Ship Time

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Now that we are back on the boat from Puerto Rico, classes have come into full effect! I won’t lie it has been pretty hard getting into the school mode. I do like all of my classes though; I am taking Global Studies, which is a requirement for all students. We have the class everyday and we can either sit in the actual area where the class takes place called the union or we can go to satellite rooms around the ship and watch the class from a TV screen. The union usually fills up with students and it is way rockier than the rest of the ship because it is up near the bow. The class briefs us on the countries that we are going to and teaches about them. I am also talking Music in Society, Anthropology of Food and Western Civilization. The weather has been very nice, so before and after class people always lay outside and study- it’s a hard life! The ship isn’t as rocky as it was when we first left from Nassau. It’s pretty funny though because whenever you work out you have to hold on tight because if you don’t you could easily fall off. There have definitely been people who have fallen off of the treadmill.
We had a club fair the other day where you could sign up for different clubs. I filled out an application to work for the yearbook. I really wanted to be on the design staff, to put the layout together and stuff. We had interviews and I brought my laptop with me to show work that I did last semester in my computer graphics class. The editorial staff interviewed me as well as the yearbook advisor. They really liked the work I showed them and I ended up making it! I’m really excited because it will be great practice for me for my graphic design major. It’s nice because we have a blank slate to start with and we can do pretty much whatever we want with the book.
At night they sometimes have optional lectures that you can go to that are given by the professors or the R.D.’s I went to one that was about gang’s, it was very interesting. She showed clips from the movie City of God- very intense but the parts I saw were very good… She also discussed the relationship between rap songs and gang messages that are in them. The other night I went to one that was about achieving your dreams and getting what you want from life, it was a very motivational speech. The professor that gave it is a very good speaker and made it really fun.
Yesterday we didn’t have any classes because it was Neptune Day! Neptune Day is a celebration because we crossed the equator. We crossed at 2 am, my friends and I stayed up for it, which was really fun. On Neptune Day it is tradition for people to shave their heads, there were a lot of people who did it-girls and guys! People also get fish guts dumped over them and then they jump into the swimming pool. I actually ended up sleeping through the festivities because I had stayed up so late the night before… It was a nice break not having any classes and having a nice relaxing day with everyone on the ship. We are arriving in Brazil tomorrow I am getting so excited! Before we get to port we have pre-port meetings where they brief us on general information we should know etc… Another thing that is pretty cool is that they have a student from Brazil who joined us in Puerto Rico and is with us on the ship to answer any questions and provide us with information on Brazil. She came into my anthropology of foods class and talked about traditional Brazilian cuisine, it was nice to hear about it from a local. Today we had our first test in Global Studies, it was 50 questions multiple choice. Not that bad… I can’t say how happy I am to be on semester at sea right now! It is hands down the best experience of my life thus far. It is the perfect place for me to be right now at this point in my life. I hope all is well with everyone, I miss you all very much!! Love Tiana

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Comments

[Grandma]

Thinking About You
Dear Tiana, Thinking about you and your wonderful adventures. I must admit it's hard not hearing from you in so many days...but know you are safe and having the time of your life. I can't wait to hear all about Brazil....Love, Grandma