </span>I ended up getting a metal teapot with traditional paintings on it to go with my Spanish mug, Moroccan tea cups, and Namibian salad tossers!<span style=""> </span>Leaving <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> was extremely hard for me because I felt like I belonged there.<span style=""> </span>I found a place that I could make a difference and you never know, maybe someday I will go back and see what good I can do! </span></p></span></div><!--[object_id=#semesteratsea.net#]-->Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-66713130657409637462009-03-09T10:19:00.000-07:002010-03-19T07:59:59.714-07:00Spelling Bees and Snorkeling<div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;">As most people are forced to realize, technology is not always a friend.<span style=""> </span>In my case it has become the frustrating enemy!<span style=""> W</span>hat happened, you might ask.<span style=""> </span>Well, long story short, my laptop has left this mortal coil.<span style=""> </span>It is no longer with us.<span style=""> </span>The funeral will be held on Tuesday.<span style=""> </span>With it go my <st1:country-region st="on">Namibia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa)</st1:place></st1:country-region> blogs and about half of a paper for History of U.S. Immigration.<span style=""> </span>I will try to re-write the blogs (and paper, but they may not be in order.<span style=""> </span>For starters I am going to do <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Mauritius</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the Sea Olympics!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Mauritius</st1:place></st1:country-region> was beautiful!<span style=""> </span>It reminded me a lot of <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state> except that it didn’t have nearly as many flowers.<span style=""> </span>Since we only had one day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Mauritius</st1:place></st1:country-region> I chose to spend it on a catamaran!<span style=""> </span>Snorkeling equipment was provided and I spent the majority of the day with my head underwater.<span style=""> </span>The water was amazingly clear and we could see a ton of fish at the first site!<span style=""> </span>Sadly, my mask was leaking and the pretty fish were not worth salty eyes so I spent most of my time there just swimming around.<span style=""> </span>After about an hour we all got back on our catamaran and went to another area of the bay.<span style=""> </span>And then it was time for lunch!<span style=""> </span>This was one of the most amazing meals I have had on this trip!<span style=""> </span>We had barbequed chicken skewers, barbequed swordfish, garlic bread, and mashed potatoes.<span style=""> </span>After eating (and waiting twenty minutes!) I went back into the water to see more fish with a non-leaking snorkel mask.<span style=""> </span>There were fewer fish at this part of the bay, but I still was able to see glowing squid and some other small fish swimming around.<span style=""> </span>I forgot how much I love snorkeling.<span style=""> </span>It is just me, my breathing and the water.<span style=""> </span>It was so peaceful and it reminded me of meditating.<span style=""> </span>Hopefully I will have a chance to do it again in either <st1:country-region st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region> or <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">Hawaii</st1:state></st1:place>!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After snorkeling we returned to the ship for more barbeque (of a lesser quality) in anticipation of Sea Olympics!<span style=""> </span>Now in order to understand Sea Olympics I need to explain how the MV Explorer is organized.<span style=""> </span>Similar to dorms with floors and RAs, SAS has seas with living learning coordinators.<span style=""> </span>The seas include the Red Sea, Bering Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea (yay ninjas!), and Adriatic Sea.<span style=""> </span>The professors, lifelong learners, and family voyagers are all in the Odyssey.<span style=""> </span>Now the seas were required to participate in events such as wheelbarrow race, spelling bee, synchronized swimming, and potato sculpting. <span style=""> </span>I was only participating in the synchronized swimming (although I wish I had done spelling bee). <span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;">Now here is a small (large) rant.<span style=""> </span>I stayed after at the meeting to sign up for events to see if the spelling bee was still open. <span style=""> </span>About four other people were asking about various things and the leaders were assigning things that had no contestants yet. <span style=""> </span>Suddenly I hear “spelling bee” and before I can jump at the chance a (CU) jock goes “Oh I’ll do it!”. <span style=""> </span>I turn to him to ask if he was a good speller and he replied “Oh yeah…sure”.<span style=""> </span>I repeated the question letting him know that I was really good at spelling and would love to compete. <span style=""> </span>Finally I gave up and left.<span style=""> </span>Round one of the spelling bee the <st1:place st="on">Baltic Sea</st1:place> was eliminated on “celery” spelled “cellary”. <span style=""> </span>Hell hath no fury like Kendra when epic stupidity strikes!<span style=""> </span>I have nothing against poor spellers (I love you Dad!), but I do have issues with people who ruin the chances of others on a whim. <span style=""> </span>Needless to say the <st1:place st="on">Baltic Sea</st1:place> came in second to last place in the Olympics overall with medals in Sudoku and Twister. <span style=""> </span>Synchronized swimming was a lot of fun though and there were parts of the day I did have fun, but those of you who know my competitive attitude will understand how the spelling bee broke my spirit!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;">Well, there you go!<span style=""> </span>One semi-coherent blog entry with a complimentary rant!<span style=""> </span>Now I feel like sleeping for weeks.<span style=""> </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> left me physically and emotionally drained and I need some time to absorb everything I have seen and done in the last few days. <span style=""> </span>No class tomorrow so I will try to write out entries for <st1:country-region st="on">Namibia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>! Happy Purim everybody!</span></p></span></div><!--[object_id=#semesteratsea.net#]-->Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-79276026703318516562009-02-20T06:36:00.000-08:002010-03-19T07:56:55.478-07:00Crew Appreciation<p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><div id="idOWAReplyText64480" dir="ltr"><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><div dir="ltr"><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </p></div></div><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><div dir="ltr"><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Since I am being fairly lazy tonight I felt like I should write another blog post. Today’s topic is the crew of the MV Explorer! I have been planning this post for a while and I don’t think anything I can say can really do justice to the hard working people on this ship. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">My three favorite crew members are Achilles (who Hannah and I called Edga for the longest time)r, Joseph, and Clive. Achilles is my cabin steward and is one of the nicest people on this ship. For the first few weeks the idea of having someone come into my room and clean every day was intimidating. The fact that he would fold my pajamas and place Mr. Beeps my stuffed bear at the head of my bed was also somewhat foreign. However, his hard work is not unappreciated! Every morning my roommate Hannah wakes up before I do and goes to breakfast. When Edgar sees her leave he knows that I will be leaving in about thirty minutes for class. After I (finally) drag myself from bed and go outside he is waiting there patiently with a smile and a “Good morning Kendra, how are you today?”. He never complains about picking up our dirty towels and always brightens the gloomy days!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">I ought to preface my stories about the dining hall staff with an explanation that I often eat lunches alone. Most of my friends have class on an opposite schedule than I do so more often than not I will be seen alone on deck 6 staring morosely into my PB &J. Joseph works in the Garden Lounge dining hall on deck 6. Every day you can here him singing while he clears plates and cleans tables. For a long time I only enjoyed his music from a distance, but one day he came up to me while I was sitting alone and started up a conversation. We talked about the different countries and how hard it is to be away from family for such a long time. We also talked about how little I ate and he asked if there was anything in particular that I liked. I replied that I love the ship’s iced tea and every day since then he will bring me a pitcher of iced tea to fill my water bottle. Whenever I sit alone he will take time out of his busy day to come and talk to me. I know that many other students feel uplifted by his singing and I wonder if he understands how much we rely on his cheerfulness to brighten our days.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Clive was the first crew member that I really had a conversation with. The day before we arrived in Spain I was sitting alone in the main dining hall on deck 5 doing homework when Clive comes over and says “I am Clive, where are you from?”. We had a great conversation about life and family. Several days later I was eating lunch with a friend and we told Clive about our parents’concerns regarding the white slave trade in Morocco. Clive promised that if we went missing, he would lead the search party for us. Simply knowing that someone was looking out for us made me feel much more comfortable about Casablanca and Moroccan adventures. Today I created another Clive story. Most of my friends and my roommate are on safari and I was feeling lonely and somewhat pitiful so I called home. I love calling home, but inevitably I will cry and wish more than anything that I could see my parents! After the phone call I went up to eat dinner and mope. No moping allowed! I had been sitting outside for about five minutes when Clive comes up and says “I was going to stand in your sunshine, but it looks like someone already stole it from you”. I told him that I was feeling homesick and he said “Don’t think about going home. Think about bringing home to you and sharing your life with everyone you meet. And I promise that your day will get better”. He was right and soon my favorite professor and her sixteen year old daughter came and sat with me and we ate while marveling in the beauty of Table Mountain. They later invited me to go to a bookstore and out for coffee with them. And so I am now sitting in my room with three brand new books ($5) and a smile on my face.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">There are so many hardworking people on this ship and, although I have only brushed the surface of their lives, I am extremely grateful to know them. Even tonight I met a new crew member at the piano bar who is from Turkey and was telling me all about the beauties of Istanbul. I wish I could fully express the amazing things done by the people working on the MV Explorer, but words cannot do it justice. Besides, I have three new books to read (<i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tempted Champions</i>, <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Wisdom of War</i>, and bizarre looking book called <i>Jude: Level 1</i>. Am I a dork? Hell yeah!). And so goodnight everyone! I plan to go to bed early knowing that there is an amazing crew taking care of every student on this ship!</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:130%;" ></span><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"></p><br /></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-69362861348971824702009-02-17T13:53:00.000-08:002010-03-19T07:56:04.154-07:00Neptune Day!<p><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><div> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:#000000;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;">Whenever I feel homesick I go up to the deck 7 pool bar and buy a bag of popcorn.<span style=""> </span>It is stale and too salty, but it never fails to make me feel better!<span style=""> </span>Tonight I splurged and bought a large bag to eat while looking at the stars.<span style=""> </span>Even with the ship completely lit up the stars here are amazing!<span style=""> </span>Right now we are between <st1:country-region><st1:place>Namibia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> preparing for the next adventure.<span style=""> </span>I promise that this post is not about homesickness; instead I plan to write about Neptune Day and my shipboard family!<span style=""> </span>Neptune Day was a whirlwind of fish guts, sunburns and barbeque.<span style=""> </span>Technically we celebrated Neptune Day the day before we crossed the equator, but the sentiment was the same.<span style=""> </span>On February 8 (happy birthday dad!) all “pollywogs”were sent an email requesting their presence before the royal court of Neptune to acknowledge his sovereignty.<span style=""> </span>We woke up on February 9 to the sound of people running up and down the halls screaming and banging on doors and drums.<span style=""> </span>After dragging ourselves from bed my roommate Hannah and I moved up to deck 7 where the festivities began!</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>In order to be initiated a student had to stand in one of the side pools, have “fish guts”poured over them, kiss a fish, kiss Neptune’s ring, jump into the pool, and then be knighted by our security officer Joe.<span style=""> </span>And so I became a shellback with fish in my hair and water up my nose!<span style=""> </span>I looked a fish in the eye and kissed it right on the lips (I later found out that the fish was fake…).<span style=""> </span>The rest of the day was class free and so I went up to the front of the ship to read and relax.<span style=""> </span>After falling asleep in the sun I woke up with a spectacular sunburn from the bottoms of my feet to my neck!<span style=""> </span>That night was an impromptu barbecue with amazing burgers and corn on the cob!<span style=""> </span>With ice cream for dessert it was a perfect end to a great day.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>But wait, there’s more!<span style=""> </span>That same night was my first dinner with my extended family.<span style=""> </span>The ship has a program called “extended family”in which faculty, lifelong learners, and living learning leaders can create a family with several students.<span style=""> </span>The families eat together generally twice a week when at sea and they provide a good outlet for students who need help or are feeling homesick.<span style=""> </span>My family consists of two boys and five girls (not unlike the general male-female proportion on SAS) and our “parents”Fred and Nancy.<span style=""> </span>Fred Levine is an art history professor on SAS and he recently spoke in our general Global Studies course about the cave paintings made by early humans.<span style=""> </span>Our first family dinner was great and I am very glad that I have a family away from home.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>Well, I know that this was a kind of slow email, but I promise that my <st1:country-region><st1:place>Namibia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> post will be interesting!<span style=""> </span>With any luck I will find a cheap internet café in <st1:city><st1:place>Cape Town</st1:place></st1:city> and will be able to put up some safari photos!</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span></p></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-58145936295443950822009-02-08T08:12:00.000-08:002010-03-19T07:55:27.109-07:00<p><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> <p><span style="font-size:130%;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!</span></p></div> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p></div> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> <p><span style="font-size:130%;">Here is a small note from the other side of the world (Senegal to be exact) to let you know how much I love you! I hope that you have a wonderful day filled with cheesy Aloha shirts and mom's carrot cake.</span></p></div> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p></div> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> <p><span style="font-size:130%;">Love, Kendra</span></p></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-74956135546113781442009-02-07T14:52:00.000-08:002010-03-19T07:54:50.159-07:00Spain to Morocco<p><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><div> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" > </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><st1:date year="2009" day="6" month="2">Feb. 6, 2009</st1:date></span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">The first intense set of adventures has come and gone and now all that students can think of is <st1:country-region><st1:place>Namibia</st1:place></st1:country-region>!<span style=""> </span>Well, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Namibia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and seasickness.<span style=""> </span>I thought that seasickness was just for the weak, but as I had to be given a seasickness shot today the size of a horse tranquilizer, I am rethinking that prejudice.<span style=""> </span>Combining seasickness with the five students who have broken wrists, sprained ankles and pulled muscles gives the MV Explorer a less-than-cheerful student body.<span style=""> </span>Why all the injuries you ask?<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Well yesterday as we left the <st1:place><st1:placetype>port</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Casablanca</st1:placename></st1:place> the ship was forced through a tiny gap in the seawall with huge swells surrounding us.<span style=""> </span>My roommate Hannah and I were sitting on our beds when all of a sudden we go flying across the room, beds and all!<span style=""> </span>It was like Bedknobs and Broomsticks combined with large waves!<span style=""> </span>Luckily my seasickness didn’t set in until late last night when I was reading for my Military Force and Diplomacy class.<span style=""> </span>And then today (after a night of unsuccessful attempts to take medication) I surrendered to the ocean and let our amazing medical team give me a shot.<span style=""> </span>So now I am sitting in my cabin feeling like a mule kicked me in the shoulder and decided to write a Spain/Morocco update for everyone!</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">First of all, I have to say that words cannot give justice to my experiences, but I will do my best to explain everything completely.<span style=""> </span>We arrived in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region> early in the morning and hundreds of students climbed out onto the decks to see land for the first time in nine days.<span style=""> </span>Luckily the <st1:place><st1:placetype>port</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Cadiz</st1:placename></st1:place> was in a very nice part of town and we were able to get favorable first impressions.<span style=""> </span>I spent the first day wandering around <st1:city><st1:place>Cadiz</st1:place></st1:city> with some friends.<span style=""> </span>We didn’t have a set plan and so we simply walked around the entire city finding some amazing public gardens and drinking Sangria in the shadow of a beautiful cathedral.<span style=""> </span><st1:country-region><st1:place>Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region> is paradise for the homeless cats of the world and they are all well-fed and loved by the city residents.<span style=""> </span>Before the novelty of stray cats wore off I would run after them taking photos.<span style=""> </span>On the first night I went to a SAS sponsored flamenco performance that included a dressage exhibition and example of a bullfight.<span style=""> </span>The show was excellent; although many people felt that it was completely unauthentic and that we would do better to find a real flamenco show.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>The next morning I took a train from <st1:city><st1:place>Cadiz</st1:place></st1:city> to Sevilla with a group of four other students.<span style=""> </span>We were hoping to spend one night in Sevilla before continuing to either <st1:city><st1:place>Cordoba</st1:place></st1:city> or <st1:city><st1:place>Granada</st1:place></st1:city>, but unfortunately all hostels were filled to the brim thanks to Semester at Sea and a soccer game that night in the city.<span style=""> </span>In the end we decided to simply spend the day in Sevilla and then take a train to <st1:city><st1:place>Cordoba</st1:place></st1:city> that night.<span style=""> </span>That one day in Sevilla was amazing.<span style=""> </span>At first we had some trouble finding the nice part of town, but once we saw the cathedral, we knew why everyone praises <st1:country-region><st1:place>Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>We visited the Real Alcazar which seemed to me to be a miniature <st1:city><st1:place>Versailles</st1:place></st1:city> with amazing gardens and absolutely stunning mosaics!<span style=""> </span>If I worked in Sevilla I would go to the Alcazar every day for my lunch just to sit and breathe in the peace.<span style=""> </span>It was hard to believe that there was an entire city on the other side of the wall!<span style=""> </span>That night we took a fast train to <st1:city><st1:place>Cordoba</st1:place></st1:city> and spent the night in a very nice hostel (Hotel Boston).<span style=""> </span>The next day we were all too exhausted to visit any tourist sites so instead we spent most of our time relaxing near the hostel before taking a slow train back to <st1:city><st1:place>Cadiz</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>The final day in <st1:city><st1:place>Cadiz</st1:place></st1:city> was a blur of grocery shopping, chocolate con churros, and postcard writing.<span style=""> </span>We left that night and I was finally able to fall asleep with the gentle rocking of the ship once more.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>The following day we pulled into <st1:place>Gibraltar</st1:place> to bunker (take on fuel), but thanks to extremely rough seas the Explorer was forced to spend a whole day there (without landing to look at the monkeys!) which pushed our Morocco arrival date back by about 18 hours.<span style=""> </span>Our arrival in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region> involved going through a narrow sea wall with heavy waves.<span style=""> </span>The result was broken dishes in the dining halls and a flipped chest of drawers (caught on film) in my cabin.<span style=""> </span>Since we had lost a day in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region>, many of the trips were changed.<span style=""> </span>Luckily my trip stayed on schedule and the morning after our arrival in <st1:city><st1:place>Casablanca</st1:place></st1:city> twenty-two students took a bus to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the ancient city of <st1:city><st1:place>Fes</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>I can’t find words to describe Volubilis and the surrounding areas.<span style=""> </span>When I had pictured <st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region> I had not expected lush green valleys with beautiful trees and mountains!<span style=""> </span>The ruins of Volubilis were in amazing condition with mosaics made out of local stone filling the houses.<span style=""> </span>It was easy to imagine a complete city filled with people living their lives.<span style=""> </span>After visiting Volubilis our group continued to <st1:place>Fes</st1:place> for the night.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>My second day in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region> was spent in the city of <st1:city><st1:place>Fes</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>Our tour guide was a <st1:place>Fes</st1:place> local and so he knew exactly where to take us.<span style=""> </span>We spent most of the day in the Old Medina (Fes el Bali) where the largest “souk”in <st1:place>Fes</st1:place> exists. Some fun facts about the Old Medina:</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>The Old Medina is home to the world’s oldest (859 AD) continuously running university; the University of Al-Karouine</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>The medina is believed to be the largest contiguous car-free urban area in the world as well as the largest medina in the world)</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="">·<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>The medina is the craftsmanship capital of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region> and almost all goods sold in areas such as Marrakech or <st1:city><st1:place>Casablanca</st1:place></st1:city> originated in <st1:place>Fes</st1:place>.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 21pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">I have to say that the <st1:city><st1:place>Medina</st1:place></st1:city> was like being pulled into Arabian Nights or Aladdin.<span style=""> </span>It was the first time I really felt like I was in another world.<span style=""> </span>In one day I visited a ceramics studio where I saw how mosaics are created, a tannery with a view of the city, a weaving studio where we could buy Moroccan scarves fresh off the loom, and an apothecary’s shop filled with stuffed foxes and exotic remedies.<span style=""> </span>I learned that when someone in the narrow street calls out “Grand Taxi!”to pull over to one side and let a pack-laden donkey pass by.<span style=""> </span>I learned stories about ancient kings and modern ones who all found true love in <st1:place>Fes</st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>It was like being pulled into a fairy tale and I never wanted to leave!</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span>Sadly, all good things must come to an end and we returned to <st1:city><st1:place>Casablanca</st1:place></st1:city> late that night.<span style=""> </span>On our last day in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region> a large group of students decided to walk to the Hassan II mosque which is one of the largest mosques in the world.<span style=""> </span>We were told that it was a twenty minute walk from the ship to the mosque, but it tuned out that it was a twenty minute walk from the ship to the port exit!<span style=""> </span><st1:country-region><st1:place>Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region> has strange weather patterns and when we were about fifteen minutes from the mosque there was a torrential downpour of rain!<span style=""> </span>None of us had umbrellas and things would have gone very poorly if the “tourism police”hadn’t pulled us over and driven us the rest of the way free of charge!<span style=""> </span>And so unlike most students, I have a good story about being picked up by the police and riding in a paddywagon.<span style=""> </span>The mosque was beautiful and awe-inspiring, but it could not compare to my experience in <st1:place>Fes</st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>We spent the rest of the day in the <st1:city><st1:place>Casablanca</st1:place></st1:city> medina doing some last minute shopping.<span style=""> </span>My favorite <st1:city><st1:place>Casablanca</st1:place></st1:city> was buying a round loaf of bread for 1 dirham (about 15 cents) to eat while following a rainbow back to the ship.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Now we are on our way to </span><st1:city style="font-family: times new roman;"><st1:place>Dakar</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> for fuel before the a</span>dventure continues with a safari in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Namibia</st1:place></st1:country-region>!</span></span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span></p></div>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-26421538749960037452009-01-26T06:31:00.000-08:002010-03-19T07:50:52.428-07:00<span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I<span style="font-size:130%;"> suppose that every journey involves a destination.<span style=""> </span>In my story the journey and the destination are one and the same.<span style=""> </span>So here I am sitting in cabin 3116 on the MV Explorer.<span style=""> </span>Edgar the cabin steward has already been by and folded my yummy sushi pajamas and placed Mr. Beeps (the amazing traveling bear) back on my pillow.<span style=""> </span>Looking out my porthole the only thing in sight is the mass of water and waves.<span style=""> </span>I am in the middle of the <st1:place>Atlantic Ocean</st1:place> approximately 850 nautical miles outside of <st1:place><st1:city>Cadiz</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>Right now the rolling waves are somewhat unwelcome and are making me wish that the rice pudding at lunch hadn’t been so damn tasty.<span style=""> </span>I think that the students who thought Semester at Sea was the booze party of their lives rethought alcohol after the first wave of seasickness.<span style=""> </span>The weather today is much cooler than it has been over the last week and the outside temperature is 63<sup>o</sup> Fahrenheit.<span style=""> </span>It is <st1:time hour="14" minute="0">2 pm</st1:time> here and <st1:time hour="7" minute="0">7 am</st1:time> at home causing students to curse the time zones of the world.<span style=""> </span>Luckily there is only one more day of class before our 9 day “weekend”.<span style=""> </span>Of course no class means that we will be out exploring the cathedrals of <st1:city><st1:place>Cadiz</st1:place></st1:city> and the souks of <st1:city><st1:place>Casablanca</st1:place></st1:city>!<span style=""> </span>My journey is just beginning and the destinations are dotting the horizon.</span></p></span>Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-85517287615851359102009-01-17T07:11:00.001-08:002009-01-17T07:13:00.649-08:00Bahama Time!I'm heeeeeeeeere!! Hope everyone is enjoying January. Today is supposed to be 75 with some slight breezes. How awesome is that? I would write more, but I want to go soak up some vitamin D! Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-22381126298559953962008-12-09T15:56:00.000-08:002008-12-09T18:52:48.547-08:00Just a slight change in plans...Pirate attacks are no longer the stuff of movies. In the Gulf of Aden acts of piracy have been increasing. After the recent attempted attack of a passenger cruise ship, the Institute for Shipboard Education decided to adjust our itinerary slightly. Instead of going from Spain to Italy, Turkey, and Egypt, the MV Explorer is now going from Spain to Morocco and then following the coast of Africa down to Namibia and South Africa. After spending time in South Africa we will sail to Mauritius and then return to our previously scheduled destination of India.<br /><br />My reaction to all this? Well, I am stoked beyond belief that I get to cross the equator! I am equally excited to visit more African countries. Sadly I will not have a chance to ride a camel in front of the pyramids. Or fight off Pyrovile with a water pistol (inside joke). Overall I think I will enjoy the new ports and I am extremely glad that I took History of Pre-Colonial Africa this past semester!Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-71334172426798589112008-12-06T13:41:00.000-08:002008-12-06T22:05:57.365-08:00It's all in the details...44 days to go. Colorado State has all the study abroad students attending orientations, finalizing details, and memorizing emergency contact information. I have started to pack three times and then realized that I still have over a month before leaving. So now I only mentally pack. Strangely...every time I mentally pack, I forget my toothbrush.<br /><br />This is the final push. One more week of classes, one week of finals, and then a little work between me and the Bahamas. I rotate between periods of excitement and moments of extreme insecurity. Going to a student orientation that had a focus on the cost to bring my dead body back to the United States really didn't help.<br /><br />And so I get through those moments by mentally repacking and planning out another part of the trip. I have a list of random stuff to bring (like water guns for my Mount Vesuvius trip and bollywood soundtracks for India). 44 days until I sail out of the Nassau harbor. Anyone else excited?Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-14149384000871077482008-11-07T09:18:00.000-08:002008-12-06T21:55:38.105-08:00Scheduling the days72 days before departure day! My class schedule is now complete. Semester at Sea follows a system similiar to high school where classes are on A and B days instead of a typical university schedule. In addition to that, the ship follows military time in everything, including class schedules. That being said, here you go!<br /><br />World Geography and the Human Mosaic: Daily 0920-1035<br /><br />Shakespeare Around the World: B 1045-1200<br />Military Force and Diplomacy: B 1215-1330<br /><br />A History of U.S. Immigration Law: A 1045-1200Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7569250483189800509.post-89016846233447557812008-10-21T19:36:00.000-07:002008-10-21T20:20:10.955-07:00Let the countdown begin!One day left before class registration. Two weeks left before all my paperwork is due. Fifty-eight days until I go home for winter break. Eighty-five days until I leave Albuquerque for Nassau. Eighty-nine days until I leave Nassau for Spain and start my life on the MV Explorer! <br /><br />...not that I am counting.Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887530217345876399noreply@blogger.com0