Monday, August 31, 2009

First Day of Class: Photo Blog

As promised, below are some photos of students from the first day of classes on Sunday. Classes rotate on a two day schedule; yesterday was an A day, and today is a B day. It's similar to block scheduling that many people remember from high school. There are no Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes or Tuesday-Thursday classes, simply because being in port would throw the schedule on its ear. So having A classes and B classes is a clever solution that avoids any student confusion, and allows us to have classes on untraditional days (like Sunday), so we can make sure everyone gets enough class time to secure their class credit.
Now, there were plenty of things students did yesterday besides sitting attentively in their first classes. Below are a series of photos the display just a little of what they were up to. Look closely, you might see yourself or someone you know!
In between classes, students made there way to the textbook and supply stores, where they could stock up on everything from books for class to deodorant or shower gel. Yesterday though, spiral notebooks and SAS hoodies were big sellers.

Today is Add/Drop, and students will have time to make any last minute changes to their schedules. They had impromptu meetings with faculty and staff members in preparation for the day, along with chatting about other services that will make life aboard the MV Explorer as smooth and beneficial to their futures as possible.
They have to eat, of course! All participants eat buffet-styled in either of the two dining halls for all three meals. Students also have the option of eating on the deck attached to the dining hall on the sixth level. Eating times are great opportunities for students to get to know other students, their professors and members of the staff. As time passes, these tables will be the setting of many spur of the moment debates and discussions about the wonderful experiences that are to come.
Exercise is an important part of staying healthy, and the SAS students wasted no time finding ways to work up a good sweat. Whether playing a sport or lifting free weights on deck seven, the students are learning that keeping up with a workout routine will be vital to keep them feeling their very best in an environment that's constantly moving and changing.
When all the classes were finished, the students got a chance to relax and make new friends. The social aspect of SAS should not be underestimated. The friendships formed over the next few months will, in many cases, last a lifetime. These students will be with each other over the course of what will be a life-changing journey, and it is amazing that they are already starting to form the friendships that will provide them with a solid peer support system later on.

Yes, yesterday was a pretty amazing day. But it was just the first of a series of amazing days that won't stop until we're back in the States. These students will see things they've never seen before, talk to people with backgrounds completely different from their own, and will, hopefully, begin to see their opinion of the world become more informed and evolved. This blog will attempt to paint the story of that evolution through text, photos and (eventually!) video. So stay tuned.

5 comments:

  1. The pictures are great and again give comfort that our young adults are going to have a fantastic voyage. I also note the cloudless skies and calm seas, did the captian do that???

    Keep up the contact, and say hi to Kelly Heinichen for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The blue skies and Calm sea.... Help me stay calm!!!!
    Thanks for the great pictures and blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yippee photos are up! Thank you! Saw ZZ top! Keep them coming, parents are very appreciative.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the daily posting and the pictures and videos and wonderful. Our communications person ?Christi is wonderful and makes life at home less stressed!!! As all the parents can attest to. This is a wonderful way of staying connected, feeling the excitement of the journey and simply having fun with the posts and pictures.

    Enjoy the voyage I know everyone must be so eager to get to their first stop on Friday. Enjoy, hope the beautiful skys perevail.

    ReplyDelete
  5. very nice blog......
    i like your posting ,this is the better blog.

    Bathmate

    ReplyDelete