Classes aahh

Currently at 20 degrees 36.9 North, 69 degrees 7.63 West.

Internet is not a available as I was hoping but I will attempt to do my best. We are allowed to send free “email postcards” from the Semester at Sea website so I may end up doing that daily rather than trying to post everyday. Depending on how many people are online determines the speed that the internet runs. Also, pictures take FOREVER to upload so I may just end up posting a bunch in port at an internet café, if at all possible.

Yesterday felt like the longest day ever. We had Orientation in the morning, Lunch, Orientation, Dinner, and Orientation. It feels like we’ve been on the ship for weeks rather than two days. I’m looking out our window on the fourth deck and the swells are about 5-6 feet. We are going 13.1 knots. The ship is the fastest in the world and can go up to 35 knots! I hope we’re able to see that sometime. Our orientations were about safety, the wellness clinic, field programs, library/ internet resources, classes etc… Last night, as we were eating dinner out on the 6th deck there was the most beautiful sunset! The sun set behind these white puffy clouds. You could see the rays of sunshine that were silhouetted in bright pink and yellow colors. If the internet is going fast, I may try and post a picture. We ate dinner with the video guy that is making the movie of the voyage. I was able to workout after our last orientation. Talk about difficult! Have you ever tried spinning while on a moving ship? I watched the girls on the treadmills try and stay in the center as they swayed from side to side-pretty hilarious.

This morning I woke up at 730am after loosing ANOTHER hour of sleep due to the time change. Kristen and I wanted to be the first at the bookstore when it opened at 8am. I bought a Nalgene bottle, a long sleeve customized shirt that has the flags of all the countries we will be visiting and a very comfy blue sweatshirt. After breakfast, everyone on the ship attends Global Studies in the Union and satellite rooms for 75 minutes. (Every class is 75 minutes!) We learned about Puerto Rico’s culture, language, geography, and architecture. Then ate lunch with new people! Two of the guys were from Texas and had hilarious accents. I had a class immediately after lunch- Marine Biodiversity and Conservation taught by Dr. Tatjana Good. Tatjanna (as she prefers to be called) is also the yoga instructor on the ship! She is very sweet and I’m excited for the class. We will be visiting many different ecosystem, fish markets and monuments, especially in Malaysia and Cape Town. My busy days are “A” days where I have two classes back to back after lunch- World Literature and Human Effects on Coastal System. After class, I laid out on the 7th deck basketball courts, along with the rest of the student body and listened to my ipod and read. It is hard to believe that this is school. I feel like all anyone ever does is eat, study and lay out. Tonight we have a pre-port meeting because we dock in Puerto Rico at 0800 tomorrow. I have two trips planned- visiting the bioluminescent bay on Saturday night and going on a Organic Tanama River and Cave Adventure on Monday.

Thank you guys for your comments! Stevie- I hope training is going well! I miss you girls lots!
I love you family!