P ∙ H ∙ A ∙ M ∙ D ∙ O

4 years

2011-05-14T13:41:00.002-04:00

Graduating tomorrow.

Here we go...

so good

2011-04-30T14:32:00.001-04:00

Heard this song a month ago and still loving it hardcore.

rolling on

2011-04-29T18:10:00.000-04:00

Done!
With classes at least.

Still have finals. And then let the senior celebrations and graduation parties start!
I love graduation. There is nothing better than the feeling of optimism, relief, nervousness, and excitement that comes with being a graduating senior. High school graduation, college graduation, masters grduation, PhD graduation....maybe I can stay in school for the rest of my life?

This last month has been awesome. Graduation has been keeping me motivated to push through the finish line and I've been finding projects and issues that I'm really passionate about. I think maybe I'm back to being myself again? As in being present and engaged in what makes me happy and motivated.

Let's see... my pink toes campaign has been going well (got press coverage!). Got my op-ed published in the newspaper. Spoke on a panel about diversity. Won 4 awards for my study-abroad photos, which will be featured in the alumni magazine. Will be in NYC for a two-week vegan cooking class in July. Also will be profiled in the bio department newsletter (even though I'm just a bio minor). I've been actively engaged in mentoring people going to study abroad and it's not winter in Rochester anymore!

Not to make that all sound like a ego-inflating masturbatory fest, but it's been really nice to feel passionate about things again and also doesn't hurt to be recognized :)

There's still a million things I need to do that are stressing me out right now, but for the first time this semester, I think I can relax for a bit. At least until finals next week....

back from hiatus

2011-04-07T14:40:00.000-04:00

Wow.

So I think that's one of the longest stretches I've gone without writing in this. Apologies for those of you who've been just hanging on the edge of your seat for the last two months.

Yeah, so I was definitely struggling with coming-back and readjusting to normal life again. Mainly it was hard to again sit in classes where I felt like I wasn't learning anything. Still feel that way.
I don't know if it's my classes or a change in my priorities/learning style/interests.

Nevertheless, I'm excited to graduate this May and move into the next portion of my life, which is hopefully not dominated by weekly tests and papers. This semester has been pretty stressful for me. Just a matter of buckling down and getting through it.

I would say I'm definitely out of whatever funk I was in and moving on with my life. Visiting friends from Semester at Sea and Ecuador and Tanzania and from back home helped ALOT. Reminds me of what's important in life - the ones you love. And travelling to Atlanta, New York City, and Denver kept my feet in the air - where they so often want to be.

But it's time to be grounded and get my plans together for next year.

GRE's, grad-school apps and finding a job, here I come. And maybe some quick trips to keep things interesting :)

integrating

2011-02-05T11:35:00.001-05:00

need to shake these re-entry blues.
need to shake these re-entry blues.
need to shake these re-entry blues.
need to shake these re-entry blues.

Damnit. I promised myself I wouldn't be that guy. You know, the one who comes back
and can't stop talking about being abroad
and how hard it is coming back
and how much I want to go away again
and blah blah blah.

But seriously...
having some major difficulty adjusting to this completely foreign, yet familiar, life again.

again

2011-01-27T09:37:00.000-05:00

Dear those who are probably good-intentioned but lack the knowledge/effort to fully understand,

The phrase "African" is not an all-encompassing word to describe the limitless number of cultures, people, geography and ideas of a whole continent. BE SPECIFIC.
And in no way does the word deserve that degrading tone in which you say it with. You, are not better.
Joking about malnutrition, famine, genocide and dictators is not funny, nor accurate.
Thanks.
In turn, I will try to be a more understanding person and not hate you forever.

xxoo,
Eric

If

2011-01-17T10:55:00.001-05:00

A year ago today, I started a trip 10 years in the making.

When I was just barely 12 years old, I remember hearing about this program where university students spend a a few months travelling around the world on a ship - visiting countries and studying. The details were over my head at the time, but I do remember that it sounded perfect. Though being in 7th grade, I knew it would be awhile before I could even start to think seriously about it.

I later learned the program was called Semester at Sea. And as I grew up, went through high school and then entered college, I knew I HAD to make it happen.

[Skip through a lot of decision making processes and long conversations] and in Spring 2010 I was getting off the bus in Ensenada, Mexico taking my first look at the big blue ship that would be my home for the next few months, the big blue ship that I had dreamed about for so many years.

Little did I know at the time of walking up the gangway onto that ship that I was about to embark on the voyage that would change my life.

In my other posts from Semester at Sea, I talk about my experiences in greater depth which are experiences that I feel just as poignantly a year later today. And especially when I'm telling people about that trip, sometimes I have to even stop myself and think, "Wow, I can't believe that happened." It's so surreal sometimes to think about it.

Visiting 9 different countries, meeting so many people around the world, and learning about things so different than the usual really opened my eyes to what is happening in the world and my place in it. It really taught me what is important - mainly that there is SO much that I can give no matter how little that is.

And the trip is what inspired me to then study in Tanzania, taking the time to stay in one place for a while rather than globe-hop. A decision that I will never regret.

And now, sitting back here at school after that post-SAS trip to Tanzania, I am grateful for how one opportunity led to the next. And that after I graduate this semester, opportunities seem even larger and more realistic. After the most amazing, scary, uncomfortable, demanding, rewarding, and travel-filled year of my life yet, I cannot wait for what's next.

adjusting again

2011-01-13T15:40:00.000-05:00

Re-entry is hard.

Re-entry is hard and frustrating and lonely and sad and painful.

It's hard to jump back into the life that I left a year ago.
It's frustrating to sit in a classroom again.
It's lonely without the people I spent every moment with.
It's sad to know it's over.
It's painful not being able to go back.

I'll get over it of course. But I've only been back for 5 days, so be gentle.

homeward

2011-01-08T21:26:00.002-05:00

In Hong Kong right now, waiting for the plane that will take me back to the states.

Contemplating:

Why I suddenly feel homesick
The most adventuresome year of my life
Grad school/career path
Sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica
How cold it's going to be in Rochester
That I hate the new Facebook (like always)
How I don't want to sit in a plane for 15 hours
My beard growing in
All the delicious food I ate in Vietnam
All the delicious food I'm going to cook once I get back
All the sleep I'm going to (hopefully) get once I get back
...which probably won't happen since classes start Tuesday
That I'm going to be sad to take down the map on my blog
How much I really miss people
If I still know how to drive

subiri kidogo

2011-01-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

...it means wait a bit.

As in, i'mwaybehindinupdating.

Let's see, last I left off I was just leaving Ethiopia. Since then it was back to Tanzania, then to Rwanda, then back again to Tanzania and now I'm writing from my parents' place in Saigon (Ho Chi Mihn City), Vietnam.

And then tomrrow we're leaving for Mu Nei, which is a coastal town so I of course have no time to do a decent post until I get back from that.

Until then, I'll leave you with this picture I took in Rwanda of a male Mountain Gorilla.

Went to Mexico?

2010-12-12T08:38:00.000-05:00

I must admit I'm embarrassed about my stay here in Addis.

Mainly because I'm falling in love with Ethiopia already and I'm ashamed I didn't intend to stay longer. It's kind of crazy, to think that I came to Addis for a vacation from Tanzania. After 3 months of relatively exhausting travel and work, I just needed to get away - Ethiopia sounded exotic and far away enough to satisfy that need.

I just wish I had more time here. Just staying here in the capital city makes has peeked my interest in all things Ethiopian. I want to go see the ruins in the north, the moutains in the east and the ethnic groups in the south.
But I guess I'll just have to come back later and spend 2 months to do it all.

I'm also embarrassed that I didn't know much about Ethiopia before coming here. It's unfortunate that the biggest perception of the country is the famines and droughts that happened so many years ago. And while what happened was horrible, I've found my stay here to be quite the opposite of those images from that time.

For one thing, the food here is amazing, cheap, and delicious. After 3 months of the same cuisine, it's refreshing to be in a country that is seriously good eating.
Pastry shops and espresso bars on every corner = I could stay here forever.

Last night I was invited to an international photo exhibition by an artist I had met early in the day. With photographers from all over the world coming together for the country's first photo festival, it was beyond anything I imagined I would be doing here. Free wine was a nice surprise. Also reminded me that I need to take more pictures - I've been kind of lazy with my time here.

Speaking of lazy, I didn't realize how burnt out I was from Tanzania until getting here. All my plans about traveling and sightseeing went out the window after the first day when I couldn't even gather the energy to walk around the city. It's been nice though, to recoup my mental health and relax for this week. Unlike a lot of other cities I've been to in Africa, the fact that Addis is such a vibrant and interesting city definitely helps. Did I mention the coffee?

Oh I love traveling.

p.s. there's a place in Addis called Mexico. Who knew?

first day

2010-12-09T10:19:00.000-05:00

Turquoise walls, pillow lined floor, chewing qat with 25 new friends while sheesha smoke fills the room and Amharic music crackles over the radio. So far so good in Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa is pretty crowded, hot, and dirty but for some strange reason I feel peaceful here. Perhaps that's the qat I just chewed or the fact that after 4 months in Tanzania, I'm finally on my own. Either way I'm having a great vacation.

I was orginally going to go up north to see the ruins, but a two day bus ride doesn't sound all that appetizing right now. Might just stay here in the city and soak it up, eat some awesome food and binge drink coffee. Sounds alright to me.
Also did I mention world's largest outdoor market? .

post plans

2010-12-06T10:15:00.001-05:00

In two days....

I will be off to spend a week in Ethiopia.
Then a week in Rwanda to see the gorillas and explore.
Then Zanzibar to relax.
Then a trip to Vietnam to see my parents.

Whew! Didn't expect to do so much traveling after the program, but I'm glad it's all working out. And grateful that I saved up in anticipation of the unanticipated. Thanks past-self!

Kind of most nervous about Ethiopia, since I kind of just booked the ticket on a whim and have no idea what my plans are as of yet. Hoping to just land at the airport and wing it from there. Who knows what will happen? I don't.

Wish me luck!

winding down

2010-12-04T08:31:00.000-05:00

Wow.
I cannot believe my time here with my study abroad program ends in four days. Back in August, waking up that first day in the savanna, I never thought this day would come.

Was it really me doing all those things? Tracking lions in the Serengeti, snorkeling on the coast for a month, living with the Masaai, sitting with my host mom in the cooking hut while she taught me Swahili...it all seems like a dream. Like someone took my body, transported it to Africa, and did all this crazy stuff that I never would've imagined 5 months ago.

I remember when I was thinking about study abroad programs last spring and deciding on Tanzania because I knew nothing about it - or even where it was for that matter. Now after living here for an appreciable amount of time, I have grown familiar with this country and its people. I have learned the intricacies and contradictions of National Park management here in Tanzania and experienced sleeping in mosquito nets every night while malaria commercials play on the radio. I've met women with 12 children and laughed with kids named Barack. I've gained weight, lost weight, and gotten sick. Trekked through waterfalls, watched dolphins, and slept on the beach. And I've made the most amazing friends.

As the program ends in the next few days, I will be truly sad to say goodbye to my friends and to this place. Though I will be continuing to travel after the program, it will not be the same and most likely will never be the same.
Kwa heri Tanzania. Nakupenda!

Addis

2010-11-27T16:06:00.001-05:00

So don't really know what compelled me to book a flight to Ethiopia for December. Don't even really know what there is to do there. Or even much about Ethiopia for that matter...

I was looking at what to do after the program ends here in Tanzania and saw that there are direct flights from here to Addis Ababa. Why not?

I have always wanted to randomly book a flight. Never thought I would do it in Africa.

Is it weird that my hands are shaking right now as I think about going off alone? I've traveled a lot, but this will be the first time truly by myself.

Adventure awaits.

unforgettable

2010-11-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last couple months! Internet (electricity, computer, time) is so much harder to come by then I thought it would be.

So to sum up since I last posted, I'll give the shorthand version of events from the last one and half months - of our safari, Masaai homestay, and my independent project on the coast.

Things I will never forget:

Having hyenas/bush pigs/zebra/lions/buffalo outside my tent at night.
A male lion walking right up to our safari car.
Watching a pride of lions devour a zebra.
Sunrise/sunset over the Ngorongoro crater.
Baby lions!
Visiting the site where they found the oldest human remains.
Meeting my Masaai homestay family for the first time (all 50+ of them).
Sleeping outside on the ground on a cow skin with the goats and my host brother.
Bathing naked in the river with my Masaai family as tourists drove past in their landrover and the confused looks on their faces.
Being so dehydrated I thought I was dying.
Contemplating if a soda was a net gain of water or not.
Wearing 5lbs of Masaai jewelry all the time, even while sleeping.
Waking up to the Mountain of God, while my yeyo(mom) milked the cows.
Getting branded by a Masaai warrior.
Sweatiest. Bus. Ride. Of. My. Life
Setting up my tent on the beach, knowing it would be my home for the next month.
Kicking off my shoes at the beginning of November and not putting them back on until the end.
Swimming through a swarm of jellyfish.
Watching sea turtles hatch...twice.
Playing with sea squirts.
Reading the "sea dangers" part of my coastal guidebook.
The South Africa lodge owner "Ahh, I love Afroman."
Having my first birthday abroad. And somehow my friends got me a cake?
Eating our meals in the small fishing village.
Nearly drowning when I thought I saw a sea snake (turned out to be a sea eel).
Cooking on a charcoal stove on the beach.
Snorkeling in the most beautiful place everyday....and calling it work.

I love this life.

Team Tanga

2010-10-16T10:18:00.001-04:00

The last person on this computer titled their blog post: "Goats on a bus and goats in the hotelini!"

Which is not really all that different from my experiences of chickens on the bus, in the restaurant, at the hotel, and on the street.

Anyways,

Just returned from Pangani yesterday, which is on the coast of Tanzania. A few other students and I went to do some preliminary prep work to see if our coastal studies were viable. And while the first few days were looking kind of rough, we eventually located the reefs and hammered out the logistics of staying there during November to conduct our research.
And while I was concerned my academic director would not approve my study, he did without any hesitation. So things are looking good for November. Really good.

I'm. Am. So. Stoked.

Somehow the ocean always manages to call me back. I never realized after Semester at Sea how much I missed the sea until I arrived at the coast of the Indian Ocean - saying "hello again" to an old friend. It's funny how I never imagined myself as an ocean person, but lately I've been spending quite a lot of time near the sea. I'm not very good at swimming and sharks scare the crap out of me, but I do like the idea of my spirit animal being a sea otter. You can call me Jacques Cousteau.

In other news,

Tomorrow we depart for our longest safari of the semester. We'll be spending two weeks in the bush examining the most powerful, amazing, and historically rich places on earth - Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, and the Serengeti Plains. In addition we finish off our trip with a Maasai homestay at Lake Natron. The birth place of humanity, the most famous savanna ecosytem, and the iconic Maasai people....does it get better than this?

kidogo

2010-10-11T07:35:00.000-04:00

have about 5 min at this internet cafe before we head out.

just posting to say i'm still alive.

The Rainforest was AWESOME. Now me and some friends are on the coast in Tanga, doing some prep-work for our independent studies in November. I might do a coral reef study if everything looks good.

Will update more later. There's a lot to talk about!

What matters

2010-10-03T07:59:00.002-04:00

Personal journal entry, September 20th, 2010:

I met a kid the first week at my homestay here. She is a little girl who comes over to help around the house in exchange for a warm meal and a place to sleep. The first thing I noticed was that her clothes were filthy and she barely talked. When she did, I didn’t understand what she was saying. For lack of Swahili skills and the fact that it was my first week in Bangata, I didn’t ask about her. I just assumed she was my family’s house-girl.

Later, as I learned more Swahili, I began to suspect the words that the girl was saying were not in Swahili, or any language for that matter. In fact, one of the noises she often made, “Abaagaa,” was the name my family called her. It was strange to me that she would just repeat her name over and over, and I began to suspect that perhaps she had developmental disorder.

One day, when I returned from school, Abaagaa was in the yard, swinging underneath the banana tree with her back towards me. “Hujambo!” I shouted in greeting. But she didn’t respond. Again I shouted hello in Swahili and again she didn’t respond, it was as if she didn’t even know I was there – like she didn’t even hear me.

Then it clicked. She was deaf.

Two years of learning American Sign Language and about Deaf culture came rushing back to me. It all made so much sense – her inability to talk and the fact that my family always shouted and gestured when speaking at her.

Knowing this, I slowly approached Abaagaa from a wide angle, as to not startle her. When she noticed me out of her periphery, she jumped off the swing and smiled at me. I waved hello, which she meekly mimicked before laughing and running away behind the house.

Following her behind the house, I found her and my host sister in the shack where my family does the cooking, tending to a cast iron cauldron. After greeting my sister, I asked casually if Abaagaa could talk or hear. My host sister said no and that the girl’s actual name was Nema, though Abaagaa stuck as her nickname.

From there my host sister began to ask how my day was, to help me practice my language skills. And as I talked in broken Swahili, with the wood fire filling the room with smoke, all I could think about was the little girl off to my side, who was watching out conversation intently.

Then, as we waited for the food to finish simmering, I decided to try to see if I could teach Nema some sign language. At first I was skeptical it would work, or if Nema would even respond, but she actually caught on quickly. Using crayons that I had brought as a gift, Nema and I sat in excited silence as I taught her numbers and colors. And while my host sister struggled with the hand signs, Nema was competent and receptive with the signing. My hands were shaking so much from excitement that my host sister asked if I was cold. In reality my heart was racing because I was exhilarated – I had finally figured out Nema was deaf and within just of few moments of that discovery, I was quizzing her on numbers. I would’ve never guessed in my previous life that one day I would be in Africa, laughing with a deaf girl as I taught her sign language. Of everyone on the program, the one person that knows sign language is placed in the homestay where the neighbor girl is deaf. What are the odds?

And while I struggled with the serendipity of the moment, my excitement began to fade quickly as I began to comprehend the reality of the situation. And when my host sister explained that Nema had never been to school, I abruptly excused myself and headed for my room, where I tried to compose myself. The situation was entirely overwhelming and heartbreaking – that this girl had never been to school and lacked any way to communicate (even as I write this, my throat is tightening and my stomach churns with anxiety).
I can’t even imagine what it must be like to never deeply and genuinely communicate with other people. Being unable to speak Swahili very well, I know how isolating that is, but to experience that her whole life? How lonely that must be.

Back at home my parents worked hard and sacrificed a lot to provide me with the education and resources so I could reach my full potential. And I have no doubt they would’ve done the same (perhaps even more) if I was deaf. I truly believe that Nema’s parents love her and want the best for their child, but for whatever reasons, she isn’t getting the help she needs. And I can’t imagine what it must be like for a parent, knowing that you can’t give your child what they so desperately need.

What I do know is that I need to find out more about this girl. And while I’m not superstitious, I know there is a reason I am here and a reason that on my first day here I wrote, “I came here for the animals, but I have a feeling I the people I meet will make it worthwhile.” At no other time has that statement been so true until now.

Personal journal entry September 29th, 2010:

With the help of a translator, I have just finished interviewing my host mom about Nema. She is 10 years old, her parents are separated, and she lives with her mom (though she spends most of her time at our house). She does small jobs around my host-family’s house like fetching water, helping to cook, and cleaning the dishes. She often eats her meals here and spends the night because she likes to. She has one younger sister and another sibling on the way. Apparently she is the only one in her family that is deaf (perhaps caused by a childhood illness?).

Nema has never gone to school, though there are a few vocational schools in Tanzania that train children with disabilities to become seamstresses or other skilled workers. These schools costs money to attend, but the government does provide some assistance if one gets registered – a process that also takes time and money. My host mom also explained that there are international charities that run schools for disabled children, though I’m not sure if those are specifically for deaf children.

Apparently a sponsorship was in the works to send Nema to one of these schools, but her grandmother refused, despite the fact that Nema’s mom was for it. The grandmother is elderly and paralyzed in one leg, so it is important to her that Nema is able to stay home and help to care for her.

I have arranged to speak with Nema’s mother tomorrow to find out more. My host mother told me that she is going to talk to Nema’s mother before I do, in hopes of convincing the grandmother to accept the idea of Nema going to school, which surprised me because I never mentioned anything about trying to find help for Nema. And though I have merely asked about Nema under the guise of leaning more about special education in Tanzania, I have a feeling people have already divined my intentions of trying to find help for this girl. Perhaps they know that I’ve already started looking into sponsoring her or getting an institution to sponsor her to go to school. And if things become feasible, maybe people here won’t be shocked when I tell them that I think it would be best for Nema to be educated in the States.

I just don’t even know where to begin. How does one go about getting a sponsorship? Where will she live? And where will she go to school? How long does a student visa last? And would it be even possible for her to go to school in the U.S.? Will there be people willing to basically donate their time and money to bring her there? And while I will be here until December, that is such a short amount of time for me to figure out the answers to these questions.

However, my real concern is that without being able to really communicate with Nema, I don’t know how she feels about the situation. Is it presumptuous of me to assume that she wants to go to school? Let alone school in the U.S.? Is it wrong of me to insert myself into this situation and place needs onto Nema that I’m not even sure she has? Is it selfish and insensitive of me to put Nema’s needs over that of her grandmother? My only hope is that my intentions are valid and rightly placed.

If I had a magic wand, I would just transport Nema to the U.S. without a hitch, but I know that’s naïve. I’ve only just started this process, but if I go forward with this and if it becomes even a possibility, I know it will probably be difficult, complicated, frustrating, and time consuming. But I feel like it is right. And by being here in Tanzania, knowing that I am probably taking more than I’m giving, I just hope that whatever small impact I leave will be positive.

Safari sana

2010-09-26T05:22:00.003-04:00

It's 3AM in the morning and on the edge of the campsite are blood curdling shrieks, the sound of a scuffle and what seems like a death rattle. I'm bolted awake, my heart is pounding, I'm starting to sweat in the cool night air and trying to convince myself that the thin plastic of my tent is made of 4-inch-thick steel. Leopards? Hyenas? Lions? Rabid baboons? Lets just pretend those things just don't exist.

Needless to say, the first night camping in Tarangirie National Park was interesting. Before we left, our academic director, "Baba Jack," warned us ahead of time, "If you need to go pee in the middle of the night, shine your light 360 degrees when you get out of your tent. Red eyes are okay, those are herbivores. If you see green eyes get back in your tent, quickly. And if a lion roars, you probably won't need to pee anymore."At first I thought he was just trying to scare us, but it wasn't a joke. All night I could hear animals around camp.

The next morning Baba Jack told us that the fight was probably a leopard trying to kill a baboon.
He said he also heard hyenas, elephants, and lions. Oh, good to know.
I took sleeping pills the next night to get through it.

Suffice to say, our camping trip in Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Park was amazing. Because of the dry season, all the animals contract into the parks, so the wildlife is dense. Couple that with the fact that our campsites were not fenced in, things were pretty crazy - animals everywhere. I still can't get over the fact that so many large animals can live in a place that at first seems so dry and desolate. On our field study drives, we would see herds of elephants, zebra, wilder beast, and impala everywhere. Truly astounding.

And being there as students, we took the time to study the local wildlife, rather than just drive through and stay at the luxury lodges. I was in the group studying local bird populations. By the end of 5 days, we had identified over 100+ species and began to learn about different feeding behaviors and habitats. On one morning drive we nearly ran over a pride of lions, sleeping next to the dirt road. And the next day we came across a leopard. The day before we watching a group of cheetah contemplate catching a meal. Is this really school? I don't know if I can go back to sitting in a lecture hall after this.

Elephants in Selela swamp, Lake Manyara. Photo by my friend hannah, since I haven't found the time to upload pics

excerpt

2010-09-26T04:50:00.002-04:00

....from a journal entry I did the first week:

29 August 2010
Is it really only the fourth day? I feel like its been at least two weeks already. Everything just feels so comfortable and close. Waking up, bushing my teeth outside my tent, sipping tea while watching Mt. Meru emerge from the clouds, sitting around the campfire telling jokes while elephants rumble near by. I'm loving this first week.
I feel so lucky. Today our morning consisted of learning about Maasai lifestyle and in the afternoon we went bird watching. And while we got to see some cool birds, the highlight was watching a heard of elephants come to the watering hole at sunset. Screw National Geographic, the real thing is 1000x better.
Then we had the opportunity to go into a Maasai boma to see some jewelery made by the women. Afterwards, Babu Leeki (who is the wisest most gentle man I have ever met) took us into a hut and he translated as we talked to a Maasai mama. We learned that she built her mud hut in three months, is one of nine wives, and has two children. She is 25 years old.
Outside the hut we played with a group of children. And despite the cultural/language differences, it always amazes me in my travels how laughter and games are universal.
I will never forget reaching out my hand to a girl, her small hand barely fitting into my palm, and suddenly realizing just how similar we all. That we are all human. I love how it took only a few seconds to teach her a hand clapping game and how you don't need words to laugh together. (Does this mean I want to have kids of my own someday?).
And as the Maasai children huddled around us and we all started jumping up and down together, I don't think I had smiled so much until then. If I could go home now I would be completely content - the day was that perfect. While I came here for the wildlife, it's the people that matter.

Oh I can't believe that was already a month ago. Where did time go?

bushed

2010-09-25T08:24:00.000-04:00

Just got back into Arusha town from a week long safari adventure.
Right now I'm sweating it out in an internet cafe, after having the biggest lunch of my life. Too tired for a legitimate post, but I have never been happier.

It's been only a month here so far and I'm falling in love all over again.Safari really affirmed why I'm here. Seeing all those animals and learning Swahili - I can't believe I'm living out my childhood dreams, again. How did I get so lucky?

Traveling and living abroad might get dangerous for me, because now my heart is all over the world. Oh life right now is wonderful and fantastic and wild and curious and "nzuri" and hot and sweaty and without showers. It is elephants and leopards and lions and cheetahs. It is national geographic landscapes and Swahili greetings and being somewhere completely different to learn about myself and my passions.

bushing

2010-09-18T04:20:00.001-04:00

Off to Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara for a week long safari! Will be off the grid for a bit, so it'll be a while until I update. Wish me luck and lots of elephants!

chapati heaven

2010-09-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

If I could have one food for the rest of my life it would be chapati, which for lack of a better description, is capital F-ing delicious.
It's like Indian naan bread, but flat, fried on the griddle (over an open fire), and I HAVE to eat at least 5 whenever my mama makes them. She wonders how my stomach is so quidogo (small).

Before I came to Tanzania, I thought I would be eating nothing special. I envisioned bland stews and rice. Before I left I ate all my favorite foods in preparation for the weight loss and hunger that I would have to endure.

Clearly I was wrong. In fact, a lot of perceptions of Africa have been wrong. Growing up in America, the image of Africa is of poverty, starving children, rampant AIDS, and generally a continent in need of help. I'm learning that here in Tanzania, what guilts people back at home into giving a dollar to the charity on TV is not exactly the reality of what happens here on the ground. The fact is that most of the money given as aid never reaches the people it is supposed to help.
And I'm realizing how out of place Westerners and their ideas are here. And really, it's not hard to understand.
When all the foreigners drive around here in their white land rovers and stay in fancy hotels, I understand why people are kind of hostile towards "mzungu"s. When the children in my neighbor hood harass me for money, I have to force myself to not take it personally.

So is our perception of Africa our own creation?

I don't know if any of this is making sense. I don't even know where to begin reflecting on what I've experienced here so far. I came here to learn about wildlife, but find myself learning more about inequality, corruption, and Western dominance than about lions or elephants. I just hope that I can remain optomistic through the rest of the semester and I'm try to figure out where I fit within all of this.

nyumbani = home

2010-09-08T07:23:00.000-04:00

So today is the first day I've been truly happy here with my host family. The first couple days were kinda rough.

I live in a family with three children, 3 cows, 2 calves, 1 bull, 5 chickens, 2 goats, and 2 dogs. We have two lightbulbs, a radio and one hole in the ground for a choo (pronounced, cho). I take a shower with a bucket and there is no toilet paper.
So things were kinda uncomfortable, loud and crowded for my tastes at first. But I've gotten over it.

My swahili skills are finally coming together and I've stared to be able to communicate as a normal human being (albeit, a 2 year old human being). Last night I sang children songs with my drunk baba and my siblings. It was awesome and funny and humbling.
I walk to school past groves of banana trees and coffee plants, in the foothills of Mt. Meru, as the foggy morning air dampens the copper dust roads.
We have chai breaks twice a day and my three year old sister calls me "Ericki" when I come home from school.
My mama cooks dinner over an open fire and my food always has an earthy smokiness to it that I've surprisingly become accustomed to. We drink milk fresh out of the cow.

Yesterday when I told my dada I was tired he said, "That's because Americans are always running around! They never stop to even say 'Hi' to each other." Life is a bit slower here and I like it, thought I do have to keep reminding myself to slow down when I walk.

I'll try to post pictures sometime... maybe. Internet is hard to come by. But until then, I'll be milking cows, chopping down banana trees and learning swahili. Loving it here. <3

danger zone

2010-09-03T08:34:00.000-04:00

Here's all the things I probably shouldn't tell you about Tanzania, but I'm going to anyways.

1. Found a baby black mamba in camp (deadliest snake in the world).
2. Mango flies lay their eggs in your clothes, and the larvae burrow into your skin.
3. Tsetse flies like to bite your scalp.
3. People walk around with a big stick at night to fend off rabid dogs.
4. Ticks? Unavoidable.
5. Laundromats will not take your underwear.
5. Run zig-zag if being chased by a crocodile. Sharp 90 degree turns around trees if it's a snake.
6. Schistosomiasis.

lols.

Hujambo from Tanzania!

2010-09-01T09:14:00.001-04:00

....and so we landed in Tanzania and immediately we were swept off into bush, spending our first week here camping at a wildlife reserve.

While there was no electricity or running water, and I had my first experience with a drop latrine, it was absolutely incredible.

Waking up everyday was like being born again. Unzipping my tent each morning to be greeted with the sunrise over Mt. Kilimanjaro was truly awe inspiring. Taking those first morning stretches and breathing in the crisp savanna air was the beginning of learning to live all over again. And my first few days were those first baby steps into my new life here. Learning to live in the presence of majestic herds of elephants, awkward giraffes, and silly troops of baboons. Understanding that black mambas hang out around camp and that the most feared animal in Africa isn't a hungry lion or aggressive elephant, but a mere badger. Wrapping my head around the lifestyle of the Maasai, whose lives revolve around raising cattle, living in mud huts, and getting married and having children before their 20th birthday.

Things here for me have been intense, dirty, and uncomfortable - being thrown into it all. But I am undeniably optimistic about the coming months I will be here. I feel vital, full of nervous excitement, and overwhelmed with curiosity. I am ready to learn, grow, and share.

I also feel so incredibly lucky to be here. I've watched elephants come to the watering hole at sunset, a herd of giraffes lazily graze on acacia, and laughed with Maasai children as we taught each other games to play. It has only been the first week and I already feel like I'm inside the pages of the National Geographic magazines I read as a child, except this is a thousand times better.

What. A. Dream. Come. True.

Peace out

2010-08-25T09:29:00.000-04:00

Leaving today for Tanzania and my biggest fear is that my bag is more than 50lbs.

See you on the other side!

packed

2010-08-23T11:49:00.001-04:00

With my water filtration system, iodine tablets, vaccinations (rabies, yellow fever, typhoid), ridiculous amounts of antibiotics, malaria medication, bug spray, pepto, and hand sanitizer, I think I'm ready for anything that Tanzania is going to throw at me.

For the first time in my life, I'm NOT packing the night before. And good thing, because right now I have no idea how I'm going to pack for 4 months of traveling/camping/studying/adventuring and have it be less than 50lbs. Oh jeez.

just keep repeating:
"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money." -Susan Heller

whoosh

2010-08-19T14:21:00.000-04:00

So just got back from Vietnam and now I have a week until Tanzania.
I kinda of feel like it's Semester at Sea all over again - not having enough time between countries.

There's so much to write about Vietnam, but I'm so stressed right now getting ready for Tanzania that I can't even think about it.

ah!

ew

2010-08-04T19:19:00.000-04:00

I just realized it will take me ~28 hours to get to Vietnam from Rochester.

ew.

oh you know

2010-08-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

So I'm leaving to visit my parents in Vietnam in like 4 days?

Still doesn't really feel like it's real.

I've gone my whole life without ever going to Vietnam and now I'll be going there for my second time within a period of 4 months. Not only that, but Mitzi will be joining up with me there too. It's starting to feel ALOT closer to home than ever before.

Honestly, I wasn't so sure about my parents moving there, but now I'm really grateful for the opportunities that their relocation has provided (free visits aren't a bad thing either...).

Can't wait to zip around the insanely crowded streets on motorbikes, drink the world's best coffee, eat some pho, snack on tropical fruits, and lounge around at my parents' pool.

Oh, and get to further immerse myself in my heritage and my "home country."To reconnect with my history and learn about where family came from. I hope I get to visit my mom's birthplace and see the hotel that my grandparents once owned. And most of all, I hope to see that my parents are happy living in a country that they probably never thought they'd return to.

yums

2010-07-24T11:13:00.000-04:00

homemade butternut squash bisque and vegan multi-grain bread = breakfast of champions.

Now THIS is what summer is about - waking up late and cooking delicious food.

every

2010-07-21T20:06:00.000-04:00

Ah. Life is good.

Well, after a three weeks of "why don't I just drop out of college" stress.

So when I declared my Biology minor, one of the classes which I had to take (didn't want to take) was ChemII. So I figured that summer class would be a good idea.
WRONG.

6 hours of chemistry every day was complete hell. And by the first week I was already struggling. I was so ready to just say "fuck it," drop the class and disregard fulfilling my minor requirements.

But, I found out that the minor requirements actually had changed within the last semester and the class was no longer required.

And I peaced out of that class faster than a vegetarian at a BBQ. (Which I've done before).

So while I'm glad to be free of that class, I'm kind of pissed my advisor never told me about the change. And the fact that I wasted a lot of money and time for no good reason.

Thanks, UofR!

rush

2010-07-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

Been waking myself up at night, thoughts racing about traveling again.

You'd think that I'd get used to the feeling after how much I've traveled in the last two years.

But I still get anxious about leaving again, it hits me in the stomach like a ice cold water balloon.

And this time there's a different feeling there too. I almost want to say a tinge of reluctance. A bit of wanting to stay in one place for a bit, at least long enough to get bored. I feel like there's so much I still want to do this summer, but don't have enough time for.

pitts

2010-07-15T09:26:00.001-04:00

Heading out to Pittsburgh this weekend to see some homies from Semester at Sea.

And I couldn't be more excited. It's been two months since we've been back home and it's felt like years. Can't wait!

booked

2010-07-10T09:05:00.000-04:00

Flight to Tanzania is officially booked.

And can I just say, WOW that was a lot of money. And also, why is it that a round trip ticket is less expensive than a one way?

Even though I won't be on the return flight, I had to book a round trip anyways because it was over $1,000 cheaper. wtf?

Traveling is kinda of complicated.

about it

2010-07-06T14:24:00.000-04:00

So, for those of you who keep wondering what exactly I'll be doing in Tanzania....

Here's some links:

program overview

and photos from a previous student:

tanzania photos

someone from the facebook group posted a link to the photos and after looking through them, I think I am even more excited now, if that's even possible. Camping in the freaking Serengeti!!!

And I've decided to stay in Tanzania until the end of the month. I want to volunteer, travel a bit more and hike Kilimanjaro. You know, the usual winter break stuff.

just

2010-06-29T00:03:00.000-04:00

I just realized today....

that I will have lived on 5 out of the 7 continents before I turn 25.

Guess that makes me pretty lucky.

I want to try to live on all 7, but maybe I'll save the last two so I have something to reach for.

back

2010-06-24T14:35:00.001-04:00

Whoa. Intense dream about Tanzania last night.

Pretty much entailed me in Amsterdam missing my connecting flight, losing my baggage, and not making it to Tanzania.

Knock on wood that doesn't happen!

I know when I start having nightmares about things, then it's really stressing me out. At least it's not as bad as those I had waiting for college acceptance letters.

options

2010-06-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

So I'm kind of having doubts about Fulbright....

..which isn't exactly a good thing since the first application deadline is like two weeks away.

I just don't think I'm as passionate about it as I though I was. Mainly because I know if I wanted to get it done it would've been done months ago. Maybe my heart isn't into it?

I know I want to get to Vietnam, but I'm not sure if that's exactly the way I want to do it?

Perhaps a grad or certificate program would be a better idea and more along the lines of what I'm interested in.

granola

2010-06-16T11:23:00.001-04:00

So maybe I'm still an Oregonian because yoga inspired world hip hop music is exactly my thing.
And because it reminds me of Semester at Sea and big love.

reminder to myself: need to download more MC Yogi

redeye

2010-06-14T17:57:00.000-04:00

I don't think I have been this chronically tired since...ever.

Oregon was amazing and sleepless. Can't wait to function normally again.

But it was all well worth it, even though I only got to see the peeps for just a bit and I probably just took a lower letter grade on my test today.

Map of my journey

2010-06-10T09:06:00.000-04:00

San Diego, CA USA
Hilo / Honolulu, Hawaii USA
Yokohama / Kobe, Japan
Shanghai / Hong Kong, China
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
Chennai / Cochin, India
Port Louis, Mauritius
Cape Town, South Africa
Tema (Accra), Ghana
Salvador, Brazil
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA

Ptown blitz

2010-06-09T21:27:00.001-04:00

Forgive me, Oregonians, as I will only be returning to your great state for a mere 72 hours.

I know, it's been six months and I owe you all some quality time, but I promise I'll make it up.

Though the time will be worth it to see the besties in their last days as undergrads.

nope

2010-06-07T23:20:00.000-04:00

I will not be discouraged about how slow my Fulbright application is coming along.
Though that doesn't mean I'm not stressed out beyond all belief.

in other news:
Cannot wait to go to Portland this weekend to visit my peeps. Though Friday - Sunday is entirely too short of a time, considering it's been 6 months since the last time.

prep

2010-06-02T12:50:00.003-04:00

Paid my deposit and sent in my confirmation materials = looks like I can't back out now.
Tanzania here I come!

And it's officially started again - the predeparture jitters.

I'm required to bring a tent, binoculars, and a water purifier. Sounds like my kind of trip. I still can't believe we'll be spending so much time camping and safari-ing. Kind of nervous / kind of excited.

Nervous because I know the program is very different than most study abroad programs in the fact that not only do we have 30+ days of camping, but also because the last month is dedicated to an entirely independent project. It seems like a very fend-for-yourself type situation, which I hope will be awesome.
Excited because like the Galapagos and Amazon, the Serengeti is another place that I used to learn about through National Geographic, but now I have the opportunity to go. And not just going as a tourist but to study wildlife conservation and Swahili, does it get any better than that?

only 3 months from now!

I miss Mauritius

2010-06-02T12:37:00.002-04:00

it's back!

2010-05-30T10:06:00.000-04:00

So I go really depressed when I got back and had to take down my interactive travel map for Semester at Sea - it was really the final nail in the coffin that I wasn't on a ship sailing around the world.

But I just realized that it's now an entirely NEW adventure! which requires another travel map. So it's now back!

one hundred and ten

2010-05-28T18:15:00.000-04:00

Feeling: a little better

I took today off from working/studying/application-ing to relax and take a break.

So of course, I cooked, gardened, worked out, and read. And, you know what, it felt like the most productive day this week.

Instead of inundating myself in work for next semester and next year, it was nice for once to do something in the present. This week has been: medical checkups, passport issues, Fulbright preparation, airfare sleuthing, camping gear searching, genetics overload, homework catchup, summer planning, job hunting, study abroad forms galore.

I haven't baked bread since I got back home and it makes me upset.

But in good news, my pictures from Mauritius turned out awesome:

Moving

2010-05-18T19:44:00.002-04:00

There's SO much going on!

1. Summer class started this week, I'll be taking some classes to make sure I graduate on time (can't afford to take an extra semester at UR).

2. I've decided to apply for a Fulbright year in Vietnam to teach English after I graduate. I've just started the application process and it's already intense. And I have a feeling it'll probably be consuming most of my time this summer.

3. And just today ....(drum roll)... I GOT ACCEPTED TO GO TO TANZANIA! So officially I have to start prepping to go abroad again, for what will probably be my most intense study abroad experience yet. Here's a link for a description of what will be an awesome semester: SIT Tanzania

Did I mention there's going to be 33 nights of camping! or the two week long safari!

So a bunch more forms and appointments and getting supplies and vaccinations and planning and and and and and....

4. My fellowship advisor recommended I get a job/volunteer position this summer to boast my Fulbright application, so it looks like I'll be job hunting too!

So I don't know why I had this idea that this summer would be relaxing. As if my life is ever low-key...

waiting

2010-05-13T10:40:00.000-04:00

So what's the proper etiquette for telling one study abroad program you need an extension on committing to their program, because you're waiting on the acceptance decision from another study abroad program?

Still waiting to hear back about Tanzania. It would be nice to know sooner than later.

eeek

re-entry

2010-05-10T12:24:00.002-04:00

10 countries.
15 ports of call.
24 times zones.
4 hemispheres.
3 oceans.
4 months.
30,000 miles.

What an unbelievable trip.

Looking back through my pictures, I cannot believe that all that happened, it was as if it was all a dream.
Well, it was a dream. I have wanted to sail on Semester at Sea since I was 13 years old. I remember first hearing about it from my sister and talking about it all through high school. One of the main motivators for going to college was Semester at Sea. And then once I starting going to college, it was not a matter of if, but when. I structured my whole undergraduate career around attending SAS. I applied, got accepted, got the Diversity Abroad Scholarship... it all happened so perfectly.

Now after 9 years it has happened. I'm home, from voyage around the world and I can't believe it.

What do you do with your life after fulfilling a life long dream? Where do you go from here?

It's not that I'm depressed about returning home. I couldn't be happier to see my friends and family again and share my experiences. I think it's just a matter of finding something else to look forward to - another goal to keep me going. Years ago SAS seemed like such a far-flung idea. But I kept at it and put so much effort into going. Now I feel that with enough effort and perseverance, anything is possible.

And if anything, I want to help. If I had to choose one thing that changed about me is I want to pay it back. There is this deep urge inside me now to be more generous and caring and loving. And I now understand my privileges and opportunities weren't given to me but mere chance and luck. What separates me from the blind child in India, or the AIDS orphans in South Africa? Not much. Just the mere luck of being born healthy and in America.
If anything, I have so much to give.

So maybe my next goal will be different. Maybe it will be less about what I want to do and more about what can I do for others.

Two Days

2010-05-03T11:51:00.000-04:00

Gotta make this brief, the last week here on the ship has been INTENSE. But just wanted to post to let you know that I'm still alive and well on my way home. Two more days!

I thought finals at home were intense, but put that on top of finishing up a trip around the world and I don't know how I am still functioning. There's just so much to do - packing, convocation, saying goodbye to everyone, getting ready to re-enter reality - it's kind of overwhelming.
I might be glad to go home and just relax for a bit and stay in one place. I could use it.

I cannot wait to share my stories with you!

Remember when

2010-04-25T02:49:00.003-04:00

It´s 4 in the morning and I´m sitting on the deck of my hostel along the beach here in Salvador, Brazil.

There´s three hammocks swinging in the breeze, the ocean is humming along in the pitch-black beyond the open shutters. The rain just started - it sounds like rice being sprinkled in a pan.

Is this really my life? Has it really been this amazing for the last 4 months?

I spent the last three days in Chapata National Park hiking mountains, sleeping by waterfalls and swimming in lagoons. And all I could think about - besides the blisters on my blisters - was that I am so lucky.

I don´t know exactly what I did to deserve this, but I promise that from here on out I´m going to pay it forward.

I'll miss this

2010-04-20T00:06:00.000-04:00

Tonight I’m watching the sunset, like I always do.

Leaning on the railing, the warm sea wind whips around me like a million fleeting hugs. “Come with me” it asks.

The mist from the crashing waves butterfly-kiss my cheeks to welcome me home.

And I am falling in love.

As the ship gentle sways with the swells, my walk on the deck becomes a waltz with the sea. My feet are clumsy and my knees soft, the salt on the floorboards grits beneath my toes.

And I am at peace.

Let me stay here forever my soul tells me. Let me wake to the sun and sleep by the moon, breathe with every crest of the waves. Let me tell secrets to the tradewinds and laugh with the sapphire sea, because I am at home.

I am alive.

And I will always live here.

Tail end

2010-04-11T06:02:00.003-04:00

Only one more port to go and the end is coming up. Trying hard to enjoy the rest of the voyage without getting too sentimental. It was depressing this morning, waking up to eat breakfast on the outside deck, seeing us arrive into Tema Harbor in Ghana and knowing that once I get home, I won't be waking up in a different country every week.

But I will not let pre-departure blues ruin my time. Finishing up here in Ghana currently, then Brazil...I still can't believe it. There's still so much to learn!

p.s. the picture is of rhino butts on the Aquila game safari in South Africa

Pain

2010-04-09T21:11:00.000-04:00

I am so sick of it.

I am so sick that the biggest threads binding all these countries together are war, suffering, and terror.

And I am so sick of crying and feeling nauseous. Of feeling so much pain that I would’ve rather it been me – so I don’t have to deal with it now.

I’m sick of hearing in my head the screams of American soldiers drowning in their sinking ships during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

I am sick of smiling for photos at memorials.

I hate that I just want to tell everyone, “I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry for America, for the West, for slavery and war and oppression. For the torture and killings and separated families. I’m sorry that the heat of the atom bomb melted the skin off your body and that Agent Orange disfigured your children and their children and their children’s children.

The guilt of learning of man’s inhumanity towards man….and man’s inhumanity towards women is sometimes too much for me to bear.

I can’t fathom killing your own daughter at birth, because your husband would rather have a son. I don’t understand why “marital rape is okay, because men have needs” and how taking the top of a tin can to mutilate your daughter is fine, because women shouldn’t feel pleasure. It hurts to know that sometimes the only way out is to sell yourself into sexual slavery.
I can’t imagine that while the governor of a colony sits above in his palatial fort, down below thousands of people are shut into window less cellars, not knowing they are now commodities waiting to be shipped off. That many of them won’t even last the voyage.

I keep asking myself “How is it possible?”

How is it possible that our tour guide laughs while showing us traps that killed thousands of young Americans? How is it possible that a government can massacre students protesting for change? How is it possible that this woman is pleading with me to take her baby because she is too poor to care for her? How is it possible that a child can be a soldier?

And I have to remember that this is what I signed up for, because learning about the world is learning about its hate and terror and suffering. I worry that I’m too emotional – that I feel these things too deeply - but it can be so overwhelming for me sometimes.

So I just needed to get it off my chest. Apologies if none of that made sense.

Tanzania

2010-04-06T14:25:00.001-04:00

...is not a stop on the voyage, but will be in my future. Well, hopefully if I get accepted.

So I got accepted to study in Vietnam next fall...but I'm thinking that I would rather go somewhere else.

Since my parents are moving there for two years starting in May, I'll be able to go there pretty much whenever I want.

And since I have this lifelong goal to live on all 5 continents before I'm 30...

But more seriously, I want to keep pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and to learn about places that I wouldn't get the chance to learn about normally.

This voyage has been really about exploring the world outside myself and I've always wanted to couple that by studying in Vietnam for chance to explore more about myself and my identity, but if I can have the opportunity to go to Vietnam later, then I don't want to miss the chance to go to Tanzania. I can save self-exploration for later.

So revamp of my current life plans:
1. Finish up Semester at Sea
2. Summer classes
3. Apply for Fulbright in Vietnam
4. Study wildlife conservation in Tanzania
5. Graduate
6. Go to Vietnam for a bit. Hopefully on a Fulbright, but if not then try to find a volunteer position (maybe teaching English?).

So if anyone has any advice about applying for a Fulbright...it's what I'll pretty much be doing all summer.

excerpt from India

2010-04-04T16:46:00.004-04:00

"Oh, which book did Dumbledore die in?"
Rory asked as our safari jeep barreled around another mountain turn. It’s 6 in the morning as the sun begins to rise over the mist-covered tea plantations and we're on our way to a tiger reserve for a safari in the mountain town of Kumily, in Kerala state, India.
"Wasn't it the 5th book?"
Suddenly a rickshaw zips right towards us and we barely miss a head-on collision. I think to myself how to continue the conservation to distract myself from that fact that the jeep has no doors and we have no seatbelts.

“You’ve never read the books?” I ask.

It’s funny how after reading two sentences in a travel book, all of a sudden we’re making the two day trek to the tiger reserve on our sprint across southern India. Never did I once think in my life I’d be discussing the finer points of Harry Potter while my hands would be throbbing in pain – I’m holding onto the handrail so tightly. I don’t know how fast 90 km/h is, but it’s probably too fast.

And just before I think I’m going to have a heart attack from the next turn, our guide suddenly drops speed and tells us to look up. How he spotting something while driving, I have no idea, but all I know is there’s something up in the tree.
“Do you see it? It’s up there. Giant squirrel,” our guide points out.

Holy shit, it’s as big as a cat.

I snap about 20 pictures, because after all, it’s as big as a cat.

Unfortunately, that was about as close to the feline family we would get to that day. Poaching has reduced the population of tigers in the reserve from 700 about 15 years ago to less than 30 now. So I guess that means I’ll have to come back soon to see them, before they’re gone.

p.s.

2010-04-04T15:59:00.002-04:00

oh, and here's some shots of Mauritius, while I have access to free internet and can upload them.

Giant lilypads at the botanical gardens
the water was seriously that blue. paradise? yes.

Sunset

2010-04-04T15:29:00.003-04:00

Hiked up Lions Head, the view of Table Mountain at sunset in Cape Town, South Africa.
and pretty much I'm in love <3

Mauritius

2010-03-26T16:39:00.000-04:00

It was an amazing two days and I can't believe we're already gone. I wanted to stay forever!

I think Mark Twain once said that if there was heaven on Earth it would be Mauritius and that heaven was modeled after it, it is truly paradise here. I think I had Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" stuck in my head the whole time.

The first day I went to the Botanical Gardens, which were beautiful and relaxing. Got to see some pretty huge lily pads.

Then in the afternoon we went snorkeling, which made me miss the Galapagos a lot. We saw lots of pretty reef fish and I think barracudas? Not sure, but they were big, long and scary looking.

And then that night we went to a bar, got a bit tips and went skinny dipping. Floating in the ocean and watching the stars with the besties? can you ask for anything better?

The second day I went on a trip with a professor about "Island Ecosystems," which again reminded me of the Galapagos. We toured an island reserve where they are reintroducing native bird species and giant tortoises. So in my life I have seen both populations of giant tortoises in the world!
And after the island we went to a crocodile reserve/zoo and I got to see bunches of cool animals like giant bats, crocodiles and monkeys. We were even there for the crocodile feeding, which was really scary and made me glad that there was a giant fence between us and 50+ snapping jaws.

It's kind of sad, knowing that I probably won't come back to Mauritius again, but I am so happy to have gone. I'm glad I didn't just get drunk in a beach house like a lot of other SASers did but instead got to do all the nautre-y things, which I love.

And love is pretty much what I'm feeling recently. Loving life, SAS and the world.

South Africa in 5 days!

Neptune Day

2010-03-20T06:01:00.000-04:00

So I'm bald now?

Never thought that would happen!

Sights

2010-03-19T22:41:00.000-04:00

I'm in love with sailing and the ocean.

Yesterday I saw a pod of dolphins (must've been at least 25).

Today I woke up for the sunrise over the Indian Ocean and saw flying fish for the first time.

Dalit

2010-03-18T08:32:00.000-04:00

The caste system in India is officially abolished, but it is still a strong and deep-seated tradition here, especially among Hindus. The caste system divides people into a social hierarchy that pretty much determines the rest of your life - where you live, work, who you can marry..etc.

At the bottom of the caste system are the Dalit people or "untouchables," so named because it is considered unacceptable to even touch them. These are the people performing the most unpleasant and menial jobs in Indian society. They are the ones sweeping the streets, cleaning the toilets, and serving the upper castes.

The first day in Chennai, led by a professor, we visited a Dalit village to work on a service project. We were tasked with helping to build a school.

Before we went, I was unsure about going. The thought of spending just a few hours to lay some bricks in a village seemed merely like a photo-op community service project. I imagined us coming in, putting a few bricks down, hugging some kids and getting our quintessential photos of Americans "helping" to lift the Indian people out of poverty and all that crap.

I admit I was wrong and entirely too cynical.

The moment we stepped off the bus, I knew it was going to be different. First of all, I was entirely unprepared for the smell, which hits you like a punch in the face. It was hot, sticky, and clearly eminating from the river that was overflowing with raw sewage. The sight of human feces all along the road made it more than obvious what the source of the smell was from. It was awful.

But within seconds I forgot about it all as an Indian women, with the most beautiful smile, came up to me and placed a necklace made of Jasmine flowers around my neck. The smell of death, decay, and waste was soon replaced by smiles and jasmine. The whole village had gathered to welcome us, the band was playing and the children and women were quickly surrounding us - enveloping our group with dancing and singing.

So maybe they were excited we were there?

For the next hour we were welcome into their village with speeches and performances, in our honor.

"In our honor...." I would have never thought that I would be at the receiving end of someone's gratitude just by showing up. I felt a bit undeserving, but more than anything I wanted to get to work and return the goodwill.

So for the rest of the afternoon we worked under the blazing hot sun to lay bricks to start the construction of a women's center. It was hard work and I'm pretty sure I had returned to my brith weight - I sweated so much - but it was exhilarating to work side by side with my friends and the village people.

And it was hard to know that for the workers helping us, this was their livelihood. It was difficult to take a drink of water knowing the mere tap water I had brought with me from the ship was cleaner than the local source. 1000 children in India die of water borne disease every day…

So while our work was hard and it was sweaty and it was dirty, it was wonderful. And though laying some bricks may not be the biggest accomplishment and it may not change the world, I’m learning that it’s less about the work we did than about the goodwill and friendships we built. Semester at Sea has been coming to the same village for years and through that relationship they have been able to run a school, hire teachers, and working with women to give them the skills to empower themselves. And it was eye-opening to be a part of that ongoing process.

So while I dreaded that first day in India because I had some awful expectations of a photo-op service project, if I had to choose just one day in India it would’ve been that day. And if I could take one day from this voyage, it would have been that one day.

India...

2010-03-15T09:00:00.003-04:00

is a beautiful country

perks of sailing

2010-03-15T00:33:00.001-04:00

rough seas when we were on the way to Japan last month

India soon

2010-03-09T01:15:00.000-05:00

Whew!

Just finished my test for my Sustainable Communities class. What a relief!

We arrive to India in two days and I still don't really know what I'm doing yet. haha.

All I know is that Kayleigh, Rory and I will not travel between ports with the ship. So now it's a matter of figuring out how to get from Chennai to Cochin. Maybe train? plane? bus?

They tell us in Global Studies to keep things flexible. And by the look of things it will be a grand adventure trekking through Southern India.

I do know that I want to go to the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala (the state that Cochin is in). Mainly because they ofter overnight treks through the reserve. They assign two armed gaurds to the groups because there are tigers there. So cool! I wonder if the tigers can smell that I'm lower on the food chain (vegetarian).

Can't wait!

train

2010-03-08T10:28:00.000-05:00

The Asia Machine guns continues....

Japan, China, Vietnam, and India. Rapid fire and back to back with minimal days in between.

Just think of any adjective and it pretty much applies to what's been going on this last month. Amazing, adventurous, confusing, delicious....anything.

Sea olympics were yesterday, midterms tomorrow, India after that.

no time to think no time to write.

still alive!

Vietnam

2010-03-05T10:58:00.000-05:00

Vietnam flew by.

Right now we're sailing on our way to India. We'll be there in 4 days, which is not nearly enough time to process it all.

Visiting for the first time the country of my parents and my heritage was nothing I ever expected. You know those life-changing moments where suddenly everything makes sense? When you finally figure out who you are as a person and your whole perspective and desire in life takes a sharp turn in another direction?
Well it's nothing like that.
In fact, I'm probably more confused about who I am and what Vietnam means to me.

Before going to Vietnam, being Vietnamese to me was about hearing stories about my grandparents and my heritage. It was about living with the notion that my parents were refugees. Being Vietnamese was about spending weekends going to Vietnamese markets to stock up for the week and listening to my parents speak a language I couldn't understand. At the most, my understand of the country was vague and distant.

Growing up Vietnamese-American, I have rarely ever considering myself truly Vietnamese. Living in a predominately white community, being the only Vietnamese family in my town, I had a hard time relating to my heritage. In fact I considered myself more American than anything else. As a child, my parents never taught me the language in order to help me be more American. And while I can appreciate their good intentions at trying to give me the best start in life they thought was possible, I often wish I could've had a say in that decision.

So that was the mindset I had beginning this voyage. Yea, I was Vietnamese and yes I could appreciate the fact that I come from a vastly different background than most of my peers, but I could barely articulate the importance of that heritage.

That all began to change as we sailed closer to Vietnam. Suddenly all the classes shifted their focus towards the country in preparation. In Human Sexuality we examined dating and marriage in Vietnamese society, in architecture we read about the sustainable practices being implemented in the country, and in global studies we discussed the ramifications of the war. And it wasn't just in my classes, but the whole shipboard community had Vietnam on the mind. And in those few days leading up to our stay, I learned more about Vietnam than I had previously in my entire life.

And suddenly so many people were interested in my experiences and my stories. And suddenly I was being asked to give seminars and presentations about Vietnam. And I thought to myself, "What can I contribute? I'm not a scholar on Vietnam or an expert on the country."

And so I did what was requested of me and I led a presentation with the two other Vietnamese students aboard about growing up as a child of Vietnamese Refugees. And I presented the story of my parents and their struggles coming to America during the war. I talked about my feelings growing up as first-generation. And I felt vulnerable and nervous. Never before have I been so entirely open and honest about my feelings and my experiences growing up. It was uncomfortable and difficult.

While the idea of visiting Vietnam was unbelievably exciting for me, it was unbelievably scary. For so long I have wanted to try to reconnect with my background and see the country. But at the same time I was scared of what I would find there. What would it be like to visit the country whose current government was the reason my family fled? What would it be like to be Vietnamese but unable to speak the language? And the most terrifying thought - what if I didn't like it?
And to share those feelings with the community was challenging. Not only because I'm not a huge fan of public speaking, but because it meant being vulnerable in front of the people I cared about and respected.

So needless to say I was a bit anxious about visiting. But as I shared my stories and feelings about being Vietnamese, I found that the more I talked about it, the better I felt. And gradually, the more I shared, the more I realized I don't have to be a scholar or expert on the country to talk about, but it's the stories and experiences that can be more important than facts and history.

And the night before we landed in Vietnam, I kept worrying about not if I would like the country, but if other people would like it. Would my friends like the food? Would people on the ship have a good time? What are they going to think about the people?
All of a sudden I felt a strong connection and pride about Vietnam without ever stepping foot there.

Yet when I did take that first step into Vietnam, it was as if I had already taken that step. Half-way around the world in a culture that I vaguely associated with, in a drastically different country than what I call home, the first thing I felt was a sense of familiarity. Every one of my senses seemed to recognize it all - the sounds of the honking scooters, the heat and humidity, the smell of the market. Had I been here before?

A stranger in a strange land? Kind of. More like a stranger in a familiar land.

And it was those two conflicting feelings that stayed with me for the rest of the time. Feeling so strange and separate from everything while feeling a slight sense of deja vu. As if I had been there in a dream.

I can barely remember exactly what I did those 5 days. All I know for sure right now is I fell in love. The specifics escape me right now. Mostly it was lots of exploring Saigon and taking scooter rides and visiting historical sites. Oh and mainly it was eating, which if you know me, then that’s a pretty good indicator of how happy I am.

And though it was undeniably a exhilarating experience, the whole time there was a sense of sadness. Mainly it was a sense of shame and guilt that I couldn’t speak the language. Unable to engage people in conversation, at most all I could do was experience the country on a very surface level. When people would recognize that I was Vietnamese and begin to talk to me, there is nothing more embarrassing then not understanding a language I should be able to understand. All I could do was stare and hope that they could see in my eyes the desire to learn more.

But the sadness was brief and tempered by the fact that I will hopefully be studying here next fall. I will be coming back to study Vietnamese language and culture at the university in Saigon. And while I already know that one semester will not answer all my questions, I know it will be a good start.

So what does Vietnam mean to me? Well right now it is hope.
It is hope and love and desire. It is about reconnecting and learning and feeling anxious. About shame and regret. Vietnam to me now is closer to home than ever before. Going to Vietnam was about shaking me out of my previous notions of who I am and turning everything upside down. It’s about staying up late as we sail past Singapore trying to write coherently in an attempt to order my thoughts enough so I can finally go to sleep.

That’s what Vietnam means to me. Confusing, right?

And while visiting Vietnam never herald some drastic epiphany about my life I can already sense a gradual and slow shift towards clarity. Ask me in a year and I'll probably know so much more about myself and who I am as a person. And ask me 50 years from now and I'll probably be able to pinpoint my first visit as the start of it all.

everytime all the time

2010-02-24T03:50:00.000-05:00

My theory is good things come in three's. For example:

1. In two days I'll be in Vietnam.

2. Next semester I'll be studying abroad there.

3. My parents just accepted two-year job postings in Vietnam for Intel.

Looks like I'll be spending quite a lot of time there!

Top Five China

2010-02-22T23:15:00.006-05:00

Favorite moments:

1. Hiking up the snow covered steps of Huangshan mountain.

2. Shanghai by night

3. Chinese cooking lessons

4. Biking through the countryside of Yanghuo

5. Victoria Peak in Hong Kong

Ni hao, Zhōngguó!!

2010-02-22T02:46:00.002-05:00

(Hello, China!)

So China....

is FANTASTIC.

It's my second time here and this is the time I've fallen in love.

Here was my ch-itinerary (yes, more puns).

Shanghai:
Throngs of people packing the street, smoke and steam from street vendors spilling from the sidewalks, and the explosion of firecrackers for Chinese New Year celebrations, all in the shadows of some of the tallest of most distinctive skyscrapers in the world. Shanghai to me was a city at the impact crater between modernity and traditional Chinese culture - most likely the goal and definite future for countless other growing Chinese cities. As neighborhoods are being bulldozed for new development, the gap between the rich and poor in Shanghai is obvious and almost painful to watch. Though China is the world's 4th largest economy and the largest nation (~1.4 billion people), it is 99th in terms of per person income ($3,566). The quality of life isn't nearly at the level of the quantity of life in China.

Huang Shan:
Hiking up through the snow covered mountainside, it was easy to see how the area inspired the setting for floating mountains of Avatar. It was breathtaking, freezing cold, and one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Met Mr. Hu, an english speaking restaurant owner who was an oasis of delicious food, hot tea, and endless hospitality.

Yangshuo:
Favorite place in China hands down. This "backpackers paradise" is situated amongst the "gumdrop" karst mountains and takes the cake for the most beautiful place I have ever been. Biking through the country side, chewing on sugar cane and watching the water buffalo wander the fields was the happiest moment on my trip so far. Not to mention the food was the BOMB and cheap. Good food + beautiful scenery = love

Hong Kong:
Just arrived here this morning. So modern, wealthy and different than the rest of China I wonder how it will ever be eventually integrated into the mainland.

Luckily the terminal here has free wi-fi so I will try to update with some pictures soon!

Konichiwa, Nipon!

2010-02-13T04:32:00.001-05:00

Hello from Japan!!

Japan went by SO fast! We already are leaving today!

The trip was a success. We made it across the country without a problem. All in all, an awesome tour of the country.

I traveled with my friends Candace, Rory, Kaleigh, Carly, and Mike. I now understand why they keep telling us that the friendships we make here will last forever. I don't think I'll ever forget the people I traveled across Japan with. Everything was awesome.

We had rough plans to just get on the train and go to different cities and it turned out great. The first day we stayed in Yokohama and just explored there. It's kind of like a resort/business town so there wasn't that much to see.

Then the next day we took the train to Tokyo and explored the city. I think the Tokyo metro area is something like 35 million people? and with 8 million people in the city proper. It's HUGE. Skyscrapers and neon lights as far as the eye can see. And the metro system is insane. They say the New York City metro is only 2% the size of the Tokyo system.

We stayed in the Shibuya district which is the trendy/young people area. It was neat. Had some japanese/italian fusion for dinner which was actually some of the best pasta I've ever had - italian or otherwise. Who knew?
Though it was the start of a delicious trip. During the pre-port meeting one of the staff members who lived in Japan for a while told us to eat and try everything and I'm glad we did. I didn't have one thing I didn't like. We stayed in a trendy hotel in which we managed to fit all 6 of us in one room which made it pretty cheap.

Then the next morning we made our way to Hiroshima. It took about 5 hours on the high-speed trains, which are AWESOME. Every time we took the high-speed rail I got so excited. They're just so cool. I can see why people "worship" the trains. (We ran into these two guys who started a religion about the trains). The trains are fast, sleek, and efficient. Amazing.

We managed to have just enough time to tour the Hiroshima blast site and museum. And all I can say at this moment is that it was profound. Definitely worth the trip and something I will definitely remember for the rest of my life.

That night we traveled to Kyoto after having an amazing Okonomiyaki dinner, which I want to try to recreate.
Spent the night in Kyoto, again jamming 6 people into a room. Then in the morning we went to the Imperial Palace, which is more of a giant park then palace (which you actually couldn't get into). It was really beautiful. And after that headed to the Higashi Honganji Buddhist temple, which was amazing. Google it! Then we had an amazing Udon lunch at this hole in the wall shop run by the cutest, friendliest old lady. I think Kyoto is my favorite city in Japan. It’s so nice, has lots of beautiful historic sites and also some pretty amazing modern areas. I HAVE to come back!

Then that afternoon we headed to Osaka that night. Had some sushi for dinner that night, which was the one exception so me saying everything is delicious. I could barely stomach it - most likely because I haven’t had any type of meat for 7 years. The texture, smell, and flavor were just disgusting to me. I don’t think I’ll be doing that ever again. I tried octopus, squid, tuna, salmon, mackerel, eel, and sea bass. It felt like I ate an aquarium. I might look back on this one day and say that I violated my ethical veggie beliefs, but I figured it will be the only time I’ll ever try sushi and the last.

So after that dinner experience, we went to go find a bar and we ended up at this dive bar. There were six of us and we filled the entire bar it was that small. The bar was smaller than our kitchen! But the bartender was awesome and the drinks were delicious and cheap! Japanese plum wine with tangerine is my favorite new drink!
So pretty much we got a lil’ tipsy and then headed to Kobe to join up with the ship and spend the night.

The next day we woke up early and headed to the mountain hot springs in Kobe called Arima Onsen. It was a completely new experience. To understand the importance of the hot springs, you have to understand the importance of bathing in Japan. It’s almost like a religious ritual. First off, it’s a communal experience. You disrobe, take a quick shower, sit down at a water spigot and wash yourself thoroughly, then soak in the almost scalding water, then sit in the sauna. Wash, bathe, rinse, steam, repeat and repeat and repeat.
I was so not wanting to do it at first. Showering and bathing naked with a bunch of people? No thanks.
But I promised myself before this trip, “if you’re apprehensive about something, then do it.”
It was weird at first – the idea of getting naked around people – but once I got over being awkward it was awesome. It was just so relaxing and by the end all I wanted to do was smile, breathe deeply and fall asleep. I already want to go back!

Then we headed back towards the bustle of Kobe, walked around for a few hours and then got back on the ship.

It was a whirlwind tour of Japan, but amazing. I was able to get a brief taste of the country, traveled half of it, and now I was to go back and spend some more time here. And I feel like that’s how it is going to be for the rest of the countries. I thought this trip would satisfy my need to travel but I think it’ll only make it worse. :)

Now I have to unpack, wash my clothes, do mountains of school work, repack and prepare for China. We’ll be there in two days!? Can’t believe it. And then after China we’ll have two days of sailing and then Vietnam!? Oh my gosh I don’t even have time to even think about what’s going on there’s so much to do!!!! I love this.

5 things

2010-02-11T12:12:00.004-05:00

Top five things to do in Japan:
1. Hiroshima: just go. You learn about it in school but nothing replaces the real thing. As a citizen of humanity you owe it to yourself.
2. Shibuya in Tokyo: because you'll probably never see so many fashionable people in one place.
3. Okonomiyaki: japanese savory pancake. delicious.
4. Vending machines: it's the only place you can get anything (and I mean anything) out of a machine
5. Talk to a local: ask them where THEY would go for vacation in Japan. You'll get some pretty awesome advice.

Top five tips for traveling in Japan:
1. Japan Rail Pass. Traveling a lot in Japan? The pass gives you unlimited use of the high-speed trains throughout the country.
2. "Arigato" means thank you. Use it frequently.
3. Lower your voice. Nothing is more awkward when you realize that your "normal" conversation is the loudest in the room/train/restaurant.
4. Pen and paper. Japan is pretty english friendly and while many students learn english, most read and write better than they can speak.
5. Eat EVERYTHING. Don't know what it is? Then try it! You'll like it.

Five wtf moments in Japan:
1. How to flush a toilet? You'd be surprised at how high-tech toilets are and how many buttons are invovled.
2. Hot corn soup in a can out of a vending machine.
3. People drink in public?
4. Why does everything dress soooo nice? Definitely feel like an "ugly American."
5. Someone reading anime porn on the train.

don't japanic

2010-02-11T10:15:00.002-05:00

Sticking to the japlans, wearing my japants. Can't get enough of puns.

So I'm pretty much in love with Japan, even though I still don't know how to flush the toilets.

It's been a whirlwind tour so far and right now I'm in a tiny hotel room with 5 other people. Further updates once we get back on the ship.

uh-oh

2010-02-07T05:27:00.002-05:00

Sitting in the library right now watching crew members stringing cables across the bookshelves in preparation for rough seas.

Apparently the vomit inducing waves we experience on the way to Hawaii are were not as bad as what we're about to experience as we get closer to Japan.

date line

2010-02-07T05:27:00.001-05:00

So we crossed the International Date Line the other day...which day I'm not entirely sure.

All I know is that I went to sleep on Tuesday, February 2nd and woke up on Thursday, February 4th.

We had a ship wide competition for the best explanation of how it works, but I'm still confused. Where does the day go? I dunno.

Try wikipedia-ing it and see if you can understand it.

Aloha, Hawai'i!

2010-02-04T04:12:00.001-05:00

Hawai'i was awesome.

I know we left like 5 days ago, but things have been insanely busy. Hopefully I can catch up on posting before we get to Japan.

We had two stops in Hawai'i. The first was in Hilo on the big island of Hawai'i and the second was in Honolulu, Oahu.

It was definitely some well needed rest and relaxation after the rough seas we went through to get there. Being on the water so far way from anything, you start to lose track of time and space. Endless water on every horizon and rough seas - you start to go a little crazy. Needless to say, Hawai'i lived up to it's paradise namesake as nothing could have been more beautiful to see as we finally got close to land.

The first two days in Hilo were probably my favorite, over Honolulu. Hilo is much smaller and so much more relaxed and friendly. I spent the two days just wandering around downtown, hiking, and swimming in lagoons. Perfectly wonderful.

Honolulu was disappointingly and predictably touristy. While the beaches and scenery were beautiful, endless high-end resorts and designer stores completely removed any sense of Hawaiian personality. I'm sure if I had more time to explore beyond the popular spots and had the chance to get to know more locals I would feel differently. So I guess that means I'll have to come back!

One of the worthwhile visits in Honolulu was going to visit Pearl Harbor. Contrasting the paradise of the island, I toured the museum and got a feel for what it was to have hell on earth. There truly isn't any textbook or high school lesson that could replace actually visiting the site of the United State's entrance into WWII. Having happened nearly 70 years ago, it's easy to be so far removed from those events, but now I feel so much close to that eventful day. It was tragic, terrifying, and yet filled with stories of heroism and bravery. And while I can appreciate and do love the U.S., I am even further convinced that war is terrible and unnecessary.

It will be a very interesting experience to visit Hiroshima after this - to witness the beginning and end of the war for the U.S.
I never thought I'd be given this opportunity.

getting clipped

2010-02-01T20:25:00.000-05:00

Because the ship we're used to be a luxury passenger cruise, there are still some remnants of the MS Explorer's previous life.

For instance, our library used to be a casino, and one of our dining rooms has these really opulent chandeliers (classy, right?).

I would say one of the most luxurious amenities would be the spa, which has a full service salon, massage rooms, and both dry and wet saunas. no joke. It seems extraneous, but if you think about it, sometimes it's nice to have a little service to break up the monotony of the sea.

Well, anyways, I went to get a haircut yesterday at the spa. Which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but everything from walking to eating is proportionally more challenging in relation to the rocking of the boat. So as the hairdresser pulled out the clippers I asked a stupid question:

"So, do you ever get nervous cutting hair when the boat is rocking?"

and her reply "only when I use the clippers."

....great.

But in testament to her talent, I was not mauled and now have a pretty decent mini-mohawk going on. I figured if I didn't like it I would be shaving it all off on Neptune Day anyways, but more on that later.

getting to know you

2010-02-01T20:09:00.000-05:00

Some ship demographics:

~650 students

64% female

26% male

48 states represented and a handful of international students

average GPA: 3.31

Top majors: business, psychology, international relations

Meeting so many people on the ship can sometimes be overwhelming, but I love it. Almost everyone came alone to the program, so everyone is really friendly and excited about meeting new people. I'm constantly introducing myself to people everyday and feel totally comfortable during meals sitting down at a table where I don't know anyone. How often does that happen?

The staff keeps telling us that this shipboard community will become our family and I can definitely see that happening. I mean, while living in such close quarters definitely fosters a sense of familiarity between people, I keep having to remind myself that the people who come on this voyage have pretty much self-selected for a certain level of awesomeness and that's probably why we get along so well together.

And while the notion of sailing around the world is in itself enough reason to make me smile for the next 100 days, it's definitely the people I'm meeting and the relationships I'm creating that'll make the trip worthwhile.

Departure

2010-01-30T15:22:00.000-05:00

So I know I left like 2 weeks ago, but I figure I'll start from the beginning, which can pretty much be summed up as:

"Welcome aboard! Here's a barf bag."

Leaving Ensenada, Mexico for Hawaii, was a bit rocky. We had to sail pretty quickly to get around that huge storm that slammed the West Coast. And even though we didn't actually go through the storm, we were definitely feeling the rough waters. Right about the time of the welcome address, people were suddenly coming to understand that a ship does indeed rock back and forth and it will indeed make you sea sick.
It's kind of bizarre trying to introduce yourself to someone without vomiting on them.

Advice: take your seasickness meds before you start feeling sick.

Other than the seasickness, the first day was awesome getting to meet so many people. There's 650 students on the ship, which is kind of overwhelming, but in a good way.

Test

2010-01-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

So I think I finally figured out how to email update my blog.
Since we have limited internet access on the ship, but free email service, I can only update through email.

Let me know if this works, send me an email at my shipboard account: ehphamdo@semesteratsea.net

Or just send me an email to say Hi.

waiting

2010-01-16T01:02:00.003-05:00

2 days.

Arrived in San Diego tonight with my parents. And I am SO TIRED.

Of course I stayed up all night packing and of course I knew this would happen.
And, yes, I know I should have not procrastinated. Usually it's no big deal, but last night was ridiculous. I kept realizing I had forgotten to get some essential item and kept running out to pick up last minute things.

Note to future self: remember that time you were incredible stressed out packing for Semester at Sea? Don't do that again.

But whatever, I'm here now so stressing out won't do any good. Time to take advantage of the day tomorrow to relax before embarking. Maybe I'll check out Balboa Park or something.

eek

2010-01-14T15:45:00.001-05:00

I leave tomorrow for San Diego (boat leaves on Sunday) and I still have soooo much to do.

final countdown

2010-01-12T14:12:00.003-05:00

5 days.

And my parents just bought me a GIANT duffle bag.

Which was really really nice of them, but completely undermines my efforts at wanting to bring as little as possible.

Oh? Do I really need to bring running shoes? Why not!? I have a huge bag now!

Or maybe it was my parents way of saying that I should start packing now, even though we all know I'll do it all the night before I leave.

In other news, my weekend in Portland with M was fantastic. Delicious vegetarian food, happy hours, and swanky hotels are just more reasons to love Portland. It was a good way to say goodbye.

And in other concerns, I'm kinda worried about the veggie situation on the boat. I just hope the food doesn't suck and that the vegetarian option isn't a salad bar. Wish me luck that I don't starve to death.

Though the ship does have a lot of sun decks....maybe I can just photosynthesize?

interactive map of my trip

2010-01-09T09:55:00.000-05:00

second

2010-01-08T01:24:00.003-05:00

10 days.

And I still have so much shit to get done. Sort of.
I don't really have that much to do, but I just feel really mentally unprepared for the trip.
Maybe I've just been lazy with myself, but it's almost like the night before a test where it's just so much easier to focus on everything except what needs to be done.
I want to go, no doubt about it, but for some reason it's just such an abstract concept - sailing around the world - that I don't even know how to prepare for it.

Luckily, M is coming to visit this weekend, which will be a wonderful distraction from trying no to worry about being worried about not worrying enough.

stops along the way

2010-01-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

Circumnavigating the globe. Ya know, the usual.

Depart: Ensenada, Mexico

Ports:

Hilo, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Yokohama, Japan
Kobe, Japan
Shanghai, China
Hong Kong, China
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Chennai, India
Cochin, India
Port Louis, Mauritius
Cape Town, South Africa
Accra, Ghana
Salvador, Brazil

Return: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

oh, p.s.

2010-01-06T02:13:00.003-05:00

Almost forgot, Happy New Year.

my resolution: try to be better at staying in touch with my friends.

Though considering I will be on a boat... this might be one of the more challenging resolutions.

I will have email though! Let you know as soon as I do.

preping

2010-01-06T02:05:00.003-05:00

12 days.

Been spending my time looking up videos of Semester at Sea online.

Let's just pretend this didn't happen.....

Excluding the time when our boat ran out of gas in the Galapagos, I don't normally get sea sick.
And hopefully sans a typhoon, I won't get sick on the boat.

hanging

2009-12-30T02:00:00.003-05:00

After an unexpected extra stay in Rochester, back in Portland again to chill for a couple weeks and get everything together to leave for Semester at Sea.
Though I don't exactly know exactly how relaxing my stay here will be considering I have to pack in enough happy hours and late night conversations with the homies to last me another 6 months, or until I come back again.
And I need to apply for some scholarships, finish up my Vietnam apps, and do about a million things to get ready to go explore the world.

So "chilling," maybe. Trying to juggle distractions and necessities, most likely.

braaaainss

2009-12-17T13:57:00.002-05:00

I had the most awful/weird dream (nightmare?) last night.

Every single person I had ever met in my life was a zombie trying to kill me. And I had the awful task of decapitating them in order to survive.

Analyze that, Freud.

soon

2009-12-17T11:10:00.003-05:00

I leave for Semester at Sea in one month??

I've been preparing for so long for this trip it seems unreal. From all the way back to Jr. High when I first heard about the program, to applying and getting accepted, and then spending this whole semester getting everything together, this trip has been long in the making.

So maybe because I feel like I've already sailed on the voyage a thousand times already in my mind that I don't really feel deathly anxious about it. When I rowed, we learned to visualize the entire race from the starting horn all the way down to the water splashing into the boat. Yet every time, lining up at the start line was without fail pants-crapping horror.
So despite not really feeling all too anxious about the trip, maybe when I first get to Mexico and see the SS Voyager it'll hit me like a sack of bricks then.

lets see

2009-12-02T21:15:00.001-05:00

Pumpernickel, beer bread, sourdough, sweet potato buns, onion poppy seed rolls, and oatmeal honey....

looks like this baking thing is turning out pretty well.

And I might need to start running more considering how the last 3 weeks have been a carb extravaganza.

Anyone want some bread??
:)

"g" wiggle-chin

2009-11-24T19:35:00.001-05:00

....would be the notes I took for the sign for Thanksgiving. Oh, I love ASL.

My break officially starts

now.

Going to NYC with M again. Fucking love the city.

And fucking love delicious vegan food. omg I cannot wait for vegetarian dim sum or vegan 5 course Thanksgiving dinner at Candle 79 (read: vegan mecca).

Is it perhaps better than going home? Probably.

Most definitely yes.

past

2009-11-24T19:27:00.002-05:00

Just came back from my grandfather's funeral in Florida.

It seems that I'm going to a funeral every few years.

And besides the fact that my grandfather is no longer here, the saddest part is that I'm becoming really desensitized to people dying. Maybe it was because we have known for awhile about how sick he was or maybe because it's my third grandparent to pass away within the last few years, but I don't really feel anything.

On a happier note it was good to see all my relatives though. My cousins are growing up so fast! Soon I'll be the one pinching cheeks and saying, "I remember when you were as tall as my knee!"

And it makes me want to have a big family. maybe.

side note: Florida the state just sucks btw. Land of retirees, strip malls, humidity and buffets = yuck.

dork

2009-11-10T13:38:00.002-05:00

So I might be the biggest granola ever.

Today is my birthday and you want to know the first thing that was running through my head when I woke up?

M got me a flour mill and the second I woke up all I could think about was grinding my own flour to make bread.

I've never made traditional bread, yet alone my own flour so we'll see how this goes...

staring at the sun

2009-11-09T09:20:00.002-05:00

I really need to get up the courage and just send in my application for Vietnam. Everything has been all set and ready for awhile, now I just need to mail it.
And that makes me nervous.