Moving West

This is my first entry in a while and will probably be my last for this adventure. I'm sorry I did not write for Turkey but with finals and everything I just didn't have time to write it all down. For those of you who sent me birthday wishes yesterday, thank you. Everyone on the ship was wonderful and my roommate even surprised me with treats! I felt thoroughly loved and happily began my 22nd year of life. Unfortunately that means that today is April 17th and we have only about a day and half still on board. The ocean is waving us goodbye with some serious rocking, which seems only fitting. We have rounded southwest Europe and are heading in close to the French shore. Packing is driving everyone crazy and my room, which has remained rather clean throughout the journey, looks as if it exploded. I must admit I am at a loss. This experience use been unlike anything I could have dreamed. It has been challenging and exciting. It has required me to look at myself and the world in which I live and draw real conclusions. I could never regret choosing to come on TSS. It wasn't always easy but will remain as one of the best decisions I could have made. I am reminded of an e.e. cummings poem

i carry your heart with me by E. E. Cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

From the people I have met to the places I have been each is part of me and never can they be separated. I don't think I will fully comprehend the significance of such an event until I return home, expecting to find everything the same when it will really all be different simply because I am different. Although every second I am growing more and more nostalgic I must admit that I am excited to go home, to see my family, and my friends. And I know it sounds corny but to tell the stories from this journey. It's been a beautiful voyage and like they keep telling us... the journey is only beginning. I feel quite privileged to be one of the 350 students in the world who knows what its like to be on TSS. Being part of the first year has been great and I know it will only improve from here. It's time for me to go. Tomorrow is my last day here on the ship and I want to be able to wake up and take it all in.

Sick in Spain

My days here in Spain have been predominantly spent wandering around the beautiful city in a stupor. Unfortunately, I have been sick for most of my time here, making it difficult for me to really get a feel for this culturally rich metropolis. We arrived on Good Friday to find most of the city quiet with the holiday weekend. After meandering down Las Ramblas, a main tourist street near the port, we set our sights on Segrada Familia and Park Guell. Bumming around Barcelona is extremely easy once you get the metro system down. It's quite clean and very quiet compared to Chicago's. Unfortunately, were not able to go up to the top of Segrada Familia, however, the unfinished cathedral certainly made its mark in my mind. In fact, I was having flashbacks of walking around the melted looking structure during my last visit seven years ago. It was amazing to see the difference between new and old and the efforts they were taking to restore and complete one of Gaudi's masterpieces. The outside reminded me of bones while the clean finished inside with bright stain glass windows was quite ethereal. My favorite part was seeing the comparison of the building's structure with the natural elements that inspired Gaudi.

Too Many Days at Sea

They have done a good job at keeping us busy but no matter how you fill the time 14 days on a boat is A LOT! A week ago we had a beautiful wedding on board the ship. It was all pretty exciting and everyone needed the little break. The bride was beautiful in her pink, orange, and yellow traditional Thai dress, and the groom was dressed in a coordinating orange Indian dress shirt and pants. Everything worked out wonderfully. Other than that we have been plugging away. I have been working with Yas, a career counselor on the ship, who has helped me revamp my resume and cover letters to look for internships for the summer. School is certainly piling up and the stress level is beginning to heighten. Our day in Cape Verde was very much appreciated but after 8 hours we had to be back on the ship until Barcelona. I haven't made too many plans for Spain but I don't have an AFP so I will have a entire week to figure everything out. Unfortunately, I will have to spend a day or two to do research for my projects. So much to do and so little time. Everything feels as if it is ending and even though we have a month left people keep looking ahead trying to plan their next steps. I'm sorry I haven't written much but with all the final projects and papers to do I have little time and when I do my words don't seem to come our right.

Cape Town and Beyond

After being the organizer of the first three days I was happy to relinquish all control on the fourth day in Cape Town. We picked up our rented car Ryan and I made our way to pick up one of his friends who had been living in Cape Town working in a program called Africa Jam which provides a safe interactive space for teens living in the townships to be creative through dance, art, music, theatre, etc. The three of us headed off to Stellenbosch and then Parrl to meet up with other friends of Ryan's (he's been here a number of times) and go wine tasting. i have never been wine tasting but it Boschendall seemed like the idyllic place for a first timer. As we sat under the huge oak tree sipping our varieties of wine the mountains rose in the distance beyond the rows of leafy green grape vines. It truly was picturesque.
For dinner we had a Gatsby, and if you ever go to Cape Town you must try it! This sandwich was the largest thing I have ever seen. It looks like a large sub-sandwich however it is filled with pulled chicken, lettuce, tomato, some sauce they call Portuguese sauce, french fries and who knows what else. It was absolutely glorious and I am drooling now just thinking of it! From the sophistication of wine tasting to yummy greasy food I enjoyed every second.

Sunday morning was a lazy one, hanging around the waterfront enjoying the day. However, that afternoon I, along with Brooke and Michelle, trekked up Table Mountain. If you Google image search "Cape Town" I am sure one of the first views you will see is that of this beautifully plateaued mountain in the center of the city. We couldn't have picked a more perfect day. Most days the clouds come pouring over the mountain appearing to be its tablecloth; however, on Sunday, none were in site. We wanted to make it in time for sunset but we had to time it just right because sunset is around 7:20pm and the last cable car down is at 7:30pm. The hike was aw-inspiring and both the view and difficulty took my breath away. In all honesty, it wasn't too difficult but something you certainly don't want to rush. We reached the top just in time to hear the announcement that the ticket office would be closing in 5 minuets, watched the sun go down, and were down the mountain by 7:35pm.

Monday and most of Tuesday were spent on SAFARI! We gathered on the bus and drove the 2 1/2 hours to Aquila Game Reserve. I, not getting must sleep the night before, slept the entire way! You come to find, after traveling around for bit, that when you sit down on the bus or in a car, you take the time to doze because you don't know when you will get another chance. The reserve consisted of a number of large gates, thatch covered small buildings, and a breath-taking view. We had lunch, settled into our rooms, and reclined by the pool waiting for our 5pm game drive. Between the Monday night ride and the 6am ride the next morning we saw everything: giraffe, lions, springbuck, buffalo, zebra, wildebeast, hippos, rhinos, and even elephants - along with a number of animals I could not identify. Aquila is a small reserve that just made its start 7 years ago. They are working to get more and more animals and hoping they will mate in the reserve. Because of a lot of the settlement in Cape Town many of the animals were forced north and have not returned so the reserve is trying to bring back animals that were once native to the area. In fact, while on the reserve I saw a rhino that the guide referred to as a baby, which I didn't entirely understand because he was so large! However, apparently he is the first white rhino to be born in the Western Cape in nearly 300 years!!!

We return to Cape Town with a couple of hours to grab the necessities and jump on the ship. Due to high winds we were advised to stay docked until the port authority determined it safe to leave the harbor. I must admit, I was quite sad to leave Cape Town. It was a beautiful city and one I hope to return to. I met the friendlies people and fell in love with everything that i did.

Getting back on the ship has been a new experience. We are more than halfway now and officially only have a month left of school. Everything is just flying by. Most of the time, when you talk to people who have studied abroad they feel obligated to say it is the most amazing time of their lives, which is true in my case as well, but that doesn't discount the fact that it can be difficult. Day in and day out on the ship can be monotonous and I miss the simply pleasure of taking a walk, or going out to lunch, or even sitting in a park with my book. This will be the longest stretch we are onboard and know by the time we hit Spain everyone will be ready for a break. However, they are keeping up quite busy. Things have really started to pick up in school and we are getting down to the wire with papers, tests, and projects. In two days there will actually be a wedding on the ship! One of my professors is marrying her longtime partner. It's pretty cute and we are all pitching in to help out with the big day. Then we will have a 12 hour stint in Cape Verde, where I hope to try surfing again and then back to the classroom and off to Spain.

We pass the time by studying, or pretending to study, and religiously checking our emails. So if you get bored and have a few tid-bits to share, I would love to hear how everyone is doing. To whomever reads this and wherever it reaches you I hope this finds to healthy and happy.

Falling in Love

I have fallen in love and I don't care who knows it. Cape Town is amazing! My days here have been packed full and each event has been worth while. We arrived on Wednesday, February 27 and although there was a bit of fog that delayed are docking (seems like that damn fog follows us everywhere) we were able to get off the ship by 10am. My first day was spent wandering around the V&A Waterfront and planning the rest of the week. My dad set me up with Anton, the son of a man he knows through business, who couldn't have been lovelier. He helped us plan the rest of our week and has been a wonderful asset hooking us up with guides and places to go. Following our meeting with Anton we head to the Slave Lodge, which is the oldest building in Cape Town. It has since been turned into a museum, however, in its day the building housed and sold all the slaves that were brought through the cape. After which we scurried back to the ship, changed for hiking and were off to Lion's Head for sunset. The hike is only about 40 minutes to an hour and we reached the top just in time to see the sun go down. Luckily we brought flashlights or else we would have never made it all the way to the bottom.

Day two we hooked up with Gavin from Xtreme Adventure who organized for us to go surfing! Being from the Midwest there isn't a huge opportunity to learn to surf so I was pretty amazed when I got up on my second wave. Of course the waves were not very large and we were learning on an 8 foot foam board but still I'm pretty pumped about it and could have continued all day. The rest of our day consisted of driving around the beautiful Cape Peninsula where we visited Cape Point, a nature reserve, ostrich farm, and saw the penguins at Boulder Beach. A few things to remember when dealing with wild animals... never get too close. Apparently ostriches will eat anything and everything, in fact one lunged at my camera as I tried to take its picture.

My third day was spent wandering through the townships with a local guide, Thabang. For those unfamiliar, the townships in Cape Town were established during Apartheid as undeveloped areas designated as "non-white" communities. Today the neighborhoods of Cape Town are still divided predominantly based on color but more specifically on social class. There is of course the white areas then in the townships are the colored and black. Being from the US the term "colored" has been one I have had to get used to, however, here it refers to people of mix origins or those who are not black and not white. During segregation, if a white person were to married a non-white they would be "demoted" to colored status.

Our visit began in Khayelistsha at a pre-school and kindergarten and a co-op started by the neighborhood. The children were beautiful and so excited to see us. They sang us songs, posed for pictures and played games with us. I am convinced that no matter what you do you will generally reflect that attitude of the children you meet. After relishing in the grinning faces of children ages 4 to 7 we walked across the street to a co-op where local goods and art projects were on display. Khayelistsha is one of the black townships and one of the better off of the tin-housed neighborhoods. We later visited Vikki's B&B, which boasts to be the smallest hotel in South Africa. Here we met the owner and manager Vikki. She has turned her home into a two bedroom bed and breakfast that brings tourists into the neighborhood. She has had visitors from all over the world each contributing to the area in their own way. Anyone is welcome to come stay with Vikki as she encourages foreigners to live daily life in the townships. She explained to us that in the beginning her neighbors did not understand what she was trying to accomplish and were angry that she wanted to bring "outsiders" into their lives. However, after speaking with her I have understood that because of these travelers the community has been able to finance a number of small businesses, a preschool, and a skills school that teaches things such as sewing to the girls in the neighborhood so they might have a marketable trade in order to get a job.

Following Khayelistsha we visited Langa, the oldest and most populated of the townships. Here we met with locals and visited a local medicine man. His dark, musty garage of a storefront housed plants, dried fruits and vegetables, roots, animals and lord knows what else. A man standing only a few inches taller than myself wearing the pelt of some animal on his head the a belt of wood and bones to ward off illness enlightened us on the many ways to cure aliments ranging from a headache to making someone fall in love with you.

After the township visit, as I walked through the renowned District Six Museum, I realized how peaceful the entire day had been. Not that I expected violence by any means however, my guide and the museum didn't touch on it at all. The displacement of the non-whites during the late 1950s and early 60s was not exactly peaceful nor was the way in which the government kept order during the Apartheid movement. However, when asking Thabang he said that Nelson Mandela taught them to forgive and move on from the hatred. Although I believe that to be their hope, to one day evolve past the pain of Apartheid, it is not yet a reality. But there is certainly reason for hope.

The Channel of Mozambique

Our break in the beautiful Seychelles was wonderful but far too short. We spent the two days wandering the small main island of Mahe traveling from one white sandy beach to another. Now, back on the boat, school has hit me full force. Traveling to Cape Town has been an adventure in itself. Originally the ship was supposed to cruise around the western coast of Madagascar, however, due to cyclones in the area we took a turn toward more protected waters, passing between Madagascar and the coast of eastern Africa. However, we still caught a decent amount of backlash from the storms. Last night we all stood out on the back deck watching an electrical storm light up the sky. Shortly there after it began to downpour and the back deck became a slip n' slide! Watching a storm at sea is beautiful, however, seasickness is certainly one of the drawbacks to studying on a ship. Although I haven't been sick it certainly isn't a natural feeling to constantly pitch and roll with the waves, not to mention trying to read, pay attention in class, and take tests while it is going on.

There is no word to describe the experience in India. I've tried to attach some sort of definition but I cannot. As we arrived at the Taj Mahal at sunrise I was overwhelmed and quietly took it all in. Surveying the lands I found myself in awe of how many people had made pilgrimages to this beautiful temple of love. After a week on the ship I am still comprehending the expanse of sensory information I acquired simply by walking down the street. I'm not sure if I will ever exactly digest this experience to make much sense because simply it cannot.

However, the battles of travel in India as certainly bonded us and although I am one who has never taken great stock in the meaning of Valentine's Day I must admit ship board life got pretty cute the other day! I awoke to find candy grams, sent by a number of friends around the boat, sitting outside my door. Upon opening my door my first interaction was a salute to cupid and a big hug. The day went off rather smoothly, laying out in the sun on the aft deck while doing homework, attending class and meals. However, dinner was the greatest. The crew prepared for us a fabulous dessert buffet, that I regretfully admit looked better than it tasted. It was still a lovely gesture. Then everyone went back to their cabins and gussied up for the evenings dance. Being our first excuse to dress up, everyone was pretty excited. They served cookies and milk as we danced the night away! It seemed to be exactly what we needed after feel defeated in India.

Yesterday we crossed the equator and were initiated into the Shellbacks society. If you are on a ship that crosses the equator there is a sort of hazing ritual. Although entirely optional I jumped to participate. For seaman aboard Naval ships this initiation is much more harsh generally consisting of a fish and tomato bath. For us, flower and water was poured over us followed by kissing a giant fish and then Neptune (our Port Programs director dressed up). The entire community got involved and it was a great celebration. The staff and crew dressed up as pirates and everyone played their part.

Today we land in the Seychelles. Outside my porthole window I can see beautiful beaches and jungle peaks. It is our two-day mid-semester break so all we have to do is relax and have fun!

Inner Chaos

I was told a story yesterday about a famous horse, owned by Lord Gilpin, which had the ability to gallop off in many different directions simultaneously. As I listened to the story of Lord Gilpin's horse I realized that my experience here in India is not so dissimilar. Of all the ports we have visited, this one I felt least prepared. Ironically, it reminded me of tubing behind the boat right when you fall off, just before hitting the water. Arms and legs are sprawling, flying through the air, having no idea which way is up, crashing into the wake is almost a relief because at least you stop spinning.

My third day in Chennai is one I will never forget. It began as many of the AFPs do; everyone rushing around, making head counts, checking to bring toilet paper, eventually loading onto a bus and striking out for the day. We began at a beautiful restaurant and the first place I have found in India to actually be cold (with air conditioning). Here, Mr. B.S. Raghavan joined the 14 members of my learning circle AFP. The list credentials for this 81-year-old man reach longer than my arm and yet I was still not sure what to expect. Having served in the Indian Administrative Service, in the American Political Science Department in the US, and as Chairman of three UN Commissions as a policy advisor, Raggy, as he asked us to call him, knows a thing or to about the world, and in particular India.

Being in India we have heard a lot about the caste system, however, many of us still felt confused by some of it's basic principles. Raggy was able to better clarify how the system works. He claims that although it was originally intended to aid the growing social complexities and functionality of society it has grown into a monster. The divisions of labor are as follows: the Brahmans are the keepers of the flames of knowledge; Kshatriya, serve to protect the society and keep everyone safe; Viashya, are responsible for trade and commerce; and Shudras perform the daily manual tasks. Nearly 10,000 years ago, in the beginning of the Hindu religion, these positions were chosen based on aptitude and personal preference. The elders saw that a young boy had an affinity for reading and he was assigned to be part of the Brahmans, whereas his friend might be very big and strong and was classified as part of Kshatriya. Around 2,000 years after the development of the different divisions of labor the system became objectionable because the decisive criteria for caste was made according to birth instead of ability.

This system has been so engrained into the culture of the people that many of the groups and sub-groups rarely interact. Although the 20th and 21st centuries has allowed some flexibility Indian cannot purge itself of this legacy. The number one goal for equality in India is education. Through education there is a blending of cultures and status. Due to the lack of education afforded to the lower social classes throughout history, nearly 657 sub-groups are putting in claims to receive Affirmative Action. In Raggy's opinion, the development of self-confidence is of the upmost importance. Without self-confidence no one will try to disrupt the status quo. However, the results of such efforts are moving very slowly.

It was truly an honor to sit across from such an inspirational man discussing not only the issues of Indian society but also that of the world. He challenged all of us to take charge! Take charge of our lives, our education, and our futures. Glancing around the room I saw his electrifying words reach inside everyone. The energy was nearly tangible and the experience quite personal. In fact, I received a personal challenge, one I hope to complete with great excellence. Raggy asked me to write an article for him. By the end of this month I must submit an article to him via email. It will be an honor to write for such an esteemed social scholar, however, I must admit I am quite nervous. But as he challenged me to do, I will not let fear hold me back.

Later that afternoon we visited the Sisters of Charity (Mother Teresa's group). Walking in I knew this would be an experience so overwhelming that even now I do not have a grasp on it. The orphanage holds 81 children, however we were only privy to what appeared to be the disabilities building. In the dim light of a small sparse room I was handed a small child who looked up at me in utter amazement. As I looked around each of my peers held another in their own arms, each child with a paralyzing disability, either physical or mental. I watched as young girl, without legs and an arm, played with a truck on the floor. As I walked through the rows of beds I saw child after child who will never even sit up let alone stand or speak. Some had a light behind their eyes, telling you that they could see you and understood a smile yet many others did not. Upstairs was a room of about 15 girls, with clear mental disabilities most of who could not speak. We played hand-clapping games and made faces at one another. And I was continued to be amazed how power a smile can be. I'm glad we were able to visit, even just for a moment; we might have made their lives a little more exciting. But it wrenches my heart to think of them still, trapped by their own bodies and abandoned by their parents. They are the children we hear about but rarely see. I leave you now with the prayer on the stone outside the orphanage:

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord make me an instrument of peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon
Where there is friction, let me sow union
Where there is error, let me sow truth
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith
Where there is darkness let me sow light
Where there is sadness let me sow joy
O Divine Master,
Grant that I many not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life
--Amen.

Kop kun ka

Throughout my experience in Thailand I quickly became familiar with the word Kop kun ka meaning thank you. The graciousness of the people and the wonderful holistic atmosphere of both Bangkok and Railay was very tangible throughout my visit. Railay is a small peninsular town in southern Thailand near Krabi. To get there I met Ryan, a TSS student from San Diego, and took a 12 hour bus over night to Krabi. To my surprise the bus ride, except for the strange game show tv program being played during the first 5 hours, was rather pleasant. We woke up in Krabi around 9 am and began to plan how to get to Railay. Stepping off the bus we realized we were not in a well trekked area. However, a tiny woman approached us about a taxi to a boat. The cheapest way to travel in Thailand is by motorbike taxi. However, she refused to allow us to take such transportation telling me that I was far too beautiful and delicate to climb aboard such a dangerous contraption. Instead she gave us a deal on a taxi. There are no docks, so have walking a hundred yards in the low tide water we climbed into a long tail boat with an open motor that looked of little improvement to a dug-out canoe.

After a 15 minute ride we had arrived to Railay East Beach. Our hotel resembled that of the Swiss Family Robinson tree-house. Simplicity was certainly the name of the game. Only the necessities were present: bed, fan, small table, bathroom. The bathroom consisted of a toilet that did not flush (very few actually flushed), a mirror, a shower head over the toilet (we had to remember to close the toilet when showering or it will fill with water), a small garden hose in the corner and a hole in the corner of the room. Like I said, the basics were present. But in all honesty it was all was needed. Our days were spent dreamily on the beach. However I did learn a very important lesson. Never buy sun screen that is not an American brand. I bought Thai sun screen and used it the first day and I must admit, I was a lobster. In fact it was quite painful for a bit but I have suffered through and my face as now almost stopped pealing. After that first day mistake I promptly bought SPF 45 Hawaiian Tropic lotion and a bottle of Aloe.

Each morning while in Railay we woke and spent the first 10 minutes lathering in sun screen, trust me the sun is quite different here. We then headed to one of the small food vendors just of the beach (pretty much everything there was just off the beach). The man made the most delicious pancake type crepes with my choice of bananas and peanut butter. Delicious! Most of our days were spent hanging out on West Railay Beach or Phannam but seeing that it took less than five minutes to walk to the three beaches we were able to move around quite freely. The second day I stayed out of the sun as much as possible fearing that I would only burn more. Luckily, by the third day I was ready to get out of the shade again and we rented kayaks. Our eyes were a little bigger than our abilities as we set our sights on what looked to be a close island. Yea, it wasn't that close and after paddling for what seemed like forever we settled on one much closer. Each night we would sit on West Beach and watch the sun go down casting glowing shadows on the rock faced peaks surrounding us and watched the locals play soccer during low tide.

Returning to Bangkok was uneventful, accept that our flight was delayed and they threw out my aloe in security! The shuttle took us back to Khao San and we found a cheap but clean hostel for the night. After wandering around the next morning and grabbing our last glorious Thai meal we got on the TSS shuttle bus and drove two hours back to the ship. Returning "home" felt so surreal, like we had been away from each other for weeks. The energy is certainly high and everyone is sad to say goodbye to Thailand. Classes begin again tomorrow, which no one is looking forward to, as do the soccer and basketball leagues I have joined. I'm looking forward to India but I am happy to have a bit of time to rest, I'm exhausted!

Sawadeeka

The beauty of Thailand echos in my thoughts as I fall asleep floating away from this magical place. My week spent in Thailand was far too short and as we leave I promise myself to return one day. My activities while in the Buddhist country were varied and gave great perspective, however I wish I could have done more. The ship arrived into the Laemchabang port on January 23. Unfortunately, due to the very deep hull of the ship we were unable to dock in Bangkok. So, TSS made arrangements for a shuttle service to take us to and from the boat into the city. Luckily I didn't have to make the 2 hour trip very often. I attended an AFP for the first three days. The first day the entire AFP group visited the Chulalongkorn University, which was our host university for Thailand. We also ate at the world's largest restaurant, whereas we were eating a flying server flew on wires past out window delivering a tray of hot food across the small man made lagoon in the middle of the restaurant. We also were able to take a long boat tour through the river and saw everything from beautifully ornate temples to floating homes made from trash. That night we had to take the two hour bus ride back to the boat.

The next morning my smaller AFP group of 15 loaded the bus and set off for a number of culturally enriching experiences. We visited a small local fishing market, where tourists rarely frequent, and a mortal and pestle making factory (if you can call it that). As we use the term "factory" you would expect a building with machines and a production line of some sort. What we found were a gathering of lean-to's in a gravel lot with men and women sprinkled among them hammering out these necessary items of Thai daily life. With no shoes, protective eyewear, or gloves these workers, who also lived there, chiseled blocks of stone in to smooth works of art. From there we went to Mahachai, a small fishing town, in the Samut Sakhun Province outside of Bangkok. Here we visited a shrimp processing factory that exports nearly 300 kilos of shrimp a day to Japan and the United States. Dressed in blue smocks and boots nearly 100 workers surrounding galvanized steel tables shelled and gutted shrimp. These employees work from 6am to 6pm and are predominately migrants particularly from Burma. Like in the US there are major issues with the border controls and because of the political and civil unrest in Burma many try to flee their home and come to Thailand in hopes of employment. This was one of the good factories, that pays its workers between 160 and 300 baht a day (minimum wage is 150 baht a day).

From here we were invited to the LPN organization. The Labor Rights Promotion Network is an NGO working for equality for migrant workers. For the estimated 200,000 Burmese, Cambodian, and Laotian workers in Thailand few to none will ever become legal citizens. Even their children, born in Thailand, who attend Thai schools, and many times cannot even write their native language, will never be citizen either, nor will they be able to attend higher education. Many of the major problems in Thailand surrounding migrant workers are so similar to those in the US. Because it is illegal for immigrants to go to the hospital many of them do not report the dangers of their work environments, which the LPN has tried to combat by setting up local clinics to which locals can go. Migrants are severely mistreated, many times be abused by the police and locate authorities.

The LPN workers were so giving and wanted us to see everything. And after a very informative presentation we jumped in the back of two load ridder pick up trucks and toured the area. The majority of people living in the area were Burmese and Laotian immigrants. Experiencing a country from the back of a pick-up truck was most definitely the best way to see everything. Visiting a local market we found many people pointing at us and laughing. I have become accustomed to people staring at our group but I had yet to experience laughing, however, upon further questioning I found that most of the people had never seen foreigners before. Elephants were led through the same streets that our trucks and a number of motor bikes whizzed down. Although they invited us to stay for a BBQ and more discussion we had to head back to Bangkok and find a place to sleep.

That night we stayed in a beautiful hostel, which I was not expecting in the least. If you ever come to Thailand stay at the Church of Christ in Thailand. Later a group of us visited Khao San Road which is the major touristy "backpackers paradise" in Bangalamphu. I was surrounded by people from every country I could have imagined, especially Europeans and Australians. It was a new culture unto itself.

The final day of the AFP was spent at Chula University where we had a number of informational academic lectures about the migrant workers we had visited the day before. This information pulled all the experiences together. They were incredibly informative and helped clarify many of our questions.

From the moment I step onto dry land I found the Thai people to be incredibly giving and wonderful. My AFP experience was a delight and one I have grown from exponentially.

Understanding Gravity

As I glance out the window I am amazed at what I see. The rolling hills of white caped waves rock what I call home, school, entertainment center, restaurant, etc. After leaving the first port, I am began to take notice of how unique this opportunity really is. The last few days have been extremely influential in the realization of my surroundings. Trying to recover from the fast pace of my Shanghai experience I went to bed early, unfortunately never to fall asleep. The major waves turned me right out of my bed! There is no danger by our presence amongst these currents but they can make things quite comical. Simply put, nothing actually stays in place. You place a glass on the table and it ends up on the floor; your closet doors refuse to stay shut; and walking down the corridor results in bumps and bruises from the "attacking"
railings and walls.

On board life has been picking up these days. Clubs and activities are beginning to be planned and everyone is eager to partake. I have joined a soccer team as well as student voice. I have sat in on the many discussions around the ship as well as have helped to plan the logistics of my AFPs. Life is pretty busy but at times a bit monotonous. Now that the weather has warmed I have been spending my days outside. It easy to get distracted by the lounge chairs on the deck and the social atmosphere that this ship encourages.

As for the daily routine, about which some of you have been asking, we rise for breakfast between 7 and 9. Breakfast closes promptly at 9, to the dismay of many of the students. Classes run from 8:30-10:10, 10:20-12:00, then break for lunch, 2:30-4:10, and 4:20-6:00, which is shortly followed by dinner. It's funny how we adapt to new routines. My stomach has definitely been trained to be hungry exactly at the correct times (as well as sometimes in between meals). The food on the ship is actually much better than I anticipated. We have a decent variety but I sometimes find myself with the same things over and over. I am still getting used to the wait-staff in the dinner room. These men are so meticulous and clear our plates for us. In fact, it would be insulting to them if we cleared our own trays. They are incredibly nice and I am trying to come up with ways to repay them for their kindness. The entire crew of the ship is amazing! They work so hard and I don't really feel like I deserve it. I guess it's just something I will have to get over.
Pre and post port days usually include lots of discussion, security briefing, cultural exchanges, and itinerary reviews.

The rest of the day is filled with homework, activities, and socializing. The atmosphere on the ship is incredibly accepting. Of course there are affinities and people naturally gravitate toward one another, however, I could walk up to any table and eat dinner with them and it wouldn't be a problem. Everyone tries to mix things up a bit, which is extremely welcoming.

I hope that gives you all a better understanding of my daily activities. It's wonderful to hear from home and how you are all doing. Thanks for the updates. I off to do some reading in the beautiful sunshine. Much love to you all.

How to Comprehend

18 January 2008

I am sitting here, trying to comprehend the events of the past few days and ultimately I am at a loss. I have begun to understand the saying "T.I.C." meaning This Is China. T.I.C. refers to the fact that even though things are planned and organized, many times it does not actually happen the way we expect, all of which is rather typical of China. Many times I cannot separate what is the result of Chinese history, what is the enforcement of the current capitalistic boom, and what is tradition. Needless to say the five days I spent in China left me with a number of questions.

On my second day in port, Rob, a student from Sydney by way of South Africa, and I traveled to Hangzhou, which is thought of as the garden town of eastern China. Considered to be a small city by Shanghai standards, Hangzhou boast a population of 6 million people. We quickly found many oddities that must be mentioned. First, there is no heat in China. We spent the day predominantly outside in the freezing cold and rain; however, when we were inside, very few buildings were heated, which did not bode well for my frozen toes. Second, when a help desk advertises "English Service" it does not mean the girl behind the counter knows more than "Hello" and the English words for numbers. Third, even if you clearly cannot speak or understand Chinese it does not stop people from trying to talk to you or even yell at you.

After the taxi ride from the train station to West Lake we took a boat tour of the tiny islands sprinkled throughout the lake. With the architecture and surrounding temples I wouldn't have been surprised to see a large sea creature emerge from the water. After the tour we attempted to find lunch, which proved more difficult than expected. It is quite discouraging to be turned away from not one but two restaurants, especially when you are starving. Fortunately, we found a small cafe, and although there were no pictures or English words we were able to have a wonderful meal. We made our way back to the train station to venture back to our floating home. While in the station we were approached by a young man who wanted to practice his English. We sat and spoke with him for nearly a half an hour asking questions and have him translate things for us. He was so proud to be able to speak with us and after exchanging email addresses we took a photo and were on our way. During the 3 hour train ride back (the same distance we covered on the way there that only took an hour) Rob and I slept most of the way; however, every time I opened my eyes a pair of little eyes stared back at me from the little girl in the seat in front of us. I must admit I am getting used to have people stare at me, it is amazing to see their curiosity.

The following two days were spent doing AFPs (Academic Field Programs). Everything was quite structured but we were able to get a glimpse into the social structure of the Chinese culture. At Fudan University we heard a lecture on Harmonious Society. After which we traveled to Daning Life Hub. The Life Hub is located in what Shanghai considers the suburbs (but don't be confused they look nothing like our suburbs) in what used to be predominantly farm land. It is now a large commercial center with many American stores and chains (like Starbucks). We were given a presentation by one of the senior executives and the hotel manager. It was astonishing to hear the the hotel built there was able to make back it's value and turn a profit in less than 4 months! I was very intrigued about the displaced people from the farms, as well as how this new commercial space has affected the local citizens. Unfortunately my questions were side-skirted. What I began to understand was that the capitalist boom in China does not really require business men to think of the people. They instead, give huge sums of money to the government, who then consider the interest of the people. I find it difficult to think that the lower class families who live in the area are better off with the ability to buy a cup of Starbucks coffee or shop at H&M, however that was definitely the conveyed message.

The second day we traveled to a history museum that helped us better understand the traditional values and norms of Chinese culture. Later we were welcomed into a community center where there are classes for any age group, housing for families and the elderly, and a number of schools. Playing with the children and listen to them sing and dance truly lifted everyone's spirits. They were so unbelievably welcoming and I felt I needed to give them something in return to deserve their hospitality. We also had the opportunity to go in small groups to various middle class homes in the area. The home I visited consisted of a husband and wife, their son, and the husbands mother (multi-generations living together is extremely common in Chinese culture). To give you some understanding of the size, their home was smaller than my apartment in Chicago. She was so open with us about everything including the 1970s re-education period where Mao took educated young adults and sent them back to the farms to strip them of their propriety and be one with the people.

My last day in Shanghai was spent wandering about on my own admiring the glamorous buildings that are backdropped by collapsing shanties. Ultimately, the experience was quite eye opening, with far too much information that I am unable to convey properly. Although you could spend years in Shanghai and not see or understand it completely, I do feel I have a little more insight into their ways and customs.

Yesterday morning (Jan 17), around 3am we pulled out of the river and made our way back to the rough waters of the open sea. We have one week on the ship before reaching Thailand and everyone is excited about warmer climates (it rained nearly every day in Shanghai). I would love to hear from you all. Here on the ship we are making a number of connections and being here makes me dream of future adventures. Hope all is well. I would love to know who all is reading this so let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them in my next entry.

Land Ho!

12 JANUARY 2008

At 6pm last night the TSS community held a meeting in the International Lounge where it was conveyed to the students that we would in fact have class early due to the fog that was predicted to restrict us from entering the port for another 24 hours. Throughout dinner we collectively moaned and groaned at the possibility of waking up for class the next day. Around 10pm most of the TSS community was playing a large trivia game in the Student Center (a room that looks very similar to a 1970s lounge/bar) when suddenly the boat began to move. At first it appeared that the surrounding ships surrounding were actually deceiving us with their movement but for those of you who have been on a ship before you will know that there is a huge difference between sitting anchored and flipping a 180. To our amaze and wonderment we were in fact heading into the port. I awoke this morning to the grey skies and cold winds of Shanghai, however, if it weren't for those winds the fog would have never cleared and we would still be sitting in the river inside a cloud.

So, after a short parade through immigration we headed off into the unknown that is China's most eastern metropolis. I was in a group of 5 girls consisting of: Kathleen, my roommate from Canada; Kellie, from Australia; Jenny, from England; and Nia, from Wisconsin. Although we had somewhat of an idea everything that could have gone wrong, did -- well it wasn't quite that bad but at times a little nutty, luckily none of it directly happened to me. The banks are closed in China on Saturday and Sunday so we could only use the ATM. Unfortunately, Kellie's cards would not work and she was unable to get any kind of money and it is very difficult to use a credit card in China. She proceeded to call her mum (as she would say) to try to sort everything out. Long story short, it eventually worked thanks to the help of a very eager Chinese salesman. The second incident was getting a cab. If you are ever in Shanghai remember that blue and green cabs are the most reliable and any cab with the letter "X" on it's license plate is a little shady (although no one really gets them in trouble). Luckily we found a blue cab but our map only had the English equivalent to the Chinese street names. After a lot of hand gestures and the help from a travel book we were able to set the route, however, only four people can fit in a cab. Two girls jumped out knowing only the name of where to go, with no Chinese map or cell phone. We wondered if we would ever see them again.

Luckily we made it to our destination of the fabric district. Here, suits, dresses, jackets, and pretty much anything else can be made to your measurements in a couple of days. The whole thing was rather overwhelming and although I had hoped to find something getting back there to pick it up would have been a hassle. From there we walked the back streets of Old Town. I have found that in most places people are able to walk directly on the street, and it is actually unusual to see someone on the sidewalk. Also, when crossing the street making eye contact with the automobile driver does not grant you right of way in fact it means that you have seen them and should know to get out of the way.

After wondering around for a bit more and walking down the famous Nanjing Road Kathleen and I hurried back to the ship for the acrobat show. Performing at China's Circus World we saw what is considered to be the best show in Shanghai. Not only was it jaw dropping (I must admit I screamed many times) but it was theatrical, which many of the other shows are not.

Shanghai has surprised me in many ways. Its attempt to become more Westernized but keep its traditions is blatant everywhere. And, with the upcoming Beijing Olympics this summer there is major pressure to clean up the city and make it touring friendly and yet the glitz and glamour of modernity directly contradicts the collapsing buildings right next to them. It is definitely a different world, one I feel lucky to be able to explore.

Pirate Weather

January 11, 2008
For those of you who have been watching the news, I am sure the fog in Shanghai has been mentioned. I have not left the location from which I wrote last due to the thick fog blanketing the river, port, and city of Shanghai. From what the Captain tells us it will take 8 hours from where we are located to actually get into the port (even without the fog). We were supposed to dock the morning of January 10, which proved impossible when the port closed due to weather. The fog lifted slightly and we could see all the ships (mainly cargo ships) surrounding us. As of the first day something like 700 ships have been delayed. We are now at a stand still and only Mother Nature can really solve the issue at hand. Our port programs have all be pushed back and luckily we had an extra free day in Shanghai at the end that has now been commandeered for academic port programs. However, since we did not receive the go-ahead last night it would be impossible to uphold that schedule. Simply looking out the window will tell you we are not moving anywhere. The porthole in my room is about 30 feet above the water line and yet I can see no water. The fog is so dense that i feel we are wrapped in a cloud. As I write, the executive officers are having a meeting to determine what we shall do. Some people have started to go stir crazy, others are using this time catch up on sleep, we are all just sitting here waiting for instruction. We could sit here for days waiting to be allowed to dock or we could turn around and head somewhere else. Hey, two weeks in Thailand would suit me just fine! No matter what, we will be sitting here for at least a day longer, with our only opportunity to begin venturing into the port around 10 pm.

This fog not only effects the course of the Oceanic II but thousands of other vessels coming and going from the world's busiest port. From the little news we are able to get aboard I have read that due to the inability to bring the coal ships into port Shanghai is having a bit of an energy crisis. Highways, trains, airplanes, and ferries have all been shut down and the fog still covers most of the city. I will keep you all posted about where will be going from here. Please email me any articles if you find them. I am unable to really surf the internet so if you could copy and paste any news I would greatly appreciate it. Love to you all!

Sitting on a big boat, parked in a bigger river

First I must admit I am writing from class, however you will be happy to know this is part of my course requirements. Secondly, my professor is the spitting image of Ben. No joke he looks very similar, with a number of mannerisms that make it hard for me to separate him from my brother. At the moment, we are parked in the river that leads to the Shanghai port. Our current location is 31*09.47' N and 122*38.43' E. We have been traveling back and forth between Hong Kong and Shanghai for a number of days and now we are anchored down. Apparently, the distance between the two ports takes only
2-3 days to travel, however, for class and orientation we require 7 days at sea. So, as a group, we took a vote and decided to park for 2 days in order to save around 32 tons of fuel. The fog makes it difficult to see through but as the sky darkens a
number of freight liners are lighting up around us.

The wonderful thing about this experience is that we can really unite together and effect change like having the boat conserve fuel. With only 150 students we are all able to interact on a more personal level. The breakdown of students aboard ship is about 60 Americans, 10 Canadians, 20 Mexicans with a great amount of diversity among the remaining 60 or so remaining students. We have representatives from China, Japan, Singapore, Ghana, Spain, Australia, Germany, Bulgaria, and Russia (there are more but it is all I can think of at the moment). Our captain is Greek and many of the officers are Italian or Australian. The majority of professors are American however one of my courses is taught by a women who was born and raised in Germany but who has lived in Australia for 20 years and is the head of the Italian department at her home university, talk about multiculturalism. Most of the crew is Greek, Guatemalan, or Indonesian.

Classes are going well and beginning to realize they assigned too much work in the beginning so I think they are going to start lightening the load. I feel pretty confident though so I'm not too worried. Over all things are going quite well. Today is our last day of classes before heading into Shanghai, one of the busiest ports in the world! For the most part I am going to hang out with locals in Hangzhou where one of the girls aboard has family. After a week onboard the MV Oceanic II I am quite ready to get off. Sorry there aren't any pictures yet. Hopefully I can write from Shanghai and upload some. The internet on the ship is limited which restricts me from downloading pictures.

All Aboard!

I've finally made it and the Oceanic II (our ship) has left Hong Kong. Around noon today we boarded The Scholar Ship (TSS) and began the process of getting familiar with our surroundings. It is a crash course in friendship but definitely exciting. There are only 152 students on the boat, around 35 faculty and staff, and then the crew of the ship equaling a little over 300 people. Together, we represent over 50 nationalities world wide. Having been built in the late 1960s the ship is a little dated but I'm finding it rather pleasant. My roommate Kathleen is 21 and from New Brunswick, Canada. We've hit it off fantastically and I think the living situation should suit us both just fine. Other than that the day has been full of get-to-know-you games and icebreakers.
All in all I am super excited and totally pumped about the experience. We are out to sea for about seven days so we have a lot of time to meet and get adjusted. We will have our first classes and a number of events on board before we reach Shanghai.

Hong Kong

The past two days have been full of long lines and beautiful views. It's been a whirlwind experience so I haven't had too much time to sit or sleep. On Sunday Sarah, Brooke (my roommate for a couple of days) and four of Sarah's friends who have been traveling around and now met us in Hong Kong, went to the Lantau Island to the Tian Tin Buddha (aka Big Buddha). We too the Gnog Ping 360, which is a gondola ride across the harbor. It probably wasn't the best day to make that choose considering it was the first day the gondola re-opened after having a cable car fall 6 months ago. The lines were enormous but I'm glad we did it.

The bronze Buddha sits on top of a peak at the Lantau Monastery. After climbing the never-ending steps to reach the top we were able to go inside to the museum and see the bone relic left when Buddha reach Nirvana. The outside was quite bare and simple, while the inside was ornate and purposefully complex.

From Lantau we ventured back down the Gnog Ping and across town to Victoria's Peak. This is when I realized that the Chinese has an affinity to long zig zag lines. We waited for 45 minutes to board an old trolly car looking tram to take us to the top of the peak. I have never seen so many people move so fast. As soon as the doors opened everyone ran onto the train, pushing and shoving to make sure they got a seat. The top of Victoria's Peak boasts the best views of Hong Kong especially at night. We saw the entire city lit up.