tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37979503440944849872024-02-19T06:28:53.069-05:00It's a Big Blue Watery RoadTorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-89084145210581383292012-02-14T16:38:00.000-05:002012-02-14T16:38:21.079-05:00HONDURASoriginally our itinerary said we would visit cube, because of safety issues they then told us we would be visiting the island of Honduras called Roatan. We only had two days to explore so i tried to make the most of it. my friends Dianna, Causey (michael), Valleria, Gina and i booked a dolphin encounter with Anthony's Key resort. So, we took a taxi to the resort, paid then ventured down the beach because we had some time to burn.<br />
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we found a porch style restaurant that opened just for us. the owner came over and introduced himself and told us how he made a new life for himself after being successful and unhappy in the U.S.. We bought sweet potato fries and went out on the beach to, layer on the dock and enjoyed our drinks.<br />
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It was soon time to return to Anthony's. We took a small boat to the dolphin area where we got our gear and entered the water. we got to pet the dolphins, and watch their behaviors like jumps speed and showing off. At the end of that we took pictures with the dolphins, holding them and getting kisses. For the second half hour we put on our snorkel and flippers and joined the dolphins in their recess time. COOLEST EXPERIENCE!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNc17lEFd-b7Mn-sajsdlHLO0IBceFgH9bq8cDqRyYLacht3c6vEqNOTVKpeRL4GQow6lyE7Ac2Stw-js8_8CQXyP2FCY5_pMc8s-zkC_KdGwRHCrvuh9j6rAq9iOuCNpaOsHu5nJ2vw/s1600/AKR_7080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNc17lEFd-b7Mn-sajsdlHLO0IBceFgH9bq8cDqRyYLacht3c6vEqNOTVKpeRL4GQow6lyE7Ac2Stw-js8_8CQXyP2FCY5_pMc8s-zkC_KdGwRHCrvuh9j6rAq9iOuCNpaOsHu5nJ2vw/s320/AKR_7080.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>After our dolphin encounter we went to the house that us and 20 of our friends rented out for the night. Once we got there we realized we had missed dinner so we decided to walk the shoreline into the town for dinner. long story short- the tide was too high and the rocks to slippery, so we headed inland. We found another tourist, got ourselves a cab and him take us to his favorite restaurant. It was delicious and our ride was lots of fun (we listened to "mrs williams" a bunch of times). He picked us up when we finished dinner, took us back to the house and became our personal driver.<br />
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At the house i spent my night in the infinity pool on the deck overlooking the ocean. we all just hung out, reminisced enjoyed our last night in a port together. it was very bittersweet.<br />
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The next day was rainy and gross, so i spent the morning at the house, then our cab took us to a shopping area but nothing was open, so we were stranded for a bit. Finally we got a cab driver and he took us to the port where we spent some time doing last minute shopping.Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-28864314674801162112012-02-14T16:36:00.001-05:002012-02-14T16:37:41.308-05:00COSTA RICA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My friends and I decided we wanted to go zip lining. so my friend michael causey went online and set up a day for a big group of us to go sip lining and horseback riding. We went to Adventure Park Hotel Vista Golfo and the day included;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span></div><ul><li>Horse Back ride</li>
<li>25 zip-line cables over 11 water falls – one of the longest zip-line and canopy tours</li>
<li>1 suspension bridge</li>
<li>2 rappellings</li>
<li>Bathing and photography opportunities at the biggest water falls</li>
<li>Mountain waterfall pool</li>
<li>Complimentary lunch</li>
<li>State-of-the-art fail-safe equipment that is fully certified</li>
<li>Fully trained, experienced and bilingual guides</li>
</ul><div><br />
</div><div>That night my friends Audrey, Will, Ryan, Jessica and Beijuie rented a room at a hostel right by the beach. so we went out dancing at a salsa club and the next day went to a bakery for breakfast then walked down the board walk and looked at all the souvenirs.</div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYtHCRxVNBFQcdvLuIEHM7ZeWdjD5QjNCzcaFTxY6zEnCEJBaYgFQJEbpSIpVodABXWoQ8UJgp9KGv8bGboyfMNQPw-3PkCz-kj45Yhd1GRE9gDpGt_BUCuNBXdxZ7jMan6NtH1rlgPc/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYtHCRxVNBFQcdvLuIEHM7ZeWdjD5QjNCzcaFTxY6zEnCEJBaYgFQJEbpSIpVodABXWoQ8UJgp9KGv8bGboyfMNQPw-3PkCz-kj45Yhd1GRE9gDpGt_BUCuNBXdxZ7jMan6NtH1rlgPc/s320/044.JPG" width="215" /></a></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-21751428827952223442012-02-10T08:05:00.000-05:002012-02-10T08:05:05.626-05:00HAWAII/ ThanksgivingThe day before thanksgiving, the ships crew gave us a thanksgiving dinner. my group of friends and i got dressed up and went. it was really nice but nothing like being home with the family.<br />
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We docked in hawaii that night but we weren't allowed off the ship for customs reasons. it was a teases, but the next morning we were allowed off early. My friends Audrey, Jess, Beijuie, Emily v., and i started our day by walking to a local farmers market. we each bought a fresh fruit, like bananas pineapples and mangos.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw9B0pacm_Cxv7gBmzDKspH4dDC-Rx6T2Esyh1sLmeOzFYOBa-4pRSCpUp1n0hVrj6h1fPhi6SC3SJ5dHCyUTdzgd0XQbMIcwJ31Cx2kfSHimtcmzVF-qmha3pwjpCV8woueTmdiE-K4/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw9B0pacm_Cxv7gBmzDKspH4dDC-Rx6T2Esyh1sLmeOzFYOBa-4pRSCpUp1n0hVrj6h1fPhi6SC3SJ5dHCyUTdzgd0XQbMIcwJ31Cx2kfSHimtcmzVF-qmha3pwjpCV8woueTmdiE-K4/s320/047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzX7ltoSCU7iqCxH_dKutVoXwjm4gngvvGHR62GWSeX0QE24qGuCjvagqrYYnPQoUY1jo7kzyHnnS74EVs44hOeY8atqAxAP7WQWOkahoeCpQhyphenhyphenXqvaknlXGkoXWz9N_KqVaz8lwmRPnI/s1600/049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzX7ltoSCU7iqCxH_dKutVoXwjm4gngvvGHR62GWSeX0QE24qGuCjvagqrYYnPQoUY1jo7kzyHnnS74EVs44hOeY8atqAxAP7WQWOkahoeCpQhyphenhyphenXqvaknlXGkoXWz9N_KqVaz8lwmRPnI/s320/049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Our next stop was mcdonalds... but the purpose was wifi connection to the world (and one friend had to register for class).<br />
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Finally we made our way to a black sand beach. the black sand is crushed up lava rocks from the nearby volcanoes. it was beautiful.<br />
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Even though the day was slightly overcast, we ate our "friendship fruit salad", climbed on the rocks, played in the water and even swam with giant sea turtles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rOPqRs5QnvIgP782KFiS1iKZIPtO07iBor9N6c5gVAf6pEU4OC1x5X0_YzNa-O1VfwayLXf2fTeF_a1rauEuafcX64uglHkt8i0pddtkiTfGkdyUBhjl8_5_e-zjf5u3kkhrn1OvdUk/s1600/101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rOPqRs5QnvIgP782KFiS1iKZIPtO07iBor9N6c5gVAf6pEU4OC1x5X0_YzNa-O1VfwayLXf2fTeF_a1rauEuafcX64uglHkt8i0pddtkiTfGkdyUBhjl8_5_e-zjf5u3kkhrn1OvdUk/s320/101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQoW8Fu1Kp8ztClFy6WtsyEjjDpS_9Lid4DJNemtrgLUmaJacaAohb9sH5xNyvYebAJePIwPeCI62BL7O-k2w5tq_l4XNvQljG7GdHVQymZ53SiVacpGj7LoLx87FrmnJ8FTJFxwoDsek/s1600/106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQoW8Fu1Kp8ztClFy6WtsyEjjDpS_9Lid4DJNemtrgLUmaJacaAohb9sH5xNyvYebAJePIwPeCI62BL7O-k2w5tq_l4XNvQljG7GdHVQymZ53SiVacpGj7LoLx87FrmnJ8FTJFxwoDsek/s320/106.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>there were 5 sea turtles relaxing among the rocks in pools of water. it was a very cool experience to swim in the same water as them. By far a thanksgiving to remember!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAhRdl4NxAUlKPPH_Gv9EnpsUmRdCXDW8AWBoZqhDXyvODEf7ZhZRAtpzNqEeREChr_2HJMT4J8F1aGEGekY0CqEDfJ2GCV7Y4k7zgwm-zrjcbkorMWcVIhBmSNcGPqFRVWfwEfJ-mUM/s1600/118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAhRdl4NxAUlKPPH_Gv9EnpsUmRdCXDW8AWBoZqhDXyvODEf7ZhZRAtpzNqEeREChr_2HJMT4J8F1aGEGekY0CqEDfJ2GCV7Y4k7zgwm-zrjcbkorMWcVIhBmSNcGPqFRVWfwEfJ-mUM/s320/118.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-59656058945498141722012-02-10T07:06:00.001-05:002012-02-10T07:07:27.538-05:00Japan- Yokohamaon my fourth day in japan i went on the SAS city orientation of Yokohama.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWJGrDVSAJ1n_ReiG1_WScNWviXEoKzsw2CyaXYK1sL3kU9fvJ3LMlXanB_AENCQCkP4jgsDlcfsauvoHXxlpwR4OupvT_R4l3Ld5RBDOjTsWmij7YmkdWorOLwz4yHG2_pzHx5d_fP0/s1600/100_8646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWJGrDVSAJ1n_ReiG1_WScNWviXEoKzsw2CyaXYK1sL3kU9fvJ3LMlXanB_AENCQCkP4jgsDlcfsauvoHXxlpwR4OupvT_R4l3Ld5RBDOjTsWmij7YmkdWorOLwz4yHG2_pzHx5d_fP0/s320/100_8646.JPG" width="213" /></a>On my last day i finally got my sake :) just as delicious as i hoped! i drank my OJ sake with my pastries for breakfast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5yjZtC7NBBKHMSA4nqYP_Gd_a941nMfwk4MsDnfgRDxx40N0K1dUxYoyllFzRu-89zV5x3b1oqs4877Fc2hDNxBBZAYdYoIJpMBA8HrBRCABqwrm8CYrol8RBrliZeC9oW3hf6CQ7Hw/s1600/100_8653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5yjZtC7NBBKHMSA4nqYP_Gd_a941nMfwk4MsDnfgRDxx40N0K1dUxYoyllFzRu-89zV5x3b1oqs4877Fc2hDNxBBZAYdYoIJpMBA8HrBRCABqwrm8CYrol8RBrliZeC9oW3hf6CQ7Hw/s320/100_8653.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknEXrucS58qa6i9fCHZzM2o0RpKbuDe8tWQJv0oO7zF9KgZE5QtdqrjrFgx99ZczVW14mwXEwXbvbJsRNl6x6xDCkykgSi9LjEH4kXIKJ07BOtdIHY567c8n9CCuFeID85JS6Xov_WPk/s1600/100_8652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknEXrucS58qa6i9fCHZzM2o0RpKbuDe8tWQJv0oO7zF9KgZE5QtdqrjrFgx99ZczVW14mwXEwXbvbJsRNl6x6xDCkykgSi9LjEH4kXIKJ07BOtdIHY567c8n9CCuFeID85JS6Xov_WPk/s320/100_8652.JPG" width="320" /></a>then jess and i went to the broadcast library where we watched a bunch of japanese commercials. it was interesting to see how their advertising compares and differs from ours.<br />
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for lunch/dinner we went to a hard rock cafe and enjoyed a comforting american style meal.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-f1PlpC6jRPYtVkKwZqUn6Zn6aCG9R7DJiKfqnWaa3sIpgk9vUe8GgB7cmdTY0CxTRkGEPkw6xeFrgnxROE4_s69vaccu0z3-EXBetnCfqUse6o8dXKW-k7s1xeLAVInSGKMBJDPtQzY/s1600/100_8719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-f1PlpC6jRPYtVkKwZqUn6Zn6aCG9R7DJiKfqnWaa3sIpgk9vUe8GgB7cmdTY0CxTRkGEPkw6xeFrgnxROE4_s69vaccu0z3-EXBetnCfqUse6o8dXKW-k7s1xeLAVInSGKMBJDPtQzY/s320/100_8719.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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we then met up with some friend and went to Cosmo Land. a very sketchy theme park. we were the ONLY people there other than like 3 workers. I'm assuming it just wasn't the right season....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9IAaj5XbhRQgdzCoIZ8vI5yEEUKh4O2S3LAxb7W-LpqvxHzT6cUF3fSm-lsb1msXuJLdVyKsW8EwTVZKx_AgA0yTlSI2kApg5eF0FrwLkQkWSs1PKxKzGzZGcxBs-u1iZGyFYgb2DDc/s1600/100_8693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9IAaj5XbhRQgdzCoIZ8vI5yEEUKh4O2S3LAxb7W-LpqvxHzT6cUF3fSm-lsb1msXuJLdVyKsW8EwTVZKx_AgA0yTlSI2kApg5eF0FrwLkQkWSs1PKxKzGzZGcxBs-u1iZGyFYgb2DDc/s320/100_8693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c2CZBNV9mbJZZsMMaemv9jxrE_NZcXjT1RIyGgiPDluk55h3VCYNtjS-1XclvA9hUQTMIQV9WdZkeo3iyaGfnKQMRml4gLjGg9IJKi3ZRyIzO7gr0byDvdpk87Tvznfd2S8o57mkJj4/s1600/100_8697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c2CZBNV9mbJZZsMMaemv9jxrE_NZcXjT1RIyGgiPDluk55h3VCYNtjS-1XclvA9hUQTMIQV9WdZkeo3iyaGfnKQMRml4gLjGg9IJKi3ZRyIzO7gr0byDvdpk87Tvznfd2S8o57mkJj4/s320/100_8697.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-37440726002291643892012-02-10T06:45:00.000-05:002012-02-10T06:45:06.990-05:00Japan- Tokyoon the night of day 2 in Japan my friends Leanna Kim and i took an overnight train to tokyo. we met up with a local woman who was hosting us in her house. Kim knew her through the elementary teacher of the class she was keeping in touch with. She was very welcoming and met us at the bus stop in the morning. brought us back to her place made us a feast for breakfast and then started our adventure around the city. we stayed with our host for day 2 and 3, she took photos for us all day so i will give you a photo tour rather than a written one.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02UqgrjlAnU0uFDqusv5YryQLA_TKMfhSiodhiV8XXqpBlvEwBhs4r5Q84s8H9f2r8-JydBNksLJrEPYIDbwRm0HwZCKf8BeHNUsKytZRza_rR36AYXaAi5zX5XoH07dfJIspB-gt9hs/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02UqgrjlAnU0uFDqusv5YryQLA_TKMfhSiodhiV8XXqpBlvEwBhs4r5Q84s8H9f2r8-JydBNksLJrEPYIDbwRm0HwZCKf8BeHNUsKytZRza_rR36AYXaAi5zX5XoH07dfJIspB-gt9hs/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nEHDcSqhcYUkbnI5MQOF4UG2gdQxcT9gtXTxKnfpEjjOIZtvwq5uo9n0L8pwmQPl0VVmtveSCuU4xrPtE4uiblaSufifxavdyttr4_LYTBDUVV8bF9YCHZS5zCpSrE5CnxlpH3X9tJo/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nEHDcSqhcYUkbnI5MQOF4UG2gdQxcT9gtXTxKnfpEjjOIZtvwq5uo9n0L8pwmQPl0VVmtveSCuU4xrPtE4uiblaSufifxavdyttr4_LYTBDUVV8bF9YCHZS5zCpSrE5CnxlpH3X9tJo/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+003.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhD6fueUKBTwSzQkcYFdddgxRM23s02zcE3nBBtqaI5MMJtPHMwM59TmXXHFBAkoY7_zDWVfeqwutFjCgiA_uhn0xR6aWAjmwY5jCdw9vnEwzhuqkzTLeKruAwR_1M8ETvXA9UVlrPZI/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhD6fueUKBTwSzQkcYFdddgxRM23s02zcE3nBBtqaI5MMJtPHMwM59TmXXHFBAkoY7_zDWVfeqwutFjCgiA_uhn0xR6aWAjmwY5jCdw9vnEwzhuqkzTLeKruAwR_1M8ETvXA9UVlrPZI/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPlOVesSKOE8DRe0af9WmGxrOfbfCiVKuQxg-NHq68Ll9ScUFR8EWrEyNlgs7pTFrLjmQM4-3OqKPWQ681AjBD3KFvaS_d22CknikA1gFKYOY9oqsmX6_IPwP34DBzjRNJV_k4CCctVI/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPlOVesSKOE8DRe0af9WmGxrOfbfCiVKuQxg-NHq68Ll9ScUFR8EWrEyNlgs7pTFrLjmQM4-3OqKPWQ681AjBD3KFvaS_d22CknikA1gFKYOY9oqsmX6_IPwP34DBzjRNJV_k4CCctVI/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+018.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BrG0TsNxwt2RdD_JYj1-27-yzlE_8p7pUzi4OcuSuRCSZxhRdFw7vGCilghq2GV5BkanPQ_7nUo99vxRCMyTlWVcgV9ENa_u5YUFzaRqi3-r6tudsbVc9RDJ2Q7sdKSxod2oyj3pa0M/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BrG0TsNxwt2RdD_JYj1-27-yzlE_8p7pUzi4OcuSuRCSZxhRdFw7vGCilghq2GV5BkanPQ_7nUo99vxRCMyTlWVcgV9ENa_u5YUFzaRqi3-r6tudsbVc9RDJ2Q7sdKSxod2oyj3pa0M/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figuring out the Subway system</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHQxccGvJfoMs7DEkfysAjhs0285aE9xMuAyBA_mPQevjBZtvQT9e6n-oYfqo1LcTDexKnVOXIEZaYZkwNCKSLrytwCpsx7N8qXkjFHTBdGMJ_jKkL3tmObN_iZuiM7bBAHZ_akTmpKY/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHQxccGvJfoMs7DEkfysAjhs0285aE9xMuAyBA_mPQevjBZtvQT9e6n-oYfqo1LcTDexKnVOXIEZaYZkwNCKSLrytwCpsx7N8qXkjFHTBdGMJ_jKkL3tmObN_iZuiM7bBAHZ_akTmpKY/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch... we randomly ran into our friend tyler :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpsEDvQZXTLY1HnEXSRdUOHELz-oyotE4WMC-Cfo-jJA2y2q8PmBU7hZXEjVmgvRuJ-mrUYCboBSiSK5VSzFBpzhRP5rD2NE_GL_GrRFq7hvBGbjRjJEfTTg4gpfM1ZK1JjSbg9EETyw/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpsEDvQZXTLY1HnEXSRdUOHELz-oyotE4WMC-Cfo-jJA2y2q8PmBU7hZXEjVmgvRuJ-mrUYCboBSiSK5VSzFBpzhRP5rD2NE_GL_GrRFq7hvBGbjRjJEfTTg4gpfM1ZK1JjSbg9EETyw/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+025.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tyler stuck with us...</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1-ndcmq-iTGyypCdVF4I7vb85r8MY8tP7ydxQF5zEnDrEVsGtI5Rve1VEsQUiisGQVQ4OHGgpPS1QPZqmJL0Coi02VIu8Eh22Vpy_uoDDat0PE5nwLN4bb9PERRNmYZENaA0xsp2WpA/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1-ndcmq-iTGyypCdVF4I7vb85r8MY8tP7ydxQF5zEnDrEVsGtI5Rve1VEsQUiisGQVQ4OHGgpPS1QPZqmJL0Coi02VIu8Eh22Vpy_uoDDat0PE5nwLN4bb9PERRNmYZENaA0xsp2WpA/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggy4710uP08itkzDeKb8X7ZmtjKnNi8Ify_oG3h35fS2FLraZkbvkGS5Cgs68TtRzNHp6ijtuT6gwzyoljCqcw2cLsSihSP9ZD6j2imHuKhfnI7GcyNIzNUQGYhBNvsQ_ioJsQmnJGgzE/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggy4710uP08itkzDeKb8X7ZmtjKnNi8Ify_oG3h35fS2FLraZkbvkGS5Cgs68TtRzNHp6ijtuT6gwzyoljCqcw2cLsSihSP9ZD6j2imHuKhfnI7GcyNIzNUQGYhBNvsQ_ioJsQmnJGgzE/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECA570QnUsTVbTx5nxp3sAIaXtdl0PwUWNzMR-7zf0X_ylAdVHacLYqTenMI10EZY0xQGT-oliyalRGVcvVO9hIHrDKIQ4Nq9Nck8kxF-Vxi10C1lErk6wel0z5kbIb-UD_Xx3DHOk3M/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECA570QnUsTVbTx5nxp3sAIaXtdl0PwUWNzMR-7zf0X_ylAdVHacLYqTenMI10EZY0xQGT-oliyalRGVcvVO9hIHrDKIQ4Nq9Nck8kxF-Vxi10C1lErk6wel0z5kbIb-UD_Xx3DHOk3M/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPWxY2YXeZ4GtZFrRZxleJAGAGiZOuRI7YXZRjFXp-sNHhQ_-0NV_A2Gh2U3F2su5sXPhKtIgUUtDbXmQOM-xI_i3DtGY8o9gkpAWymmyqZ2Fgvxu50H6zf66rgUoMXGkJScf6wCqECg/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPWxY2YXeZ4GtZFrRZxleJAGAGiZOuRI7YXZRjFXp-sNHhQ_-0NV_A2Gh2U3F2su5sXPhKtIgUUtDbXmQOM-xI_i3DtGY8o9gkpAWymmyqZ2Fgvxu50H6zf66rgUoMXGkJScf6wCqECg/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+037.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgi3E-Pvg966xa2ti4WwQYqXzPYSmCoYeQ4tQJWMsB6W3yseObB5iYZjpM7Uz2QdzAhpwCfJPU8M69JAN316e5vjCxPgcG5xrtTYMr16nUkxdXmFtpWxSvsxY2WtQhfMEQd92ARLUB_U/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgi3E-Pvg966xa2ti4WwQYqXzPYSmCoYeQ4tQJWMsB6W3yseObB5iYZjpM7Uz2QdzAhpwCfJPU8M69JAN316e5vjCxPgcG5xrtTYMr16nUkxdXmFtpWxSvsxY2WtQhfMEQd92ARLUB_U/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+047.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Performance Monkey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUSHI!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkvJcdLjCrifQGvL97JrcMTIG_MCHqdNxtw5ahpg0JpyyfdwBIc3B2faAjKBD-_kgm9QURnE9LMSiop4pbV3WKPK21l1kid3p9lbmDSHs9GPqEQwIyJGQKGdmKo9o1XXLg2po5fE0tw4/s1600/2011.11.13+Tokyo+128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkvJcdLjCrifQGvL97JrcMTIG_MCHqdNxtw5ahpg0JpyyfdwBIc3B2faAjKBD-_kgm9QURnE9LMSiop4pbV3WKPK21l1kid3p9lbmDSHs9GPqEQwIyJGQKGdmKo9o1XXLg2po5fE0tw4/s320/2011.11.13+Tokyo+128.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most they would let us do for them was treat them to ice cream.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-73254650338325896032012-02-10T06:28:00.000-05:002012-02-10T06:28:13.024-05:00JAPAN- KobeDay 1- Kobe<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcci99iShK9uLnPZq5rglY5kyqezzCzcmVT9aRi_6HhVC3c4XDAiqcJj-uS-Ah_TowSCRFH7exBnA9ncc5XSpp4TMBta7oX6HV531To1Vszd4DABqWm2o7eduCgpfdBVImpJIRy3Q448/s1600/100_8230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcci99iShK9uLnPZq5rglY5kyqezzCzcmVT9aRi_6HhVC3c4XDAiqcJj-uS-Ah_TowSCRFH7exBnA9ncc5XSpp4TMBta7oX6HV531To1Vszd4DABqWm2o7eduCgpfdBVImpJIRy3Q448/s320/100_8230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I spent the first day exploring the city of Kobe. We found a local temple, ate lunch with a local who bought our noodle soup. (try eating soup with chopsticks!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhis4NiNvvZAxOoTSmnxkIuKqVvOZ1I5mE2PFeN7bvhwe6XNwWgnykVh46yiajsKbnZZ7eW2pP80vkqGmj26jq48Fkh5SMKdwAGbpPe8icn4Z_Obi2Jqb9JE0HHNLAh7tDoTvEH2-t47zU/s1600/100_8236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhis4NiNvvZAxOoTSmnxkIuKqVvOZ1I5mE2PFeN7bvhwe6XNwWgnykVh46yiajsKbnZZ7eW2pP80vkqGmj26jq48Fkh5SMKdwAGbpPe8icn4Z_Obi2Jqb9JE0HHNLAh7tDoTvEH2-t47zU/s320/100_8236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soup counter where we were treated to lunch</td></tr>
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then we finally found flower road. the street is lined with flowers and there is a huge flower clock. it is right by a park with beautiful scenery and memorial. my friends i spent a lot of time walking around that park.<br />
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when it turned night, we went to the town of the city hall building where they have a lookout. it was really awesome to see the city lit up with our ship lights among the twinkling. we then ventured outward and walked all the way to Kobe tower and the boardwalk with the carousel. it was such<span id="goog_524342459"></span><span id="goog_524342460"></span> beautiful sight at night.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlKojiKsHiT6frKBg_2hS1ktYrAV2E8XXISgJdLi_VNsn5qABH8ZiXrCpPxOjwkAamvbyX_v4esvmMwA0niNfrISoXVlIvw-Shn1MjkW06XUNepAtRgfZxfOvysWy39U340dbxtKRYUM/s1600/100_8309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlKojiKsHiT6frKBg_2hS1ktYrAV2E8XXISgJdLi_VNsn5qABH8ZiXrCpPxOjwkAamvbyX_v4esvmMwA0niNfrISoXVlIvw-Shn1MjkW06XUNepAtRgfZxfOvysWy39U340dbxtKRYUM/s320/100_8309.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWN9D1Cdwrr6kqRzTUCW78vWPpokb24oASEAvZ4McnqrCMoo1cPGXi1Q6mLOlX1QhAJIsbpJZy30lJGtESCImU0R_N4xXJWeJFcvRWdek5R9_7PrcYwENq-s4ZAH7iLrOrerNmKoHBJnQ/s1600/100_8285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWN9D1Cdwrr6kqRzTUCW78vWPpokb24oASEAvZ4McnqrCMoo1cPGXi1Q6mLOlX1QhAJIsbpJZy30lJGtESCImU0R_N4xXJWeJFcvRWdek5R9_7PrcYwENq-s4ZAH7iLrOrerNmKoHBJnQ/s320/100_8285.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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DAY 2- in Kobe i participated in a FDP for my Poetry workshop class. We visited the Naruto whirlpools which are naturally occurring whirlpools where two very strong currents are forcing through a small channel against each other. we went at the peak of the day when the tide was turning. The naruto whirlpools is a place where japans people dream of going for spiritual reasons. to get to see them in person was incredible. we were given an mp3 headset to guide us along the bride and tour and there were glass floor windows to look through the bridge into the whirlpools. The point of the FDP was to inspire us to write a poem.<br />
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i am linking a youtube video i found of a naruto whirlpool, both under the bridge and a view from the top.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhv2B6ACj6o">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhv2B6ACj6o</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X-TnQk5dHs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X-TnQk5dHs</a><br />
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*all photos used were taken by Jessica OmastaTorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-77292702077402251042012-02-10T05:52:00.000-05:002012-02-10T05:52:12.615-05:00NOH8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSldQh0CTsJG0B7IwHDoYfvUD60FdcfNG_966GSlQLWB0yM2Ncfyx-gaf5UXKUXrT0cLXz-T7xaQSkEbdi1OQN4UsO_vNqKo82Na49z4lSpnj0qV26XLh5wklLSl0Mu5tN4P4-yO-s0ck/s1600/NOH8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSldQh0CTsJG0B7IwHDoYfvUD60FdcfNG_966GSlQLWB0yM2Ncfyx-gaf5UXKUXrT0cLXz-T7xaQSkEbdi1OQN4UsO_vNqKo82Na49z4lSpnj0qV26XLh5wklLSl0Mu5tN4P4-yO-s0ck/s320/NOH8.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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Semester at Sea Student are grappling with the big issues;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Diversity, Multiculturalism, Tolerance, Acceptance, topics present on every college campus.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On SAS F11, Voyagers are deepening their respect for and appreciation of differences as we circumnavigation the world.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">As students gain perspective on issues back at home, they decided to start spreading the message of equality now, organizing a '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">NOH8" photo shoot.<br />
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The NOH8 photographic portrait project originally began as a protest to Proposition 8 Ð the banning of same sex marriage in California, it has now expanded to combat all forms of discrimination.<br />
The anti-bullying campaign features celebrities and other activists with tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with "NOH8" painted on one cheek.<br />
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Photo: Spencer Weiner/ Semester at Sea<br />
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Institute for Shipboard Education | Semester at Sea Fall 2011 Voyage</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-39646315459632507702012-02-10T05:40:00.000-05:002012-02-10T05:40:27.583-05:00CHINA- Beijing & Shanghaifor days 2-5 i spent my time traveling to beijing, hiking the wall and visiting the forbidden city.<br />
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DAY2- we boarded a plane in Hong Kong and flew into beijing. the entire process took all day and when we landed we drove to our hotel and enjoyed dinner at a local chinese restaurant.<br />
DAY3- Hiking the great wall<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjwwGLG9nBoQKGYskwebBwmq_4Bu2bf5PHiSvwZhjaGQNCb7pBwt5vE2y-YFiCBjW7lKeJeAea0uW21qLbePnC3zUDywpGvNu8QHKj5wDuouApuhCmuf2r2-DV6HmPo3OA4QHZWlbrlU/s1600/P1010636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjwwGLG9nBoQKGYskwebBwmq_4Bu2bf5PHiSvwZhjaGQNCb7pBwt5vE2y-YFiCBjW7lKeJeAea0uW21qLbePnC3zUDywpGvNu8QHKj5wDuouApuhCmuf2r2-DV6HmPo3OA4QHZWlbrlU/s320/P1010636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrvYUC1cbwFTMHkds3Yf8PD2eQzmWjdlkwRzmdjDaS_xT6Wijl2_FsQrU9-ee8_e6oWEJsGuIBvVBK0M0fr9YD4F_ijXibHBQEFakczZEzpd5K4Ti3TxTaO159Qr4z0vG3D_MGk-cS58/s1600/P1010632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrvYUC1cbwFTMHkds3Yf8PD2eQzmWjdlkwRzmdjDaS_xT6Wijl2_FsQrU9-ee8_e6oWEJsGuIBvVBK0M0fr9YD4F_ijXibHBQEFakczZEzpd5K4Ti3TxTaO159Qr4z0vG3D_MGk-cS58/s320/P1010632.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>we woke up early, dressed in layers, packed our day packed and headed off in a tour bus to the bottom of the mountain. we started our hike at the base of a mountain in a mongolian farming village. as soon as we started our hike up i felt exhausted. the elevation and cold air really killed me and i had a hard time breathing. but i pushed though it because i was having the opportunity of a lifetime. We hiked on th Great Wall of China for EIGHT HOURS! it was the most intense hike i have ever been on. the wall was crumbling below us and footing was not always easy. It followed the top ridge of the mountain side so i hiked up and down mountains all day, up and sown crumbling stairs and steep slopes. at one point we had to hike down the mountain and through a farm, only because that part of the wall is un open to non chinese people. Crazy! over all i had an amazing experience that i will never forget. (especially being given a big-mac by a farmer who hiked up the mountain with a cooler full of them just to feed us lunch! ) wherever we stood along the awl it stretched out for miles in the distance, something you can only imagine when you are looking at pictures.<br />
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Day4- we returned back to the wall and hiked a different portion of it for about 4 hours. it was definitely an easier day because the we were hiking in a more touristy area where the wall had been repaired. although ... there were definitely a lot more stairs involved...<br />
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That afternoon our great wall group took a trip to the forbidden city. I loved having the opportunity to visit because i had learned all about its history and meaning in my Monuments of World Architecture Class. It is exactly as i imagined it would be. Massive, simple yet beautiful and very zen. I liked that i knew random bits of information that i could share with my friends, enhancing everyones experience.<br />
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We spent day five flying back to shanghai where the ship was now docked.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QQNJ2luPOodD-AZOsFohQDvJ3aUIQCfHBwevU8532hMEPss6IIss_Wc1PeIVWgknlEtSYQV9DQ5g4VcNXTaQwHvz3rnIRCYZ45Rr7faRiOgfcLMGz7QoJKheZyE44qmjSy2GLrabd4Y/s1600/355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QQNJ2luPOodD-AZOsFohQDvJ3aUIQCfHBwevU8532hMEPss6IIss_Wc1PeIVWgknlEtSYQV9DQ5g4VcNXTaQwHvz3rnIRCYZ45Rr7faRiOgfcLMGz7QoJKheZyE44qmjSy2GLrabd4Y/s320/355.JPG" width="240" /></a>Day SIX- in china i did a service vista to a kindergarten classroom. my friend hannah and i helped instruct an english lesson. They work on their english everyday by following along on a dvd with sentences and song. It was a lost of fun helping the kids learn and watching them smile while singing. After their lesson they were allowed out for recess not eh roof of their building. most of them were shy but i found they liked to jump rope, be spun around and race. at the end of our time, we helped serve their lunch.<br />
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*all photo credits to Margarita, Emily and Hannah, who nicely shared their shots with me after my camera was lost/stole/misplaced<br />
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<span id="goog_1601207408"></span><span id="goog_1601207409"></span>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-55438504502225133012012-02-10T04:20:00.000-05:002012-02-10T04:20:40.931-05:00CHINA- HONG KONGMy first day in china was spent in Hong Kong at the Mai Po Marshes. It was a FDP (field directed practica) for my marine biology class with Dr. B. The park was a beautifully reserved piece of land, unable to be touched by the closely approaching city that keeps getting larger. We spent our day watching birds from different look out towers and discussing how they are a part of the marine world. we then went to the wetland marsh area and saw mudskippers and crab in their habitat among the muddy mangrove roots. The thing i really love about semester at sea is that all of my classes taught me things i would have never explored, and then the professors connected the subject material to the countries we were visiting and brought us to actually witness the first hand.<br />
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(i wish that i had pictures to share with you but the next day my camera go lost/stolen/misplaced, and i hadn't downloaded them)Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-17702596627107500052012-02-08T18:38:00.002-05:002012-02-10T07:16:35.232-05:00VIETNAMFun Facts:<br />
The popular durian fruit smells like garbage... legit<br />
the currency is called Dong (pronounced dom)<br />
The locals still call Ho Chi Minh City "Saigon"<br />
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Day1-<br />
day one i did a city orientation... honestly i wish i could find my pictures from that day because i am having trouble remembering what i saw.<br />
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Day2-<br />
my second day in vietnam i did service trips. our first stop, Hy Vong 8 school for the deaf. it is a school for elementary aged children who are deaf or hard of hearing. our job was just to interact and have fun with them. a few of us even tried to find similarities in american sign language and vietnamese. it was fairly close. we built toy plans, read books to them, and blew bubbles. but what they loved the most was having their pictures taken!<br />
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We then visited Thi NGHE orphanage. to me, this spot was a lot to handle. all of the children there were victims of Agent Orange and had cerebral palsy. Most were unable to walk, talk and some were even blind. it was heart wrenching. we were told just to try to make a connection with them, wither by holding their hands, talking or singing to them.<br />
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ONLY WATCH THIS LINKED VIDEO IF YOU THINK YOU CAN EMOTIONALLY HANDLE IT. it is a video of two employees walking around the facility introducing and interacting with the victims. it is a very real representation of what i experienced. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbUPBsDNw84">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbUPBsDNw84</a><br />
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DAY3-<br />
I spent this day exploring the city and shopping at the ben than market. The market was a large very crowded shopping center. it was one level crammed with everything you could imagine to purchase. and the best part about it was it was really super cheap. i bought a ton of souvenirs, a north face backpack and delicious food!<br />
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Day4- Mekong Delta<br />
my day started with a bus ride to a boat. once on the river boat we set off on the Mekong Delta towards land. it was clear to see that the river was an important resource for fish, sand and transportation.<br />
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When we got to the island we were treated to delicious coconut candy and shown how it was made! i bought a bunch of it and brought it home to share with friends and family. Next, i was convinced to drink snake wine. basically snake wine is rice wine fermented with snakes and scorpions in it and it is very strong. i tried one shot of it and wanted to gag. i did not like it, you could actually taste the snake in it (blehhh) but I'm glad i tried it for the experience!<br />
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We were then treated to fresh fruit and a performance form the locals.<br />
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After the performance we all got in horse drawn carts and went to a"resort" for dinner. we were served fish, rice, and vegetables to wrap in rice paper. i was hesitant of the fish at first but it was delicious.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6PGNxUCrpEqfw997zKiXb30-MrSLWopRwUSFFkWvV8lOFDbq5YKdmavuhtJzVQxnbLPradpT9mW8sirgew51V-Ht78DGYU3oLC2sSadm_0R1xI7_Onu5QkC4jrEjZ6d2FlFGnFgcnoE/s1600/108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6PGNxUCrpEqfw997zKiXb30-MrSLWopRwUSFFkWvV8lOFDbq5YKdmavuhtJzVQxnbLPradpT9mW8sirgew51V-Ht78DGYU3oLC2sSadm_0R1xI7_Onu5QkC4jrEjZ6d2FlFGnFgcnoE/s320/108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-66328611345121768802012-02-08T15:48:00.001-05:002012-02-10T05:45:34.260-05:00MALAYSIAfun facts:<br />
i bought an umbrella hat :)<br />
we got to tender to and from the ship (ride in the life boats because we were anchored not docked)<br />
I held a baby turtle<br />
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DAY1- City Tour<br />
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Day one in malaysia, I took a city orientation tour. It was the most unique tour I have taken because we rode around in the carriage being pulled by bicyclists. The first stop was the Pinang Peranakan Mansion. ( <a href="http://www.pinangperanakanmansion.com.my/">http://www.pinangperanakanmansion.com.my/</a> ). It is now a museum, of what a typical house of a baba would look like. It was full of many beautiful architects and furniture.<br />
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One of my favorite parts of the museum was seeing the shoes that the women wold were, they were the size of a shields foot from binding their feet. The other really interesting thing was that under the bed on the night of marriage the put a male and a female rooster in a cage and whichever one got out first was supposedly the gender of the first child.<br />
The museum tour ended at a small coffee shop selling kopi luwak coffee. it is one of the worlds most expensive coffees. it is made by from the beans of coffee berries which are eaten and digested by asian civets (cats). It is then collected from the feces, cleaned and roasted. I did not try it but apparently it is a lot less bitter and has a slightly chocolate taste.<br />
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The next stop was a Buddhist temple, where we burned incense and watched people take part in their daily rituals. The cool thing about this stop was that this temple was on the same street as worshipping places for two other religions.<br />
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our last stop was another museum, this time showing more about the culture and history of malaysia.<br />
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DAY 2- Malaysia National Park<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj944vX20i135hA4Kxay-89onmvQp6QUH5B88mRluJsqw0Ffi2JjUZeMsV83DzGsheEUuLdAp_qjIccPfUGO4WC5IJchBFf9z9vQZ-HbRfFKuLyXCtB2FbGAcynPf3avP-HDvoEp6lIzs/s1600/109_0549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj944vX20i135hA4Kxay-89onmvQp6QUH5B88mRluJsqw0Ffi2JjUZeMsV83DzGsheEUuLdAp_qjIccPfUGO4WC5IJchBFf9z9vQZ-HbRfFKuLyXCtB2FbGAcynPf3avP-HDvoEp6lIzs/s320/109_0549.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>This day is by far one of my favorites. As a group of students and professors we went to the national park and endeavored on a hike to a turtle sanctuary. it was a more physically challenging hike than anyone expected but it was so much fun just exploring the nature. Throughout the hike our guide pointed to entire ant colonies moving, tree species, monkey spit, and plants we could eat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE725AeojJbbQX5zNAz_Mx9yhsmO-8BZJgdk48IRwL1weaEc0SXRplW_iSyRT9gMPHdnDVCac9J2sqGW0bphVHkE-AZhTZTl82ghT0knPLBKfovO8SU9BPyLu6wBIFLEDeA1YDMgN_NiY/s1600/109_0590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE725AeojJbbQX5zNAz_Mx9yhsmO-8BZJgdk48IRwL1weaEc0SXRplW_iSyRT9gMPHdnDVCac9J2sqGW0bphVHkE-AZhTZTl82ghT0knPLBKfovO8SU9BPyLu6wBIFLEDeA1YDMgN_NiY/s320/109_0590.JPG" width="320" /></a>When we finally made it to the beach we went to a turtle sanctuary where they rescue baby sea turtles that hatch on the beach and help release them into the wild, safe from predators. We got lucky and arrived on a batch of 1day old baby sea turtles. they were so cute and fit right in the palm of my hand! There was even a small museum to learn all about the life and dangers of sea turtles. I loved this day because i have a slight obsession with turtles. as a part of Delta Zeta Sorority, our philanthropy is for the deaf an hard of hearing. our mascot is the turtle because the have no ears. Thus where the obsession stems from.<br />
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DAY 3-<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD4nER40YUC8QhTCN-Kcv2n2TXKVpOsFpE_2iZMxWdmTlH1R1QyT83_XPBEuu9n1Afx50kLbfFVujgutDRhkEcdmxkCm2yzQDiovu9mof3DCdyoSIXA-JAYohh8pBPolVpwzBamDaUTE/s1600/109_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD4nER40YUC8QhTCN-Kcv2n2TXKVpOsFpE_2iZMxWdmTlH1R1QyT83_XPBEuu9n1Afx50kLbfFVujgutDRhkEcdmxkCm2yzQDiovu9mof3DCdyoSIXA-JAYohh8pBPolVpwzBamDaUTE/s320/109_0639.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>On the Third day i visited local village. they fed us a breakfast of rice and sardines!<br />
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We then ventured to the forest of trees that the tap for rubber. they even let us try it!<br />
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The cool thing about this village was all of the businesses. we went to a business that produced a chip like product, we got to make them and it really showed us how women can take charge, run a business and make profit. We also went to a factory that produced baked goods. I was shocked to see that all of the workers genuinely enjoyed their job.<br />
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We ended our day eating and spending time with the locals. they were so welcoming they wanted us to try everything, including drumming, palm tree climbing, coconut eating/drinking and even their special cosmetics to prevent acne!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU3oAYao16XVA_sJ9czzz-uhKjRsuHjEZ9NbS3iPa8r-X6ltyhc5-zrcePmQPZZraxdlC4-3G8Xq_TdLLW1XgrmC4g1e_03Z3rmAgT_C9TQgnzwU_1lh7gKhD85Bb-lSm0gPHQFO2LNw/s1600/109_0679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU3oAYao16XVA_sJ9czzz-uhKjRsuHjEZ9NbS3iPa8r-X6ltyhc5-zrcePmQPZZraxdlC4-3G8Xq_TdLLW1XgrmC4g1e_03Z3rmAgT_C9TQgnzwU_1lh7gKhD85Bb-lSm0gPHQFO2LNw/s320/109_0679.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-15279286330547705712011-12-10T23:38:00.001-05:002011-12-16T12:45:43.838-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-33457382771316419722011-12-07T19:34:00.000-05:002011-12-07T19:32:50.689-05:00India<!-- Converted from text/plain format --> <P><FONT SIZE=2>Day 1: Women Writers and Welcome Reception<BR> <BR> Arriving in India, my first day involved going to a FDP (Field Directed Practica- field trips related to the classes we are in). My poetry class went to the home of a local professor, she was hosting a meeting and reading with Tulsi Badrinath, a local women writer. Beforehand, we had received some excerpts from her first book Man Of A Thousand Chances. While meeting with the author we got the opportunity to hear her read those excerpts and discuss how they related to the larger story. Because she is an Indian women it was really interesting to read a book from her perspective, it included religious aspects, marital relationships and morality issues. At the end of the discussion I purchased her book and have since begun reading it, I am about halfway through and I am really enjoying it.<BR> For lunch, the professor and her family treated us to home cooked food, it was all absolutely delicious and I felt very welcome in their home.<BR> Tulsi also enlightened us about the traditional dance of India. She performs this style of dance as a hobby that she loves. She showed us how you can tell a story just by using the expressions of your body. We had a lot of fun because we would giver her words to dance and she would portray them perfectly, and occasionally turn the tables on us and make us perform them.<BR> After leaving the FDP, my professor told the class that there was a welcome reception being held and that our bus could bring us there. Upon arrival we received a bindi on our forehead, a feast of food and local shop owners selling us Indian goods at a discounted price. It was an opportunity for us to mingle with local Indian students, to get henna, to learn how to wear a sari and to watch a traditional dance be performed. I found the welcome reception to be a great way to start off my adventure in India.<BR> <BR> <BR> Day 2: Sick<BR> <BR> Sadly on day two I was feeling under the weather, with the symptoms of a cold starting. It was a tough decision but I decided to stay in, take some medicine and spend the day sleeping and recovering so I could enjoy the rest of my days in India without getting worse.<BR> <BR> <BR> Day 3: Rural India and Dakshinachitra Heritage Village and Meeting Toeseph<BR> <BR> The third morning I woke up feeling well rested and much better. I had a planned SAS trip to visit a rural village, Dakshinachitra Heritage Village. Upon arrival all of the school children were so excited to welcome and greet us. All of the little girls had ponytail braids that were looped back up. All of the children enjoyed getting their pictures taken and asking us what our names were. We had the opportunity to practice a tradition of using rice powder to create welcoming designs on the side walk. It reminded me of sidewalk chalk. We were also welcomed into the oldest house in the village. Outside of all the home there is a large porch for visitors and passerby’s to sit talk and even just have a place to rest. Once entering the house it is a large room for the family to gather in. There was also a shrine set up to honor the family elder, which I thought was culturally fascinating. Inside of the house was a small room dedicated to the three gods, Shiva Vishnu and Brahma where the family members pray everyday. The most interesting part of the house was the kitchen. After walking out the back door you reached the preparation area and the fire pit for cooking. They had stone grinders and mixers and rolling surfaces. This particular family also had a massive garden in the very back that provides them with all of the food that they eat, it looked like a jungle. The family also started a business of collecting empty glass bottles and recycling them to make a profit. I found this to be a simple and clever way to make money for the family.<BR> From there we took a ox pulled cart to a local rice factory. We watched and got to participate in the sifting of rice grains to dry them, and then we went into the factory. From there we watched the men pour the grains into machines which then took the brown shell off of them and polished and sifted them until the were perfect grains of white rice that got sold to the entire village.<BR> We ended our day by visiting a local school that our tour guide teaches at. The children were all very disciplined and studying high level science and business classes. We offered our hellos and words of advice and then we were on our way <BR> <BR> After my trip, I arrived back at the ship and teamed up with two other students who had been on the same trip as me. Dianna, Will and I set off on our way to find a great place to eat dinner. Dianna earlier had met a shop owner in the mall who had hosted home stays for past SAS voyages and who was eager to meet current voyagers. We decided to go to him and ask his advice on where to eat. When we got there he told us if we wanted to wait till 8 his son would take us out and pick out the best food off the menu of his favorite restaurant. We immediately agreed. We spent that time walking around the mall and when we got back to his shop we met his son Toeseph. He took us to a local restaurant, ordered a tableful of food and instructed us on what to eat and how. For the first time I got to eat with my hands and it was considered the polite thing to do. I have never tasted more delicious food in my life! After finishing all of the food Toeseph to the 2nd longest beach in the world. It was absolutely beautiful and I felt like I was back at home, walking through the sand to the edge of the water. At the end of our night we went to an ice-cream parlor and sampled all of the crazy Indian flavors  upon arrival at the ship, Toeseph said if we wanted to join him the next day he would be more than willing to show us around to all of the sights! Of course we agreed!<BR> <BR> Day 4: Mamalapuram<BR> <BR> We met Toeseph at his dads shop and we started our adventure. Our goal was to reach Mamalapuram which was a few hours drive away. On the way we stopped at a science park. Toeseph told us his classes as a child used to go here on field trips. I found the area to be a bit run down but still in operation. We got to watch an awesome show in the planetarium and view the stars the way they are seen in India, and we also went to a very primitive 3d science show.<BR> On our way we also stopped for lunch. This time it was at northern Indian food restaurant rather than southern. Once again toeseph ordered for us and made great choices, everything was superb and a bit spicier than the southern food. We had a lot of sauces for dipping bread into and marinated chiken. I have decided that Indian food has by far been my favorite and my goal is to find a restaurant in the states that does it justice!<BR> We finally made it to Mamallapuram and it was amazing. To see such detailed structures carved out of stone using only primitive tools was absolutely mind blowing. A lot of the architecture was tributed to the gods and it all told a very interesting story. I think my favorite part of Mamallapuram was Krishna’s Butterball. It is a very large round rock that is perfectly perched and balanced on a hillside. It looks as if you could just tap it and it would go rolling down the hill, but in reality it hasn’t ever budget, even when the attached 12 elephants to it and tried to pull it down!<BR> <BR> <BR> Day 5: Service Visit<BR> <BR> On day five we were supposed to visit and orphanage but it had been relocated for remodeling, so instead we visited a “home for the dying and destitute”. It was really heart wrenching to see all of the women sharing one room of cots, most not able to communicate or move on their own. As the day went on we found ways to interact by coloring, with stickers and with bubbles. I had one woman who just wanted me to sit next to her and listen to her sing. I didn’t know what she was saying but it was a awe-inspiring experience. My favorite part of the day was when I was walking around with Jocelyn, on of the dependant children (children of staff members) and we were exploring the premises. We found the kitchen and met a woman who does all of the cooking for the entire place. It amazed me that she devoted her days to helping. We asked for a picture with her, and when she saw the result it made her so happy and she wanted to take more. It made me realize that its easy to make someone’s day a little better.<BR> <BR> <BR> Day 6: Exploring with Krishnan<BR> <BR> On the last day in India, I met up with my friend Elise who was spending the day with a local named Krishnan. He is a member of the rotary club and spoke English very well. He has hosted many families and shared lots of great stories of how he has helped improve his town.<BR> First, Krishnan treated us to delicious coffee and then we met up with his sister and went to the temple where she is a member. It was cool to see a small temple just on the side of the street that the people actually attend rather than the large temples that tourists visit. We spent a lot of time listening to the prayer and watching the ceremony. It was a lot of chanting with call and response. We were told that it is a nonstop ceremony that is part of a pilgrimage.<BR> We then spent our afternoon at the spa, getting massages for only $13. I ended my time in India by going out for dinner one last time.<BR> </FONT> </P> Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-31559151257230817242011-10-26T08:18:00.001-04:002011-10-28T15:25:40.560-04:00Malaysia Photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals and the lovely crew of people who visited the village.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mansion in Malaysia.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bicycle trishaw. I rode in one of these for my city orientation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking through the rain forest at the National Park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YtF12LGAdsARSKC0l0GZT0Gm2ZoXAYL5dlOakkO6ICn4o3zh58-rhBaDF4Cue1yU88Jkj69EDnr2_-QGbXqGF5lIgM2yAReYITeHCWUArV4ETcPTcK52Q-nOAQlTDi6ObLlatT6L9nI/s1600/109_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YtF12LGAdsARSKC0l0GZT0Gm2ZoXAYL5dlOakkO6ICn4o3zh58-rhBaDF4Cue1yU88Jkj69EDnr2_-QGbXqGF5lIgM2yAReYITeHCWUArV4ETcPTcK52Q-nOAQlTDi6ObLlatT6L9nI/s320/109_0596.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YAY baby turtles!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaz7JXPMd1RETnEoDB-87wWn4hmsxH4TmRt_BkJwfNbRv5mA4Ef5GbeGQIhH4hmDdJVDRqqOnNkDgt6yqGPp8175eFlInjImN5iI687x7Stoy-AD9Tc5VUnERE2islYZPsaHZFGEUjtk/s1600/109_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaz7JXPMd1RETnEoDB-87wWn4hmsxH4TmRt_BkJwfNbRv5mA4Ef5GbeGQIhH4hmDdJVDRqqOnNkDgt6yqGPp8175eFlInjImN5iI687x7Stoy-AD9Tc5VUnERE2islYZPsaHZFGEUjtk/s320/109_0601.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delta Zeta baby turtle!!!! 2 days old!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-b8FNLx2v18zJHX6Z0g7xszW52cyhM55YrWcuGTVLs-9i2T7NPF5nPUqglvZy3KyMxFe-OZ0k9557xjCf9kirTRpfZvEcPnTal4rgDK7dMe5Q93Z06npu7yEguS5uguTUXjuF2c2C6c/s1600/109_0661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-b8FNLx2v18zJHX6Z0g7xszW52cyhM55YrWcuGTVLs-9i2T7NPF5nPUqglvZy3KyMxFe-OZ0k9557xjCf9kirTRpfZvEcPnTal4rgDK7dMe5Q93Z06npu7yEguS5uguTUXjuF2c2C6c/s320/109_0661.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bailey and I pointing out the recently tapped rubber tree.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEA969zSQO7piPqcYBDtHDxmY-kPRkvTM6dObvR1qXUS88xU_pJe0r1pG0Dr4alVqqOIXE_fIKchXQ4c1KzdPwD7NR43iiZjtyTNyW1DVxud9fpvcOeyF0q-Xm_79iiTjERQ4CU31J7Q/s1600/109_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEA969zSQO7piPqcYBDtHDxmY-kPRkvTM6dObvR1qXUS88xU_pJe0r1pG0Dr4alVqqOIXE_fIKchXQ4c1KzdPwD7NR43iiZjtyTNyW1DVxud9fpvcOeyF0q-Xm_79iiTjERQ4CU31J7Q/s320/109_0668.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women in the Heritage village manufacturing a delicious local snack. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-75325568747486469982011-10-26T07:53:00.001-04:002011-10-28T15:21:35.211-04:00India Photos!I know I have not put up my blog yet for India, but while I am in Vietnam at a free internet cafe, I figured I would upload some photos to share with you. The blog entry is on its way. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjv7e9pCrxq4s42IIg8-9t9kwsLXqlvQ3X0MjmtOwrchQbHxmWPeCuyIbN0dYd7JjMclBCYtzO3VtEPXdRnDyvwEYZ2oHcZI_eBqcYgkerP4_DLEjfyd1PTvLX3H_HcnYRjMScWDLkMiU/s1600/109_0353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjv7e9pCrxq4s42IIg8-9t9kwsLXqlvQ3X0MjmtOwrchQbHxmWPeCuyIbN0dYd7JjMclBCYtzO3VtEPXdRnDyvwEYZ2oHcZI_eBqcYgkerP4_DLEjfyd1PTvLX3H_HcnYRjMScWDLkMiU/s320/109_0353.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rickshaw! My new favorite way of transportation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30UcjqfM8S2iE0UjRoMO_tMTYzWJ1_VesXWQrhXBEcPaeHHVwiBEzQXJLQ4SEslZY-S8bVNzr9h3x3KyA74IP3QfUkL4BsGwhvJE_eKsTnD1V7PlkYARUz-3aHd7owYRjlT0O7Fvr7lU/s1600/109_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30UcjqfM8S2iE0UjRoMO_tMTYzWJ1_VesXWQrhXBEcPaeHHVwiBEzQXJLQ4SEslZY-S8bVNzr9h3x3KyA74IP3QfUkL4BsGwhvJE_eKsTnD1V7PlkYARUz-3aHd7owYRjlT0O7Fvr7lU/s320/109_0108.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tulsi Badrinath, a local woman writer, gave us the first reading of her book. :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1vYwaKzrk-3wk8A3bspt8h-AmNoaZ78ZQrJ6LUJWZzbryisw5DnJ0-YcVnENnOG5efjCPxMj_wZJVtELuabfi9JZgNkqktz8gNGKD9G_DBeL1SL9p6nwV2zC_yjZLHAebMPHCG1KaSg/s1600/109_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1vYwaKzrk-3wk8A3bspt8h-AmNoaZ78ZQrJ6LUJWZzbryisw5DnJ0-YcVnENnOG5efjCPxMj_wZJVtELuabfi9JZgNkqktz8gNGKD9G_DBeL1SL9p6nwV2zC_yjZLHAebMPHCG1KaSg/s320/109_0126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting henna at the welcome reception held for us.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBds7mI4yswe-LypTJKBHeYtiTDoE15ciRd7F3iTJJgSka5K6VYOeW7ICWQy7EWP0uPQciHv41FjVz5-Exbdb5-a1eRcpH073j7mabKGJxNKGebMWzB4-ybpoTU27Afa94RZJ_17xkZ4/s1600/109_0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBds7mI4yswe-LypTJKBHeYtiTDoE15ciRd7F3iTJJgSka5K6VYOeW7ICWQy7EWP0uPQciHv41FjVz5-Exbdb5-a1eRcpH073j7mabKGJxNKGebMWzB4-ybpoTU27Afa94RZJ_17xkZ4/s320/109_0139.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children at the rural village very excited to be in a photo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZpL-o8ANxBvPBV2iWpYAo2NYlDVM3GNNqZ8ss0bQCTNFvGjd80RKqy4joTasSpbN-F2vqLwdOt6nwURCgvZE3H39f-ZuDdxC3j-RuIw2GAy7vKBVi7hthVySIbXD_lP5rSZPm4xkvCs/s1600/109_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZpL-o8ANxBvPBV2iWpYAo2NYlDVM3GNNqZ8ss0bQCTNFvGjd80RKqy4joTasSpbN-F2vqLwdOt6nwURCgvZE3H39f-ZuDdxC3j-RuIw2GAy7vKBVi7hthVySIbXD_lP5rSZPm4xkvCs/s320/109_0168.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical kitchen in rural house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMhkPrJsK0aNQ1o62-yXPAeKutEq0JMdczBHDExwoSAjTosBzRe920m2DaTn1I9VCenmrBavGF9XlypkUJPzwvo_HJvpZqmAbaw3MTF4K03PFSCVk-oRRMgFfyopfld_ezoln9PoPd2o/s1600/109_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMhkPrJsK0aNQ1o62-yXPAeKutEq0JMdczBHDExwoSAjTosBzRe920m2DaTn1I9VCenmrBavGF9XlypkUJPzwvo_HJvpZqmAbaw3MTF4K03PFSCVk-oRRMgFfyopfld_ezoln9PoPd2o/s320/109_0200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me sifting grains of rice to dry them out at a rural farm/rice factory.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vSAWrU9DzF8S8wGbYMWS3keC3KMln7s08bhcEhKe5HAnI86nrYVY0OJcjRX7Gn7KGs45CrYrcJqnQPsQFfvp2Fhlvp0PUsJfvZJGjECc8rZoruVyG5uFByX5AeGfhuvrdgWETsQpgho/s1600/109_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vSAWrU9DzF8S8wGbYMWS3keC3KMln7s08bhcEhKe5HAnI86nrYVY0OJcjRX7Gn7KGs45CrYrcJqnQPsQFfvp2Fhlvp0PUsJfvZJGjECc8rZoruVyG5uFByX5AeGfhuvrdgWETsQpgho/s320/109_0284.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mamallapuram</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9uoqFoPdLP2ypq1b0Qnf7XjZ7z1MJwge3kRGbYl8qOldmE6yno0IiX-yUUQpcJN2W0pWw01p90tSGuBodNKyfHM0-Au5sQ9FWitB8bGc9HkljgBns1fEnD45vFPINOwJ_mK9Jpga4Oo/s1600/109_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9uoqFoPdLP2ypq1b0Qnf7XjZ7z1MJwge3kRGbYl8qOldmE6yno0IiX-yUUQpcJN2W0pWw01p90tSGuBodNKyfHM0-Au5sQ9FWitB8bGc9HkljgBns1fEnD45vFPINOwJ_mK9Jpga4Oo/s320/109_0291.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mamallapuram</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8GNCQgFsZC6lbq0wmy-FS0oN6I-qm2RFbJbnb88J7S9BUDwCGq2h3ZBZIX6g0ImCMnLpOA1EI5vkiKJgz03chISv5Z9mC1F4GcGvtJF_rMgP_wVteJgr2Fc7saVkj68F83UGfgI1ms0/s1600/109_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8GNCQgFsZC6lbq0wmy-FS0oN6I-qm2RFbJbnb88J7S9BUDwCGq2h3ZBZIX6g0ImCMnLpOA1EI5vkiKJgz03chISv5Z9mC1F4GcGvtJF_rMgP_wVteJgr2Fc7saVkj68F83UGfgI1ms0/s320/109_0334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "shipboard grandma" with the women who work at "the woman's home for the dying and destitute."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-8851424161238238192011-10-08T07:33:00.002-04:002011-10-20T07:58:33.097-04:00MAURITIUS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TCffoUE8sYeHkVyuh4Gd4sPaZPmPjFRXkiahIKnvxXPVfjrXc92pM27vpaC-GoA61xXfBW1zPNDQRYzVWhbAdWNaFPnAYVIkLP7K0qJmzojV7g4YPYDQIrPOCRbSxeEiynPOwoujA68/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TCffoUE8sYeHkVyuh4Gd4sPaZPmPjFRXkiahIKnvxXPVfjrXc92pM27vpaC-GoA61xXfBW1zPNDQRYzVWhbAdWNaFPnAYVIkLP7K0qJmzojV7g4YPYDQIrPOCRbSxeEiynPOwoujA68/s320/DSC_0042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF95Ex8Tepc_xFExStQZqY3mGLEgvJ3MK1-kxy_ftuYDKoKcdK1ZKr12l9VfTj1DSklEojUWpggGxWU8NQbLpIGMpSUc-UTSXCReAkT8_Je-296wrizTFXOXV1qybjLFGjkg1LxQYMaos/s1600/DSC_0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF95Ex8Tepc_xFExStQZqY3mGLEgvJ3MK1-kxy_ftuYDKoKcdK1ZKr12l9VfTj1DSklEojUWpggGxWU8NQbLpIGMpSUc-UTSXCReAkT8_Je-296wrizTFXOXV1qybjLFGjkg1LxQYMaos/s320/DSC_0105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sadly, I only got to spend one day in Mauritius. :(<br />
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Mauritius is a small but very populated island off the coast of Africa. We were only docked there for one day and I spent it on a catamaran cruise. It was kind of our spring break (because where we are it's springtime) and it is a tropical climate. While on the catamaran I saw dolphins, went snorkeling over the corals, and saw many awesome tropical fish. I actually ended up swimming right in the middle of a huge school of fish. (I wish I had thought to bring an underwater camera.) We also got some time just to swim in a clear area of the ocean. The water was an unimaginable blue and the sand perfectly white. It felt like I was in a postcard!<br />
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For lunch we had a barbecue on the catamaran. I spent the rest of my time lying out on the front "trampoline" soaking up the rays. It was the most relaxing way to spend the day and have an awesome experience.<br />
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</span>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-57643286026471889842011-10-07T03:05:00.002-04:002011-10-07T16:23:55.474-04:00Photos From South Africa<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWT-v9OjGILSSxrr5oQ9lc5X1vB_24k7kUm1YXgd0N_QfjGbMtNBIvW7cvaAi7Dh4SusyGxIBhJIw7tL_ox8oEnzLosMwLR4Dhp-sFtDfU8OR1kjfYdhwKcqoa-Bn3LQXTZ_4UIwTMHw/s1600/107_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWT-v9OjGILSSxrr5oQ9lc5X1vB_24k7kUm1YXgd0N_QfjGbMtNBIvW7cvaAi7Dh4SusyGxIBhJIw7tL_ox8oEnzLosMwLR4Dhp-sFtDfU8OR1kjfYdhwKcqoa-Bn3LQXTZ_4UIwTMHw/s320/107_1178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the Castle of Good Hope in front of the dolphin pool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOjk8NcZ7rO7znpFmVZy7n5R4Ggpz89-sbC3uu3NrfQiDyqqBZu2lAVbcz_TRkKwIdMqord4x2fHBJkGZoGv2MR61anSdXNvODRzdWCvFb8TIAKfD_6DLX3XGVWhhHu8astl-YNoXfbo/s1600/107_1244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOjk8NcZ7rO7znpFmVZy7n5R4Ggpz89-sbC3uu3NrfQiDyqqBZu2lAVbcz_TRkKwIdMqord4x2fHBJkGZoGv2MR61anSdXNvODRzdWCvFb8TIAKfD_6DLX3XGVWhhHu8astl-YNoXfbo/s320/107_1244.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Table Mountain from The Company's Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kfp3JNa-iaRhswvX6Q6AORfq2aFimgo6MBV-lsYtjuJlOqs8dyjBtDXusurtebENoW_7FNZsYmXySELysjDVi3fdENqNh7cjU9FC0ED-IloKdV6EpUchwmCJTkPth9jXok6FrGIC4-Y/s1600/107_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kfp3JNa-iaRhswvX6Q6AORfq2aFimgo6MBV-lsYtjuJlOqs8dyjBtDXusurtebENoW_7FNZsYmXySELysjDVi3fdENqNh7cjU9FC0ED-IloKdV6EpUchwmCJTkPth9jXok6FrGIC4-Y/s320/107_1258.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most delicious mushroom burger from City Grill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaFEm3PLYJXJ2y7LFa-iaJ8hpY2h__AgSV8t_boc6HQazkDMTEg_vru2BUlap3Z7GiM-o6L2bAoHNAPUuZL1Vv3fU0bp1vMWa_IUPBMz63G311KsofnGkedmslhkvsfJcPGaw3zZKLOA/s1600/107_1264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaFEm3PLYJXJ2y7LFa-iaJ8hpY2h__AgSV8t_boc6HQazkDMTEg_vru2BUlap3Z7GiM-o6L2bAoHNAPUuZL1Vv3fU0bp1vMWa_IUPBMz63G311KsofnGkedmslhkvsfJcPGaw3zZKLOA/s320/107_1264.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from port mall to the right, waterfront to the left, Table Mountain back left, shops, and Ferris wheel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjoHHLRusnbuLP1RQH6v2D4jkSh_7Ue77aBbUoRz2dZoE0Z1XMEDEjOhgYJ9SXKdSjbxiOcPxP4b2otd7qnZQlW7IufbrLd4MAflOvF7SaTAY0T4v3947n7ol_hBzgciMyQ1eTRNbgWQ/s1600/107_1266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjoHHLRusnbuLP1RQH6v2D4jkSh_7Ue77aBbUoRz2dZoE0Z1XMEDEjOhgYJ9SXKdSjbxiOcPxP4b2otd7qnZQlW7IufbrLd4MAflOvF7SaTAY0T4v3947n7ol_hBzgciMyQ1eTRNbgWQ/s320/107_1266.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balancing water on my head during my home stay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCzbGb-UMo3U6lsK93qBMiELtYuoHgsqY8jumdTho1pgCvEXDjSpl1KkF28ZXoba-3nxQuROLMDPpLvDLwRMzg7zaED338GHYZsw-_2soz0JvXYxSK_uVfT6rWkAe5HXmv9HfX6coLt0/s1600/107_1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCzbGb-UMo3U6lsK93qBMiELtYuoHgsqY8jumdTho1pgCvEXDjSpl1KkF28ZXoba-3nxQuROLMDPpLvDLwRMzg7zaED338GHYZsw-_2soz0JvXYxSK_uVfT6rWkAe5HXmv9HfX6coLt0/s320/107_1272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The township I stayed in </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYMM1lmCKnh3uSl2CUHd4xmCsxbtQAiPJFQYf7s8EXvYKIi2lrwJVlyJQuWGG5A7Avm3qbVNmhx8ViDrAxu848UZr7O3-WR_QA2ix8TBQrW_iFkMauObq3H-ukslHSPrwgFmqKEOxMB8/s1600/107_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYMM1lmCKnh3uSl2CUHd4xmCsxbtQAiPJFQYf7s8EXvYKIi2lrwJVlyJQuWGG5A7Avm3qbVNmhx8ViDrAxu848UZr7O3-WR_QA2ix8TBQrW_iFkMauObq3H-ukslHSPrwgFmqKEOxMB8/s320/107_1283.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An almost empty bucket of meat from Mzoli's</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT03jZ3-W3XfIDbngrhDRqdfUD8a3PEIsrgL7li1EecgWdl-Pm5er_EAdVtQ4VB0FzZmOYbTP76MAPhidb7A7iWTfyFpuGhivaapEROeiwh9tdzPW1XW3im7sFa0VVtPBoCek2SPyF80Y/s1600/107_1305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT03jZ3-W3XfIDbngrhDRqdfUD8a3PEIsrgL7li1EecgWdl-Pm5er_EAdVtQ4VB0FzZmOYbTP76MAPhidb7A7iWTfyFpuGhivaapEROeiwh9tdzPW1XW3im7sFa0VVtPBoCek2SPyF80Y/s320/107_1305.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cartoon from the Nelson Mandela Exhibit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4myfY3zkYgXCBSd8tCEajMgi9_VwhPNnZnkP-8eT2xy6pYw-xn4D7l-43B_ynDw2U1ZSbPmlJZXFND2DkN_JgoWg7H95QEbTqqvi6HG86x1Fl6Lcr8hlRBbv0TTiubzybFN4OVAJx6Yo/s1600/107_1308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4myfY3zkYgXCBSd8tCEajMgi9_VwhPNnZnkP-8eT2xy6pYw-xn4D7l-43B_ynDw2U1ZSbPmlJZXFND2DkN_JgoWg7H95QEbTqqvi6HG86x1Fl6Lcr8hlRBbv0TTiubzybFN4OVAJx6Yo/s320/107_1308.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the South African Jewish Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zpahrJIXonVks206DJV1641ecvXFjDqiRuSIdFLJi3iUvVVSHE9jvmZ7EYpddc1WkFQy6Q0r3SOyWv6uBBJrT-XXS_JsM_txmSv1txI3W7tPo46HLBbFCp7kBWQeAiwIMhVL56SYDLE/s1600/107_1356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zpahrJIXonVks206DJV1641ecvXFjDqiRuSIdFLJi3iUvVVSHE9jvmZ7EYpddc1WkFQy6Q0r3SOyWv6uBBJrT-XXS_JsM_txmSv1txI3W7tPo46HLBbFCp7kBWQeAiwIMhVL56SYDLE/s320/107_1356.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the "Waka Waka girls" from the Operation Hunger day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiMx_QluTiN8yls61ZBp4xXWATogjXgPl_KBZLCW4FEH4vp9Fs1yRaHDgwOuUjoV1PL4QgAfsPiWnVdPxrncp_J9Vl2c-pyTwcwBGJ5sSQYtx3WZhjZsdJ-LJCWJN7BAl3vxFJ73WRGw/s1600/107_1363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiMx_QluTiN8yls61ZBp4xXWATogjXgPl_KBZLCW4FEH4vp9Fs1yRaHDgwOuUjoV1PL4QgAfsPiWnVdPxrncp_J9Vl2c-pyTwcwBGJ5sSQYtx3WZhjZsdJ-LJCWJN7BAl3vxFJ73WRGw/s320/107_1363.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Operation Hunger</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4IpofWR7Rb7jOuHomI4OjUfDCnhIA1VTV6kGtNVnUp0LRMna4DYOLSyf1bFD3g1WEbnOOdK24tHFdHQYjQ_bcM8-zO8V02R22jlr2VrRw9zGqNY4HecA0EjwgWsv2yzRJB6Eyvt02-c/s1600/107_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4IpofWR7Rb7jOuHomI4OjUfDCnhIA1VTV6kGtNVnUp0LRMna4DYOLSyf1bFD3g1WEbnOOdK24tHFdHQYjQ_bcM8-zO8V02R22jlr2VrRw9zGqNY4HecA0EjwgWsv2yzRJB6Eyvt02-c/s320/107_1367.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing on the playground during Operation Hunger</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSFn-h5gLc5aCImPIqvor8Fi-y6vCX0lxJh4LnyWVfVO4_DzS8kcMWo5USKlx2i5N9BvX7Trl8yGm59-6HqBinBjl_Zso7mMd7V6e_1pYWx9JmOxe5-izv25FT2xJ790k_PhnZxDNhs0/s1600/109_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSFn-h5gLc5aCImPIqvor8Fi-y6vCX0lxJh4LnyWVfVO4_DzS8kcMWo5USKlx2i5N9BvX7Trl8yGm59-6HqBinBjl_Zso7mMd7V6e_1pYWx9JmOxe5-izv25FT2xJ790k_PhnZxDNhs0/s320/109_0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view riding to the top of Table Mountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzmpCsyFYcBjXXi5kvmmtuJZrH4GKjmkbEgboXm4j5r8vhb1vnADh92nx7UO_vVhWAu7WzhT4ZvRqhCUEEDYeTIy81bA2mquSOsOaz-y2VZ6U2J6CqCTm-DQxqIPF4CqcNCfy29AN3wQ/s1600/109_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzmpCsyFYcBjXXi5kvmmtuJZrH4GKjmkbEgboXm4j5r8vhb1vnADh92nx7UO_vVhWAu7WzhT4ZvRqhCUEEDYeTIy81bA2mquSOsOaz-y2VZ6U2J6CqCTm-DQxqIPF4CqcNCfy29AN3wQ/s320/109_0036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top of Table Mountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXm3nJQor8iqBhL0Cx7X6-JM-mi6aZCdTzO-I-RZttk2UpeQ4oVbHdhXGR1MikwP19hYnp1YZoxpUGwze_8AFq1OJa9wltxSWTGJ4eXQyAsXP54GHVbGrE0HHXne2Lfth0_R-0ixXBeA/s1600/109_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXm3nJQor8iqBhL0Cx7X6-JM-mi6aZCdTzO-I-RZttk2UpeQ4oVbHdhXGR1MikwP19hYnp1YZoxpUGwze_8AFq1OJa9wltxSWTGJ4eXQyAsXP54GHVbGrE0HHXne2Lfth0_R-0ixXBeA/s320/109_0081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desmond Tutu giving his speech</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-45771053854728824712011-10-06T14:48:00.001-04:002011-10-07T16:16:10.399-04:00South Africa<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fun facts:<br />
Street lights are called robots.<br />
Apartheid just ended in 1993.<br />
The name of the national rugby team is the Springboks. They are widely supported.<br />
The currency is the rand.<br />
The 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament was held in South Africa.<br />
There are 11 official languages.<br />
<br />
Day 1</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
The first day in South Africa I participated in the SAS city orientation trip. Our first stop was the Castle of Good Hope. It is the oldest building in South Africa. It is a beautiful yellow castle with a dolphin pool (just a fountain), chambers, and a bell tower. It was a nice visit. The next place we visited was The Company’s Garden. Originally used to grow crops, it is now a beautiful botanical garden. While there we stopped for tea/coffee and scones with jam. I ordered a cream soda and when they served it, it was bright green! So unexpected! Our last stop on the city orientation was the South African Museum. I was expecting a museum full of history of South Africa, but I was surprised to find out that it had many different exhibits, including dinosaurs, marine life, and large animals.<br />
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That night my friends (Kim, Rachel, and Amelia) and I, went to dinner at a local restaurant at the port called City Grill. We were longing for some real, non-ship food—something other than pasta and potatoes (lol). I enjoyed a delicious mushroom burger and a glass of African white wine. We learned during our pre-port seminar that South Africa is one of the main distributors of wine so many of the SAS trips took students to vineyards and wineries to teach them about the industry and how is has helped South Africa's economy.<br />
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Day 2</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
On our second day in Cape Town, Rachel and I walked around the port. There were tons of restaurants, small shops, craft barns, and even a mall to wander through. We did a little grocery shopping to stock up on snacks for our cabin and then went and checked out the views of the city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> That afternoon I did a SAS trip to a township where I stayed overnight with a local family. The home-stay program is run by Mama Knox, a local woman living in a town in Gugulethu</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">. It is a small business that also employs other women from </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mama Knox's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> town to host travelers overnight. My house partner was my friend Audrey. We both stayed with our own "mama," who walked us around the town, introduced us to the local kids (who were playing jump rope in the streets), and then let us help cook dinner. We had traditional food of cooked cabbage and spinach served over mealie pap, a cornmeal with a solid consistency. It was all extremely delicious. Her house was filled with family members: her twin sister, a niece, two nephews, her two brothers, and her mother. Although the house was in good condition, there were still things that let you know they were still developing. They had only one lamp for the entire house, a bathroom with a toilet and tub that didn’t work, and flooring that was damaged. The entire family was a pleasure to spend time with. I even learned some of their native language, Xhosa. It involves clicking consonants. It was very difficult to learn. I also attempted to walk while balancing a bucket of water on my head. I successfully took two steps!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
The children spent their time playing outside or watching <i>Disney Playhouse</i>, while Audrey and I got to know a little bit more about the family and their opinions on how discrimination is being handled.</span><br />
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Overall, I would say that my home stay in South Africa was quite a learning experience.<br />
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<br />
Day 3:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">After I woke up at the home I was staying in, I met up with the rest of the students. My friends, Audrey and Gina, and I decided that instead of going back to the ship with the SAS group we wanted to stay independently longer in the village. Gina’s "mama," Mama Mpumi offered to bring us to church with her. I really enjoyed participating in an African church service. There was a lot of singing and dancing and the sermon was given in both English and Xhosa. A very unique experience. After church services, we went with Mama Knox’s daughter to a local restaurant called Mzoli’s Meats. It is the place to be on Sundays. People from all of the neighboring towns go there on Sundays. It has outdoor seating covered by tarp where everyone socializes and loud music is played. Mzoli's is famous for its meat. The line for different kinds of barbequed meat was an hour long and the meat was served in a huge bucket. It is shared by the entire large table and you just dig in with your hands. A very messy but absolutely delicious meal!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
After getting back to the waterfront, Gina, Audrey, and I spent the rest of our day walking through the craft sheds, admiring and purchasing handcrafted items made in South Africa. Usually the items were made by local women who started their own crafts business to make a living for their family.<br />
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<br />
Day 4</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I spent this day independently traveling (with three other friends) around the city. We started off at South African Jewish Museum. My favorite exhibit was on the bottom floor, which was dedicated entirely to Nelson Mandela. We then went to an art museum. It was very abstract. We didn’t spend too much time there. We then walked again through the Company's Garden, where I shared what I learned on my city tour. We ended at a different craft barn, where my friend bought a homemade African style dress. This day was very laid back but I had a great time figuring out my way around the city. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <br />
Day 5</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Operation Hunger<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Operation Hunger is a service project that brings a local nongovernmental organization to townships to weigh the children in the schools. The children’s weight is tracked over multiple visits to see how they are progressing. If a child is malnourished, the child's teacher is informed. It is a very tricky subject to bring to parents, who often feel like they are being accused and will pull their child out of school, which is counter productive. To prevent this, the parents and the children are educated about the importance of nutrition. The children often receive some extra food while at school.<br />
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Our job was to help with weighing the children. Most of the older (5-year-old) kids were OK with the process. They just had to take their shoes off and stand on the scale. We would then record their weight on their hand and they had to show it to the people collecting the data. The younger babies were terrified of us and most of them were crying. Many of them had never seen white people and often related white people to doctors. This was scary for them because the only time they would have gone to see a doctor was if they or a sibling was deathly ill and seriously needed help. So the sight of us reminded them of those bad experiences.<br />
<br />
Another job the SAS students did was to work in the SAS-donated garden, which provides food for school lunches. Another group was in charge of cooking a meal for the children.<br />
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After getting our work done, we got to watch the schoolchildren sing and dance. We also got to go outside and play with them. It was a ton of fun spending my day with the young kids. They especially loved when we blew up balloons for them, and I loved when these three little girls started singing and dancing to "Waka Waka." <3<br />
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That night was my friend Jessica’s birthday so we went out to dinner. A South African group sang to her. We also had ice cream. We tend to treat ourselves well in port because we get so sick of the food on the ship!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
Day 6</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
I woke up at 8 a.m. and went with my friend Kim to Table Mountain. We took the gondola up to the top. The views were spectacular and the floor of the gondola rotated to you could see it all. When we got to the top, we followed the paths to the best lookout places. Luckily we made it back down the mountain before all of the power in the town went out. This sadly meant that no restaurants or stores were open, and most people headed back to the ship early.<br />
<br />
That night Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, spoke to the SAS community. He told all of us how awesome we are and how everyone is interdependent on one another. I really enjoyed listening to him speak to us. His laughter was contagious. And I left with a feeling of importance and purpose.<br />
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</span>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-38037691793390281132011-10-04T12:52:00.001-04:002011-10-04T12:55:16.689-04:00Neptune Day Photo!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXqRnT6EngizBGHu4gZMU3RHPKsbDYucDdCvxK1pT9hmYSzkuR-t-YuHtx7bBgKAFmi_z8_VBGSqiEBx0Or85UdgQmt6n2p-W4nTgIdH9Uq7Ofi3OGYiWYKaH1nqBwMQ-bGVWj1peJsc/s1600/IMG_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXqRnT6EngizBGHu4gZMU3RHPKsbDYucDdCvxK1pT9hmYSzkuR-t-YuHtx7bBgKAFmi_z8_VBGSqiEBx0Or85UdgQmt6n2p-W4nTgIdH9Uq7Ofi3OGYiWYKaH1nqBwMQ-bGVWj1peJsc/s320/IMG_0187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me (on the left) and my friends at Neptune Day getting water poured on us!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-8684574531709603252011-10-03T11:20:00.002-04:002011-10-04T13:35:59.336-04:00Neptune Day<span style="font-size: x-small;">Neptune Day!<br />
<br />
I apologize for such a late post. Life has started to get really busy!<br />
<br />
The day after Ghana (9/17) is what we on the Voyager call Neptune Day. Neptune Day is when we crossed the equator. It is a ritual for sailors who pass over the equator to pay their respects to King Neptune in order to become shellbacks.<br />
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Our morning started with all of the professors and other people, who were dressed up as gods, waking us up by running through the hallways blowing whistles, banging pots and pans, and banging on doors. When you opened your door to see what the commotion was about, they would snap a picture of your "morning look." Lots of unhappy students (lol). It was 0730 in the morning!<br />
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Then the festivities continued up on the pool deck where we had to pay respect to King Neptune. We all watched a short ceremonial scene explaining the procedure. The first step was to have water dumped on our heads. Then we had to jump in the pool. When we got out, we had to kiss a fish! (Yes! A real dead fish!) That was followed by a bow to the "queen" and a kiss on the “king's” ring. Finally, we were knighted as shellbacks. It was a very weird thing to witness (lol).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
Also part of the ritual is to shave your head, which isn’t a big deal for the guys but so many girls did it! It’s crazy. We have so many people with super short hair roaming the ship!!!! No worries, though. I still have all of my hair. :)<br />
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The day was wrapped up with a large dance party on the pool deck—and some relaxing. :)</span>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-24720098858531216792011-09-19T11:26:00.002-04:002011-09-21T11:59:34.344-04:00Ghana Photos!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJUJOxA628LT60EsTORrAp4lVa25qqE-4fk2XuB96uXJa1Z1P8jJ3ceOMzBbCOHgBCtjWxnx_9sX8lauCaYA5ZA-dGsz7YB3Jpo_78LjmVLObh1UxMscLpqFdIpbjuZwHQyI1jF6bkGE/s1600/107_0830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJUJOxA628LT60EsTORrAp4lVa25qqE-4fk2XuB96uXJa1Z1P8jJ3ceOMzBbCOHgBCtjWxnx_9sX8lauCaYA5ZA-dGsz7YB3Jpo_78LjmVLObh1UxMscLpqFdIpbjuZwHQyI1jF6bkGE/s320/107_0830.JPG" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">African drumming and dance</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NEs-TuDZy_nKOK8l4dcT3kaqsxCiNjlr4ezXTB9GLiNO1pu9rYEON13xk01tj7E-CvDzzoiK_EOs2BsJk7B9vDeB7gMqeKSygQgo2ul5TyrJ_yTks3q_M4y-wOTMxfGYBQnKO80WMnU/s1600/107_0795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NEs-TuDZy_nKOK8l4dcT3kaqsxCiNjlr4ezXTB9GLiNO1pu9rYEON13xk01tj7E-CvDzzoiK_EOs2BsJk7B9vDeB7gMqeKSygQgo2ul5TyrJ_yTks3q_M4y-wOTMxfGYBQnKO80WMnU/s320/107_0795.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local food: rice, chicken, plantains, and beef</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6E3EnEbW5Z1ALcow15NbDz40-kuOY1evqtJR8fZ7Dc0TDqNLAtsnRSaumBeFlJAT2c3e-CKH05FfWl2NDed6vf6fr0XTSKfME235monN2c3YZxq141WhHgz4SQuceW6TPMV_9gTuQKI/s1600/107_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6E3EnEbW5Z1ALcow15NbDz40-kuOY1evqtJR8fZ7Dc0TDqNLAtsnRSaumBeFlJAT2c3e-CKH05FfWl2NDed6vf6fr0XTSKfME235monN2c3YZxq141WhHgz4SQuceW6TPMV_9gTuQKI/s320/107_0804.JPG" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the place we did drumming and dancing. Great view!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal0U1sMVTJdwhDY4pG3DdGmmYQw_8E8NYq468x3pt5Hhbdr7zvai8lDImlLPrhCB1EMSUzSNinyp7EKPq_YAkqgQocflhthrRXz5yBF53QSrb0fvDKPdQ-CxoQJGGpV-WNwVOI7xwjrg/s1600/107_0905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal0U1sMVTJdwhDY4pG3DdGmmYQw_8E8NYq468x3pt5Hhbdr7zvai8lDImlLPrhCB1EMSUzSNinyp7EKPq_YAkqgQocflhthrRXz5yBF53QSrb0fvDKPdQ-CxoQJGGpV-WNwVOI7xwjrg/s320/107_0905.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slave castle</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xkf6nXhVhHanlq-_rELgd2XZkJ_Wm2qixF3iaXtClOwkWCLFwszpfxZi_Q2C-q4Rv7i9rcQhtobUXcWeYmO51QzoTy8MUV4QMP5Dwtin6BN_62mZZKKPWj8U5ojw-qdg709RiD53GWc/s1600/107_0956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xkf6nXhVhHanlq-_rELgd2XZkJ_Wm2qixF3iaXtClOwkWCLFwszpfxZi_Q2C-q4Rv7i9rcQhtobUXcWeYmO51QzoTy8MUV4QMP5Dwtin6BN_62mZZKKPWj8U5ojw-qdg709RiD53GWc/s320/107_0956.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the slave castle with a good view of Ghana in the background!<br />
(Not sure I should be smiling...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nIRX69gW9dI4olGNl6WEc4Z9t_1yjzxZKlY_wr8Iydey2ZTzdHxTZcE9k4Rv9DlDDSz3Qe3PHRy4OydPy2tNe3HnQnedB_uCMk92leFxsgS30LX11WSGyaeUGVoh7SJ7whofgm7C0rU/s1600/107_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nIRX69gW9dI4olGNl6WEc4Z9t_1yjzxZKlY_wr8Iydey2ZTzdHxTZcE9k4Rv9DlDDSz3Qe3PHRy4OydPy2tNe3HnQnedB_uCMk92leFxsgS30LX11WSGyaeUGVoh7SJ7whofgm7C0rU/s320/107_0890.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing village—a huge industry!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iXlY7K-bZG52GfrOugSJrGC3cCS9IZTEAjhkB5GB_u43Krd_N7rrKbGVVKgChjn6Cspc5mxvMTssXs8CD63JRnWsooYVsw2m4g69FYtCI9of4-peQMqbQSEFG4muOQ3sq8SVRgrtXFc/s1600/107_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iXlY7K-bZG52GfrOugSJrGC3cCS9IZTEAjhkB5GB_u43Krd_N7rrKbGVVKgChjn6Cspc5mxvMTssXs8CD63JRnWsooYVsw2m4g69FYtCI9of4-peQMqbQSEFG4muOQ3sq8SVRgrtXFc/s320/107_0919.JPG" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coconut I drank from!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZuiCn7dl948ivcizQ_iELB_9XSj7uihL7Hf_pgMu4UVCQInaoAeIh-xWKmaILOcCEHpq1MTGwf60nsPl2TuwH2rENVMcUcHj1WCU-4xsBwATIJCy1Hanv_s5YllKJB2MDslBaK3ulbQ/s1600/107_0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZuiCn7dl948ivcizQ_iELB_9XSj7uihL7Hf_pgMu4UVCQInaoAeIh-xWKmaILOcCEHpq1MTGwf60nsPl2TuwH2rENVMcUcHj1WCU-4xsBwATIJCy1Hanv_s5YllKJB2MDslBaK3ulbQ/s320/107_0993.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canopy walk at Kakum National Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7snizlTN2eA_gzFZd_6cz9_eZQUcGfuIQb6iJO-N9o7vS3ZDYE9uucK0y5zEtxjgRdZhH56cCWYyih1MazKNh-AgEAXQpXWQx3NwQJJ7aJTbAWN1Y87dZOWA4ZsuRCTED7EEH234ODuA/s1600/107_1012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7snizlTN2eA_gzFZd_6cz9_eZQUcGfuIQb6iJO-N9o7vS3ZDYE9uucK0y5zEtxjgRdZhH56cCWYyih1MazKNh-AgEAXQpXWQx3NwQJJ7aJTbAWN1Y87dZOWA4ZsuRCTED7EEH234ODuA/s320/107_1012.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo Orchestra and dancers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZtlFYkoOuT7jhDkZdZ_J7i39NfK44oUjqez4Bc7Y1Hqh_eNBzTiGseAYfwCecfdTwlhu4nOykURPXK0YQ-qxNuGXA51kKFy1SCnGb-mJgZ54TEekJKzUU4WSpN0RzfJrEvUXw3tZns0/s1600/107_1039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZtlFYkoOuT7jhDkZdZ_J7i39NfK44oUjqez4Bc7Y1Hqh_eNBzTiGseAYfwCecfdTwlhu4nOykURPXK0YQ-qxNuGXA51kKFy1SCnGb-mJgZ54TEekJKzUU4WSpN0RzfJrEvUXw3tZns0/s320/107_1039.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me playing the bamboo</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YUdYoLAeqj35Mgp0GfCbPxo0atuGxQo8GEcDanYbzlvGf1lXXLUDDwqJdSHRr1KerlPfxNxL9DQIL9JrbTzz-s3LIZwcXo0K6sZ8f6gX1uZn1VyICOIrIHfXIjqm2wlNrL4qvLXyBsU/s1600/107_1113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YUdYoLAeqj35Mgp0GfCbPxo0atuGxQo8GEcDanYbzlvGf1lXXLUDDwqJdSHRr1KerlPfxNxL9DQIL9JrbTzz-s3LIZwcXo0K6sZ8f6gX1uZn1VyICOIrIHfXIjqm2wlNrL4qvLXyBsU/s320/107_1113.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spending time with the kindergarten class at the City of Hope refuge school </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CO1FKy0GnvtoAmiF2w1daR0XNPx4PE4i1CtduRCP9rjdRipv5Q0LBHuWKs5Ixg48x8hrqCzMqNU_A-YddqNLKPmTV4xWAWaWKTkRv_nNRA0iDLL4i858-SE8zJtHUM8v3jlZxITx3AU/s1600/107_1115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CO1FKy0GnvtoAmiF2w1daR0XNPx4PE4i1CtduRCP9rjdRipv5Q0LBHuWKs5Ixg48x8hrqCzMqNU_A-YddqNLKPmTV4xWAWaWKTkRv_nNRA0iDLL4i858-SE8zJtHUM8v3jlZxITx3AU/s320/107_1115.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Participating in the street feed. Delivering 600 meals to children.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-67608453844035043012011-09-16T14:36:00.003-04:002011-09-21T12:36:39.969-04:00GHANA!<div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">GHANA!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fun facts:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">-The flag is red stripe on top, yellow in the middle (with a black star in the center), and a green stripe on the bottom. The red stands for all of the bloodshed, yellow for their gold resources, and green for their agriculture. The black star symbolizes that they are the center and star of Africa (really important and developing rapidly).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">-President Obama visited Ghana as his first African country to visit because they are leading the way in Africa. They are very proud of this fact and talk about Obama visiting a lot! It was a big deal here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Ghana is very well known for its cocoa (chocolate). It’s so good!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">-The taxis are symbolized by having yellow corners<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Their currency is called cedi and we currently have an exchange rate of 1.5<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Their clean water is not sold in bottles but instead in square baggies that you bite the corner off of!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">-AKWAABA means welcome, and is a very common greeting!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAY 1<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first day in Ghana was absolutely amazing! I participated in a SAS-sponsored African drumming and dance workshop. A</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> local drumming group performed for us and taught us how to dance. We learned many native moves but it was really hot and we were in direct sunlight. (I got a bit of a burn.) We also learned about three different drums, including the sogo and the kidi. Each part plays a different rhythm and they work together. Often there is calling or chanting done as well, and the dancers will tell a story. At lunchtime they fed us local cuisine and then performed once again. Their costumes were so colorful and the dancing was really unique. I’m glad I got the chance to learn some of their moves. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> After they performed, we were given about an hour to meet the performers. I had the unique opportunity, with my friend Katelyn, to be taught a song on the drum. The words that went with it and also the dance. Overall, I had an amazing time learning about the culture, especially because music is such a big part of their lives!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">That night a group of SAS students explored the town of Tema, and even ran into Captain Jeremy, who on the shuttle ride back led us all in song! Lol. It was awesome. Day one was definitely a success!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAY 2<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">I spent my second day at Cape Coast Castle's and Elmina Castle's slave dungeons. It is a very dark tourism site but it is a huge part of the Ghanaian and African culture. We learned all about the slave trade and walked through the tunnels and holding cells that were used. It is really sad knowing how the African men and women were treated, and how most of their fate was death, either in the cells or on the ships being sent out. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">As difficult as it was, I’m glad I went because the site is a part of their culture and they have made it a tourism site for a reason: to educate everyone about slavery so no one has to experience those tragedies again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">For lunch, we were once again treated to local cuisine. I had a coconut opened for me so I could drink it! All of the food is amazing; I especially love the fried plantains and the fish. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">The bus ride to Cape Coast and back was four hours. I spent a lot of it sleeping but I was also entertained by the things we drove by. I saw a lot of women who could balance anything on top of their heads! One guy even had live chickens in a crate on top of his head! It is absolutely amazing. The women also have an amazing way of swaddling their babies on their backs with just one cloth. It’s quite a sight to see them do it. The most shocking part of the drive was definitely all of the mud houses and villages. All were filled with men, women, and children who were often barefoot and dirty; often smoking fish, cooking plantains, or sweeping. Everyone seemed to function as a tight community and everyone had roadside stands to make a living. Another common sight was the green and red houses with phone company advertisements painted on them. The phone company paints the buildings for free if they can put their logo on it. So many communities were covered in red and green. As for animals, I saw plenty of cows (a lot skinnier than what we see back in the states), chickens, and lots of mules. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">By the end of my day, I was exhausted and just ended up going to bed pretty early.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Day 3<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">I woke up late on Day 3 and had to rush to catch my bus to Kakum National Park. I forgot to mention that on every bus ride we got “Obama treatment,” meaning we had police escorts all through the traffic. Traffic is really bad in Ghana because they are getting all of the unwanted cars from America and other countries but their roads aren’t built for high traffic, just motorbikes and a few cars. The policemen escorting us were crazy. They would stand while driving their motorbikes and actually kick the vehicles in our way. I found it interesting that we got this treatment so I asked about it and learned that the tour company arranges this so we don’t spend more time on a bus than we do at the locations. I did feel very intrusive, though, and even more like we didn’t belong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the long drive, we hiked up the mountain and made it to rope bridges that went across the treetops. It was such an amazing sight! The walking boards on the rope bridges were about 2 to 3 footprints wide and the bridge swayed while we walked, a terrifying thought when you are so high up but the sights were absolutely worth it! We didn’t see any monkeys but we heard them and we saw a “giant" squirrel. Some students also saw flying squirrels! I just saw a bunch of lizards, ant colonies, treetops and African skyline!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">After our hike and adventure across the treetops we were taken to a local resort, where they fed us lots of rice and fish. (They literally served a fish that they just cut in half and stuck on the fire. Head and tail—everything—was served! It was also the first day I tried red red, which is a sauce commonly used in their meals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">After lunch, I got to experience a bamboo orchestra. They just use pipes of bamboo to create different noises by dropping them hollow end down on wood, hitting them together and playing them like drums. It is amazing the different songs they could play! We were also told to join in their dancing because it is considered rude if you sit out; it’s as if you aren’t enjoying it. So I got to learn some more African dance moves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAY 4<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today was my last day in Ghana and I spent it doing a service project. I went to City of Hope refuge center, where children who have been trafficked in the fishing industry are rescued. The organization is run by a couple that goes into the fishing villages and educates the people about how trafficking is bad; how they can legally get in trouble; and how in order for the country to advance, the children have to be in school and not out working. It is really sad how these children have been treated. Their parents sell them to people who them force them to fish. When their nets get caught, they risk drowning because not many know how to swim. They are punished if the disobey and are often made to sleep out in the canoes on the lake. The girls are forced to smoke and sell the fish, and are often impregnated by the master’s son by age 14. Child trafficking in Ghana is such a big issue, and the City of Hope refuge center has been given 20 acres of land to build safe houses for the children they rescue, schools, and farmland to grow crops and feed them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After learning about the organization, I got to spend the day at the elementary school, which just opened to the public a week ago. I spent my time in the kindergarten class with the 3- to 5-year-olds. They were learning shapes. Most of them knew a little English because the all come from different regions where different native languages are spoken. When we went outside for playtime the children went crazy! They were running around, jumping all over us. They loved our cameras, especially learning how to take pictures and then looking at them! It was really nice seeing smiles on their faces </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. One thing that amazed the children was my hair because it is long and blonde. They could not stop playing with it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After we left the refugee center, we went with the organization to do a street feed. We handed out 600 meals to the children in just one village! It was an unbelievable sight to see how they lined up and handed us their tickets for the food, and then how they would save their food for later rather than eat it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I enjoyed my time in Ghana. I wish we had at least a few more days here! The Ghanaians are incredibly friendly and their culture is so strong. I would have loved to be able to help them even more!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-35870386330058391212011-09-09T09:40:00.001-04:002011-09-21T13:26:48.257-04:00Morocco Photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBh9bb_I8rwVoNMOk8y_sf_cX1H3dEC2ms2CfS80A5EsInzps5v6agGfeZbEHD8pLHDYJ9f9sLvZ-c1O-6arybhQAo4YRn5KEoHwryX9qmVxi1s6ZLSqR8_hyJ_8dW0WpyaxkWt5gUIBs/s1600/107_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBh9bb_I8rwVoNMOk8y_sf_cX1H3dEC2ms2CfS80A5EsInzps5v6agGfeZbEHD8pLHDYJ9f9sLvZ-c1O-6arybhQAo4YRn5KEoHwryX9qmVxi1s6ZLSqR8_hyJ_8dW0WpyaxkWt5gUIBs/s320/107_0540.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint tea—a cultural staple of Morocco</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrqvRsGP4q_6MTjoYcxEXtB-YyNhpT8-x_Zi2eLO_I2dxVbf9tPUqQPuGkUIvGMQ1wu85aFGN4_CassEfafhAwD2ib4IvqevnZpFdaAP5A96s5C2AXRei17RPlhkr8Ocxqh2jjoZuNLQ/s1600/107_0607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrqvRsGP4q_6MTjoYcxEXtB-YyNhpT8-x_Zi2eLO_I2dxVbf9tPUqQPuGkUIvGMQ1wu85aFGN4_CassEfafhAwD2ib4IvqevnZpFdaAP5A96s5C2AXRei17RPlhkr8Ocxqh2jjoZuNLQ/s320/107_0607.JPG" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosque</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbDXOdLNqfn6jQ36DlK7-1wQppId3c_uBQebSwNwpT42aZTxpsWFpCKKVBxQIbMqKsQNrZnk23EkvBvLRo_sJ-789wOpNVfN_ecciNqOZL4QJD2Gda-vAEwWfNyXhF_mh8E1D4maUzJg/s1600/107_0682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbDXOdLNqfn6jQ36DlK7-1wQppId3c_uBQebSwNwpT42aZTxpsWFpCKKVBxQIbMqKsQNrZnk23EkvBvLRo_sJ-789wOpNVfN_ecciNqOZL4QJD2Gda-vAEwWfNyXhF_mh8E1D4maUzJg/s320/107_0682.JPG" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me enjoying my chicken and couscous tarjine. The sides are shared with the entire table.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAahJLISthnnfNkQ8ARpWTdZlbelD6Op4McjxwxkHd6BA1lgBUKIysvWd54UthRqQq76QhE0-DLcAbV8bTCOCUwbWy7-I5dCE_Dru-8A_8CmoJYeBimsnmUEbEkv-kSfHKq8p81mkFx3I/s1600/107_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAahJLISthnnfNkQ8ARpWTdZlbelD6Op4McjxwxkHd6BA1lgBUKIysvWd54UthRqQq76QhE0-DLcAbV8bTCOCUwbWy7-I5dCE_Dru-8A_8CmoJYeBimsnmUEbEkv-kSfHKq8p81mkFx3I/s320/107_0725.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The typical look of the streets in the medina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-56525821257718970662011-09-09T09:34:00.000-04:002011-09-09T09:34:12.288-04:00Photos of the Ship<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpxVjafxr5RlY8EVbJdpZ_xPj2i8jS8GaV4igFSY7uRvZpn5EStkz76Oln-C5hyphenhypheny-NtO9j57J1Jdl0DouWKGeLv941Cbf-KMTjQilExbPOYktkNH4htqC5Hep4pSB2pL6Z6VY-gpH2zg/s1600/107_0754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpxVjafxr5RlY8EVbJdpZ_xPj2i8jS8GaV4igFSY7uRvZpn5EStkz76Oln-C5hyphenhypheny-NtO9j57J1Jdl0DouWKGeLv941Cbf-KMTjQilExbPOYktkNH4htqC5Hep4pSB2pL6Z6VY-gpH2zg/s320/107_0754.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Diing Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphen7XV_8Au2uPSGCFGVK4RRvnpV8RRPM1bZ-GNPVy3oUmpw-t9RyRW3-KlFE-eYRGMlVodwQn0F5PCXfd8Yb2v3N5pd7s9MVpWqYUn9F-aHVqY-8CJhTdWDjGeChcHfimfhP7PCzByn5I/s1600/107_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphen7XV_8Au2uPSGCFGVK4RRvnpV8RRPM1bZ-GNPVy3oUmpw-t9RyRW3-KlFE-eYRGMlVodwQn0F5PCXfd8Yb2v3N5pd7s9MVpWqYUn9F-aHVqY-8CJhTdWDjGeChcHfimfhP7PCzByn5I/s200/107_0755.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden Lounge Dining Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVij8ggnAOi9fg3MoZcLSbiz5v4vBmkULtZdPkIcg5GkXwgRRgiuiYStFhcBqajHMlTQ6k7We0CVxDomwk-2gzLujJmyVukfbdcLOf3XKUsD_6xSJDbEIOEOpuM6kJT7rf4XR9dS3Yoo/s1600/107_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVij8ggnAOi9fg3MoZcLSbiz5v4vBmkULtZdPkIcg5GkXwgRRgiuiYStFhcBqajHMlTQ6k7We0CVxDomwk-2gzLujJmyVukfbdcLOf3XKUsD_6xSJDbEIOEOpuM6kJT7rf4XR9dS3Yoo/s320/107_0758.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ship Store</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHL3IBtbJuLt5lpKS8LXVQUukRxtynJMaAFYSSqi3eHr7z4TITixA_HXzWjuX47vHB2NkCn9MD_TuBYx_I6x7kzu6l7c9_T1IuEfV2GtqfDJ-ZT5HYcT66rL0XtW-aT-85CuX58zAUIY/s1600/107_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHL3IBtbJuLt5lpKS8LXVQUukRxtynJMaAFYSSqi3eHr7z4TITixA_HXzWjuX47vHB2NkCn9MD_TuBYx_I6x7kzu6l7c9_T1IuEfV2GtqfDJ-ZT5HYcT66rL0XtW-aT-85CuX58zAUIY/s320/107_0759.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center, by computer lab and library</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmD_fbspUZJ2g97w3NnB6A7LbeP0l-dQdBzxt4zV0B_gwvrMb7kVkWIW1IfTx70jPwhM2kx76XMgN8lCbRh3KktcPu8_5QePFumGCEe0UcITUe8OfYnX4b5snXpqtCdW_eZ5jSPgP3-Y/s1600/107_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmD_fbspUZJ2g97w3NnB6A7LbeP0l-dQdBzxt4zV0B_gwvrMb7kVkWIW1IfTx70jPwhM2kx76XMgN8lCbRh3KktcPu8_5QePFumGCEe0UcITUe8OfYnX4b5snXpqtCdW_eZ5jSPgP3-Y/s320/107_0760.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNcSuFFr6wiLxlwDIB6waBPepwARxMk-dXImR3GqmjYTh1yPSxBrW3QmFwXJXa2LbUMMtMg6wazoZoJnKb8sRUZC_lwZ4IxAenDTWuyt0g5IA8ahyphenhyphenlsKYnI5vk6t-vhXff6JZ4UBhhW4/s1600/107_0757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNcSuFFr6wiLxlwDIB6waBPepwARxMk-dXImR3GqmjYTh1yPSxBrW3QmFwXJXa2LbUMMtMg6wazoZoJnKb8sRUZC_lwZ4IxAenDTWuyt0g5IA8ahyphenhyphenlsKYnI5vk6t-vhXff6JZ4UBhhW4/s320/107_0757.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piano Lounge and snack bar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8zmuA65VNp4Hxg9TCDmLMBrNRomF5_z62ucRk_zUInbxNBc9lY8zC6tIvDeNlOTNI0Cuaqv6FySIqk8oUJYA_TcsBjeYa8yNhOaga1rya5Ng_pNQJUUOhZzgirZpmq5IlrDWLLkraHc/s1600/107_0761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8zmuA65VNp4Hxg9TCDmLMBrNRomF5_z62ucRk_zUInbxNBc9lY8zC6tIvDeNlOTNI0Cuaqv6FySIqk8oUJYA_TcsBjeYa8yNhOaga1rya5Ng_pNQJUUOhZzgirZpmq5IlrDWLLkraHc/s320/107_0761.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Union</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpP_WPeu9Xdplg2MxrcKlE3i2WH3tHTjItvoXYlIzo7pBymS-fITVAPIjhRGuxKw-w_YTjdJigAZb1MM2A3kaVtW8BHBbk6pT7jk-AlJUaPvLx4oyxqHgptDlDuag8v6g5TUHFVkqvsQ/s1600/107_0763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpP_WPeu9Xdplg2MxrcKlE3i2WH3tHTjItvoXYlIzo7pBymS-fITVAPIjhRGuxKw-w_YTjdJigAZb1MM2A3kaVtW8BHBbk6pT7jk-AlJUaPvLx4oyxqHgptDlDuag8v6g5TUHFVkqvsQ/s320/107_0763.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pool Deck</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1wKY6wx6q1GIq5QYenDT6hZzPzfLrxxX6-O1Wxv5kCGi5ez67h6XNyzFfMzrQgSMl97IJ86vahlH1AskQYBwU7okxlVGqfJpNGUJMkP7lv5meVzwOvetoyJ3YdPHq8d_ft5NCNqf4v8/s1600/107_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1wKY6wx6q1GIq5QYenDT6hZzPzfLrxxX6-O1Wxv5kCGi5ez67h6XNyzFfMzrQgSMl97IJ86vahlH1AskQYBwU7okxlVGqfJpNGUJMkP7lv5meVzwOvetoyJ3YdPHq8d_ft5NCNqf4v8/s320/107_0765.JPG" width="240px" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj32ynkShijTwfL4LP-8cIzOOJdfJWOsjCA0Ot3sPcrIRAGawFu5M5FoyLHtu8jPu5_oDMt7CFk4qPMkuljz7P1bDUVwmWrXpeqQ8CwxhN0qwSmZflQsBwqPzGPI1lvYDta0sHXc1H4M/s1600/107_0766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj32ynkShijTwfL4LP-8cIzOOJdfJWOsjCA0Ot3sPcrIRAGawFu5M5FoyLHtu8jPu5_oDMt7CFk4qPMkuljz7P1bDUVwmWrXpeqQ8CwxhN0qwSmZflQsBwqPzGPI1lvYDta0sHXc1H4M/s320/107_0766.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIE-Kar4ZtzyxDO5jrTEbn-SkzZYo1Pz3uHXNhC_U3fWIelMS6rBhmGGS-kGnk9XdotATAWDwTibp9NeyKhNjDKIUaTjXAdyGMthJwY0ED6OuO-WrgI5Uccp6rlDk4aFtcrSd4vhvL7s/s1600/IMG_0112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIE-Kar4ZtzyxDO5jrTEbn-SkzZYo1Pz3uHXNhC_U3fWIelMS6rBhmGGS-kGnk9XdotATAWDwTibp9NeyKhNjDKIUaTjXAdyGMthJwY0ED6OuO-WrgI5Uccp6rlDk4aFtcrSd4vhvL7s/s320/IMG_0112.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Bedroom (im on the right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3797950344094484987.post-27265475957293331662011-09-08T10:50:00.002-04:002011-09-21T13:24:51.359-04:00Morocco!<div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;">Day 1</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">We arrived in Morocco the morning of Sept. 3. We had to wait for the ship to be cleared by customs, and we listened to a presentation by a U.S. representative who works in Morocco.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After getting off the ship, my friend Kimberly and I met up with some other students and we explored the city of Casablanca. In simple words it can be referred to as a “big, dirty city.” The streets were full of fast moving cars that didn’t seem to follow any traffic rules, taxis that charged way too much, and the occasional donkey. The culture and atmosphere was totally different than anything I have witnessed. I spent my morning in the medina, a street market where they sell clothing, crafts, jewelry, shoes, and other cool objects. The shop owners were all pretty pushy because they were trying to make good sales. One shop owner showed us all around the medina and then expected to be paid for it even though we had told him we didn’t want help and couldn’t pay him. Although the streets were small and crowded, I felt safe because we had been warned how to prevent pick pocketing. We traveled in a big group and we were even taught some Arabic to communicate with the locals. I have to say, the language barrier was definitely a factor that I hadn’t put much consideration into. But we learned their words quickly. “La'a” means "no," and “shukran” means "thank you." We said a lot of “la'a shukran” to the shop owners and street beggars. We also learned how to tell the cab driver to start the meter, how to ask the price, and how to ask how to get to the port.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">On the first day, I also got to try the Moroccan mint tea, which is recommended. It was super sweet and absolutely delicious.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">That afternoon I did a Semester-at-Sea sponsored city orientation of Casablanca. We got to see a couple of mosques, a castle and a Catholic church that was beautifully designed with stained glass. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The orientation was really nice because it gave me the opportunity to see things that I wouldn’t have known to find on my own.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That night I met up with another group of students and we went out exploring the nightlife. We ended up realizing that not many places were busy because Ramadan had just ended. We ended up going to a nice place on the oceanfront to have Moroccan drinks and dessert. By the end of the night, we were all exhausted but we decided that the walk home wasn’t too long and that we didn’t need a taxi. It ended up taking us about two and a half hours. Although it was a long walk, it passed by fast because we were chatting and getting to know one another.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Day 2<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The morning of Day 2 I woke up early and joined a friend from the on-ship a cappella group. We traveled by train to the city of Fez. It took about four hours and a lot of conversation with local Moroccans who were eager to practice their English.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After arriving we took a taxi to the medina, one of the largest in Morocco. The streets of the medina were very narrow and there were shops on both sides. We got very turned around while shopping. The difference between the medinas in Casablanca and Fez was that there was basically no English spoken in Fez; it was mostly Arabic and a little French. By the middle of the day, we were very hungry so we asked a local shop owner who spoke English fairly well where to eat. He took us to a restaurant that had very steep stairs leading up. We were leery but he promised us it was beautiful and that the food wouldn’t make us sick. We figured we could at least check it out and then decide. While we were heading up the stairs we ran into another American group who confirmed the location and food as being amazing. When we reached the top of the stairs we were on the rooftop of a building overlooking the city of Fez. It was absolutely beautiful! For lunch we all got tarjine, which is the name of the dish that food is served in, and whatever food they put in it. So I ordered chicken and couscous tarjine. The Moroccan food was fabulous.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After eating we toured the medina a bit more and then spent a lot of time trying to find our way out and a taxi in order to catch the train back home. The ride home was another long four hours but I enjoyed conversing with the locals and hearing their stories. Especially when I spoke with a young man who dropped out of school and was not allowed to return home because of it. Now he travels and makes a decent living, and is fluent in many languages.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Day 3<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the third day, I did a SAS-sponsored trip to the city of Marrakech. The tour was rushed but all together very interesting. First we visited a garden that was full of beautiful trees, bamboo, and cacti. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another stop was to the kings palaces. We learned all about the mosaic and the meanings of the rooms. Often the more important rooms had marble and mosaic floors. It was not uncommon for them to have four wives, the first of which he cared about the most. And we learned that the palace keeps cool because of the high ceilings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our last stop was another medina. While there I saw snake charmers. They would come up to unknowing tourists and put a snake around your neck and then demand payment. The henna women also operated in the same manner: just grabbing your hand and beginning. I did not witness but I also heard of people getting monkeys thrown on their backs and having to pay; people getting babies thrown at them and while they were catching them they would be pick pocketed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While in the medina I also visited a pharmacy, which is where they sell spices, lotions, and tea. They gave us a brief description and history with samples and then allowed us to purchase items. I bought a rose-scented lotion and these seeds that work like Vick's Vapor Rub and amazingly instantly clear your sinuses. While there I also got asked for my Facebook by one of the employees. It was quite entertaining to see how the Moroccan boys were going crazy for the American girls. They often called out "beautiful" and other nice words.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marrakech was a city based very culturally on tourism and I really enjoyed exploring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Day 4<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Day 4 was a very relaxed day for me. Everyone had to be back on the ship with their passports turned in by 1800 (yes, we use military time). I spent my day trying to find stamps to send postcards (failed) and wi-fi to send pictures and connect with people back home (also a failed). I did end up going back to the medina, though. I bargained for a beautiful long skirt, which I can wear in hot countries that require modesty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Morocco was an amazing experience for a first port. Now I can’t wait to go to Ghana!!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>Torihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18149654294465043372noreply@blogger.com0