Morocco

Morocco, Morocco, Morocco, what an experience. I had a wonderful time on the camel trek. We spent two nights in Marrakech and one night sleeping in tents with Moroccan nomads. The camels were so funny and riding the camels was definitely the highlight of my time here. Marrakech was an interesting place. It only rains in Marrakech twenty days of the year and we happened to pick one of thoses days to visit. We managed to make it to the Souks (the outdoor market) just in time for it to rain. I was buying a scarf as it started pouring. The vendor was so nice and pulled out chairs for us. When we thought it had slowed down we left his tent and headed toward the busses, however they didn’t come for another 30 minutes and by the time they had finally arrived we all were so drenched that there wasn’t a single piece of dry clothing on anyone! That evening we went to a dinner and show that reminded me of Medieval Times, which wasn't exactly my favorite part of the trip. Every five minutes or so a group of Moroccan signers would parade through the dining tent for entertainment. I didn’t find it entertaining it actually made me uneasy. After dinner we watched a horse show with a “flying carpet” with a couple on it in the background, a little belly dancing show, a fire juggler and to top it off a very anticlimactic firework show.

Within thirty minutes of getting back from the camel excursion I got to join another field program called Dinner with a Moroccan family that was delightful. A Moroccan man married an American woman from Pennsylvania and I was so interesting to learn about the Moroccan culture from an American and Moroccan point of view.

I made a new friend Molly who speaks French so I've had no problems getting around, but I do feel uncomfortable here when I am walking around. It is so chaotic between the cars driving wherever they please, the motorbikes and donkey carriages driving through groups of people, and all the street vendors and snake charmers trying to force you to buy things from them including a picture you take on your own camera! Their culture is very aggressive and would take me more than 5 days to get used to. Overall, I've had a wonderful time in Morocco. We will leave today after I get back from my last field program here at the Coca Cola plant. I believe on ship time is 1800 hours (6 pm), then 7 days at sea before Accra, Ghana.

Sept. 5, First Stop SPAIN!

It was such a relief to wake up to the sight of land!! After 8 days of only water, I was more than happy to wake up before the sun to see the lights of Cadiz on the horizon. I grabbed my camera and hurried outside to join the others in taking pictures of our first port.

I have several plans ahead of me today including a city orientation and a night of Andalucian Flamenco Dancing! Until then, Maria and I will do a little exploring for our selves. Maybe a little shopping, and of course some EATING!

This morning I learned a new way of posting on my blog, so for the rest of my voyage I should be able to post entries from my semester at sea email! Which is ACStclair@semesteratsea.net by the way.

I'll write more soon!

Day one! 8-27-2009

My journey couldn’t have started off better! I got to spend thirty minutes with Samantha in the Boston airport, and as soon as I went through security check I found a group of students who were obviously Semester at Sea students. All of them, traveling parent-free, gathered together talking about the unimaginable trip ahead of them! And I couldn’t help but join in! I actually sat next to a boy from Lake Tahoe, who goes to UCLA, who is embarking on the same adventure! After customs, we all sat around discussing where everyone was from and what school they went to while we waited for the shuttle to our hotels.

At the hotel, I was assigned a roommate for the night (Maria from the Bronx) that is also a work-study student, so she and I have spent the day together. We checked onto the ship, had breakfast with my dad and went to our work-study meeting. Currently, we are both using the last free Internet access we have available for a while!

Oh, back to the work-study assignments. I am the only work-study student to work with the registrar, and I am really excited to be her assistant. She and her husband are on the voyage this semester, they are both retired faculty from the University of Virginia. She was so excited to give me a tour of the ship, and she did a great job! She also gave me a cookie shaped like the MV Explorer (photo to come later)!

Well, I’m moved in to my room, which was upgraded from deck 2 to deck 4! Which is pretty cool because I have a huge room and its closer to everything. My roommate has also moved in, but I haven’t met her because we unloaded at different times.

Tonight, I will get to spend a little time on the ship with Dad, because I am work-study and checked in early!

Well, my computer is dying. I hope to post again tomorrow, because the next time I get free Internet might be a little while. If I don’t write again, I will at least post photos!

Thanks for reading!

And the journey begins!!!

I am sitting at the DFW airport waiting for my first flight of three. An overwhelming combination of emotions has taken over. First, I’m completely exhausted because I have an uncontrollable amount of excitement that prevented me from getting good nights sleep the past two nights. In addition to lack of sleep, I am anxious due to the full day of traveling ahead of me (8am-8pm), and anxious about what is ahead of me the next couple days, let alone months! On top of that, I am still nervous about roommate situations and money. I hope I can fit in a visit with Samantha while I wait in the Logan airport and that me, my bags, and my dad will all arrive safely in Halifax at the end of the day!

4 days!!

I leave Fort Worth 4 days from today!

I've got one more day of work at the Lonesome Dove, and one inventory day at the Gap (Monday from 9pm-2am, blah). I've bought the last few items I needed to purchase like sunscreen, deet bug spray, and magnets. Now I've got no choice but to pack my things! Ahh! It's finally here!

I've been a ticking time-bomb of emotions the past week, and I am starting to worry again about forgetting things, meeting a new roommate and having enough money. It would be nice if I could bring Samantha along with me in my suitcase, because she always keeps me level headed and prepared. I'm going to miss her this semester along with all my other Eckerd friends who have been keeping me up-to-date on who has already arrived back at Camp Eckerd (via Facebook). I have to admit I am a little jealous, but I know that at the sight of the MV Explorer it will all fade away... I bet I'll be missing the MV Explorer when it comes time for me to go back to Eckerd.

16 days!

So, only 16 days until I pack up and head out. :D

I thought yall might like to know the classes I'm taking this semester, and which pre-sale trips I've been accepted to, I just found out!

Fall 2009 class schedule:

Anthropology: Food and Culture

International Marketing

Intro to Stellar Evolution

Global Studies (B)

The Economic History of Globalization (Not yet enrolled, I have to add on ship)

Confirmed Pre-sale trips:

Spain- Cadiz City Orientation, Andalucian Flamenco Night and Seville: The Alcazar, La Giralda & the Cathedral

Morocco- Marrakech & Camel Trek in the Sahara (4 days), Coca Cola Plant Visit

South Africa- Night of Musical Operetta: HMS Pinafore

Viet Nam- Dalit Village Overnight

Japan- Student Exchange and Homestay at Kansai University

I will post later about the rest of my trips because the pre-sale only included all trips in the first two ports and all overnight trips.

More to come later!

Countdown!!

Hello everyone!

I just want to start off by acknowledging how very grateful I am to my parents to have this opportunity. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Okay, lets get down to business. I have 23 days until I embark on my journey.

In preparation for my trip, I have:

signed up for classes,

bought my plane ticket to Canada,

made a hotel room reservation,

obtained Visas for China, Ghana and India,

exchanged currencies,

gotten my yellow fever shot and malaria pills,

also gotten patches to reduce the symptoms of seasickness,

paid for pre-sale voyages,

bought my textbooks.

Next step: Pack. (I can't believe that is my next step! It's getting SO close!)

I am one step away from this dream becoming a reality! It sounds so ridiculous telling people "I'm taking classes on a cruise ship and visiting 11 different countries," but its the truth! When I see the pictures of the boat the the slideshows of the previous voyages, it just seems so unreal. I can't believe I am getting this opportunity!!