Sea The World - Summer 2009

A Bittersweet Farewell

2009-08-21T17:48:00.004-04:00

Two and a half months, nine countries, four continents. There was much to see and experience this summer and it passed at a dizzying speed.

Tomorrow morning—in less than 24 hours—Semester at Sea’s 99th voyage, Summer 2009, will come to a close. This has been a summer well spent for all aboard the MV Explorer—students, staff, faculty, lifelong learners and family members. Students challenged themselves and reached well beyond their comfort zones as they explored different foods and people and cultures in these many countries.

Tomorrow’s parting will be bittersweet as students leave a unique community that has formed aboard the MV Explorer. The students have gained a special perspective on the world and their place in it. Some have changed in subtle ways and other students have changed in very noticeable ways, having been deeply affected by their experiences abroad.

They will arrive in Norfolk tomorrow morning with a new direction and new impressions of themselves, with new friends and a wanderlust to explore more of the world, and with a palette expanded by the tastes of Greece, Egypt and Morocco. Below are the final reflections from students, staff, faculty and the voyage’s deans on their time as part of Semester at Sea.

Claire Hunter, Wesleyan University
This experience has enabled me to know that I can work anywhere in the world, comfortably. I never expected that I would need to know that I could feel that way. …I’ve discovered in our travels to these different countries that families are so close and that’s been important, especially in traveling to so many places with my parents. (Claire’s mother, Carol, was librarian on summer voyage.) It’s been really interesting to see all these places with my parents because we can talk about it and have had the rare opportunity to share experiences with one another. Very few people get the opportunity to do that—even want to do it—but it is something that we’ll have forever. And they helped me see things very differently sometimes, in ways that made me think more about where we were. That was helpful for me.

Maia Kobabe, Dominican University
For me this whole trip was really like gathering raw information at such a fast pace. So, by the end of next summer I think will really start to process experience this well and, hopefully, be able to turn what I’ve seen and learned into pieces of art, writing and poems. This summer has certainly helped me grow as an artist in so many ways. I’ve had the chance to sit and sketch some amazing monuments and to view are beyond drawing. It’s been a real growing experience.

Ronalie Dealwis, Seattle University
More than ever I learned on this trip that you can communicate in a million ways if you really want to. Plus, I’ve been much more outgoing and far less afraid of going up and talking to people. The most memorable experience for me was spending time at the home of a Bulgarian friend from my mother’s in Varna. I had only met this woman once, but went to her home, stayed the night, ate traditional Bulgarian food, and struggled to communicate, but we did it. That’s something I never would have done before coming here. I just feel like, because of this entire experience, I’ve become more confident, more aware of the many issues around the world and a better world citizen.

I also came on this voyage very focused on what I wanted to do with my future, but after meeting so many people and making so many connections I started thinking differently and more about what I could do to improve this world and to help people. Now, getting a White House internship is my new goal and Congresswoman [Loretta] Sanchez was a big part of making me think seriously about that.

Dustin Farivar, Univ. of Colorado-Boulder
One of the things that keeps coming to me about Semester at Sea is that the best memories really are free. The times I’ve spent with the new friends I’ve made, traveling to and from destinations, reflecting on the experiences we’ve had are the times I’m going to remember the most. Sitting at dinner for six hours in Sevilla and eating and talking—those are the times I’m going to remember the most and that’s connecting with people.

Kyla Bryant, Norfolk State University
Being on the ship you make such close friendships. I remember staying up for Spain, which was just Day 7 and I felt like these people were my family who’ve I’ve been with for months. I feel like when I leave here I’ll have plenty of friends who I know I’ll be traveling to see, I have a reason to travel so I feel like it’s been a great experience and I’m so happy to have had it.

Rudy Shaffer, Portland State University
It’s been so comforting to travel with all of these people because we’ve come from all over and I came knowing no one and I leave having so many more friends, so many more connections. It’s such a unique experience to return to the ship and hang out with your friends and just share what you’ve done and how your outlooks have changed. And then to be part of a community with young kids and an older generation and you’re all seeing the same thing in a country, but experiencing it in such different ways. You gain a great appreciation for different points of view and seeing something in a whole new way. It’s just been unforgettable. I’m so sad that it’s going to be over. I really, really am.

Beth Knoreck, Univ. of Colorado-Boulder
Being a part of Semester at Sea … I felt like I had a responsibility to not only enjoy my travel experience, but to learn from it. So, I would take every experience and try to relate it back to my classes. I definitely think I gained more going through Semester at Sea; it was a different way of traveling.

Dan Polulak, Florida Gulf Coast University
One thing my parents made me do was to sign up for a service trip so I went on the orphanage tour in Bulgaria. And it was one of the moments I’ll never forget on this trip. We spent three hours at an orphanage in Varna and played with these kids who probably hadn’t ever talked to Americans. It was just a really good experience because it made me think about how I should appreciate the things I have because these kids have nothing and they were so amused with just seeing us. It was a lot of fun and I felt good doing it.

Erin Beaulieu, Univ. of Virginia
My academics have done nothing but help my travels on this trip. My social work class taught me to not just walk into a country, see places, take pictures as proof that I was there and leave. I was able to talk to the people and learn about their child welfare system. I mean, who learns about that stuff when they go into those countries? I would have never even thought to ask those questions or cared if I was just traveling around on my own. …My cross-cultural psychology class taught me that a culture that isn’t westernized is beautiful. When we go into a country or culture that is not like your own it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. You should learn about it—see their customs, why they do them, the history of them. It just makes your experience in the culture so much different than if you didn’t ask or didn’t care. So I think that without these classes I wouldn’t have had the experiences that I had.

Josh Hernandez, Seattle Central Comm. College, (transferring in Fall to MIT)
I know it sounds weird for a physics major to be on a voyage with a theme of human rights and social justice, but there are two reasons. First of all, scientific work has become so globalized that it’s an essential skill for a scientist to be able to work with people of different cultures and backgrounds and to be able to readily adapt to a new situation both in their career and their scientific research. So I figured the best way to learn that would be to go on this program. And also, I think that science and the humanities are very interlinked, you have starvation, population, pollution problems, all of which require serious engineering and scientific research in order to be solved, so it just made sense. And I’m glad I did come on for those reasons and most importantly because I had the opportunity to see some wonderful countries, experience their cultures, and make friends along the way.

Casey Hudetz, SAS Staff, IT Coordinator
From port to port students became more comfortable exploring each place. In Spain, they were so nervous about the language barrier or the money or the food and what to do. By the end it was kind of old hat, but in a way that showed they had developed as travelers and as people in how they related to other cultures. They took more chances with the culture, the food and travel suggestions they received, which was great. …By the end they were more comfortable taking the chances to see a more authentic view of the country. That was a cool change.

Rocky Rohwedder, SAS Faculty, Prof., Sonoma State University
When you go on a voyage like this you can’t help but be changed in some profound way. …The curriculum isn’t just in the classroom. It’s also in the places that we visit. When you can see the world in a different way then you can learn so much from it. Every landscape has a lesson to teach you. …So I just encourage my students to look around and realize that there are so many things to learn if they have the eyes to see. They have to open themselves up to what’s there. They have to treat the place around them as a curriculum and something that can teach them. If you realize that everywhere you are has a lesson to teach you then your life can be so much fuller. So, the pedagogy of place is something I think is an important part of Semester at Sea.

Sadika Sulaiman, SAS Staff, Living Learning Coordinator (LLC)
One student in particular who stood out for me on this voyage in terms of the change I’ve seen in students. At the very beginning of the voyage she talked about being very affirmed in where she was from and that she wasn’t going to change on this journey and didn’t feel like going to these different countries was going to have a real impact on her. Now, after visiting eight countries, she said “I still feel so affirmed in where I’m from and I feel a lot more strength in my hometown, but what I’ve seen and experienced is never going to leave me and I feel so much open and aware of my surroundings and the world.” For me, to hear her verbalize that was really powerful.

Matthew Pollinger, Ithaca College
One of the true highlights for me was in Italy and learning about olive oil. I always thought that it was one of those commonplace products, however, I quickly learned I was wrong. Producing olive oil is a complicated science that requires intricate scientific knowledge, as well as strong family devotion.

Nexus Cook, Temple University
My most beautiful memory of Greece is meeting a 76-year-old woman in Ancient Corinth. She was the sweetest woman I have ever met and she confirmed the fact that the world is full of great people.

Elissa Greene, UC Davis
Taking an hour to walk through eight cars of a train—back to front—on our way to Marrakesh, immersed me in the culture and gave me an experience I will never forget.

Molly Babbington, Chapman Univ.
My first lunch in Rome was by far the most enjoyable experience I had in Italy. We ate at a small restaurant on the corner across from our hotel and were greeted by an older Italian man who seemed to be the owner. He immediately made us feel at home with his eagerness to get to know us. We walked by the restaurant the next day and he recognized us and invited us in for free espresso. It was wonderful to be so welcomed, even as foreigners.

Mike Zoll, Executive Dean, Summer Voyage 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the real interest in learning among our students on this voyage in multiple and non-traditional mediums. A compelling example of this was the student participation in our Explorer Seminars, a line-up of non-credit lectures, discussions, and workshops scheduled each evening at sea. These seminars routinely filled to capacity, with some drawing up to 250 participants--a remarkable testament to the curiosity of our students. I hope they continue to be curious and explore and be open to learning about different people and places in their lives. …In addition, beyond the richness of comparative cultural immersion in eight ports of call, I hope students remember the unique shipboard living-learning environment that has been their summer home.

Shane Rasnak, Cornell Univ. (excerpted from his blog “Shane at Sea”. Click on the title to read entire blog)
…I wanted to wrap up this blog and say that my decision to go on Semester at Sea was quite possibly the single best decision I’ve ever made in my life. It’s been the most exciting, fun and eye-opening summer I’ve ever had, and I’m sure the things I learned and experienced in this voyage will influence what I do for the rest of my life. I’ve made friends all around the country, and interacting with the students and faculty on this ship has opened up the world for me in so many ways. I signed up for this trip thinking this would be the ultimate travel experience, but now I see this as just the beginning of my traveling career. If anyone is interested in learning about this program, I’d love to share my experience with you and give you advice. You can reach me at shane.rasnak@gmail.com.

Michael Smith, Academic Dean, Summer Voyage 2009 (Excerpted from his remarks to students at the SAS Summer ’09 Convocation)
Over these past 67 days, we’ve experienced a dizzying array of activities, launched several new student organizations, raised funds for scholarships, all in the midst of encountering new people and places. … I hope that as you consider your time on this voyage that, overall, each of you will find it well-spent, and that you believe yourself to be well on the way to becoming the person you aspire to be. Your time here has been defined not only by your accomplishments, and your contributions to your community, but also by your aspirations, and by taking the time to reflect and be with friends.

…I hope and believe that your education here has equipped you to undertake this deceptively simple task of “thinking things through” as you engage with different people, places and cultures. And I think that you will find that this task of living out your hopes and matching them to your accomplishments and your contributions to the wider world—in other words, living your own unique vision of what it means to be truly human—you will find that this task goes on throughout your lives.

Seeing Two Very Different Worlds

2009-08-20T06:17:00.006-04:00

Tyler Browne has seen the world in two very different ways: from the end of an automatic rifle while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and, now, as one of 700-plus students studying aboard the MV Explorer.

For four years, Tyler served in the Marines--having joined at age 18. He fought in Iraq for six months and Afghanistan for five months during his four-year military tenure.

He has seen friends die, has had to shoot in order to be shot and killed, has lost friends in battle, and has experienced anger in himself and in the people of the countries in which he battled, like no other anger he has seen or felt before.

“It was the worst four years of my life,” Tyler, now 24, recalls as he shows photos of himself, clad in his military fatigues and gripping a machine gun.

His world is vastly different now and the change is immediate in his appearance. His close-cropped red hair from his military days is now grown out to long surfer locks. He’s traded his gun in for a passport, pen and notebook. But his travel, at least for the past two months, has still been on a ship.

“It’s kind of cool to be on a ship again, especially one like this,” he said. “It’s no where near the same as when I was a Marine.”

In the Battlefield
Tyler always wanted to join the military and had been in and out of military academies while in high school. His father served in Vietnam and for Tyler—part of the 9/11 generation—representing his country just seemed like the right thing to do. During boot camp in San Diego he signed up for infantry. “I wanted to shoot a gun and go on the front lines,” he recalls.

His fleet was sent first to Kuwait and then to Iraq just as the Battle of Fallujah was happening. “It was a really crazy time; you basically lived your life in a live or die mentality. You don’t think about it then, but now, as I’m older I just think, ‘Wow, that was crazy.’ ”

Tyler left the military two years ago and, since then, has been enrolled at Santa Barbara City College.

Although he saw a number of countries while in the Marines and backpacked through Europe after leaving the military, Tyler was intrigued by what Semester at Sea had to offer. “Basically, I wanted to see the world and I thought this would be a cool way to do it,” he said. “And it’s been a pretty cool experience to visit eight countries.”

There was a bit of a culture shock for him, despite having been in college. “I’ve never been in the dorms or spent a lot of time with people who were so much younger,” he said. “But it was cool to see some of these places because their landscapes reminded me of Iraq and Afghanistan. You realize how similar the topography is for so much of this part of the world.”

Different Perspectives
Tyler’s view of the world is vastly different than that of his SAS classmates. “In the military you’re not going into tourist areas at all. You’re in areas where people don’t want to go. But you get to see the back roads of Afghanistan and some villages that have generators for their electricity and no running water.”

Those experiences have helped him appreciate what he’s seen and learned as a student.

And, his time aboard the MV Explorer has provided him with vastly different, but still important, views of the world and provided a different sense of community.

“I’ve learned a lot about foreign and European Union politics,” he said. “And traveling to the different countries re-emphasized the lessons on the cultural norms that we studied.”

Moving Forward
When not studying, in class, or touring a country, Tyler could often be found on the seventh deck of the MV Explorer, playing his guitar. He surprised, and wowed, the SAS community with his playing and singing talents during last night's Open Mic-Talent show.

“Tyler’s a real stand-up guy and a really good kid, pretty laid back,” said Shaun Crisler, Assistant Dean of Students for the summer voyage. “I especially appreciate hearing him play guitar at 12 in the morning when you’re outside stargazing. It’s nice to hear that soft guitar melody in the background.”

Tyler expects to graduate from S.B. City College this fall and plans to transfer to UC Berkeley or another UC campus to study economics.

SAS’s LifeLong Learners

2009-08-18T10:17:00.006-04:00

Students will leave their experience on Semester at Sea in four days with friendships that extend beyond those made with classmates. They include bonds with professors, staff, and with a special group of SAS voyagers known as the lifelong learners.

The lifelong learners (better known as the LLLs) are a diverse group of travelers, most of whom have traveled the world throughout their lives, have retired from their jobs, and, for several, are repeat alums of Semester at Sea voyages.

The LLLs created a sort of extended family aboard the MV Explorer. They become the surrogate parents and grandparents for many students, and often keep in touch with them long after a voyage is over. But more than that, the lifelong learners help create an intergenerational learning community and provide different perspectives that can enhance the students’ learning on the ship.

“I think many of the students realize that in lifelong learners they have people who can talk about a place and about experiences,” says Carol Larson, coordinator of the summer voyage’s lifelong learner program and director of UPitt’s study abroad program.

She added: “You see many of the students coming up to us and asking ‘Have you been here before? What should I know?’ I think that community leads to an education that is unique.”

How It Started
Adult learners have sailed with Semester at Sea for almost as long as SAS has been around. However, an organized program—that includes daily meetings with guest speakers and special programs—was created about 16 years ago and has been operating as such ever since. The uniqueness of this sailing experience has inspired repeat lifelong learner voyagers, some as many as 20 times!

“This is an experience of a lifetime, even for lifelong learners,” says Betty Waldron who, with her husband Milt, has sailed on more than a dozen voyages.

The Waldrons were introduced to Semester at Sea by their daughter, who sailed as a student. She encouraged them to come on as lifelong learners. Milt, instead, joined as the doctor for a voyage and continued in that role for many years after and Betty eventually became coordinator of the LLL program when they both sailed. Milt has reprised his role as physician on the Summer 2009 voyage and Betty is co-coordinator this summer.

“We have definitely changed from being on these voyages and we feel very lucky,” says Betty.

A Change for All
Students change as well from their time spent with the lifelong learners.

“It is so nice to sit and talk with people who have such extensive life experiences and have traveled all around the globe,” says student Nhesty Ong. “I enjoy hearing their opinion in class, even if I don’t agree with it. It forces you to think a bit differently and look at things differently. And that’s all part of the experience.”

The intellectual engagement entices many lifelong learners to sail with Semester at Sea, including current lifelong learner Linda Berbrick. “I like learning about the countries I’m going to. I like interacting with the students and with the professors; it’s such a nice community,” says Berbrick, who is sailing for a second time as an LLL.

“You don’t get this when you go on any other cruise or group travel.”

Carol Larson agrees. “We’ve been on the fluffy cruise ships with the feather dancer show at 8 o’clock at night. It’s get old, fast. But to sit over dinner and discuss world politics, to learn a language and culture, to listen to the interport lecturers—it’s incredibly eye-opening.”

Carol’s husband, George Bentrem, has been pleasantly surprised by his first voyage experience. “As a lifelong physician, and with my military experience, I thought I had seen a lot,” he explains. “It was small in comparison to what I’ve seen on this voyage, in terms of a life experience: meeting and talking with people, visiting ports, the classroom work (I’ve attended 4 classes). It’s an expedition of discovery and that’s always fun.”

Learners Who Span Generations
This summer’s lifelong learners are a diverse group of individuals who range in age from their early 20s to their late 80s. They include a founding member of the Granny Peace Brigade, retirees (school teachers, physicians, business leaders), and professionals on leave.

Included in the group are three working teachers who make up SAS’s “Teachers at Sea” program. The program is open to all certified K-12 teachers and allows them to take course for which they can gain professional development credits.

Jenny Kim is one of three teachers on the Summer ’09 voyage. “This is my first time on a ship and my first time crossing the Atlantic, ever,” says Kim, a high school history teacher in northern California. “I’ve been teaching about all of these countries and for me to never have seen them is shameful. But now I can go back to my students with actual pictures of these places and stories.”

Stories and Relationships for a Lifetime
Jenny and the rest of the lifelong learners this summer have developed relationships as strong as those the students have made with one another. They are relationships that will carry on for years, as is the case with the Waldrons and other repeat LLL voyagers.

“We take something away from every voyage no matter how many times we’ve done it,” Betty says. “It’s a special experience. One that just makes you want to come back.”

Click on the image at right to watch the YouTube video about Semester at Sea's Lifelong Learner program.

A Fleet Footed View of the Mediterranean

2009-08-16T13:40:00.001-04:00

SAS voyager Matthew Pollinger has taken a novel approach to touring most of the ports the program has visited this summer: he runs them.

It’s not a simple jog; Matthew has logged between 50 to 100 miles per port, averaging two hours for each run. Matthew is an ultra-marathon runner, which means that he runs races that are marathon length (26.2 miles) and above. His longest race was 72 miles.

As an ultra-long-distance runner, Matthew has had to maintain his training between long stretches at sea and participating in tours in each country. He is also training for a 100-mile race in Vermont in early October. The running regiment has been quite educational for the Ithaca College student.

“Each city has presented its own unique challenges. As the voyage went on it got more difficult to navigate a good running route,” he notes.

Between cultural differences (being stopped in Istanbul for running without a shirt and then for not covering his shoulders) and navigating roadways (drivers rarely stop for pedestrians in Piraeus, Greece), Matthew has understood the differences of countries from his unique perspective.

“It’s definitely been a challenge and a growing experience,” he said. “You get a real different feel for each city that you can only gain by smelling it, getting lost in it, feeling a bit threatened it and allowing yourself to really explore it.”

Matthew said his two best running cities were Cadiz, Spain and Dubrovnik, Croatia. His best memory: Seeing a bear during a run in the hills just outside Dubrovnik. “I just waited for it to move on before I did.”

First Annual SAS Short Film Festival is a Hit

2009-08-16T12:34:00.006-04:00

From an "infomercial" for an alarm clock featuring "The Voice" of the voyage (aka-Asst. Exec. Dean Dia Draper) to a test of smarts against small kids (Can you say "Civitavecchia"?), Semester at Sea students, faculty, staff and even small kids joined in for the first annual short film festival during the last week of the voyage.

Ten films ranging in length from 30 seconds to about five minutes were screened to a standing-room only audience in the ship's Union. Winning videos included traveling form a deaf person's perspective, a photo slideshow of Istanbul, a kid-inspired cookie caper and a top prize, student-created film on the power of art.

The winning student video, by Tia Dawkins-Hendricks, will be included in the official DVD commemorating the summer voyage. You can view the other winners by clicking on the videos below.

Second Place Winner: Detective Stamper Film

Detective Stamper and the
Case of the Missing Cookie .

First Place Tie Winner (non-student): "Istanbul" by SAS Staffer Casey Hudetz

Istanbul .

Third Place Winner: "Egypt from a Deaf Person's Perspective" by SAS Staffer Lissa Place

A Life Marked by Travel & SAS Voyages

2009-08-16T08:08:00.003-04:00

When she steps off the MV Explorer, in Norfolk, Virginia, in less than a week, Kara Gregory will end her third Semester at Sea voyage and added three new countries to her current total of 36 countries and 35 states.

It’s a lot of traveling for someone so young (she’s 23), and not quite expected from a girl who grew up in Anadarko, Oklahoma, a town of 6,000 people, and attends college in another small town, in Emporia, Kansas.

But Kara belies her small town image. She is a self-described risk taker, adventurer, and experienced traveler. She started at age16 as a foreign exchange student in Australia for the summer. And, she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. (Aside from her SAS voyages, she’s has been on six cruises and plans to go on another, short one in January to the Cayman Islands and Mexico.)

Kara first sailed with Semester at Sea on the Fall 2007 voyage. “I knew the moment I got off that voyage that I was coming back,” she recalls. She returned in May 2008 for an Enrichment Voyage to Central America and then again for this summer’s voyage.

Kara’s wanderlust didn’t start with Semester at Sea. She credits her father with the initial spark in traveling. He traveled around the world in the Army and now works in China setting up an Asian division for his job. He has used Kara's voyages on SAS as an excuse to travel to Vietnam and, most recently, Greece to visit her.

Kara does cite her experience with Semester at Sea as having stoked her interest in international travel.

“I just absolutely loved getting to see the world, especially experiencing the different cultures,” she says. “It just made me want to continually come back and see different parts of the world. And I think this is the best opportunity because you not only get to take classes, you get to learn about [the countries] in depth.”

The experience on Semester at Sea also prompted Kara to travel to South Korea last summer to teach English to college students through a program at her home university.

Kara could have studied abroad elsewhere, but returned to Semester at Sea because of its unique opportunities for global learning and exploration.

“I did have the opportunity to study abroad at Oxford, but I chose Semester at Sea again because you get to go to a lot of countries and see so much more. You get to experience a lot more versus just being in England for a whole summer. I think it’s a better learning experience to go to several instead of just staying in one,” she says.

Kara doesn’t have an unlimited bank account to pay for the voyages. A combination of financial aid, grants from her home school, and long-term saving helped her afford the Fall ’07 and Summer ’09 voyages.

Kara returns to her college ready to complete her final year and graduate with a double major in business marketing and psychology. Her post-college plan for now is to move to China to join her father and brother to either teach English, work for a business, learn Mandarin, or all of the above.

She is certain, however, that her life will mirror her passport: filled with as many adventures and experiences abroad as there are stamps from those countries.

How Students Afford Semester at Sea

2009-08-15T12:37:00.003-04:00

Many students would love to be a part of the Semester at Sea experience, but often don’t think it’s possible because of their financial constraints.

Quite the contrary. Lots of students get financial assistance.

In fact, nearly half of the students on the Summer ’09 voyage received financial aid from the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE). For the past several years, ISE has been working diligently to build an annual fund to support scholarships and aid to make voyages accessible for all interested students.

“ISE is committed to making sure that all students who want to participate in Semester at Sea have the opportunity to do so,” said Mike Zoll, executive dean of the Summer ’09 voyage and Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs for the Institute for Shipboard Education.

"We believe strongly in the program’s mission and that the experience truly deepen one’s understanding of issues and cultures around the world and one’s place in the world," Zoll said. "Everyone—regardless of their financial situation—should be able to be a part of that.”

In the past three years, the fund for financial assistance has doubled from $1.6 million to $3.25 million. For the summer voyage, ISE provided just over $1 million in aid to nearly 44% of the students, averaging $3,300 per student—the most financial assistance ever given for a summer voyage. Of that aid, 49% was in need-based grants; 38% were scholarships and 13% were student leadership awards.

Students have also managed to afford the Semester at Sea voyage in a number of other ways. Read on to learn how some of the Summer 2009 voyagers have paid for Semester at Sea to have an experience of a lifetime.

Sarah Shepherd, Bowling Green State University
I applied for a lot of scholarships both through SAS and my home university. I also did a lot of work and saved a lot of money before coming. My parents did a parent-student loan, but most of it is through my own.

Emily Bialas, U-Pitt
I almost wasn’t able to come because I didn’t have the means to come on the ship. I applied for all the scholarships that Semester at Sea offered and I got a needs-based grant a small merit-based scholarship. I took out a loan from my bank to cover the remainder. It was important enough for me to do this; I wanted to make sure I could come.

Ana Alexandrescu, Lehigh University
I applied for tons of financial aid. I was pretty much on the e-mail almost every day. IAnd I applied for all the scholarships that were available and I got a few of them. So, combined, I got a financial aid package that allowed me to be able to come.

Shani Graves, Temple Univ.
My mother and stepfather gave me $2,000 and then I took out a little over $3,000 in Stafford loans and a $5,000 private loan. It was definitely important enough for me to do that I wanted to take out loans to help me pay for it.

Audrey Rupnow, North Texas University
My entire voyage was paid for with scholarships and grants—about $9,000 through SAS and $1,700 was from my home school. I also worked a lot before I came (to pay for books and tours) and my family also helped me out. I specifically came for the summer because it was a better financial option for me.

Chelsea Person, Virginia Commonwealth Univ.
I applied for and received some financial aid through ISE and I also applied for two other scholarships and I got one from the Golden Key International Honor Society. I paid for the rest through a $4,000 student loan I took out myself. I am using that to cover the tuition balance, books, tours, FDPs (faculty directed practica), and spending money.

Amy Robinson, Flagler College
I’m paying for this whole thing myself. I paid for a lot of it myself through scholarships at school and work as an R.A. (resident advisor) at school. I saved about $9,000 by working as an RA at my home school. I also got the R.A. program here and I got a $500 scholarship from SAS. Plus, I worked for six weeks before I left for this trip and then have relied on whatever money is in my bank account.

Erica Morrissette, SUNY Oswego
I’m paying for this myself. I applied the day you could apply for the Summer voyage and decided on the summer because it was less expensive than a fall or spring voyage. Then, I basically spent nearly a year trying to find ways to save. Some things I did were:
• Apply to be an R.A. at my school and to be an R.A. on the ship
• Purposely take online classes at home and live at home (I go to school 3 hours away).
• I took out a Stafford loan to cover my room and board, even though I was living at home, and just applied that money to my SAS voyage.

Lauren Armstrong, Michigan State University
My parents each paid half of the tuition and I worked before I came to save money. I also received an R.A. position on the ship, which has helped cover the cost of trips and incidentals.

Colby Melvin, Spring Hill College
I applied for as many scholarships as I could and my family helped pay for the rest. It was probably my Christmas, birthday and even graduation present.

Nico Kerr, UC Santa Cruz
I’ve been planning on Semester at Sea for over a year and have been saving for all that time. I mainly afforded it through SAS’s financial aid. They granted me $7,000 total, including my R.A. position on the ship. I saved another $6,000 working as an R.A. at my university. I also received some help from my grandparents and family friends. The money I saved from my R.A. work at my home institution allowed me to pay for tours and traveling expenses like air flights and books.

Eric Paulino, Sarah Lawrence College
I was fortunate enough to receive a full tuition scholarship through that National Society of High School Scholars. I still had to pay for books, tours and everything else and my family helped scrape together some money for me to do that.

Sarah Cogdill, Univ. of Texas
I started working in high school at 16 because I knew that, in college, I wanted to study abroad and that I would have to pay for it. I was preparing for the Semester at Sea voyage for a year and saving up for the idea of studying abroad for three years. So, through my own savings and taking out a loan, I was able to do it all on my own.

Nexus Cook, Temple University
I got almost all of it covered by SAS (through the partnership with the Diversity Abroad program) and the rest was my mom and family friends.

Francisco Martinez, Stanford University
I got most of my money from the Diversity Abroad Scholarship. Then I got additional financial assistance from Semester at Sea, saved some from a previous job, and took out a federal loan.

Jessica Bingham, Brigham Young University
Financial aid covered most of my costs. My family can’t help. I have six little brothers and sisters. Whatever financial aid didn’t cover came from money I’ve saved from working.

Postscript: Morocco

2009-08-15T07:41:00.007-04:00

The Summer voyage's final port of Morocco was a blend of wonderful food, dynamic architecture, a more laid back environment than Egypt, and a port that capped off a memorable summer for the students. Here are some of their adventures:

Claire Hunter, Wesleyan University (CT)
I went to Marrakesh and camel riding in palm groves as part of my time in Morocco and it was a really nice time in the country. I was able to speak with people in French which was helpful. And the trek through the palm groves was beautiful. Yes, we had a bit of a tourist experience, but we also had an authentic experience to travel as current and past Moroccans had done. And we were able to have mint tea in a traditional Berber house. I found in Morocco that no matter what degree of wealth or poverty people were very generous. They were filled with so much joy and different things were important to them.

My only disappointment with Morocco was that I didn’t really feel like I was in Africa. The French presence was very strong and I didn’t expect it to be so imbedded in the culture. It was very reminiscent of colonization there. Still, I would have liked to have stayed there for longer.

Suci Madjidji, U-Pitt
While in Morocco, I was fortunate enough to stay at the homes of two families in Rabat and Fes, who were friends of a friend of mine from home.

First, my friends and I met with a 25-year-old and his friends to visit Rabat. Seeing the city from a Moroccan’s perspective was a wonderful and special experience. I was able to experience Rabat like other tourists couldn’t, which first meant eating camel burgers at a place where the guys are regulars. Eating camel was an interesting experience, but what made it especially memorable—and somewhat disturbing—was the camel head hanging in front of the restaurant. It was one thing to eat camel; it was another to stare at camel parts while my meal was being prepared. Surprisingly, the camel was pretty good. Hanging out with the guys showed me that we could have things in common despite our different cultures and that those differences made our experience all the more memorable.

In Fes, I was invited to the home of an 18-year-old girl whose family is somewhat conservative. The family was very welcoming and kind but, in talking with the girl, I realized the disparity between what she wanted to do and what she was allowed to do because of her family’s values. Our conversation made me appreciate the independence my parents afford me and the support they provide.

My time in Morocco was fun and very enlightening. I learned a lot about the culture and I was also able to teach them about mine. I also left with the best thing I had gotten from any of the countries we have visited— new friends.

Baron Yeh, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver BC
I had a really terrific time in Morocco. The countryside is gorgeous. Parts of it look like places you would see in the states with the mountains and dry lands. The people are gracious and friendly. And having the chance to see how people live, how they make oil and spices, make tea. A group of us did zip-lining just outside of Marrakech and it was an absolutely amazing experience. It may not have been directly connected to Moroccan culture, but I think it’s still a unique and really fun way to see the diversity of the landscape. And, in going there, our guide took us to homes where people were living and it’s a wonderful view, a different view of a part of the country and the people.

Maia Kobabe, Dominican University (CA)
I heard before that Casablanca was not an interesting city, but I found it to be the complete opposite. The [Hassan II] Mosque was definitely the big highlight. My tour of it was too fast for me to draw, so I went back again to really admire the architecture and sketch all the different aspects of the building. It was really nice to have the time to reflect on my time in the country and listen to the ocean.

I also enjoyed a one-day tour we had of Rabat and seeing the Casbah that they turned into a public garden. I also thought the unfinished mosque there was really interesting from an architectural point of view with the half-completed minoret and a field full of incomplete columns, but no walls. I almost went back to Rabat again just to go there again.

Overall, it was nice to have Morocco be our last port. Casablanca wasn’t as hectic as Alexandria and Cairo. Plus, I had some of the most amazing mint tea and Moroccan pastries and enjoyed going out for a Moroccan dinner or dessert almost every night after having dinner on the ship. They were really nice evenings with friends and a special way to explore Moroccan cuisine, culture and people.

An Ideal Welcome to Morocco

2009-08-13T12:21:00.003-04:00

Voyagers received a wonderful welcome at Semester at Sea’s final port during a small reception with Moroccan students and U.S. diplomatic officials at the U.S. Cultural Center in Casablanca.

Twenty-five students, faculty, staff and lifelong learners socialized, danced and got to know more than two dozen Moroccan students, who ranged in age from recent high school graduates to college students, and young professionals. The groups were joined by U.S. Consular General Elizabeth Millard and Jack Rusenko, president of Global Education and board president of George Washington Academy, a K-12 school with American accreditation that is based in Casablanca.

“It was a really great event. We had a lot of opportunities to speak with the Moroccan students one-on-one and to ask them questions about life in Morocco, especially for the women—like dating and marriage,” said Emily Conrique, a lifelong learner on the SAS Summer Voyage, who is a high school teacher in San Diego.

Emily and other members of the Semester at Sea group were treated to live Moroccan music and fed a number of delicious Moroccan pastries and traditional mint tea.

As a teacher, Emily said she was struck by the differences in the education system. For example, high school students in Morocco must choose a major while in high school from either economics, science or math. Once in college they can switch or adapt their interests within their major from high school. Many Moroccans, Emily learned, major in English.

Baron Yeh, a student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, said the welcome reception was one of the best events he had attended with Semester at Sea specifically because it allowed him to have more personal and open conversations with Moroccans than he may have otherwise had.

“I really got to have good conversations about education and the ‘green’ movement and how they are happening and impacting people in Morocco,” said Baron. “It was a wonderful way to begin my time in Morocco and a nice way to learn about the country and its people.”

Click on the video below to catch a glimpse of the reception.

Shipboard Auction is a Success

2009-08-08T12:07:00.005-04:00

Semester at Sea’s annual shipboard drive got off to a strong start thanks to the more than $25,000 raised in a recent one-day shipboard auction.

Students, staff and faculty bid in both silent and live auctions organized throughout the day and evening. Many in the shipboard community—including the captain and crew—as well as parents of students donated each of the 127 items that were up for bid.

“Students started working on the auction from the first week we were on the ship, and really put a lot of time into it, so we really happy with how it all turned out,” said Jenny DeLuna, a living-learning coordinator who oversaw the work on the auction.

Auction items were as small as a pizza and movie night and as large as a weeklong stay at a home in Nicaragua. The money raised during the auctions is the largest amount to date among recent summer voyages, surpassing Summer 2007 and Summer 2008. All funds raised go to the Semester at Sea Annual Fund, which supports student scholarships and on-ship programs.

“We had a lot of late nights to make sure we had it all together and, in the end, the goal was achieved,” said student Jason Morton, who was instrumental in organizing the event. "So, we had fun and did some good at the same time."

This Crew’s Got Talent

2009-08-08T12:02:00.003-04:00

Never underestimate the singing chops of your cabin steward. And, appreciate the funky dance moves of the busboy and helpers in the dining hall. Students on the summer voyage certainly did. The talent among the crew surprised and thrilled students and staff during the annual evening performance.

“I really enjoyed it. I was surprised the crew could sing so well,” said Sharon Hornstein of UConn.

Students could hear the crew practicing for several days behind closed doors—strumming their electric guitars and the thump-thump of hip-hop music. During the night of the performance they heard the smooth crooning voice of longtime crew member Vic Adobo, who belted out a wonderful rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s “Lady”. The hit for many students were the hip-hop dancing routines by steward cabins and dining hall staff.

“Usually when I see them around they’re always working all the time, so, it was nice to see them having fun,” said student Nathan Pearson, who attends West Virginia University. Vic was Nathan’s favorite act. “He was really good. He just got up there and really belted out those love songs.”

Reflections on Egypt

2009-08-07T10:56:00.008-04:00

Without question, Egypt was a memorable experience for the majority of the students aboard of the summer voyage. How can one not be humbled when viewing the Great Pyramids or the 4,000-year-old paintings inside the stone temples that still have some very vibrant colors. Several students had the fortune of sharing the experience with their parents who participated in the SAS-organized Parent Tour to Egypt. Some learned the true meaning of the voyage’s theme, not from their instructors, but from their interactions with Egyptians. A few students of Egyptian descent visited family, with one student—Amira Yousef—seeing her relatives for the first time in 10 years. As we sail to our final destination before heading back to the U.S., several SAS students shared their experiences from Egypt. While this is a longer blog entry, the students’ reflections are engaging, heartfelt and well worth the read. Enjoy!

Sunrise at the Great Pyramids
Jon Simmons, UConn
Words cannot describe the splendor of the Great Pyramids. Soaring heavenward with blocks nearly matching my 6’1” frame, they dominate the skyline. Even in the hazy half light of morning they seem to gleam all on their own. As the sun slowly rose up behind the pyramids, each ray illuminated the monuments and highlighted the simple beauty and power of these structures.

Standing at the base of a pyramid, one can’t help but feel a sense of smallness. The pyramids have conquered the test of time and modern machinery. I feel honored to be a visitor here, like I have joined the ranks of a group—a group that has come to enjoy the majestic power and splendor of the pyramids of Giza.

On Experiencing Egypt
Timothy Jones II, Morehouse College
Egypt has truly been both a liberating and exhilarating experience. The stories of the people of the Nile and the ancient temples embellished with hieroglyphics that I have studied in class are no longer just pictures in some book. Instead, they are real people and places with a timeless history. I have eaten their food, walked in their steps, and admired their culture. These pyramids and giant temples have withstood the test of time and embedded within each brick and stone there is a history greater than my own. It’s the history of a people—my people—your people. In experiencing Egypt, I have come to the conclusion that we have come to a place where we can stand amongst the giants—the great pyramids. In doing this, we open ourselves up to truly understanding past, present, and new stories that are meaningful moments captured in time.

The Temple of Abu-Simbel
Jessica Kenyon, Lenoir-Rhyne University (N.C.)
Visiting the Temple of Abu Simbel was definitely my favorite part of my trip to Egypt. I had no idea what or where Abu Simbel was before we got there, but now I’ll never forget it. When we first arrived I was thinking, “Oh, it’s just another temple.” But seeing the Great Temple honestly blows the others out of the water. I am still fully impressed by the Karnack and Luxor temples, but nothing can top Abu Simbel.

Abu Simbel is where Pharaoh Ramsses II built a temple for himself and his queen, Nefertari. In the 1960s, UNESCO had to literally move a mountain to save the temple from the rising waters of Lake Nasser because of the building of the Aswan High Dam. Hearing that a mountain was literally moved in order to save the temple was unbelievable. I mean people just don’t go around moving mountains. They had to take apart the temple stone by stone and move it to a higher location to rebuild it. (The original location is underwater today. The water is still very visible from the Great Temple's new location.)

Our tour guide told us that when they rebuilt the Great Temple during the move they had to align it so that the sun would still shine on the face of the statue there. Today, this is visible on February 22nd and October 22nd. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but walking inside the Great Temple and seeing all of the hieroglyphics and carvings that are still visible to this day was breathtaking.

Just to listen to the history behind the temple and then to be able to walk inside and see it for myself, it's unlike anything else.

Egypt’s Lesson on Social Justice
Colby Melvin, Spring Hill College (Ala.)
My tour guide in Egypt, “Mr. Tito”, changed my outlook on the world. He was assigned to lead our small group by travel agency that organized an independent tour for us in Egypt. The stories Tito shared with me made me realize why human rights and social justice—the theme of this voyage—are such important issues.

Tito was incredibly gracious and generous throughout our days together, giving us free tours around the city, seeing that we caught our train to Luxor, and texting me to make sure we all arrived safely. During a dinner on the Nile he even paid for a cake and had the band sing happy birthday to someone in our group who was celebrating a birthday. We learned that it was Tito’s 30th birthday the next day and included him in the festivities. But we were concerned that our new friend—who was so jovial the day we first met—seemed rather distant and removed despite the celebrations.

Then he revealed his story.

Two years ago Tito fell in love. However, he told us that, in the Muslim culture marriage is not solely based on love. Typically, a man buys an apartment and pays the father a price for his daughter. If the father accepts the daughter must marry the man. If she doesn’t it is considered a great dishonor to the family. Tito’s love had been “purchased” by someone else and, unfortunately for Tito, she chose honor over love. Two years later, he’s still in love with her and feels a sense of helplessness. He has tried to move on. He has applied for visit to study in the U.S., but has been denied every time. He wants to find a woman he loves before he marries her, something that is against the norms of Muslim culture. His family is pressuring him to get married. And his conflicting view has estranged him from his family. He feels trapped in a culture that he doesn’t agree with and sees no way out.

I have never imagined or experienced this internal struggle. I always thought love was a basic human freedom. I have the freedom to be and be with who I want and to live the life I desire. Tito doesn’t. It is hard to tell a man to keep looking to the future in a culture that is so focused and keeping him back.

I am so grateful to have met Tito. He has taught me to be grateful for the things we often take for granted—the many “freedoms” we have as Americans.

Parent-Student Travel in Egypt
Kate O’Hara, Nichols College (Mass.) & her dad
Keith O’Hara (Dad): I came to Egypt because I missed my daughter and because Egypt was on my top 10 list of places I wanted to visit. The voyage’s theme was also really important to me. This is my first extensive period in an Islamic country and it has been very eye opening and interesting. For me, it’s all about the opportunity to walk the talk about human rights, which starts with learning. And the adventure of it all is wonderful. The guides are truly Egyptologists who give us a cultural, historical perspective. It’s all very exciting. Sharing this time with my daughter, to listen to her recount all of the stories from the other countries truly makes this an unforgettable and touching trip for me.

Kate O’Hara (Daughter): The parent trip came at a time in the voyage when we all started missing our families. But even more I feel like Egypt is one of the most profound places I’ve been in my life so it was nice to have my dad here to share it with. Seeing all the poverty and the lifestyle changes that are completely opposite of our own was really mindblowing to me. My dad has traveled a lot so I know he’s seen things like this before, but it was nice that he was here with me the first time I got to experience it. We just enjoyed the time together and soaked everything in. For me, seeing the three ancient pyramids with my dad was the most special time. He and I went to the ancient temples in Mexico together when I was 12, so it was kind of cool that we got to do it here, too. Because we have so many children in my family [there are seven kids], it’s been really awesome to have the one-on-one time with my dad.

Reconnecting with Family
Amira Yousef, Cal State Channel Islands
It had been 10 years since I saw my family in Egypt. I was around 11 years old the last time I visited Egypt. There isn’t much I remember of Egypt from that trip, except for seeing the Pyramids and playing with my cousins.

When I found out that Semester at Sea was coming to Egypt I definitely wanted to see them. Nine months ago, I told my family in Egypt that I was coming and there was madness over there; they were really excited that I was coming. This my dad’s family; he is from Egypt. Aside from my dad and my uncle, no one from his family has ever been to the U.S. I have a couple of uncles and aunts there and lots of cousins.

When we arrived in Alexandria, my uncle was there to pick me up. My mom sent a picture of me so he could recognize me, but I didn’t recognize him so he had to call my name. … Every time I saw a new family member I hadn’t seen in so long, it felt really good to see them.

I visited the pyramids with my cousins, some of whom I had never met and others who I remember playing with in my dad’s village. My uncle also took me to my dad’s village. It was hard going there; it was very hard to see. There were houses still made out of mud there. The people are very poor and living in unhealthy conditions. In a lot of the houses they live with their animals in the same room with them. So, there’s feces on the floor and they’re living there. So it was hard to see my family living in such horrible conditions. It’s a very stark view of poverty, which is very different than what tourists see in the cities like Alexandria and Cairo. My dad’s brother and his wife still live in the village with their kids. And a lot of my cousins live in the village. I probably saw 60 people in that village that I am somehow related to.

My family in the village made a big dinner to celebrate my visit. We had pigeon and duck, which is only cooked for a special occasion. We had a big gathering at the house of the priest of the village, because he’s my dad’s cousin. There were probably 30 people inside that little house. They were all so welcoming to me and so loving.

Even though they hadn’t seen me for 10 years they never lost any love for me at all. I felt so welcome there and I felt like I belonged there. You don’t get that in the states very much for people you haven’t seen in 10 years and only had met one time.

My visit to reconnect with my family really made me want to return soon to Egypt to study Arabic. Because I’m from a family where my mother is from the U.S. and my father is Egyptian and I’m first generation in the U.S., I’ve always felt different from the rest of my friends. I felt like I was missing something. And when I was there in Egypt, I really did feel like I had a connection with all of these people and this is something I need to learn more about. It is my culture and I feel like I need to learn more about that.

Meeting of a Lifetime in Egypt

2009-08-05T11:00:00.008-04:00

A group of very lucky Semester at Sea students got the unexpected honor of meeting Egypt’s renowned antiquities expert, Dr. Zahi Hawass, and getting a private tour by him of the Step Pyramid in Saqqara (pronounced “Sakkara”), which currently is closed to the public.

“The feeling of privilege to have a special tour of these places made me feel very special,” said Jinyi (Jenny) Chen, a student at Univ. of Virginia. “There was not much inside, but I am excited for when they finish their work there.”

The students were part of a Semester at Sea three-day tour of Cairo. During part of their tour they visited Saqqara and were standing outside of the Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser (pronounced “Zoser”), which was built by the architect/engineer Imhotep almost 5,000 years ago. The pyramid is still closed to the public and is undergoing some excavations.

The group’s tour guide was a doctoral student of Hawass. Both she and SAS student Nexus Cook recognized Hawass immediately and were quite excited. For Nexus, meeting Hawass was a dream come true.

“I have loved ancient Egypt history since I was a kid and have watched lots of movies about it and read so many books,” says Nexus. “So, for me, seeing Dr. Hawass was like seeing a huge celebrity.”

Hawass has more than four decades studying, inspecting and overseeing the antiquities in Egypt. He is currently Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. In this role, he controls all of the antiquities of Egypt and serves as the chief advocate for preserving and protecting Egypt’s ancient monuments. A 2006 profile article in Time magazine dubbed Hawass “The Man”, noting that “he determines who will excavate in Egypt and when and where.” Hawass was President Barack Obama’s guide during the President’s late July visit to Egypt and the pyramids.

In her blog, Nexus Cook, a student at Temple University, wrote the following about the experience and special tour. (It is a bit long, but well worth the read):

Aug. 2—In all sincerity, today was the best day of my life. …Not many people know this, but I am obsessed with ancient Egyptian art, history and culture. I used to, and still, watch every single documentary [about Egypt] on the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel—pretty much any channel that is showing something about ancient Egypt. I have read countless books about all the Gods and hieroglyphics and I seriously used to want to—and still do—be an archeologist and Egyptologist. The Indiana Jones movies are my favorite movies of all time!

When I was younger I used to collect rocks and pretend that I was finding some ancient, lost Egyptian treasure. Basically, I have been looking forward to going to Egypt since I was about 4 years old.

Anyway, today we went to Memphis, which was the first capital of Egypt and the first established city in the entire world. I saw the most amazing statue of King Ramses the Second. Then we went to Sakkara. We get off the bus and are headed towards the first step pyramid and first stone building ever made all over the world and I see all these men yelling and I see a couple camera guys. Then all of a sudden I see my idol—Dr. Zahi Hawass. Dr. Zahi Hawass is the world-renowned archeologist and the most famous Egyptologist in the world.

I have read three of his books and I watch every single documentary that I see on TV with him in it. When I saw him I was literally star struck. I have met celebrities before, quite a few actually, and I have never been star struck, but Dr. Zahi Hawass—a guy that most people don't even know, but should—and I am speechless.

I got over being speechless very quickly and walked over and introduced myself to him. He asked me where I go to school and when I told him Temple University he got excited because he used to live in Philly. I told him how excited I was to meet him; I felt like I was skipping through air. My tour guide was the only other person who was just as happy as I was.

Dr. Hawass was at the step pyramids doing a show with one of Egypt’s most famous movies stars, Ramez Galal. So, Grace [Obando, my roommate] and I took a bunch of pictures with him and then were recorded for the show. Galal told us to repeat a phrase in English and Arabic, something like “Traveling the world with Ramez and Egypt’s Indiana Jones, Dr. Zahi Hawass!” I was completely embarrassed/ecstatic because I was standing next to Dr. Hawass!

After all the hype with the cameras, Dr. Hawass quiets everyone down in our group and says “As a special treat for all of you, I will allow you all to go inside the Step Pyramid of Imhotep!” I ALMOST PASSED OUT!! NO ONE IS ALLOWED INSIDE THE STEP PYRAMID. My tour guide, who has been doing her job for 35 years, had never been inside the Step Pyramid of Imhotep. It was like a scene form a movie; I could not believe it! We had our own escort inside the oldest man made building on the planet!!

I watched a man unlock the bolted door that leads inside the pyramid. It was so exclusive that the lights weren’t even on. He had to turn the lights on inside the part we were allowed to walk through. It was truly amazing. I seriously feel so blessed. My group got to go inside an ancient pyramid that very few people are allowed to go in. It was so cool.

Needless to say, I love Egypt. I knew I would, but my time here has surpassed all expectations. I could not have asked for a better time. I am in love with this country, the people, the culture, the history, everything. I had the best time of my life. I don't think anything can top this. And if it does, I might not come back to America.

Sunrise on Africa

2009-08-05T05:04:00.003-04:00

Arriving in Egypt held a special meaning for a number of African-American students sailing with Semester at Sea’s Summer ’09 voyage. For them, it was the first time they were traveling to Africa. To celebrate the moment, about 15 African-American students slept out under the stars to awake for a sunrise over Egypt. In the morning, they were joined by more of their classmates to watch the sunrise as the MV Explorer sailed into the port city of Alexandria.

For several students, the event market their first time sleeping out under the stars at night. “Oh my gosh, the stars looked like they were right there in front of ship, not so far up in the sky,” said Triana Francois, who is from New York City and attends the Fashion Institute of Technology.

For Shanae Strachan, this was her first-ever sunrise and one, she said, she is not likely to forget. “It was really wonderful to see,” said Shanae, who attends Monroe College (NY). “Alexandria may not be the prettiest port, but it’s the gateway to Egypt and, for us, to Africa. It was a very powerful moment for all of us to step foot on to this continent.”

The trip to the Great Pyramids was even more momentous for the two students. “Going to the pyramids and the temples seeing the drawings and the dark brown color of the people on the drawings from thousands of years ago made me feel really good,” said Triana. “We were in Africa and it was great.”

Click on the short video below to see the students' sunrise experience.

Post-Port Reflections on Bulgaria

2009-08-04T04:50:00.008-04:00

Bulgaria is a fascinating country still trying to find its place in the world economy and culture even after 20 years post-Communism. The country borders the Black Sea and is a beach resort for many Europeans and eastern Europeans. For Semester at Sea students, faculty, and staff visiting Bulgaria was a time to relax in the fairly quiet port city of Varna. Students met with Bulgarian college students, visited orphanages, took jeep safaris to rural areas, toured UNESCO sites, and were first-time visitors to small Bulgarian villages eager to welcome them. Below are some reflections of both faculty and students on their Bulgarian experiences. And, click on the short video at the end to see some photos. Be sure to check the Semester At Sea website for the longer audio slideshow.

Rocky Rohwedder, Semester at Sea Faculty (Visited a Bulgarian village)
If you solely based your impressions of Bulgaria on the port city of Varna, it might be easy to typecast the country as just another former Soviet territory struggling with its identity and becoming a free-market economy. However, after a trip to the rural countryside, a far richer story begins to emerge. It’s a story of people deeply connected to their historical roots, their local community, and what today we might call sustainable living.

As part of an SAS trip to a small village on the Doubroudza plain--considered the breadbasket of Bulgaria because of the many grain varieties grown in the area--we glimpsed the heart of Bulgaria and the depth of spirit of its' people. The mayor, along with passersby on the street greeted us, shook our hands, and welcomed us to their special place. We may not have understood their language, but their actions clearly communicated that we were welcome.

We toured the ‘community center,’ where villagers share books, art, theater, dance and stories, the mayor’s office, the local church (where we were moved by hymns sung by the priest), and finally the mayor’s home. There, we were treated to a 14-course feast of local foods, many of which were grown in the village’s organic garden. The food was prepared in a wood oven and cooked by the local village women. These same women also shared their circle dances, native crafts, lively music, and silly jokes.

This trip epitomizes what Semester at Sea is all about—a glimpse into the lives of everyday people where we saw not only the uniqueness of their culture and earth-based living, but also a reflection of our own visions of a slower, simpler life focused on the importance of family, friends, rich conversation, and healthy food enjoyed at a pace that allows us to savor it all.
(Rocky Rohwedder teachers a shipboard course on sustainable communities. You can follow his blog at www.sonoma.edu/ensp/rocky)

Sara Pecoraro, San Diego State University
I really enjoyed going to the Welcome Reception with the medical university students. My parents are from Central and South America and the educational systems are similar. In those countries, students declare their major or academic focus in high school and then go directly into university for that subject. I think it’s interesting that more countries are like that than like they are in the U.S.

I also appreciated how incredibly friendly the students at the medical university were. I felt like a saw a real part of Bulgaria with the music, dancing and just watching the Bulgarian students hang out with one another. And, I really enjoyed speaking with students who are around my age, but from another country and culture.

William Moore, Marquette University (Roamed throughout Varna)
Personally, it wasn’t my favorite port, but the one thing that I liked out of Varna, I liked the way the city was designed. I liked the way everything was juxtaposed because you had art museums in parks. The construction of the city was beautiful, even the low-income housing I thought the way that was put together was very nice. However, I didn’t have the best experiences with the people. But I could see Varna being the place to go to for private time. I walked around Varna and sat down and wrote in my journal. I wanted to feel the pulse of the city by walking around it. I really found things by walking around on my own which is the same way I walked through Spain. Bulgaria was a place that I had read about because I’ve always loved Slavic languages and life, so I did research before so I could discover the place on my own.

David Swerdlow, Semester at Sea Faculty
The Shabla fishing village has never been a site for tourists, our tour guide Lyuba tells us. Lyuba clearly loves her country, including this old fishing village, which she has chosen for us. She wants to give us a behind the scenes look at her country. Ours is the first tour bus to come down this road. We’re a group of nearly 30 people. Lyuba is nervous that we’ll find this village to be a backwards place, that we’ll be uncomfortable with its primitive toilets and lack of technology, that we’ll suffer in its heat. What she doesn’t know is that many of us are anxious to leave comfortable tourism behind. This is exactly the kind of experience we yearn for.

The first person we meet in Shabla is the oldest fisherman in town. He’s shirtless, up on a ladder, painting a sign. Lyuba gets his attention and asks if he’d like to talk to us. He turns to us, and we see his broad grin gleaming against his fisherman’s tan. He tells us that he’s making a sign to let people know that he has rooms to rent. Not only is he the oldest fisherman in town--he jokes--he’s the owner of the only hotel. Climbing back up his ladder and beginning to paint the next letter, he looks at his brush, waves it in our direction, and tells us that now he’s the town artist as well. It’s impossible not to laugh along with this good-natured man. As we walk through the communist era homes, we meet several other villagers who chat comfortably with us about their lives. They show us their fishing boats that the old men know how to build from oak trees. They’re afraid it’s a dying art in Shabla.

Eventually, we come to the home of the family that is preparing a picnic for us. We meet their dog. We see their chickens. We admire their garden. Proudly, they give us tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers to taste. They are delicious.

Along the coast, just past the fishermen’s makeshift shacks, we come to the site of our picnic. Amidst the gorgeous formations of limestone that line the clear water of the Black Sea, our fisherman family has found three flat places to set three lovely tables. Each table has its own large umbrella and portion of chairs. Two empty chairs are by themselves, facing the sea, with their legs partially covered by the water. The table cloths and umbrellas flap elegantly in the light breeze.

Our meal is stunning. That morning, the family fished for us. We eat fresh steamed mussels, fried smelts, grilled mackerel, and quick fried sea snails. The tomato salad is fresh from their garden, as are the potatoes and fried zucchini. There are hearty loves of bread. There’s an incredible fish soup that we drink eagerly. There’s beer and soft drinks. At the end, the men carve watermelons for us. We cannot finish it all, as much as we try. In truth, it’s one of our best meals of the summer, if not the best. It is made with care, and we realize that we’ve not been treated as tourists. We’ve been treated as friends, and we reciprocate. At the end of our lunch, many thanks are given. Hugs and kisses are offered and received. As our bus pulls away from Shabla, our Bulgarian family is waving, and so are we.

Eric Brindle, Univ. of Pittsburgh (Jeep Safari in Rural Bulgaria)
First experience studying abroad. I went on the Jeep Safari tour and that was a lot of fun. I’m not sure where we were, but it was this wooded area with a bunch of open fields. I thought Bulgaria was nice, I really liked it there. It was kind of more laid back than the other countries we’ve visited and I kind of enjoyed that part.

A Tender Adventure in Varna

2009-07-29T23:00:00.002-04:00

A number of students, faculty and staff had a rocky start to the first day of Semester at Sea’s stop in Bulgaria. The ship dropped anchor off the shore for the first few hours after arriving in Varna, Bulgaria, and passengers were tendered between ship and shore. Waters were a bit choppy and one tendering effort back to the ship provided an adventure for a few voyagers. One to two-meter tall waves rocked not only the tender, but the ship as well and turned a norm 20-minute tender and boarding experience into a 90-minute ordeal. In the end, the ship’s crackerjack crew prevailed and as has been the norm on the MV Explorer, everyone boarded safely even if a bit greener in complexion. Click on the short slideshow below to see the full effect of the crew’s efforts and the passengers’ adventure.

Semester at Sea Changed Her Life

2009-07-29T22:43:00.004-04:00

For Semester at Sea’s first-ever trip to Bulgaria, alumna Kelly Adams-Smith visited the ship addressing the voyage community as its diplomatic lecturer for Bulgaria.

Adams-Smith, who is the economic and political deputy counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, credits her time on Semester at Sea with putting her on the path toward her work in the foreign service.

“Semester at Sea changed the course and direction of my life," she told gathered students and faculty before a talk about Bulgaria. My life is what it is now because of my experience on Semester at Sea.”

Adams-Smith has worked for the state department for 12 years serving in Washington, Moscow, Estonia and now in Bulgaria. She majored in Russian in college and then Russian and East European studies in graduate school because of her SAS experience.

Following her talk on Bulgaria, Adams-Smith spent more than an hour meeting in small groups with students interested in foreign service work, attending an SAS-organized tour on human-trafficking with students, and dining with them on the ship.

“She is a real inspiration and I got so much from hearing her speak about her career,” one student said.

Hear more about Adams-Smith’s life-changing experience on her Fall 1988 voyage on Semester at Sea’s YouTube Channel. Just click on either of the photos to get to the website.

Experience a Sufi Dervish Performance

2009-07-29T22:38:00.004-04:00

Be sure to visit the Semester at Sea YouTube Channel to watch an interesting video of the students' visit to the Sufi Dervish ceremony in Istanbul.

Discovery the origin of "whirling dervish" (it's not just a frantic student running in five different directions) and watch this fascinating religious and spiritual ceremonial dance.

Just click on the image to find your way to the website.

Istanbul-A City of Many Stories

2009-07-28T09:13:00.004-04:00

Istanbul is a collage of cultures and religion—current and past. Its 15th century fortresses sit astride modern, boxy apartment buildings and roadways. Ruins from BC times are fenced off from the swirl of a busy street. It transports you to ancient times. And then, in an instant, a merchant snaps you back to reality as he gestures for you to come to his stall, check out his merchandise or his menu. It is an in-your-face culture that makes the hustle and bustle of New York City look laid back. But that is just a part of Turkey as Semester at Sea students discovered.

The other part is the rural, quieter areas that are introduced by fields of sunflowers. There are the rocky masses of Cappadocia (pronounced CAP-A-DOCH-EE-A) that make you feel like you’ve landed on another planet. There are the ruins of Troy. For some students, Istanbul, specifically, and Turkey, in general, was a bit of a culture shock, especially being from a western, predominantly Christian country and going to a Muslim country. For others, it was by far the best experience they’ve had on Semester at Sea.

Click on the short video at the end to view some of the images of Turkey and Istanbul and read the students’ thoughts on their five-day stay in the country. (Don't forget to check the Semester at Sea website for the official audio slideshow on Turkey.)

Lucas Firmino, Daniel Webster College
Istanbul is definitely different than I thought it would be. A lot of my preconceptions were dashed and I learned more about what the country really is. I thought that as a predominantly Muslim country that’s the way the government would work, but it’s not. It’s a more secular government, more like the U.S. I was surprised that people didn’t dress the way you thought they would dress and there are few people who actually wear the full Muslim dress. So, I’ve learned quite a bit from being around the people.

Emily Bialas, Univ. of Pittsburgh
Istanbul has been a big culture shock for me. I didn’t realize how large the Muslim community was here. I heard that there are 3,000 mosques, just in Istanbul. And the call to prayer was very strange and surprising to me. It was good to also leave Istanbul and visit Troy to see rural parts of Turkey. I learned that Turkey is a very independent, self-sufficient country agriculturally. Plus, being in Gallipoli and seeing all the letters from soldiers and their families was very moving.

Sarah Shepherd, Bowling Green State University
Istanbul is probably my favorite port. The people were just so friendly here and more than willing to speak slow since we don’t understand the language and show you where you need to go. I’ve even had people ask me “Do you need a tour guide? I’ll be your tour guide for the day. I’ll even take off work and show you around the city. It’s a beautiful city; I want to share that experience with you.” That’s just amazing to experience—that there are people here who just want you to experience a city they love so much. It just fascinated and thrilled me to see that.

Ana Alexandrescu, Lehigh University
We went to a sustainable car-free day in Istanbul on the second day we were in port and talked with residents and sat down and painted with children. People in the neighborhood brought out their version of doughnuts, a big bowl of them, and they said “Help yourself, you are our guests.” That was amazing. Another person we met the day before told us about a football [soccer] game to go to, where to buy the tickets, and how to get there. So, we ended up going to a football game, chanting the Turkish cheers and just being a part of the crowd, which was another amazing experience.

Eric Paulino, Sarah Lawrence College
I love Turkey. It is my favorite place so far. I really have fallen in love with Istanbul and the people here. I thought when the noon prayer was announced that people were going to stop—that the taxi drivers were going to get out of their cars, get down on the hot ground and pray to mecca. And I was like ‘How ignorant of me’ because life goes on. People pray when they can, just as we do in America. Going to a mosque for the first time and seeing how peaceful the call to prayer was and watching people march in and quietly pray, it was one of the best things I’ve ever seen.

Sarah Cogdill, Univ. of North Texas
I went on a university tour that had SAS students meet Turkish college students. I really enjoyed meeting with students one on one and learning about how they live and their life in college. The best part about being in Turkey for me was the interactions with people because they were so hospitable and friendly. They had a real curiousity for who we are and where we’re from and they wanted to share their city with us. I didn’t have any expectations of Istanbul and it’s exceeded any expectations that I could have had.

Mid-Voyage Reflections

2009-07-26T10:38:00.003-04:00

Just a little over a month ago, the MV Explorer departed Halifax, Canada for a 67-day voyage that would be a trip of lifetime for many of its students. In just one month’s time, the students have formed strong friendships, tried unique foods, challenged their peers, and pushed themselves to move beyond being tourists to become travelers in the countries that Semester at Sea has visited thus far.

They have learned that time is warped on the ship. There are no weekends, or days of the week for that matter. Instead, the days are tracked by whether we are at sea or at port and how much time is in between. In the end, few students are happy about this experience ending. But most agree that they won’t forget it anytime soon. Read on to learn some of the students’ thoughts at the halfway point of this journey.

GRACE OBANDO
It's difficult to come to terms with our voyage already reaching its halfway point. My global perspective has expanded beyond what I could have imagined. The people I’ve met on the ship, as well as in each port, have shared their lives with me, creating a world that you can't even read about in books. Semester at Sea has provided me the opportunity to challenge my own thoughts and perceptions within these countries. I am anxious to see what these next few countries have in store. I know they will bring excitement and fun.

JESSICA BINGHAM
Many of my learning experiences have come from just being on this ship. I have struggled with understanding some students who, despite living in the same country, have perspectives vastly different than my own. I’ve learned that it is not simply a language or a government that shapes our vision of the world, but also our socio-economic class, family, and other experiences. …I think one of the most wonderful things about this program is that it enables students to transcend notions of class or culture and decide for themselves what a culture is really like.

SAMANTHA SNELLING
To think that I got on this ship just one month ago blows me away. Already, I have created memories that will last me a lifetime. I can’t believe I have been to Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey! I’ve learned so much and have become so thankful for things that I left behind in Colorado. I am now, more then ever, proud to be an American, but willing to accept others and where they come from. After being a "foreigner" and always asking people questions and directions I promised myself that I will always take time to help someone who is lost or needs help in Colorado. I’ve learned a lot about myself on this trip and I know I still have much more to learn. I can not wait to see what the future holds.

RUDY SHAFFER
There is so much to absorb on Semester at Sea and, as we get further along in our trip, it just gets better and I learn more and more. The faculty, students, and lifelong learners have become my shipboard “family” from which I thrive and learn. The friendships and connections I’ve made aboard the MV Explorer are relationships I will have forever. The diversity, conversations, opinions, backgrounds, personalities and class discussions make this trip a much richer experience and would have been impossible to have if I traveled alone.

Each port has been so distinctly different and the interactions I’ve had with local people in these countries have been invaluable. We’ve coined the phrase, "try everything" and doing so gives us a taste of each country and a plan to return in the future. I’ve seen so many amazing places and I can't wait for what is in store in the next four weeks. This has truly been an experience of a lifetime!

JENNIFER PAIGE
I am truly blessed to have found such a program at such an influential stage in my life. The experiences I am gaining here have already begun to modify my views and behaviors. I have really enjoyed having conversations with locals, learning phrases in other languages, trying new foods such as bull cheek, and viewing historical sites such as the Acropolis. As a future physician, I have experienced how it feels to have a different cultural background, behaviors and language from others. Therefore, I will be more sensitive and understanding with patients. This voyage has made me bolder, more inquisitive, and has helped me to move out of my comfort zone more easily. I don’t think anyone can think of a better way for a student to spend a summer.

JENNY BOUATAY
It boggles my mind that it has been a month since I started this journey. I feel like I have grown so much in that short amount of time. The experiences I’ve had thus far will forever be kept close and dear to my heart. Semester at Sea has given me the wonderful opportunity to expand my horizons and see the world in a different perspective. Not only did it give me the chance to learn about the world, but also about myself.

TIMOTHY JONES II
Semester at Sea has been both a rewarding and a complicated experience. It is rewarding, clearly, for the opportunity to visit, explore and experience so many different countries and their cultures. It is complicated—and equally challenging—as an African-American man to realize how much people from my own country still have to learn about people of other ethnicities and races. As much as we as Americans are ignorant about other cultures, people, and religions of the countries we are visiting, so too are some of my fellow voyagers ignorant about other aspects of people in the U.S. who are different from them. But I have learned from some faculty and staff that this voyage is not about us vs. them. Instead, it’s about coming together to see the world beyond statistics and what we read in textbooks. It is about putting faces, stories, experiences, and fears into perspective and, as a shipboard community, opening our minds to educate ourselves and our peers to look beyond stereotypes and preconceptions and to truly learn about a person, a culture, a city, a country. Doing so requires a greater sense of compassion and responsibility. Dr. Martin Luther King said “We have flown the air like birds, and swam the sea like fish, but yet have we learned the simple art of walking together as brother [and sister]?” For me, the lesson on this voyage is that people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

TRIANA FRANCOIS
Semester at Sea thus far has been an array of experiences. The MV Explorer and the Institution for Shipboard Education teaches me lifelong lessons every second. Analyzing our summer voyage theme, Human Rights and Social Justice in the Mediterranean World, and being from a diverse background, I find lessons that relate to the theme right here on the ship. A month into this voyage I am trying to figure out what I can do in this world so that my experiences don’t start and end on this ship. I hope the ports I am visiting are just stepping stones to push me towards bigger issues at hand. I certainly have realized that being true to myself and honest is the best way to start and finish my journey.

ANA ALEXANDRESCU
Being from Romania, I technically know of all these places and have been to a few of them, for instance Greece and Turkey. But it’s a totally different experience. For, Spain, Italy and Croatia, I only read about them, so actually to go and visit was just amazing. And I’ve met some really wonderful people. We’ve had a lot of great moments and a lot of great experiences. And, I feel that, we’ve grown to be more of travelers, less of tourists. I’ve met people on this ship who share my interests and with whom traveling is a great experience.

SHANI GRAVES
So far this experience has been cool. I didn’t expect the program to be as diverse as it is, which is nice, but I also wish it could be even more diverse with people from so many different backgrounds. But I’ve also met some really cool people. There are four of us who travel together and call ourselves “the quad”. Each week is a year on the ship and I tell them I feel like I’ve known them for five years. …I’m enjoying my classes so far. And, the crew of the ship are phenomenal and absolutely amazing.

SARAH SHEPHERD
Time wise I feel like I’ve been on this ship for years, but that’s a good thing. I’m sad that we’re halfway through and we have only a few more ports and I’m going to have to go back home and go back to reality. ….On this voyage, the days don’t mean anything anymore. I keep track by time and days according to the countries we are visiting and when we’re at sea. The only time I need to know is when lunch is and when dinner is to make sure I don’t miss it when we’re in port so I don’t have to go and pay for it..

MATTHEW POLLINGER
Whenever you go off the ship, even if you run into people you’re not personal friends with but you know they’re SAS people, there’s a comfort. Everyone is friendly to one another and willing to help each other out, even if you’re not on a first-name basis. Just in the Grand Bazaar [in Istanbul], I was there by myself one day and I ran into a number of SAS people and they were happy to see me. …You never feel like you’re alone even if you’re in a big city.

LUCAS FIRMINO
The ship definitely feels like home. I went on an overnight trip recently and when I came back it just felt like I was home again. And it’s a really weird feeling; I don’t know what it’s going to be like when I get back to my actual house. The MV Explorer is a place where I can come back and see my friends. It’s a really good community.

ELISSA GREENE
I can’t believe it’s the half-way point already. A couple of days ago I was looking back on the first day and I thought it’s been a month. It’s almost like I have a second family here. I love it.

EMILY BIALAS
I noticed the other day that I’m crossing days off my calendar and it’s halfway gone. I still can’t believe that we’re on this trip. It’s a bittersweet time for me. I miss my family so much and so I’m excited to be going back to see them, but at the same time I don’t want this to be over. I know I’m going to be so sad on the last day. But it’s really neat, actually, realizing how many people I’ve met. I’ve watched all the slideshows about the voyage [on the SAS website] online and going through them I realize I know so many people now. So you can definitely tell that we’ve been on here for a long time, because the community does get stronger I think.

ERIC PAULINO
I do think it’s a great opportunity for me as an America students to come into a country and be a part of it—albeit for four or five days—and experience something that’s different than my rushed New York life. So, for me, the most rewarding part is how I’ve challenged my own biases and prejudices. Even though I consider myself so progressive, I realize through this experience that I do have biases and prejudices. And, I’m learning so much in each country every day.

NHESTY ONG
It’s hard to imagine that we’ve been here for a month already, going around the world. I’m having a blast. The stuff that I’ve learned, people who I’ve met--this is be one of the most important moments of my life. At this point of my life, this is one of the most significant experiences, so I’m really grateful to have had this opportunity. When I go home to Taiwan or the Philippines, I definitely want to do something for people and for social justice. This voyage has really opened my perspective.

SARAH COGDILL
I don’t like to think about this being over. My transitional period when I get home is going to be tough for me because I’ve been looking forward to doing this program and this voyage for so long. But then, I’ve made friends in each country who tell me I can come visit them whenever, so I know I’ll be back to probably everywhere. Still, I’m avoiding that thought of this ending. I’m having more fun than I could have ever imagined.

NY Times Reporter Sails with SAS

2009-07-23T16:17:00.004-04:00

New York Times national correspondent Randy Archibold has joined the Semester at Sea voyage as a Special Distinguished Guest Lecturer. He joined in Greece and will be sailing for two weeks until Egypt. In that time, he is speaking to several classes about his work as a journalist, participating in a panel discussion on careers in communications, and meeting with lifelong learners and diversity scholars.

“It’s been interesting not only to visit these countries, but to speak to the students about their impressions of them,” Archibold said. “I’ve also enjoyed speaking to students about their future careers as well as answering questions about mine.”

Archibold, who is based in Los Angeles for the paper, covers Southern California and the Southwest. He has spent more than two decades in journalism working for a number of papers, including the Los Angeles Times. This is his first time on a cruise ship and sailing with Semester at Sea.

“This may be a 67-day voyage, but the experience for these students will carry on for years,” he said.

To read Archibold's stories from the NY Times, click on the link: http://tinyurl.com/rcanyt

Post-Port Reflections on Greece

2009-07-23T10:07:00.003-04:00

Greece is a country that is full of surprises in its ancient treasures, its landscape, food and people. Semester at Sea students learned that Greece is much more than white-washed buildings with blue-domed roofs. There are islands with terrain that is reminiscent of Colorado and the drier hills of southern California. And, to stand before the Parthenon, and realize that 2,500 years ago its architects studied the human eye to better understand how to construct the building is awe inspiring. SAS students thoroughly explored the country’s numerous, and gorgeous, islands. And most were impressed by the Acropolis and ruins at Delphi. Scroll down and read their reflections on Greece. Then, visit the Semester at Sea website to view the audio slideshow.

Gian Spells, North Carolina A & T State University
My journey through Greece was a great experience. From just walking around Piraeus to visiting Delphi, Meteora and the Olympic stadium of the 2004 games, the experience was really memorable. At Delphi and Meteora we saw the ancient Greek Oracle, which is said to lie in the center of the Earth. We learned the story of the Oracle and then went on to Meteora to visit the monasteries in that area’s high mountains. The monks use ropes to pull food and other necessities up from the bottom of the mountain. We visited three of the seven monasteries, which were filled with religious symbolism, art, and history. At the Olympic stadium we visited the indoor and outdoor pools, took pictures on the winning podiums and just soaked up the experience. Greece is an incredible country; I wouldn’t think twice about coming back to visit.

Christine Sullivan, Univ. of Connecticut
I spent my time in Greece relaxing on the island of Mykonos. As expected, it was incredibly beautiful with blue Aegean waters, unique Cycladic architecture, and rocky landscapes. I enjoyed “island time” and appreciated the Greek (and overall, European) culture of relaxing and enjoying the moment—not rushing to the next appointment. It was a welcome escape and a different view of Greece.

Samantha Snelling, Colorado State University
So much of Greece reminded me of Italy, especially Piraeus, the port city, with its high-rise buildings and beautiful Greek orthodox churches on every corner. Greeks are very proud of their religion and their beautifully designed churches. I also visited the Acropolis, which was like visiting a lost world. But helping with the special event on the MV Explorer with the Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deree College students was a surprisingly great opportunity. There were multiple different press people there and they were kind of funny. I met a girl named Elenie who attended Deree and we really hit it off. She was wonderful. I am learning, on this voyage that, for the most part, the people, leaders, and faculty are so welcoming and inviting and that helps make this voyage better.

SAS Featured in the Greek Press

2009-07-23T08:37:00.004-04:00

Semester at Sea made headlines in a number of Greek news outlets following its one-day special event with Greek officials and Deree College administrators and students. Click on the images of the news stories to go to the links. But, be forewarned, one article is in French (go figure) and the other in Greek.

Translation for the Greek article is below.

Deree – Semester at Sea: Floating University [appeared in Kerdos news]
The passenger ship Explorer, on board which the Semester at Sea program—sponsored by the University of Virginia –takes place, is visiting Piraeus with more than 700 students from various universities of USA and other countries around the world.

During this visit, the cooperation between SAS and Deree college has been corroborated. This cooperation allows exclusively Deree students to participate to SAS program which will also offer scholarships in order to boost that participation.

It is only the second agreement of SAS with international educational institution outside US. The first was the one with the prominent University of Shangai.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Miltiades Varvitsiotis, and number of Greek officials visited the Explorer. Deputy Minister addressed the visiting students for the challenges Greece and the greater area about Greece are facing and for the initiatives of Greece. The Minister praised SAS and the Deree for this agreement and pointed out that it will further widen (Deree’s college) students’ horizons.

A group of students and staff from Deree college visited the Explorer and they received a guided tour on board the vessel. They were introduced to the educational offers of SAS and they expressed their interest into participate in the program.

SAS is a fully recognized educational program on university level. Participating students are able to transfer (SAS) credits to their own university and they will widen their knowledge by studying on board this floating university. Explorer is fully equipped with library, classrooms and amphitheatre, visual and audio means and can offer more than 70 different courses in each voyage.

Deree college, part of the American College of Greece, is a non-profitable educational institution, recognized and certified by NEASC, with long history in Greece. The American College of Greece was founded in 1875 in Smyrna of Asia Minor and moved in Greece after the disaster (resulting from war) in Asia Minor. It offers five master’s programs and 19 bachelor’s, following the American model of higher education.

Today, Deree counts more than 28,000 alumni who have earned jobs in more than 1,700 companies and organizations in Greece and internationally.

Semester at Sea Celebrates New Affliliation with Deree College

2009-07-23T08:25:00.003-04:00

Deree College’s president and administrators, as well as dozens of students from the Athens-based college, joined Semester at Sea administrators, faculty, staff and students to celebrate a new agreement between Semester at Sea and Deree that will expand and strengthen SAS’s global program.

The new agreement will allow students attending Deree, a division of the American College of Greece, to enroll in and experience the Semester at Sea program.

“The agreement with the American College of Greece underscores Semester at Sea’s long-standing commitment to fully internationalize the program,” said Les McCabe, president of the Institute for Shipboard Education. “We are excited to welcome students from Deree College—such an impressive institution of higher learning—to future voyages of Semester at Sea.”

More than a dozen students from Deree College attended an open ship event to meet Semester at Sea students, tour the MV Explorer and learn more about the program, during the special day-long event in Greece. SAS students also participated in a panel discussion about the program and their experiences.

“We are very eager to partner with this very outstanding program,” said David Horner, Deree College’s president.

Click on the video below to see more about the special relationship between Deree College and Semester at Sea.

Greece Deputy Foreign Minister & Other VIPs Visit MV Explorer

2009-07-23T07:55:00.005-04:00

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a number of other Greek dignitaries, visited the MV Explorer during its stay in Piraeus, Greece, to tour the ship, learn more about the program and celebrate the program’s new partnership with Athens-based Deree College (see blog posting above).

"That we are here means that we believe in this program,” Varvitsiotis told a gathering of Greek and Semester at Sea officials. “And we believe in the importance of people coming to visit our country to learn more about our country.”

Varvitsiotis is quite familiar with Semester at Sea; his sister sailed as a student on a recent voyage. She is now a journalist in Greece.

The special day-long program included a number of special moments, marking an important time for Semester at Sea. During the morning, Les McCabe, president of the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), which operates Semester at Sea, and SAS Summer Voyage Executive Dean Michael Zoll joined Andreas Potamianos to raise the Semester at Sea flag atop Potamianos’ Epirotiki Tours building.

ISE’s relationship with Potamianos dates back nearly 40 years. Potamianos oversaw the design and construction of the MV Explorer, which once cruised Greek's islands in 2002. Potamianos owns Epirotiki Tours and had the MV Explorer built in 2001 for his tour company. ISE chartered the ship for its 2004 summer voyage and then purchased it in 2008, making it SAS’s official floating campus. Years earlier, Semester at Sea leased the Odysseus and World Renaissance ships from Potamianos’ company.

“I’m very proud that the [MV] Explorer has been dedicated to a noble cause: Educating the young generations of the future,” Potamianos said to gathered Semester at Sea and Greek officials. “…She now found her historical destination, training young people for a better world.”

Click on the video to watch some of this special event during the MV Explorer and Semester at Sea’s stop in Greece.

Semester at Sea on YouTube

2009-07-17T06:34:00.000-04:00

Be sure to visit Semester at Sea's YouTube Channel where you can find extended videos about students' travels to the eight countries the program will visit this summer. There's also a video about the start of the voyage and soon.

The most recent video captures the special visit to the Osojonik Village in Croatia.

Click on the photo to go directly to the video. And, be sure to bookmark the SAS YouTube Channel to see all that's happening aboard the MV Explorer and Semester at Sea's 99th voyage!

And the Winner Is…..

2009-07-13T04:32:00.000-04:00

The Yellow Sea team!!! This summer voyage’s Sea Olympics proved just as wild and crazy, with good natured rivalry, as in the past. Nine teams, representing seas from around the globe (several in which we’re sailing), vied for top prize: first to disembark the ship upon arrival in Norfolk.

The Yellow Sea team gave a rousing synchronized swimming performance to start off the competition.

Students competed in Pictionary, mini paper boat races, tug of war, lip syncing, an academic bowl and a “makeover” contest. Even faculty, staff, and younger children joined in for a day of true fun and games.

Click on the slideshow to see some photos of the day.

Croatian Media Visit MV Explorer

2009-07-12T16:39:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the help of our ship's captain, Roman Krasnovic, several Croatian media outlets visited the MV Explorer during the time in Dubrovnik. During their two-hour visit, the reporters and photographers spoke to the captain and met with students, faculty and staff and toured the ship. Click on this short video to see the photos of their visit.

The Welcome Surprise of Croatia

2009-07-12T16:08:00.000-04:00

If Italy was “amazing” for Semester at Sea students then Croatia was a breathtaking surprise.

The port city of Dubrovnik was a beautiful city of white houses, rose colored tile rooftops, a pristine Old City and hopefulness among people who endured a harrowing war nearly 20 years ago. Faculty, staff, and students were surprised and bowled over by the majestic coastline city and its lush countryside.

“Croatia wasn’t really on my radar as a place to visit, but after coming here I really look forward to returning,” said SAS professor Melvin Rogers.

Watch a short clip of photographs from the students’ time in Croatia and read some accounts of their experiences in the country as well as those of faculty and staff.

BILLY KEEFE MANHATTAN COLLEGE
The first day we arrived in Dubrovnik I went on a field program to the City Walls in the Old Town. The entire tour took around an hour and a half to walk around the walls, which are 1,940 meters long. One of the things that really astonished me was when the tour guide showed us a map of the entire region around and including the walls that was bombed during the war involving Croatia. It shocked me to see how many places in that area were actually attacked and how beautiful the area has become since the war. I really have gained a new respect and appreciation for the resilience and determination of the Croatian people.

As we made our journey around the wall my friends and I were surrounded by breathtaking views. In front of me was the bluest water of the Adriatic Sea. Behind me was an unexpectedly immense, majestic hillside. To the left were vibrant, rustic Mediterranean-style roof tiles of the Old Town houses, cafes, and churches. To my right was the distant seascape of the uninhabited and serene island of Lokrum and the port side of the New Town.

On my fourth day in Croatia, I was scheduled for a tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but overslept and missed the tour bus. I sprinted out of the pier and tried to find a taxi bargain a ride to Medjugore, Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet my tour bus. The taxi driver glanced at the side of my backpack and then mumbled something under his breath and sped off. I later learned that the water bottle I was carrying on the side of my backpack, which I bought in Montenegro the previous day, was named after a malicious Serbian leader who carried-out cruel acts on Croatians during the war decades earlier. Judging from the taxi driver’s reaction, I realized that 20 years may be enough time to rebuild houses and reconstruct landscape, but not enough time to heal intercultural relations and amend past atrocities. I put the water bottle in my bag, hailed another taxi and made it to Medjugore, the second largest Catholic pilgrimage, at almost the same time as the field program bus arrived. Though the beginning of the day started off a bit frenetic, the tranquil ambiance of my environment—an environment which not too long ago was literally in the midst of some of the most horrific war crimes—left me unexpectedly appreciative of the beauty and resilience of this region. I left Croatia with an undiluted sense of hope.

ERIN BEAULIEU UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
I felt like Croatia was so laid back. Nobody is in a rush to go anywhere. They are very relaxed. And they were so welcoming and so friendly. And everyone spoke English; I think that’s because Dubrovnik is really a touristy place, but it helped me learn my way about the city a lot. Everybody was so welcoming and so friendly.

I did a lot in Croatia. I went to an Osojnik Village folk show, to children’s orphanage and a children’s hospital, to the beach and kayaking and snorkeling. It was a really good experience, because I really didn’t know what to expect and it was all a pleasant surprise.

I visited the children’s orphanage for my social work class to compare and contrast orphanages in America and Croatia and the differences they have. One of the main differences is that all of the hospitals in Croatia are all governmental; nothing is private. Everyone has the same health care where in America we don’t have that. They have one social worker for the entire hospital, whereas in America there’s a social worker for different departments and they specialize in different departments for the hospital. So children or elderly can special care. But on a larger scale all the health accommodations between the two countries were very similar. They have almost all the same vaccinations and rules and safety precautions. It was really interesting.

The most exciting part about the folk show is that based on the description in the SAS handbook, I thought we were going to end up in the theater watching a show. Instead, we ended up in someone’s home eating a traditional meal with the family members serving us and the dad playing an instrument that was kind of like a violin. And then everyone started dancing and pulled us up to dance with them. It was kind of fun, because you really didn’t expect that. No one really knew what we were doing. It was really kind of fun.

If it’s possible to have a favorite port, I think I would vote for Croatia right now.

DANIEL HORNS SAS FACULTY-GEOLOGY PROFESSOR
It was five or six years ago that I first saw photos of the seaside, fairytale town of Dubrovnik, Croatia. It instantly shot to the top tier of my “Places to Visit” list. The Old Town area of Dubrovnik sits on a rocky headland and is surrounded by walls made of cut white limestone. Waves of clear blue water crash against the rocks below the walls. The walls--and the buildings inside--are capped by red clay tiles. A maze of narrow, marble-paved alleys winds through the buildings. If you took the best imaginations and animators at Disney and asked them to create a medieval/renaissance village, they would fall short of Dubrovnik.

When I finally got to visit Dubrovnik with Semester at Sea, another Disney reference came immediately to mind: Crowds. Great throngs of people bumped off each other as they wandered in groups through Old Town. Visually, Old Town surpassed my expectations. Psychologically, however, I felt like I was visiting a theme park rather than experiencing Croatia.

Our ship was docked in Graz Harbor, about 2 miles north of Old Town. In the evening after visiting Old Town, a colleague and I went out to get dinner. We reached a fork in the road – Old Town to the left, random neighborhoods to the right. I convinced my friend to head to the right to see a part of Dubrovnik beyond Old Town. After a few blocks of meandering, we came across a restaurant with a few tables out on the sidewalk. Three groups of people were eating, all of whom spoke Croatian (a language rarely heard in Old Town), and nothing on the menu looked familiar. We decided to take a chance, sat down, and ordered a few items with only a vague notion of what was coming. A long time later (this being a real European restaurant, it was assumed we planned to spend three hours eating) we were treated to a great meal of cheeses, smoked meats, soup, and potatoes.

It was my best meal in Croatia. We later learned that the restaurant is known to locals as the only place in Dubrovnik to get real Croatian food.

Our wonderful dinner reinforced the old adage that while you can learn a lot about a place by reading guide books and visiting the major attractions, great memories often come from ignoring both.

ZABRINA ANDRES LIVING LEARNING COORDINATOR
One of my special trips in Croatia was visiting a nonprofit called Desa (pronounced DESHA) that is devoted to helping unemployed women in the region. Desa first began after the war in the early 1990s to help female refugees who were left with little more than the clothes on their backs. Today, its mission is still to serve women and it does so with outreach, education, and instruction on weaving and silk embroidery. (Click on the image to go to the Desa website)

In a daring effort to resurrect the silk industry in Dubrovnik, a founding DESA member smuggled tiny silkworm eggs from France into Croatia by slipping them in her bra to keep them warm, alive, and secret. The eggs hatched into the silkworms that produced the silk that became embroidered thread for garments, table runners, bookmarks, cards, placemats, and accessories to stitch a country together. In the u.s. we have the refugees on their TVs, but in Croatia they came day after day.

After leaving the shop, we headed to a war photo exhibit that displayed prize-winning pictures from conflicts around the world: Colombia, Iraq, and Croatia. Many of the images were in black and white, but they were so powerful and poignant. I had tears in my eyes by about the 20th image, and on in particular. The exhibit made me think of the military people I know. I think I will remember that particular image and the emotion so intense on the film long after I leave Croatia.

PAUL BUTLER LOYOLA UNIVERSITY (CHICAGO)
We have already visited two other countries previous to Croatia (Spain and Italy) and it was interesting to see the difference between what is classified as "Western" Europe and "Eastern" Europe (or the Balkans). It is wonderful that among these geographically close countries there is still a sense of uniqueness and national pride that is a fiery passion within the citizens. Western Europe was filled with history of war. For Croatia, war and death was part of its immediate past and it is evident in conversations with some locals that the war is still a fresh wound for many Croatian people.

When I envisioned Croatia, I expected a country far behind the globalization movement, a place where progress was strongly needed and poverty was high. Croatia proved me wrong; this country is beautiful, filled with an amazing culture, an atypical landscape, and friendly people eager to share their culture. It is the land of the tie, a European Union hopeful, a recent victim of war and death, and the land where they say god was arrogant in his creation of the world. My experiences with Semester at Sea fulfilled my goal, for it gave me a taste of Croatian culture that will I hope to experience again to return enjoy a beautiful country and people.

SAS Students' Memories of Italy

2009-07-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

From Rome to Venice to Civitavecchia to Naples to Capri, Semester at Sea students had a wonderful experience in Italy. Scroll down to read all their stories and see some of their photos.

SARA PECORARO, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Visited: Rome, Sorrento, Capri and Anacapri
I was really looking forward to Italy because both of my parents have strong Italian backgrounds in their families. My paternal grandfather and my maternal great grandmother were from Sicily. I grew up with a lot of Italian mannerisms and ways and the food. So I was looking forward to seeing if everything I experienced as a child in my family is really what Italy is like. I wanted to see if people really speak and interact as passionately with one another as I imagined and saw in my grandfather. I was also looking forward to seeing St. Peter’s Basilica and square because I’m Catholic. It was quite overwhelming. There I was in the Basilica looking down at the Square and I could just imagine this whole square full of people for the Pope’s mass.

I visited Rome for my first three days in Italy. I didn’t expect to turn every corner and see history everywhere I looked. Coming from a place that’s so new, like the U.S., and to see all that information was very interesting.

The most unforgettable part of my trip was visiting Capri and Anacapri which where amazing. That’s what I expected Italy to be: a small town with narrow streets that had beautiful, colorful flowers everywhere and the most beautiful water. The water was blue and green with restaurants everywhere and chairs and tables for people to sit out. It was the most beautiful, unforgettable thing about Italy.

TIA DAWKINS-HENDRICKS, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Visited: Rome, Pompeii, Naples, Capri and Anacapri
I want to go to Italy again in the near future because I just thought it was amazing. Seeing the Coliseum was everything I dreamed of and more. Learning about it in my art history class was just the beginning, but going to explore it was just so special for me. It was just amazing to me to see the ring where these people fought and died and all the seats where people sat around to watch. I tried to imagine sitting there watching these battles. To know that we could learn about all of this in school and then to come and touch the columns and touch the wood was really just amazing to me.

It’s just crazy to see that all of these different places of the world are beautiful in their own unique way, and you get to explore them on this wonderful journey. It’s just a blessing.

GRACE OBANDO, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
Visited Rome, Pompeii, Naples, Capri and Anacapri
Italy is a place where you need more than four or five days explore. You need at least two to three months to even touch the surface of what Italy has to offer. I was fortunate enough to visit Rome, Pompeii and Capri.

I had been looking forward to visiting Pompeii since I was in fifth grade and learned about it and Mt. Vesuvius. I’ve always been fascinated by this city that’s been frozen in time. It was amazing that I found myself walking there, touching the walls, looking at the remains of these houses that were once part of a vibrant city so many thousands of years ago. It was an experience that I will never, ever forget. To hear more about Grace’s visit to Pompeii and to see photos of the city covered by Mt. Vesuvius, click on the the photo at right.

AERIALE COOKSEY-KRAMER, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
Visited Venice
I ventured off to Venice on my trip to Italy to experience authentic Italian life on my own. It seems as if the world has romanticized Venice in such a way that would almost be impossible to live up to. I’ve certainly romanticized about riding in a gondola and falling in love under the moonlit sky, accordion music in the background and all.

But Venice lived up to every one of my expectations in more ways than I could have ever imagined. The people were incredibly helpful and friendly. The cobblestone streets led to beautiful alleyways that were filled with brightly colored clothes hanging out to dry. Fruit and fish markets were crammed with Venetians. And I sat by a canal watching boats motor past.

I rode in a gondola (the driver even sang and whistled a bit) and sat outside on the balcony of my hostel watching the moon reflect off the water. I walked over the Grand Canal and let pigeons claw into my arms for bread in the middle of the famous San Marco Piazza. Venice was peaceful, serene, magical, and so much more. I fell in love with the city and the atmosphere. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back one day to enjoy an almost indescribable experience.

BROOKE WOJDYNSKI, SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
Visited Rome, Naples, Capri and Anacapri
On day two of our visit to Naples, I headed off to the lovely island of Capri, which was definitely a highlight of this voyage. Capri is absolutely stunning. From the sparkling green blue waters to the peak of Anacapri 900 meters above sea level, this island was blessed with beauty.

We took a hydrofoil over to the island from Naples. When we arrived we took small buses to Anacapri, the highest point of the island. When we got as far as we could by coach, we took a chairlift to the top of the mountain. The view from the top of the mountain was unreal. It’s so difficult to describe. I felt like we were in the heavens. The clouds were at the same altitude as us, and sometimes they would pass by and everything would get really foggy. When you looked off the side of the mountain you saw cliffs all the way down to the seashore. Flocks of white birds were soaring below us over the tops of luscious green trees. The water still looked stunning with its green blue tint. I wished so badly to have some of the people I love there with me, and then I realized I was one of the few who actually did have someone I loved with me. Sharing the moments with my sister were precious and I was thankful.

We took the chairlift back down and went all the way down to the seaside where we got in a speedboat. We figured we had already seen the island from above. We might as well see it up close and personal. The boat was awesome. My professor, Alex Nalbach, and his partner were on the same boat and we had such fun hanging out with them. We got to see some amazing caves, cliffs, and stalactites. Once we made it to the other side of the island, where all of the mega-yachts were, we swam around. Now I can say I have swam in the Tyrrhenian Sea! We went back to the beach and then got back on the hydrofoil to Naples where we got back on the ship. Capri was absolutely fantastic and one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

All I keep saying to myself is how fortunate I am. So few people have been able to have this experience, and even fewer get to share all of it with their sister! I am so happy to be a part of this program. I wish so badly for other people from other countries to be able to have this experience. If everyone traveled I really do believe we would have a greater understanding of each other. Regardless of our customs, despite our governmental structures, even though we hold different roles and come from different regions, we are all people. We all laugh and smile. We all love and kiss. We all dance.

If there is one thing I am learning it is that we are not as divided as we may sometimes seem. I am no more valuable than another being. If we all love and are loved we are equal in my eyes.

A Trip on SAS to Italy? ...Priceless!

2009-07-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

"Amazing!" That was the common response when Semester at Sea students were asked about their experience in Italy. From historic sites in Rome and Pompeii to hiking Mt. Vesuvius and floating in a gondola in Venice, students were thrilled with the time they spent exploring and eating their way through this country.

Below is one of several blogs about the students' travels, photos, and thoughts about their time in Italy. We start first with Rome.

Click on the photo below of the Semester at Sea students to watch a You Tube video about their time in Rome.

Rome: History Around Every Corner
In Rome, seeing history is completely unavoidable. It is everywhere you turn—a piece of ruin that juts out from behind a bush, a fountain, a simple looking church that happens to hold the Bocca della Verita (the Mouth of Truth).

“The stunning thing to me is that it’s not recent history, it’s ancient history. It’s not 200 years old, it’s 2,000 years old,” said Corbin Greene, a student from the University of Northern Colorado. Greene toured many of Rome’s historical sites during Semester at Sea’s three days in Civitavecchia, which is an hour outside of Rome.

Dozens of Semester at Sea participants toured Rome’s popular sites and were struck by the vast amount of history on almost every street throughout so much of the city.

During an Origins of Rome field trip, Greene and other students toured the Capitoline Museum, an archeological museum that holds much of the art and artifacts of ancient Rome. Housed there is the original statue of Marcus Aurelius, Rome’s popular emperor. But it was walking around the streets and touching the Coliseum and Pantheon that really struck Greene and his peers.

“As an American Studies major it really puts stuff in perspective to see places that have been around so much longer than the United States has been in existence,” he said. “Our storied past doesn’t even compare.”

For Jen Russo, history was coming alive for her everywhere. Russo has been studying art history this summer and was able to see much of the Roman art she had been studying in her class. “How often do you get to study something like this one day, see it the next day and have such an ability to relate to it again in a class discussion,” she said. “It’s just simply unforgettable.”

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez Visits Semester at Sea

2009-07-07T00:29:00.000-04:00

U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-California) spent several days with Semester at Sea participants, sailing with the program from Cadiz, Spain to Civitavecchia, Italy, and sharing stories of politics, Italian-American affairs, and life as a woman in Congress.

This is the first time Rep. Sanchez has sailed with Semester at Sea, 30 years after first learning about the program as a college student at Chapman University. Back in 1979, Sanchez drove her friend to the ship for her friend’s voyage. Sanchez returned again to visit that friend, SAS Summer 2009 instructor Kathy McCarrell.

“I’m delighted that Loretta can get time to join the program. She has done such remarkable things with her life and has so much to share with students,” McCarrell said.

Rep. Sanchez, who is fluent in Italian, served as a special Interport Lecturer for the voyage. She lived and studied in Rome during graduate school and currently works on a number of issues related to Italy as a representative in Congress, including meeting with Italian officials regarding military basing.

Sanchez represents the 47th Congressional District of California, which encompasses parts of Orange County. She began her congressional career in 1996 and is serving her seventh term in the House of Representatives. She is the ranking woman of the House Armed Services Committee and sits on the Oversight and Investigations, Strategic Forces, and Military Personnel Subcommittees.

During her time aboard the MV Explorer, Rep. Sanchez met with dozens of small groups of students, spoke in several classes, and fielded questions from students during a nearly two-hour Q&A discussion.

“She was really confident and inspiring,” said Mourette Valcin, a student from Bethel University, MN, who attended the Congresswoman’s two-hour Q & A session. “She was really informative on how the governments of the U.S. and Italy are different in how they are run, but how important Italy is as an ally for the United States. I really enjoyed hearing her speak.”

Click on this link to Semester at Sea's YouTube channel to watch some of the Congresswoman’s time on the ship. Semester at Sea was delighted to have her on board.

Seeing the World and Saving it Too

2009-07-03T22:21:00.000-04:00

Students aren’t just traveling around the world this summer—they’re also helping it. Through a project spearheaded by professors Andrea Parrot and Rocky Rohwedder, Semester at Sea students, faculty and staff have contributed more than $5,000 to go towards BeadforLife, a nonprofit program that helps women in Uganda, Africa.

Parrot, who teaches international women’s health and a course on human sexuality on the summer voyage, learned about the bead program through Dining for Women, a dinner-giving circle that exposes women to international nonprofits working on women’s issues. At a function, Parrot, a professor at Cornell University, learned of BeadforLife and was struck by the program’s mission and work.

In the program, Ugandan women twist small strips of recycled paper into beads that are shellacked and strung into necklaces, bracelets or earrings. Volunteers and supporters sell the jewelry and the money collected goes directly back to community development projects in the Ugandan women’s community.

“I was so inspired by the story of this project and these women,” Parrot said. “And I thought the mission of our voyage this summer [“Human Rights and Social Justice”] fit nicely with the organization’s work.”

The bead project also fits with Rohwedder’s interests and his course on sustainable communities. Craig Butler, a student in Rohwedder’s class, was intrigued by the program’s connection to sustainable living and development and bought two bead necklaces. “I’m really interested in things that provide sustainability to others,” said Butler, a business major who is interested in social entrepreneurship. “It’s a new way of looking at how to improve communities.”

Benvenuto a Italia

2009-07-02T00:07:00.000-04:00

Or, "Ciao", as the Italians say.

Semester at Sea has arrived in Civitavecchia, Italy, the port of Rome. Civitavecchia is a plane ride from Venice, a three-hour train ride from Pisa and Florence, and a hop, skip and a jump from Rome. Many SAS voyagers flocked to the country's main city upon arrival fully loaded with backpacks in hand for overnight explorations of Rome and its wonderful food and sites. Others boarded planes and trains bound for Venice and Florence.

Be sure to check back for future blogs to read about Italian Inteport Student Alessandro del Ponte and to hear more about the students' experiences and thoughts on Italy.

Faculty Profile: Alex Nalbach, Global Studies

2009-06-30T08:17:00.000-04:00

Keeping a class of more than 800 students, faculty, staff and lifelong learners awake, captivated and interested about the history of the Mediterranean is no easy feat. However, Alex Nalbach, Semester at Sea’s Global Studies professor, seems to have mastered it. Using a combination of energetic speaking, creative PowerPoint presentations (complete with moving graphics and sound effects) and an expertise of the subject matter, Nalbach has managed to make learning about the Mediterranean--from B.C. to present day--fun.

Nalbach is an independent scholar currently writing a book about the history of the world. For 10 years, he taught history seminars at the university level. This summer, he is teaching a 75-minute class every day Semester at Sea is sailing—23 lectures in all. He spent more than six months preparing the material and quite a while researching how to give engaging interactive lectures.

Most students and lifelong learners rank Nalbach as one of the best instructors on the voyage. Watch the accompanying Q & A video with Nalbach to hear his thoughts on the importance of Global Studies to the Semester at Sea experience. And look for more faculty profiles in upcoming
blogs.

Storm Trackers

2009-06-29T05:21:00.000-04:00

Can the ocean really help predict if a hurricane is forming?

Students in Prof. Dan Horn’s Physical Oceanography class are figuring it out. The Semester at Sea class focuses on an ocean’s various aspects, including some biological components and its waves, currents, climate and erosion. One important factor is tracking water temperature to determine hurricane development.

“Water surface temperature controls global weather and this time of year it controls hurricane development,” Horn explains.

Horn and his students have been deploying buoys into the Atlantic Ocean that they will track via the Internet to check the likelihood of hurricanes forming. Click on the video to watch the latest buoy deployment. To follow the progress of the buoys, click on the following link: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/dac/gdp_track.html and enter "WMO #62938" to see how the buoys are tracking water temperatures so far.

Bunkering in Gibraltar

2009-06-28T16:30:00.000-04:00

Everyone aboard the MV Explorer got a glimpse of Gibraltar during an early morning pit stop to fuel the ship before it took off for Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean voyage. The ship passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea before bunkering in Gibraltar for much of the day. The area was sprinkled with oil tankers and a couple of other cruise ships, stopping for fuel before a long voyage. The MV Explorer sailed off from Gibraltar around 4 p.m. today. It is scheduled to reach Civitavecchia, Italy on Wednesday, July 1.

Spain in Review

2009-06-28T16:14:00.000-04:00

This blog post and the one below will give you a glimpse of Spain as many Semester at Sea participants experienced it. Be sure to check out the slideshow on Spain on the Semester at Sea website: www.semesteratsea.org

Dispatches from Spain

2009-06-28T15:40:00.000-04:00

Amazing architecture, interesting foods, a laid-back atmosphere, and friendly, helpful people are the lasting impressions many Semester at Sea students take from their four days in Spain.

A Spanish sunrise greeted students upon the MV Explorer’s arrival in Cadiz, Spain on June 24. Students were hustling to get off the ship after just over a week at sea. During the four days in Spain, they traveled extensively throughout Spain’s Andalucia region. Many fanned out across the city of Cadiz. Others toured the white town region around Ronda. Many headed north to Sevilla to visit that city’s famous cathedral and Alcazar palace. They tried out their Spanish (or sign language), discovered new foods (bull’s cheek) and, through their explorations, absorbed Spain’s beauty, history, architecture, people and its culture.

Here are some dispatches from the students’ experiences and travels.

Rudy Shaffer, Portland State University, OR
I really liked this trip to Spain. The “White Town Route” tour to Ronda was really amazing. The buildings were gorgeous and sit atop this winding hill that we walked up to reach the town. The village [of Ronda] was so small. I was just so fascinated by it and wondered what it would be like to grow up in a town with one little market, one church.
I also did a hike at Grazalema Natural Park. We hiked for two hours to reach the top and the view was so amazing that we were able to see France, not clearly, but it was there in the distance. It was so beautiful to see Spain from this perspective.
I found that with each trip and tour I took I felt like the world just gets bigger and bigger. The more you go out and explore, the more you realize how much you don’t know about the world. That forces you to be adaptable, I think. And that just makes me want to learn more.
We also went to a really good tapas place in Sevilla and I tried octopus. I couldn’t believe I did that. We shelled the shrimp with its eyes and just tried different things. I feel like that was the whole point of being here, to try new things.

William Moore, Marquette University, WI
I stayed in Cadiz for this trip and walked around the city. I discovered the local churches and had a chance to go inside and really take time to look around them. I took suggestions from the locals here for restaurants and places to see. That’s what I came here for, to see the local surroundings. …I like walking around a city by myself. I didn’t want to go to tourist spots. By walking around I think it’s a better way to experience the city, especially since I want to relate it to my classes. I think my experience in the cities will definitely help me with my classes more because I have something to relate them to now. …In Cadiz, I felt really at home walking through the streets. I was comfortable asking people for the time and the good places to eat and things to see and do. I saw lots of similarities with America with how the people are with their children and who they choose as their icons. It was nice just to see that we may be 10,000 miles away but we have similar thought processes about some things.

Devika “Dev” Ghai, Whittier College, CA
This was my first time to Spain. It’s just been amazing. I can’t believe it’s gone by so quickly. I stayed in Cadiz for much of it. Cadiz is just beautiful and so picturesque. There’s a real sense of nostalgia when you look at the older buildings and the narrow, cobblestone streets; you just want to soak it all up. The city really has its own atmosphere, which was nice.
The thing that most surprised me about Spain was the food. I expected it to be spicier, but the flavors were much more subtle. I think I was comparing it to the Mexican food I normally have in L.A. I thought since Spain had an influence on Mexico the foods would be very similar, but that’s not the case. It’s simple food, but really good. I loved the seafood and the bread, olives, and cheese. Each day I came to appreciate it more. And I learned that my perception of Spain being more Latin was not true; Spain is much more European than I thought.
I also visited Algeciras and Porto de Santa Maria for the tour of the Rafael Alberti museum. It was fun to learn about Alberti, how he was exiled from the country after the civil war and just looking at his paintings and poems and then walking around the town that was his inspiration. My time in Algeciras was also wonderful. I saw a Spanish bullring from the first time. Then, I walked into a restaurant in that town. It was pretty quiet in the restaurant and the, all of a sudden, the waiters started dancing in these synchronized movements and told us to join them, so we did. We were all dancing in the restaurant, in the middle of the afternoon, in Algeciras, for about 20 minutes. That was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.
Now, I’m looking forward to seeing if my preconceptions of Italy will match the reality there.

Nhesthy Ong, Kainan University in Taiwan
I went to Barcelona with a group of about 10 people. I wanted to go there because it’s the second most visited destination in Europe; it’s second to Paris, according to websites. So, I kind of wanted to know why. And it was incredible; it’s a fun city. I’ve been to Paris before and Barcelona is equal to Paris. The architecture was great. Seeing all the architecture and art of Antoni Gaudi and seeing the park. Sometimes, it didn’t feel like I was in Spain because so many people spoke English, but the experience was good. I liked seeing a big city and then coming back to Cadiz and seeing the other side of Spain, more relaxed and laid back. Barcelona was too globalized, like every big city. Personally, I prefered Cadiz and the smaller, more authentic, laid back side of Spain.

Jennifer Paige, Winston-Salem State University, NC
I visited Cadiz, Algeciras, and Sevilla and I saw Flamenco dancing and the wonderful architecture and older buildings. When we got here I was ready to get off the ship and eat some food, especially after hearing the lecture from David Gies. I was also really curious to see how Spanish people would look and dress. Maybe because of the traditional pictures I’ve seen, I had in my mind that they would dress a certain way, but they dressed just as normal and you and me.
I also loved seeing the sense of community here. It was nice to watch how parents interacted with their children and see people taking their time. In America everyone is rushing around saying “I gotta go. I gotta go.” In Spain, it was laid back, calm and relaxed. I liked that. And the architecture was beautiful. It was Spain to me, just as I imagined it might be: Old buildings with so much history there. It was really wonderful. …And the sunflowers, fields of sunflowers on the train ride to Sevilla. Just yellow, as far as the eye could see. Just gorgeous.
I also met so many nice, patient people here who were so willing to help you when they knew you were making and effort to try to speak their language. Even if all I could speak was high school Spanish, it was something. In Sevilla, I chatted for a while with a man using a little bit of my Spanish, a little bit of his English and lots of trading our dictionaries back and forth, but we learned a bit about each other. And I tried bull cheek and shark. The bull cheek was a little tangy, but I liked it. …The whole point is to try new things.

Bienvenidos a Espana

2009-06-23T09:47:00.000-04:00

When the MV Explorer docks in Cadiz, Spain tomorrow morning, every passenger who attended any of the Explorer Seminars by Interport Lecturer David Gies will be more than prepared.

"It was like attending a history lesson on Spain with additional information on food," said Joe Coleman, a lifelong learner, who attended each of Gies' three seminars.

Over the course of three evenings, Gies quickly dispelled the misconceptions of Spain as solely about siestas, vino, bullfights, Flamenco dancing, strict religion, spicy food and the Francisco Franco dictatorship. Instead, he explained that country’s complex and rich history, dating back to 1100 B.C., through its nearly four decades of dictatorship, to its present day democracy.

“Spain is a layer-cake of history, beginning with the ancient indigenous peoples, and building upon centuries of influence and conquest by numerous populations,” Gies told a standing-room only audience during the first of his three seminars.

Woven throughout Gies’ historical timeline were descriptions, and discussions, of Spain’s art, architecture, culture and, of course, its food and nightlife.

Dustin Farivar, a senior at the University of Colorado at Boulder, got a greater sense of the sites he could see on his trip to Sevilla. Gies' talks "made me realize some of the hidden wonders of Sevilla," Farivar said.

Gies is a professor of Spanish literature at University of Virginia and was the university’s first academic dean for Semester at Sea. He will take on that role again for the Fall 2010 voyage.

By the end of Gies’ three seminars, people had a good sense of how to navigate their way through Spain and had much to look forward to.

"I've not been to Spain before and this has me completely fascinated about what I will see in my trip to Sevilla, Granada and Cordoba," said Coleman, a retired judge from Seattle. "It was a wonderful lesson for me."

Gaining New Perspectives

2009-06-23T09:28:00.000-04:00

Visiting the United States had not been high on Fernanda Lima Sento Se’s priority list. That was before she set sail with Semester at Sea as its Interport Spanish student.

After two weeks of living with more than 700 U.S. college students—and making a number of friends—Fernanda returns to her home in Spain tomorrow with a much greater interest in the U.S.

“I’ve really enjoyed meeting so many different people and I’m looking forward to going to visit the different cities where they are from,” said Fernanda, who lives on the Spanish island of Mallorca and attends university in Barcelona.

In return, Fernanda hopes the stories she’s told about life among Spanish college-age students will inspire her U.S. peers to discover the different personalities of her countries many cities and provinces.

“People thought Spain was much less cosmopolitan than it really is,” she said. “They asked me a lot of questions about bull fights and partying and there is much more to Spain that that.”

In a recent Explorer Seminar (one of 16 information classes open to students), Fernanda spoke to curious students about life in Barcelona, the museums, and what makes each of the different provinces special. “Every little town has its own personality; they are all so distinct with their own customs and traditions,” said Fernanda, 22.

Fernanda admits that she is not the typical Spanish student. She was born to Brazilian immigrants who who settled in Mallorca after retiring from a professional traveling dance company. She studied in a British-run primary/secondary school where she took French and German. She speaks Portugese with her family, Spanish, English, French, German and two Spanish dialects—Catalan (in Barcelona) and Mallorquin (on Mallorca).

However, if there is a new face of Spanish youth, Fernanda may be part it. Most of her friends span the spectrum of Spain—German immigrants in Mallorca, northern African and South American immigrants and students in Barcelona, young adults with a long family history in Spain.

“People in Spain come from so many different places now and the country is changing in so many ways,” she said.

Fernanda hopes to show some of her new U.S. friends her Spain if they have a chance to meet while Semester at Sea is in the country.

First Land Spotting

2009-06-21T10:17:00.001-04:00

The MV Explorer's captain graciously (and slightly) diverted the ship so everyone aboard could view land--the first siting since Semester at Sea (SAS) departed Halifax on June 16!

By 7 p.m. shipboard time (19h00), the islands of Corvo and Flores were in clear view. An added bonus was a quick lesson about the islands from SAS's geology teacher Dan Horns:

These two islands are volcanic and part of the Azores, a Portugese archipelago in the Atlantic.
The islands sit aside the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a submarine ridge that separates the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

So, upon viewing and passing the islands, Semester at Sea's summer 2009 voyage officially entered Europe.

Bridge Tours Bring Special Surprises

2009-06-21T04:43:00.000-04:00

Every day, there are three scheduled tours of the MV Explorer's bridge, the room from which the ship is commanded. Normally, the tours are standard. However, every once in a while there are special, spontaneous events. One day, a report of an approaching iceberg prompted the captain and his senior crew to remap the ship's route.

Yesterday's 4:30 p.m. bridge tour turned out to be much more eventful than anticipated.

Here is an entry from living learning coordinator Zabrina Andres and what she and her group saw during their tour:

"Shortly after Alfonso Song, the second officer, explained the mechanics, engineering, and steering of the ship, one of the Semester at Sea students spotted a distant spray of white foam directly ahead of us. Her eyes were the sharpest of the group, as the rest of us had to wait, straining our eyes, to see the spray again.

A whale!

Alfonso and another crew member interrupted the tour to take the vessel off auto-pilot and steer slightly starboard to avoid hitting the oncoming whale. We actually got to see the ship's instruments in action. Our group of 15 squealed over the whale sighting and clambered around the compartment to take pictures.

Then, we got another bonus as someone else spotted dolphins heading our way. There were about 20 of them in several groups leaping through the waves toward the ship, seeming to follow the whale. As they got closer, we realized the dolphins were actually teaching their babies to jump, as the distinctly smaller animals jumped in perfect sync next to their mothers.

It was, without a doubt, the best bridge tour ever!"

--Zabrina Andres
Living Learning Coordinator, Health Promotion
Semester at Sea--Summer 2009 Voyage

Building Community Aboard the MV Explorer

2009-06-20T18:41:00.000-04:00

One of the benefits of being in a confined space (in this case, a ship) with a group of people one sees constantly (800-plus students, lifelong learners, faculty, staff, and their family members) is that a community forms which makes the program work well. On Semester at Sea voyages there are a multitude of opportunities to develop community. The “Building Community…” theme is an ongoing blog series about the events that occur that help create the overall shipboard community.

Read today's entries directly below: “Discovering Shabbat”; “Dining with Lifelong Learners”; and “Appreciating Commonalities”.

And check back for future blog stories about the flourishing community on the Semester at Sea Summer 2009 voyage.

Discovering Shabbat

2009-06-20T18:35:00.000-04:00

Nearly 30 students attended the first Shabbat dinner of the Summer 2009 voyage to share in and learn about the Jewish tradition. The small group of students, living-learning coordinators, and a few lifelong learners, shared challah bread and wine and discussed the tradition that begins the Jewish Sabbath each week.

“People came to share about their Jewish faith and quite a few people were there to learn about it,” said Becky Kenemuth, a living-learning coordinator on the voyage. Kenemuth, who is Jewish, explained Shabbat and its traditions and led the prayers in both Hebrew and English.

Lissa Place, the living-learning coordinator who specializes in religion and spirituality, led the program with Kenemuth. “I think [the dinner] was a time for people to reflect on their own family traditions and to take time to rest, have a meal together that wasn’t rushed, and really talk and learn from one another,” Place said. “It’s an important time for all to connect.”

Dining with Lifelong Learners

2009-06-20T18:29:00.000-04:00

One privilege of being a lifelong learner aboard the Semester of Sea voyage is an invitation to dine with the ship’s captain. The 17 lifelong learners enjoyed that opportunity recently as they got to know the captain and other senior crew members, received tips on traveling through Italy by the ship’s Italian engineer and spent time together getting to know one another.

“I found it really wonderful to have that experience and learn more about the ship and the people who operate it,” said Carol Larson, the lifelong learner coordinator and a first-time full voyager on Semester at Sea.

The lifelong learner program is open to anyone above college age who is interested in a more educational traveling experience. Lifelong learners take classes alongside undergraduate students and interact with students to form an inter-generational learning community.

Check back to read more about the lifelong learners and the important role they play in the voyage’s inter-generational community.

Appreciating Commonalities

2009-06-20T18:25:00.000-04:00

As a young African-American woman traveling abroad to Europe, Jennifer Paige is very aware of what makes her different and how that will make her stand out in the countries she will visit during the summer voyage.

She relishes the opportunities to connect with other African-American women and share experiences, hopes, fears, and commonalities. One recent hang-out session with a few classmates wound up being a fruitful conversation that included Assistant Executive Dean Dia Draper and Lissa Place, a living-learning coordinator on the voyage. The group of seven women, talked for nearly an hour about everything from how they all came to be on the same voyage together, and finding financial to afford it, to sorority life and caring for their hair while traveling.

“It’s nice to have someone here to fall back on and to know that there are faculty here who can relate to me,” says Paige, who attends Winston-Salem State University.

Another important topic to Paige and her classmates was how to encourage other African-American students in the U.S. to consider study-abroad programs. “It’s amazing to me that so many African-American people I spoke to at home don’t know what being “abroad” means. It’s something I’m really hoping to change; to get people want to travel.”

For now, Paige is looking forward to her traveling learning experience.

A Diverse Experience for All Aboard

2009-06-18T21:55:00.000-04:00

This summer, the Semester at Sea voyage has one of the most diverse groups of students in the program’s history. That is due in part to the nearly two dozen Diversity Abroad scholars who have embarked on the SAS Summer 2009 voyage.

This is the second year the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), the parent organization of Semester at Sea, has awarded these diversity scholarships to students. The first scholarships were given for the Fall 2008 voyage.

ISE partnered with diversityabroad.com in the spring of 2008 after a chance meeting between SAS Director of Marketing, Cody Hartley, and Diversity Abroad founder, Andrew Gordon. The two men sketched out a plan for the partnership, shook hands on the agreement, and went to work on the program. The goal: to award merit-based scholarships primarily to students of color who show promise and interest in studying abroad. Ultimately, the intent is to increase access to Semester at Sea’s global educational opportunities for students from diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

For Nexus Cook, a senior from Temple University, the experience has meant learning from people with very different perspectives than her own as well as experiencing people from other countries with different cultures.

“Even being on this trip for two days has already really opened my eyes to how differently how people think about and approach issues simply because they come from different parts of the country,” said Nexus. “I’m learning so much already and hopefully am teaching people things too.”

Diversity Abroad was created to increase the number of underrepresented students who study abroad. This year’s group of scholarship recipients is the largest number of students to participate in the program.

“We had planned to give out 10 scholarships for the summer voyage, but ISE expanded the program to award 22 scholarships to acknowledge the incredible pool of applicants,” said Hartley.

More than 50 applicants applied for the scholarships through ISE and Diversity Abroad. Participants were accepted based on review of their answers to the essay question: “Why is it important to me to study abroad with students from diverse backgrounds?” Each of the 22 students received partial scholarships for the voyage.

As part of their role as Diversity Abroad scholars on the voyage, the students will work on several projects to examine issues of diversity aboard the MV Explorer, within the SAS Summer 2009 program, at the ports and in the countries they visit, and provide suggestions on how to further improve the program.

“We can’t look outside the hull of the ship for diversity without first being able to find diversity within the ship,” said Dia Draper, assistant executive dean for the SAS Summer 2009 voyage. “I think it’s important to ISE that many different types of students get this experience in order to better reach diverse populations for the program. As an educational institution that’s the greatest gift we can give any of these future leaders.”

To learn more about the Diversity Abroad scholars, visit the Semester at Sea website where you can view their video essays and follow their blogs. Visit: www.semesteratsea.org/admission-and-aid/financial-aid-scholarships/diversityabroad-scholarship.php

What Makes Studying on the MV Explorer Special

2009-06-18T15:25:00.000-04:00

When many people think about studying abroad in college, they envision a single-point study program. While these study-abroad programs can be valuable experiences, there is something uniquely different and life-changing about the opportunity to learn on a moving vessel that travels between multiple countries and which allows for great and deep comparative learning, research and experiences.

Following are some aspects of why learning on the MV Explorer and through Semester at Sea is such a unique and worthwhile academic and life experience for college students:

The students’ international experience begins the moment students step foot on the ship. The MV Explorer is staffed by an international crew of 220 members who represent 22 nationalities and hail from countries that include India, Ghana, Jamaica, the Ukraine, Austria, the Philippines, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Guyana, Romania, Hungary, Nicaragua and more. The ship is led by a Croatian captain, has a Greek staff captain, an Italian chief engineer, a Ukranian safety officer, Filipino chef and chief housekeeper, and a lone American serves as the chief purser.

Being on a moving vessel allows students to learn how to be responsive and nimble, whether it is adjusting to the rolling of the sea or the quick changes in time as they cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Learning on Semester at Sea is kinetic. As they travel on the ocean, students gaze upon a horizon and witness the vastness of the ocean, something they may have never realized or appreciated before. As the ship pulls in to port, the students’ first view of the city is magical. This experience sets the tone for the students’ first three-dimensional view of everything they’ve been studying while at sea.

When they step off the ship and on to land, learning becomes very tangible with each street they travel. Students begin to connect the real-life architecture, monuments and customs to the in-class discussions of histories and civilizations.

Each SAS voyage fulfills Thomas Jefferson’s ideal of the academical village, where shared learning is infused in daily life. Living and learning aboard the MV Explorer is a microcosm of Jefferson’s model. Here the academic and student community live and learn side-by-side as they travel the world. This provides numerous opportunities for intense and engaging discussions, deeper reflection, and exchanges that would rarely take place on a land-based campus or even a single-point study abroad program.

Students have access to some of the brightest and talented academic minds culled from across the nation. Some of the top academic scholars bring their work, passions and lessons to the Semester at Sea community to challenge students and enhance their understanding of our multicultural and complex world.

Fast Friendships Lead to Travel Buddies

2009-06-16T23:48:00.000-04:00

They call themselves “The Hotel-less Bunch”--a trio of SAS voyagers who landed at the Nova Scotia airport at 2 a.m. on embarkment day and settled there for several hours before sharing a cab to the port to check-in for their journey.

The threesome formed fast bonds in that short time, linked by their shared interest in exploring issues of human rights and social justice while learning about the cultures of nine different countries in just two months.

“We found that we had quite a few mutual interests—in international rights, children’s issues, and other areas—and a lot of time together to talk about them,” said Belinda Wilson, a mother of three from Tennessee, who recently returned to college after more than 20 years and enrolled in the SAS voyage upon the insistence of her children.

Wilson and fellow airport SAS holdovers--Wan Wang of UC Berkeley, and Josh Hernandez, who’ll be transferring to MIT in the fall—decided to travel together on a few trips. After 40 minutes of pouring over the SAS field program booklet during check-in, the trio decided on 10 trips together, one in each country.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and I want to make sure I experience places and people and things that I may not get another chance to do,” said Hernandez, a physics major.

Wang, who would like a career with UNICEF, and Wilson, an English and international studies, selected several outings to children’s orphanages. “We really want to immerse ourselves as much as we can in the countries while we have the chance,” said Wilson. “What better way to do that than to be as close to the children and the families as possible.”

Embarkation Day—SAS Summer 2009

2009-06-16T23:18:00.000-04:00

More than 700 students from across the U.S. and a handful of other countries dragged their bags and themselves through an early morning check-in to embark on the MV Explorer and their two-month journey on Semester at Sea.

Woven within the long lines that snaked along the port of Halifax are stories of instant friendships, many “firsts” for the SAS experience, and eager global explorers. Read on to find out more about the students who make up the 99th voyage of Semester at Sea.

A Voyage of Firsts

2009-06-16T23:14:00.000-04:00

Semester at Sea may be nearing its 100th voyage, but the Summer 2009 experience marks many firsts for this global study-abroad program. It is the first voyage to:

Have full enrollment;
Have 300 colleges and universities represented on a single voyage;
Have the most diverse student body, with 20% being students of color;
Use small discussion groups as part of the learning process;
Have living-learning coordinators with specialties that include leadership; academic success, religion and spirituality, intercultural affairs, and health and wellness;
Sail to Bulgaria.

SAS Summer 09 Deans Ensure Parents that Students Will ‘Stand Upright and Scan the Heavens’

2009-06-16T18:56:00.000-04:00

Several hundred parents toured the MV Explorer and met with Semester at Sea co-deans Michael Joseph Smith and Mike Zoll, along with other SAS officials and volunteers, to quell their nerves and hear about the voyage during a pre-board parent tour and “orientation”.

“Our goal is to create a shipboard community of exemplary teamwork and cooperation in pursuit of an integrated learning experience,” Dean Smith, the voyage’s academic dean, told the more than 200 parents gathered in the ship’s student union.

Smith and Zoll, the executive dean, are the SAS trip’s primary administrators. Together, they have constructed a dynamic program that draws upon the talents of an experienced faculty and staff and is certain to inspire students, challenge their perceptions, and expand their knowledge of and appreciation for the cultures, histories and artifacts they encounter on the 67-day voyage.

In addition to calming parents’ nerves about sending their children off to sea on a global journey, the deans noted the challenges students will encounter in expanding their capacity for empathy and their imaginations for experiences.

“We are a purposeful community,” Zoll told parents, emphasizing the points of noted educator Ernest Boyer’s principles for a successful college community. “It is a place where the intellectual life is central and where faculty and students work together to strengthen teaching and learning on the campus.”

As executive dean, Zoll oversees all student life issues and community affairs on the ship and voyage. On land, he is the Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs for Semester at Sea/Institute for Shipboard Education and brings more than two decades of leadership experience in higher education to his role.

Dean Smith sets the theme of the voyage—“Human Rights and Social Justice in the Mediterranean”—as the main academic administrator. He oversees all courses and academic work, ensuring its rigor and thoughtfulness. He is a professor of political and social thought at the University of Virginia, where he teaches courses on human rights, political thought, ethics, and international relations. During this summer’s voyage he is teaching a course on ethics, human rights and world affairs.

Smith sent parents off into the night with the words of Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, who concludes a section of an essay that discusses the wisdom of opening one’s eyes beyond a small vision to one that is open to scanning the heavens.

“I hope that all of us on this journey will indeed stand upright and scan the heavens,” Smith told the parents. “Surely, an ideal place to do this, will be this summer, on the decks of the MV Explorer as we sail the sea celebrated by poets from ancient times to the present.”

Meet the SAS Summer 2009 Community

2009-06-15T18:58:00.000-04:00

The SAS Summer 2009 community is a diverse group of students, lifelong learners, faculty and staff. In fact, our voyagers are the most diverse group of any Semester at Sea journey.

Of the more than 700 students who will embark on the MV Explorer tomorrow in Halifax for the two-month voyage, 20% are students of color and 25 are international students from countries that include Canada, China, Bahamas, Pakistan and South Africa. There are also 22 “Diversity Abroad” scholars on this voyage, the first-ever scholarship resulting from a recent partnership between Semester at Sea and www.diversityabroad.com.

Our faculty and staff hail from various universities and cities from around the U.S. with vast amounts of academic experience and traveling experience. Several faculty members are repeat SAS voyagers. Most are sailing for the first time. A few are making their first voyage out of the continental U.S. They have been working independently for months together as a group for several days to prepare curriculum, programs, and exercises to be ready for students upon their arrival tomorrow.

Check back for future blogs to learn more about the dynamic students, faculty, lifelong learners, and staff who will part of this global experience.

Welcome!! Read on and visit regularly.

2009-06-14T21:49:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Semester at Sea-Summer 2009 voyage blog. Check here regularly and often to learn about the exciting and life-changing experiences that students and lifelong learners aboard the ship will encounter this summer. Meet new SAS faculty and staff. Hear from the deans of the summer voyage. And, learn something new about life in the Mediterranean countries Semester at Sea will visit.