tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59263141821218384972024-03-14T04:58:00.091-03:00Sea The World - Fall 2009The official blog for the historic 100th Voyage of Semester at Sea.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-31083210141241343522009-12-15T13:53:00.001-04:002009-12-15T14:14:51.706-04:00Welcome Home<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_LhgebwTOKk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_LhgebwTOKk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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Yesterday, the Fall 2009 Voyage officially came to a close. The students said their final farewells to friends and mentors, and unloaded literally tons of luggage and souvenirs off the ship. Above is a short video taken from disembarkment. It can also be found on the Semester at Sea website <a href="http://www.semesteratsea.org/what-s-new-at-sas-/press-releases/100th-voyage-students-talk-about-$100-solution-in-ghana.php">here</a>.<br />
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The Spring 2010 voyage of Semester at Sea will begin January 17. To find out more about the upcoming voyage, or to apply to SAS, please visit <a href="http://www.semesteratsea.org/">the official website</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-57421865770018809082009-12-14T07:52:00.000-04:002009-12-14T07:52:15.706-04:00Cool Class: Documentary Film Pt. 2<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7R7R1mztyCg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7R7R1mztyCg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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This is another very interesting documentary film done by one of the Semester at Sea students. All of the films were created with the guidance of Paul Wagner. To check out some of his films, go to the SAS Youtube channel <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SemesteratSeaChannel">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-71802931420019059532009-12-14T06:48:00.000-04:002009-12-14T06:48:40.719-04:00Diversity Scholars: Final Projects<span style="font-family: inherit;">The entire semester, the Diversity Scholars have been working on projects all semester about various aspects of diversity that intrigued them. Using the world as their laboratory, each one of these students developed a thesis, and supported it, not only through the scholarly research required in most undergraduate studies, but also with real-life interactions and experiences. The projects use a variety of media including video, text, pictures and performance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Two students have agreed to share their projects, not only with the rest of the shipboard community, but also the extended community of those that read the blog. The first project below was submitted by Jennifer Carcamo, who is also one of the official student bloggers. Her project combined text and pictures, and a short excerpt from her introduction has been included below. The second project is a wonderful video about how the voyage is enhanced by the presence of the Life Long Learners. It was created by Terrance Smith.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Minorities of the World: Chronicles of a Youth’s Perspective</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My goal upon embarking on this voyage through Semester at Sea was to learn as much as possible and to interpret what I learned so that eventually I could share my experience with everyone back home. When I get home I want my cousins, my siblings, my friends, my family, and my community to feel as if they were on this voyage seeing, hearing, and experiencing everything with me. I am committed to my family and community back home enough to want to make this trip as much theirs as it is mine. </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Needless to say, what I did not expect to change on this trip was my motives for wanting to tell my family about the world. Initially, it was because I wanted them to be aware and conscious about what is going on in the world. This is now only partially my motive for wanting to share my experience. In the process of trying to understand the world, I actually got to know the people from the communities we visited and came to the awkward realization that my commitment to my community no longer extended to just my family. Rather, my community now encompassed every individual I had ever met on this journey </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">plus</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> their community. This implies that my commitment now extends to the populations of </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spain</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Morocco</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ghana</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">South Africa</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mauritius</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vietnam</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">China</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">, and </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Japan</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I wanted was insight into the world, and what I got was a new found commitment to the world at large that I did not foresee as a part of my journey. What I internalized turned out to be so much greater than I had expected. I am a minority back home (and in the world) and I have made it my obligation as such to make sure that I represent not just my family, but everyone who also lacks representation around the world—because that is what diversity means: tolerance and representation of and for other peoples.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The stories I wish to share are those stories depicting the lives of our world’s young people who, as I have come to realize, make up the most “disadvantaged” group in each country. The world’s youth is left with the responsibility of providing for our world’s future and, in this time of rapid change, nothing is really secure. The way young people perceive themselves in this world varies per country from negative to positive, yet overall our generation continues to move forward with hope instead of wringing its hands in resignation. This hopeful inclination is more important than ever as my generation readies itself to lead a world that is changing faster than we can comprehend.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">--Jennifer Carcamo, Fall 2009<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Waves of Wisdom</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To find out more about all of this semester's Diversity Scholars or to learn more about applying for the scholarship, click </span><a href="http://www.semesteratsea.org/admission-and-aid/financial-aid-scholarships/diversityabroad-scholarship.php"><span style="font-family: inherit;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-68838966415228187812009-12-12T19:37:00.000-04:002009-12-14T07:43:21.034-04:00Hula Workshop!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQjKv8yi2IdOkcfqMMk79V-qPhChcF0YxP1FfzFgRWVVU57pes_gvqkIxIHvSvls10mwpzaYosGXl0cn-caAiDrG2DLHRGdfQYqNQPGQJdpOr7edUdylXL6EBUyAIf9x5DMBVrAM3z4HZ/s1600-h/GEDC0987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQjKv8yi2IdOkcfqMMk79V-qPhChcF0YxP1FfzFgRWVVU57pes_gvqkIxIHvSvls10mwpzaYosGXl0cn-caAiDrG2DLHRGdfQYqNQPGQJdpOr7edUdylXL6EBUyAIf9x5DMBVrAM3z4HZ/s320/GEDC0987.JPG" /></a><br />
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Hawaii is a special port for several reasons. It is the first time the students have set foot on American soil in at least three months. It is also a warm and sunny port after several ports of chilly winter weather (everyone remembers the snow in Japan!), which was quite a treat for the entire community. While there might be the temptation to find one of the many sandy beaches and camp out for a few day, the SASers were sure to explore this port as thoroughly as all of the others. They visited the <i>Arizona</i> battleship, snorkeled, skydived, ascended Mauna Kea and explored the observatory. They also learned to hula!<br />
A small group set out on the short trip from the ship to the studio in Wakiki, where a hula instructor, Germaine, gave the<span style="font-family: inherit;">m a brief overview of hula, and then taught them a short dance complete when some basic hula movements.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first thing the group learned is that there are two types of hula: traditional and modern. Traditional, or </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hula kahiko, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is performed to chanting with percussion instruments to keep time. This form of hula is more rigid and has a distinctly spiritual feel to it. The modern form is called </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">h</span></i><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">ula auana, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and it is a more relaxed dance accompanied by guitars, ukuleles and singing. The dance the group learned was performed to a Hawaiian Christmas carol that had a slow enough tempo for everyone to keep up.</span></span></i></span></i><br />
All of the students on the trip commented on how hula is more difficult than it appears to be. In hula, there is an emphasis on fluidity and grace, so even when the dancers are moving very quickly their easy smiles and light hands create the impression of ease. The group soon found out that hula is hard work! The entire dance must performed while in a semi-squat (making it a good workout). Also, the best hula dancers focus on perfecting even the most minute details of their performance, from maintaining a bright smile to moving your hands correctly. "You'll work your entire life on your 'hula hands,'" Germaine told the group. The hand movements tell a story, so it's no surprise that the end of the class was spent trying to mimic the motions precisely.<br />
The final lesson of the day was the "Aloha" welcome. This is a series of hula movements meant to welcome guests and make them feel at home. It was the perfect way to wrap up the lesson. Afterwards, the group had enough time to sneak down to the beach to watch the sunset. Nani!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-6881103965330896252009-12-12T19:34:00.000-04:002009-12-12T19:34:50.016-04:00Cool Class: Documentary Film Pt. 1One of the most popular classes on the ship is the Documentary Film class, which is taught by the ship's videographer and Academy Award winner Paul Wagner. The students must turn in three short films throughout the semester, and they recently shared their latest films with the shipboard community. Below is the latest work from Marcus Jamison, a sophomore from Stanford University. The film is called Kobe Homestay, and it discusses a SAS experience that has become very important to him.<br />
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<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9bgbgZpHWWE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9bgbgZpHWWE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-25258969608027319472009-12-10T13:35:00.000-04:002009-12-15T15:18:33.040-04:00Celebrate ServiceService and Semester at Sea go hand-in-hand. For the historic 100th voyage, SAS focused on the $100 Solution. This service-learning project was headed up by Dr. Bernie Strenecky along with the help of Dr. Bridget LeLoup. They led a group of students in a series of service projects that sought to create noticeable change with $100. In Ghana, $100 bought and installed ceiling fans in an elementary school. In Vietnam, the money bought bunk beds for a children's orphanage.All total, the Fall 2009 voyage devoted 6,320 hours of service. According to UN calculations, the students contributed $316,000 in service.<br />
"This is going to be the ship that carries hope," Strenecky said. "When the ship shows up, people with get excited. They'll say, 'This ship carries people who care.'"<br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EPz24t7Zzs0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EPz24t7Zzs0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-1626213496460975622009-12-09T10:49:00.000-04:002009-12-09T10:49:18.151-04:00Itinerary Change Clarification<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">The Fall 2009 voyage has been remarkably smooth, but recently some small changes were made to the remaining itinerary to ensure the safety of everyone participating in this wonderful journey. On the original schedule, the MV Explorer was to leave Hilo on Dec. 7, and spend six days at sea before arriving in San Diego on the 14th. However, due to expected storms in the waters near the ship's original path, the captain, ISE and the deans came to the decision to avoid the storm all together by returning to Honolulu for an additional day before returning. This way the ship and its passengers were not in any danger, and remain safe during finals prep. Right now, all of the students are back on board safe a "gift day" in Honolulu. While the ship is not expected to leave the port in Honolulu before noon on Dec. 9, the students will not be let off the ship due to the first day of final exams. The delay in leaving Hawaii is not expected to affect the ship's arrival date or time into San Diego. Please follow the Fall 2009 voyage on <a href="http://twitter.com/sas_fall09">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SemesteratSea?ref=ts">Facebook</a> for additional updates.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-51962534553886482452009-12-03T13:24:00.001-04:002009-12-04T09:33:49.603-04:00Featured Explore Seminar: Discussion on DiversityIt is rare to see a forum on race and diversity as open and honest as the one that took place recently on the ship. A group of 30-40 students, staff and Life-Long Learners were led by Professor Nancy Hurrelbrinck in what was scheduled to be a one-hour discussion. <br />
Professor Hurrelbrinck said that instead of debating about whether or not racism still exists or another equally complicated and volatile subject, she just wanted to provide a safe space for students to ask questions and learn more about people with backgrounds different from their own. The group tackled a number of difficult subjects, including why diversity is important, why cultural differences exist and how they enrich society and why it is necessary for people to check the assumptions they make about others based on their race, religion, gender and/or sexual orientation. Many of the students shared personal experiences from home and SAS. Many talked about how being in a diverse community like SAS has helped make them more open to different perspectives, and visiting so many countries has made them more aware of the world outside of their home country. <br />
The discussion on how the voyage has affected many of the students' outlook on diversity was, perhaps, one of the most interesting subjects that the group pursued. Some students opened up about how it felt to be in the minority in most of the countries the ship visited. They also talked about what it was like trying to navigate a country in which they did not speak the native language. Some of their experiences were frustrating and difficult, but they learned from these as much as the ones that filled them with awe or warmed their hearts.<br />
The dialogue was carried with a level of respect befitting the intellectual environment that has been carefully cultivated on board. People managed their disagreements with maturity, and by the end of the discussion no one seemed afraid to offer their opinion or ask a question.<br />
The dialogue was so productive, it had to be moved to an empty classroom after the 60 minutes set aside for Explorer Seminars elapsed. The new room, an offshoot from the smaller dining room on the ship's sixth deck, had standing room only as the conversation continued for an additional hour. What was most encouraging to the faculty and staff present was that when the forum was officially dismissed, many of the students continued their discussions in smaller, informal groups.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-62305313669484853192009-12-02T19:20:00.000-04:002009-12-02T19:20:09.342-04:00Going once... going twice... sold!One of the traditions that happens every voyage on Semester at Sea is the auction to benefit the Annual Fund endowment. The endowment is used mainly to provide students with financial assistance through scholarships, but it is also used to support student clubs, class projects, field experiences and other things that make each voyage complete. Items are donated, and then bid on by the entire shipboard community. Since this is the 100th Voyage, the goal is 100 percent participation, whether it comes through bidding or a small donation. Also, a large number of community members were donors; over 124 people donated things to be auctioned.<br />
Despite the fact that the Fall 2009 has roughly 200 less students than most other voyages, the results of the auction, which was split into silent and live portions, were very impressive. The silent auction, which offered everything from candy baskets to homestays in Colorado, raised $12,006. The live auction, which offer 25 different items, raised $21,515 for the endowment. Below is a list of some of the items auctioned, and their final price. It really shows the generosity of this community, both in donated these wonderful items, and in bidding on them. To make a donation, please go to <a href="http://semesteratsea.org/give">semesteratsea.org/give</a>.<br />
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<ul><li>Dress up as the Captain of the MV Explorer: $50</li>
<li>Paris 6 night Homestay: $1900</li>
<li>Two tickets to the Kentucky Derby, and Weekend Homestay: $725</li>
<li>Dr. Dave's Bedtime Stories: $175</li>
<li>Duke University Basketball Package: $900</li>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-45149233599285249582009-11-29T13:22:00.000-04:002009-11-29T13:22:35.663-04:00Preparing for LIFE after SASFor some students, being on the voyage of a lifetime sailing and learning around the world, it can be easy to forget about the responsibilities waiting for them when they get back home. For some of the older students, this may include making sure they’ve fulfilled all of the necessary graduation requirements and job hunting. For the younger students, it might be landing that first internship. Regardless, students are offered a plethora of resources on the ship to make sure none of those important things fall between the cracks. <br />
This week there have been a series of career service events, which included everything from resume and cover letter workshops to help with applying for graduate school. Mario Rodriguez, the LLC in charge of career services, has been providing many of these events all throughout the voyage. He also meets with students one-on-one to revise their resumes, research and apply for jobs and internships, and provide practical advice on life after SAS.<br />
The Fall 2009 voyage also provides a Mock Interview Program, which consists of a round of questions from a “potential employer.” This role is filled by a variety of willing faculty and staff members, so students will get used to different interviewing styles. After the interview, students receive an in-depth critique of their performance, and they can participate as many times as they like.<br />
The newest addition to the SAS career services arsenal, however, is the C.S.I. (Career Services Initiative) Newsletter. This two-page, weekly newsletter contains information about all of the upcoming events students might be interested in, as well as articles with many helpful tips. The latest issue contained an article about the most common reasons recruiters toss resumes, and how to avoid them.<br />
Top things to avoid include, being informal when sending a cover letter and resume through email, overusing keywords, including too much personal information and sending a resume with fancy extras.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-51052118393647005712009-11-26T13:15:00.000-04:002009-11-26T13:15:48.249-04:00Farewell Japan!Below is a video from the night the MV Explorer set sail for Hawaii from Kobe, Japan. In honor of Semester at Sea's departure, as well as the upcoming Christmas holidays, a band played a short concert of well-known Christmas carols from the dock. Students gathered on every deck waving at the people who came to see the ship off, and snapping pictures. Towards the end of the performance, and before the ship completely exited the port, it began snowing. It was an enchanting ending to an enchanting evening, particularly for some of our students from warmer climates. A few chatted excitedly about it being the first time they had ever seen snow. It was an endearing sight; one or two reached out just enough to catch a bit on the tip of their tongues.<br />
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For some students, the morning of the second day in Yokohama brought along the exciting prospect-- touring Tokyo, the capital of Japan and one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world, with the most qualified group possible: Japanese students. Yokohama City University and Semester at Sea have developed a relationship in the hopes that students from both YCU and SAS will be able to learn from each other and foster friendships during a variety of activities. Since several of the YCU students were from Tokyo, the group was guaranteed to see some of the best sites the city had to offer.<br />
Before even reaching Tokyo the group encountered its first new experience: using Japanese public transportation! Because Yokohama is only a 30-minute ride to Tokyo on the metro, students were treated to a crash course in navigating the Tokyo Metro system. Maria Rodriguez, who lives in New York City, exclaimed that, "[the Tokyo Metro] makes so much more sense than the subway," at the end of the day.<br />
Once the group reached Tokyo, they had a traditional Japanese lunch, before heading to Shibuya, one of the major shopping districts in the city. The SAS students were amazed at size of the malls, and they were very enthusiastic about exploring the newest Tokyo fashions. They were also able to cross the biggest crosswalk in the world.<br />
The YCU students next took the group to a Japanese arcade, where the group spent some time playing games and trying to win prizes. Then the entire group crowded into a large photo booth and took pictures to commemorate the day.<br />
One of the other major highlights of the trip was the visit to the Meiji Shinto Shrine, which was dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Students followed the tradition of purifying themselves by washing their hands and mouths before entering the shrine. Once inside, the students could able to make a wish by tossing a coin into a hole separating the visitors from the center of the shrine. Before leaving, each student was able to pick out a fortune scroll, which contained short poems of wisdom written by Empress Shoken.<br />
After visiting the shrine, all of the students spent some time in the park outside of the shrine watching a group of Japanese students preparing for a fashion show. Even though the tour was over, the YCU students escorted smaller groups of students to their next destinations, whether it was Akihabara, an area known for having the latest in anime and video games, or the Tokyo Tower, the largest self-supporting, steel tower in the world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-63636442511023931602009-11-20T01:23:00.000-04:002009-11-28T01:30:21.227-04:00Hangzhou Overnight TripAfter arriving in Shanghai, a small group left the ship by bus to Hangzhou, China. The city, which is the capital of Zhejiang province, is a two-hour drive from Shanghai, and is well known for its natural beauty and deep cultural roots. Along with being the cultural center of the province, it is also the economic and political center of the region, as a city that fuses the traditional and modern perfectly.<br />
The group spent two days in Hangzhou, an important tourist destination for the country, exploring some of the city’s most popular sites. It was rainy, and a bit chilly throughout the group’s stay; fortunately, umbrellas and warm gloves helped to stave off the cold. Also, viewing each stop along the journey through the fine haze of rain cast the entire trip in a mystical and mysterious light. <br />
Below is a slideshow from the trip. Pictures come from the West Lake, the Six Harmonies Pagoda, the Ling Yin Temple and the Dragon Well Tea Growing Farm. The students also visited a silk factory and shared several traditional meals with their hosts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.<br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Cq-h6tH-Ps&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Cq-h6tH-Ps&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-24326844033518817162009-11-19T08:31:00.000-04:002009-11-19T08:31:59.953-04:00Hong Kong City OrientationThe first day in Hong Kong, a large group of students took a tour of the city. The tour, which was partially conducted on buses, and then ended with a walking tour, lasted most of the day and included many of the most popular Hong Kong sites. The highlights of this city orientation included Cat Street, the Man Mo Temple, and Aberdeen.<br />
Cat Street, which is also called Upper and Lower Lascar Row, used to be called Thieves' Market. The old name was used during a time when it was frequented by people selling stolen merchandise. Today, the street is lined with new buildings the market is probably the largest collection of Chinese antiques for sale anywhere outside of mainland China.<br />
The Man Mo Temple is reputed as one of the oldest and most visited temples in Hong Kong. It is located on Hollywood Road, making it very close to the Cat Street Market. It was first built in 1848, shortly after the British took over Hong Kong. Several times since it was originally erected, it has been rebuilt.<br />
The temple, whose name means “civil” and “military,” was dedicated to two gods, Man Cheong (the god of literature) and Kwan Yu (the god of war). When the students visited, the saw many fortune-teller booths near the temple. Instead of peering into a crystal ball, the fortune-tellers shake a bamboo tube. Inside the tube are fortune sticks that are marked with a number. The fortune is determined based on the stick that falls out first. <br />
One of the last major stops in the orientation was the town of Aberdeen. Located on a southern tip of Hong Kong, Aberdeen is the largest satellite town in the area. With a population of roughly 60,000, the town morphed from a haven for pirates into a small fishing town. Recently, the town has become more modern, and has transformed yet again, this time into a waterfront resort frequented by people from metropolitan Hong Kong.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmksGitgtvc2-ercRlLUncjQtv45J2_6IEmu69_3ZG-0NVPGOvSZHLIsbBWxuXib8KNSxVeA4eYxe6AkhN6sXCfgF-X3CPWpZ54EYyPTuEbk-lacb60XmHp286KJKTlNaVNCgdCdi6WaU/s1600/asia-2007_1187867700_hong-kong-from-victoria-peak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmksGitgtvc2-ercRlLUncjQtv45J2_6IEmu69_3ZG-0NVPGOvSZHLIsbBWxuXib8KNSxVeA4eYxe6AkhN6sXCfgF-X3CPWpZ54EYyPTuEbk-lacb60XmHp286KJKTlNaVNCgdCdi6WaU/s400/asia-2007_1187867700_hong-kong-from-victoria-peak.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is the view from Victoria's Peak (another stop on the city orientation) at night. From here, all of Hong Kong can be seen. The area is also known for it's attractions and restaurants, but it is the view that made it famous.</span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-20450259979870536352009-11-13T04:33:00.000-04:002009-11-13T04:33:22.069-04:00The Great Divine Temple for Cao Dai in VietnamOne of the Vietnam excursions that students are particularly fond of is the treck to the Cao Dai Great Divine Temple located near the Cambodian border. The religion was founded in 1926 in southern Vietnam. It has roughly six million follows many of whom worship in temples, which a spread along the Mekong Delta. Caodaism is a mixture of three other Eastern religions: Buddhism, Confucionism and Taoism. The Cao Dai banner pays homage to these three foundational religions. Concepts from each religion, such as vegetarianism, yin and yang and reincarcation, have been appropriated. The interior of the temple also shows some of these influences; for example, situated around the temple are 28 dragon-shaped columns, which represent the manifestations of the Buddha. <br />
Services at the temple are held several times each day. Students attended the noon services, and observed from the balcony. A group of musicians and singers led the congregation in a 45-minute prayer session. The music is Vietnamese, but hymns sound a bit like Christian spirituals rather than traditional Buddhist or Taoist chanting. <br />
Below is a clip taken from the balcony of the temple during the beginning procession of the noon service. Women and lay people are dressed in white, while men of rank within the church hierarchy wear solid colored robes of red, blue or yellow.<br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZDQh9f62ia8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZDQh9f62ia8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-21560727088072254712009-11-13T03:12:00.000-04:002009-11-13T03:12:21.287-04:00Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Approximately 70km outside of Ho Chi Minh City are the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground web of tunnels utilized during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were a base for the region's military committee, and were used to house and transport soldiers. Several SAS trips toured the Ben Duoc Tunnel Complex, a 200km stretch of tunnels that survived American bombing and was nationally recognized as a historic relic December 15, 2004.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqlVhiB3bThTqMmSqaHsIaDCzaVO7hLcyQrs7fsg58tk9BL7u9D19hpCPw3LVVaXOuc-x3c2EmE_3AWaUxwJr43v3zOU3g6uWeks6XUIR3PxVIMmDr3eEfZLXWPlf-NuchBD4N-kZQ8qD/s1600-h/GEDC0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqlVhiB3bThTqMmSqaHsIaDCzaVO7hLcyQrs7fsg58tk9BL7u9D19hpCPw3LVVaXOuc-x3c2EmE_3AWaUxwJr43v3zOU3g6uWeks6XUIR3PxVIMmDr3eEfZLXWPlf-NuchBD4N-kZQ8qD/s320/GEDC0798.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is one of many entrances to the tunnels. The openings were kept covered and hidden, and small groups were assign to each one. The soldiers only knew where their entrance was, so if captured they were not very useful to the Americans. This one has been slightly enlarged. One of the guides demonstrated how to get in and out of the hole.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeavwHy2GSIOqyhFmyBJGxYlFoIJCRgyv97pzyn4mJ2q2qmBnWKdnJzUoPgRonvyvhIlBxsT0UMzSlMUMroz75rH7EYA6wY1QHjvkniqWydqpSpJhfIIQFBRN3FlOsC3GRnRQ5tsFuKdg/s1600-h/GEDC0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeavwHy2GSIOqyhFmyBJGxYlFoIJCRgyv97pzyn4mJ2q2qmBnWKdnJzUoPgRonvyvhIlBxsT0UMzSlMUMroz75rH7EYA6wY1QHjvkniqWydqpSpJhfIIQFBRN3FlOsC3GRnRQ5tsFuKdg/s320/GEDC0802.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>A couple of students also tried getting down the entrance. Because Vietnamese people are generally much smaller than Americans, it was near impossible for American soldiers to follow down a hole, even if they located one.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8GXoSqEZ0aoVcr3TY_IYUov1av6v14qqxHQvAY-pZ_ZutSArx7xo5OwoGmGHYc8P8vEwL6A1F1wawtfgCndPKgnudr1GW3V8SzI5dlR_o0WcjQAtdhD5vfrg26lrr8cGcNjDzbgn5NH8/s1600-h/GEDC0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8GXoSqEZ0aoVcr3TY_IYUov1av6v14qqxHQvAY-pZ_ZutSArx7xo5OwoGmGHYc8P8vEwL6A1F1wawtfgCndPKgnudr1GW3V8SzI5dlR_o0WcjQAtdhD5vfrg26lrr8cGcNjDzbgn5NH8/s320/GEDC0804.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Many traps like this one were set up around the area. Originally dug out to trap tigers, spikes were added during the conflict. Between 10-15 percent of American casualties were attributed to traps like this one.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLNSZMDc9FbXbW1sUbtklYtmsQl9tC_ge-tBxJDLAHclzXA14u8E55lA5Cu1V-H5G3LAmseqMu_2WN5M9y1g6oPFvuDnbbl1GdChA18eY1hP6VV1D8YcuMAYNp3hmBbOLugzG4jQL_Sg2/s1600-h/GEDC0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLNSZMDc9FbXbW1sUbtklYtmsQl9tC_ge-tBxJDLAHclzXA14u8E55lA5Cu1V-H5G3LAmseqMu_2WN5M9y1g6oPFvuDnbbl1GdChA18eY1hP6VV1D8YcuMAYNp3hmBbOLugzG4jQL_Sg2/s320/GEDC0809.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>The groups were also shown a reconstruction of a weapons workshop. The Vietnamese people would take old weapons and shells, and create land mines and grenades to use during fighting.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBxms4fAFf8Su0z_6iTSiLZFCp2nl75nCRGBzBF6l7BbP-vd09ZPdzy7kB1VU4LKE6zWeNTeVPAz-P16JYFQK7DPl8EvJwn0U7Uccdz8rEVXdpTVsT806GtY_iLSD6sEN0mWL8qc_CNct/s1600-h/GEDC0812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBxms4fAFf8Su0z_6iTSiLZFCp2nl75nCRGBzBF6l7BbP-vd09ZPdzy7kB1VU4LKE6zWeNTeVPAz-P16JYFQK7DPl8EvJwn0U7Uccdz8rEVXdpTVsT806GtY_iLSD6sEN0mWL8qc_CNct/s320/GEDC0812.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The American base in the area was set up a mere 5km from the tunnels. For two years after it was built, the Air Force was unable to bomb the area because they would bomb the base in the process. After many failed attempts to conquer the tunnel dwellers, orders to abandon the base and bomb the tunnels were issued. This crater was formed by one of the bombs, which caused the collapse of many tunnels.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHotGVuCYwDXrm4z5ctoj8qmz8DeBMRl1TBkdKPDBThZI1V-Em9wYCWYW5yCuc8IG5p-XbpMt6wRqmcY9ca6oKpGZqcrGwLgX5bxUR_VodieU6Fqj9hF-z3wJvIRdJg2qPzs2svxjv7JFa/s1600-h/GEDC0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHotGVuCYwDXrm4z5ctoj8qmz8DeBMRl1TBkdKPDBThZI1V-Em9wYCWYW5yCuc8IG5p-XbpMt6wRqmcY9ca6oKpGZqcrGwLgX5bxUR_VodieU6Fqj9hF-z3wJvIRdJg2qPzs2svxjv7JFa/s320/GEDC0814.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This entrance has been enlarged enough for tourists to enter. Following a guide, the students crawled 300 feet through the tunnels. This area was enlarged by 40 percent, but the students still had no space to turn around and had to crawl the whole way. They found it hard to believe that people traversed this way for years in tunnels that were much smaller, but had fun scurrying through the short passageway.<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-26985539176358387142009-11-08T21:00:00.000-04:002009-11-08T21:00:03.411-04:00For Parents!!!The Fall 2009 Voyage has passed its midpoint, and many parents are already making arrangements to get to San Diego to welcome their sons and daughters home. You can find all of the helpful information you need concerning travel arrangements, arrival time, disembarkment schedule and welcome reception <a href="http://www.semesteratsea.org/current-voyage/overview/welcome-home-info-for-parents.php">here</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_vOPZuNxIVQeuFoPxV_mIR8gyW_OTt5fppy3lhLkqTQGgeZMUbygcKdD-jb-e-G5xupb0z1jdwcEdR2VRS_RR0muh3H9PLdH0g1qNYCv94zynexQPHW-4nSMRCKzyJCp95w9pZWDKuGi/s1600-h/ShipsMast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_vOPZuNxIVQeuFoPxV_mIR8gyW_OTt5fppy3lhLkqTQGgeZMUbygcKdD-jb-e-G5xupb0z1jdwcEdR2VRS_RR0muh3H9PLdH0g1qNYCv94zynexQPHW-4nSMRCKzyJCp95w9pZWDKuGi/s320/ShipsMast.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-53618599116599895542009-11-02T10:14:00.001-04:002009-11-02T10:44:02.680-04:00Cultural Preport: Vietnam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9_MwiEU9tczXIDl6503E3busV3rCJRi9T0R424WIGC3YSrYlCFcEgelqV_zhIXg-GK2zVr77pbOFzDxMdgOd_ryph79RBMhH-inUpeM9CUorZXZBtSxoCssHFes-ZPlPan-Ixfw0I9sp/s1600-h/Vietnam%2520Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9_MwiEU9tczXIDl6503E3busV3rCJRi9T0R424WIGC3YSrYlCFcEgelqV_zhIXg-GK2zVr77pbOFzDxMdgOd_ryph79RBMhH-inUpeM9CUorZXZBtSxoCssHFes-ZPlPan-Ixfw0I9sp/s400/Vietnam%2520Flag.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>Yesterday evening the entire shipboard community gathered together in the Union for cultural preport. Preport meetings are a vital part of preparing everyone before we enter a new country. For most of the students, Vietnam is a country they have never visited before. The cultural preport gives everybody vital information that is designed to help ease their transition into a new culture. Aside from basic country information, these meetings discuss differences in culture that students may not be aware of, but are an important part of ensuring acceptance by the native people they encounter in each country. The other half of the preparation takes place the following day in logistical preport, and focuses on providing information that will help students stay safe and make the most out of their stay in a country. Information covered will include everything from where the closest post office is located to how to get in touch with the Dean on duty in case of an emergency.<br />
The July 2009 estimate of Vietnam's population was 86,967,524. Unlike many of the other ports on this trip, there is no core religion that ties the country together. In fact, in the last census, over 80 percent of Vietnam's citizens responded that they did not have a religion. There are, however, significant cultural influences that govern the way people behave, and how they interact with one another. For example, the family is extremely important in Vietnamese culture. As a result, it is quite typical for people to live with their parents even after they marry. There is also a very strong sense of respect for elders, and students were advised how to greet older people and even how to give them money when shopping (with both hands cupped) to avoid unintentional signs of disrespect.<br />
One of the other important issues that was discussed was the government. Vietnam is a <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/communism">communist</a> country, whose constitution was enacted April 15, 1992. Although it may be difficult to see the differences in a country caused by government type during a stay as short as ours, the students were encouraged nevertheless to be observant while in port.<br />
The students favorite part of every cultural preport is when they start talking about food. In Vietnam, some of the specialties include Com (rice), Gio Lua (lean pork pie), Cha Ca (grilled minced fish), and Banh Tom (crispy shrimp pastry). They were even given recommendations of places with the tastiest food! To keep everyone safe and healthy, they are advised to only eat cooked food.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-33928670190190965452009-10-31T18:44:00.002-03:002009-10-31T19:21:46.800-03:00Happy HalloweenHappy Halloween from everyone aboard the MV Explorer! This evening was an eventful one for the community. While many of the students wore their costumes all day, after dinner everyone was completely decked out in festive attire. Some students were clad in traditional garb from some of the countries the ship stopped in earlier on, while others used a little creativity to design some amazing costumes from scratch. They weren't the only ones getting in on the fun; many of the faculty and staff also dressed up, and the small children on board put on their Halloween costumes and Trick or Treated around the ship. Later on there was a Halloween party and costume contest. Before the contest began, a few of students had quite a surprise in store for everyone, and danced Micheal Jackson's "Thriller" in front of a enthusiastic crowd of zombies, movie stars and action figures. Luckily, the whole performance was captured, and is embedded below. <br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p7gOIuN6vtQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p7gOIuN6vtQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-51281494798854991572009-10-31T18:27:00.002-03:002009-10-31T18:53:23.678-03:00The Crew Talent ShowLast night, the entire shipboard community was treated to what has become one of the most popular events to take place during a Semester at Sea voyage. The crew talent show is a unique opportunity to showcase a portion of our community that is vital, and yet often overlooked. The crew, who direct, run and maintain the MV Explorer, work around the clock ensure that all of the faculty, staff and students reach each port happy, healthy and safe. And there job is not easy; the ship is a a 24,000-ton, state-of-the-art passenger ship, and essentially a self-contained, floating community. Most of the crew have been sailing with Semester at Sea for years, and truly love the unique experience of working in an academic environment, rather than a luxury cruise. They are as diverse as they are experienced, coming from 23 different countries. <br />
To top it all off, they are very talented. The crowd that packed out the sixth deck Union was treated to a variety of acts, including juggling, singing, dancing and even a couple of comedy routines. Below is one of the acts, and below it the finale, which had plenty of audience participation by the end.<br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wdZVtqycKjA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wdZVtqycKjA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-32998583189890863792009-10-31T17:44:00.000-03:002009-10-31T17:44:01.817-03:00Sea Olympics!!<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E_G4qRyRhcY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E_G4qRyRhcY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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Above is an extended slideshow from the Sea Olympics on board the ship. The Sea Olympics takes place on every voyage during one of the rare no class days at sea. It is a day long event, which involves a wide variety of competitions. The contests range from wheel-barrel races to syncronized swimming to banner making. The students, who are divided into "Seas" based on their room number, competed against each other and the faculty/staff. Each Sea was awarded points based for each event they placed in, and the winners were announced at the end of the day, which was capped with a BBQ and social. As you can see, it was a long day, with events running from first thing in the morning, and the winners being announced a couple of hours after dinner. The Fall 2009 Sea Olympics winner was the Andaman Sea, which is headed by LLC Danielle Jenkins. Students decked in the Sea color, orange, could be seen celebrating all over the ship until the wee hours of the morning. There were some sleepy faces in Global Studies the next day, but they transitioned back into academic mode with relative ease. Semester at Sea = Balance!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-18745428194853235412009-10-29T00:19:00.000-03:002009-10-29T00:19:58.348-03:00In Chennai: The 100th Voyage CelebrationThe 100th Voyage Celebration and Youth Leadership Conference, which took place on October 24, the Fall Voyage's second day in India, is one of the most important events that have happened thus far. Semester at Sea students celebrated the 100th voyage as well as United Nations Day, which was themed "Building Bridges of Peace and Understanding Across the Continents." It took place at Ethiraj College for Women, and was coordinated by Dr. Henry Thiagaraj, who has a long history with the SAS program. There were many distinguished political guests present to receive the students including the mayor of Chennai, Ma. Subramanian. While the second half of the celebration contained many speeches from the various guests, including the voyage's own Dean Nick, what stuck out the most in everyone's minds was the traditional and modern dancing performed by local students during the first half of the event. Below are four clips from the day.<br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PWCkDlbxoMI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PWCkDlbxoMI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-17371947988172638962009-10-21T07:21:00.001-03:002009-10-22T03:56:28.703-03:00Archie Bunker’s NeighborhoodThere are many different ways to engage students, and teach them something new. A way that was utilized by LLC Grant Hoover yesterday evening, which did not include watching old reruns of "All In The Family," was a hands-on, interactive activity. This activity is called, "Archie Bunker's Neighborhood" after the main character in the popular 1970's sitcom. Students and staff were split into two groups with the task of planning and building a perfect community. Group 1 named their community Atlantis, while Group 2 named their city Utopia. There were a series of rules that each groups was supposed to follow in order to build their city. In order to "construct" a building, they had to apply for a building permit, and have it approved by the Housing Authority (played brilliantly by Assistant Dean of Students Eddie Diaz). Each group was relegated to the taped of area designated for their town, and to leave the area for their permits, they must be accompanied by the police officer, LLC Bridget Le Loup, and if they broke any rules they would be jailed, during which time they were guarded by jailer and LLC, Ann Hsu. The progress of both groups was marked by periodic "news" updates by the reporter, LLC Danielle Jenkins, and Hoover acted as "Governator," answering any questions the participants may have.<br />
As the students enthusiastically jumped into their city planning project, they quickly realized that there was far more to this activity then they originally believed. The citizens of Utopia first saw this when they tried to obtain permits for a city hall and houses. They were required to have every single document filled out precisely, criticized for bringing in applications in the wrong language, required to pay "processing fees" to get their permits, and still found that they only received a small number of the needed permits.<br />
When Atlantis made its way to the Housing Authority, they were met with a very different situation. They filled out no paper work, but had their entire list of projects immediately approved. They were also given $5 million to fund the construction, After two re-zoning efforts by the police officer and Governator, Atlantis occupied the majority of the space being used for the exercise while Utopia was relegated to a tiny corner that was barely big enough to contain it's inhabitants.<br />
By this time, both groups were noticing how differently the groups were being treated, and how this was affecting their ability to created a successful society. While Atlantis had erected a hospital, school, fire and police departments, church, houses and a park with a pond, Utopia had barely managed to finish their city hall. Utopia's attempts to equalize things was met with strong resistance, and many of their citizens were arrested. All of this was covered by the reporter, whose reports were very biased. One of her most outrageous reports condemned Utopian Tonya Phillips as a terrorist after she attempted to tell her the real story of what was happening to her city. By the end of exercise, the citizens of Utopia were calling for revolution, while the citizens of Atlantis attempted to alleviate their guilt by donating a hospital. <br />
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</div>During the discussion that followed the exercise, the students in the Utopia group talked about how quickly feelings of despair and hopelessness crept up on them. Ruth Anne Pfaff, a junior majoring in psychology at UC-Davis, talked about how trying to revolt against the established power wasn't just about fairness, it also helped them not give up. "[Taking about revolution] kept me going," she said.<br />
The students in Atlantis talked about the effects of being favored and seeing the way the other group was treated. They said that they were constantly concerned about doing something that might cause them to lose favor. Even when they gave Utopia a hospital, it was done secretly to avoid the displeasure of the "Governator."<br />
In the end, everyone discussed how situations like this exist in many communities, and how people can be completely unaware of the inequities that are commonplace in their own cities. The group talked about a famous example in Apartheid, but also acknowledged that there are plenty of examples much closer to home. There was a consensus amongst the participants that even after such a short exercise they were more sensitive to inequality, and the social problems that might be prevalent in a community as a result. They agreed that increasing awareness was the first step to eliminating these injustices, and wanted to see Archie Bunker’s Neighborhood offered again before the voyage ends.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-63547966775673151352009-10-18T19:36:00.000-03:002009-10-18T19:36:20.978-03:00Service in Mauritius: Gayasing Ashram Home & Cite La Cure NeighborhoodMauritius is a small island relatively close to the coast of Madagascar. With a population of rougly 1.2 million people, it is one amongst a cluster of islands known for their gorgeous beaches, and as a result, is a popular tourist destination. But Semester at Sea is not a cruise vacation, and while students always have fun, it is balanced with invaluable learning experiences. On the second day in Port Louis, a small group of students went on a service visit that included stops at the Gayasing Ashram Home and the Cite La Cure Neighborhood. <br />
Before the students were taken to their first service stop, they were given a brief introduction to Mauritius' history though a stop at the sacred tomb of Father Laval. He came to the island as a missionary in 1840, but also taught the people how to care for the sick using established routines that prevent infection and the spread of disease. He also helped the progress of educating the Creole children of the island. Creole are Mauritians of African descent.<br />
Once the group left the tomb, they were taken to the Gayasing Ashram Home, where they were given a tour of the facilities, and had the opportunity to interact with some of the patients and staff members. The home serves elderly men and women, mainly focusing on those who are developmentally disabled. The students saw the lands the home was built on, which are quite extensive, and include separate quarters for the men and women, a clinic, and a dining hall. They met some of the male patients, who were spending the morning outside because it was a warm day, before taking a tour of the female quarters. One of the most interesting parts of the visit for many in the group was when they had a chance to talk to two local university students that were doing internships at the home for physical therapy. They got a chance to ask them about working with the patients and going to school in Mauritius, as well as sharing some of their experiences from their home institutions and SAS.<br />
After leaving the Gayasing Ashram Home, the group went to the Cite La Cure Neighborhood where they spent a few hours with the children in the DLD Teen Hope Project. The project is designed to help young students who otherwise might drop out of school get a quality education. These students are considered at-risk, based on their socio-economic background, family instability and other factors. All of the children spoke French, and a little English and were learning French grammar when the group arrived. After the SAS students were given a short tour of the school, which consisted of two classrooms and an art & crafts room, they sat down with the students to chat. Eventually, the children showed the students how to dance to Sega music, which is the traditional music of the island. The entire group agreed that this was the highlight of their day, even if the beats sounded complicated at times. The children were very open and encouraging, and everyone had a good time whether they were learning or teaching. When it was time to leave, many of the SAS students made promises to keep in touch with the school, before climbing back onto the bus, and taking the 10 minute ride back to the ship.<br />
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Be on the look out for a short video of the children and students dancing to Sega, which will be posted soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5926314182121838497.post-1279257825226224522009-10-14T07:24:00.001-03:002009-10-14T07:34:36.803-03:00Featured Explorer Seminar: The Ugly AmericanThe following is a live blog of an Explorer Seminar aboard the ship, which took place yesterday evening. The seminar is apart of a series, and take place before each port. This forum was moderated by a student, Erin Cheatun. She is a senior from Western Washington University who majors in Biological anthropology. <br />
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8:00 pm: Cheatun is explaining what the the ugly American is to people who have never attended the seminar. It is a stereotype that many people from other countries have about Americans not being culturally aware, loud and demanding. <br />
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8:06 pm: She explains that some people are so embarrassed that they distance themselves when traveling abroad to avoid negative assumptions. She gave an example of friends who say they’re Canadian when traveling abroad. <br />
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8:13 LLC Danielle Jenkins is commenting on why people might act like “ugly” Americans when traveling abroad. She said it may have something to do with the fact that generally Americans don’t travel internationally as often as citizens of other countries. She said that lack of experience, and never having been outside of their own borders makes them more susceptible to being insensitive. She said she has seen it a lot during her travels, and is now very cautious of who she travels with. <br />
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8:20 One student is giving an example of “ugliness” that she witnessed. A student interrupted a Muslim taking part in the evening prayers in Morocco during Ramadan. She says she thinks another factor is self-centeredness. <br />
8:33 Another factor that feeds the stereotype is unintentional offense. In certain countries there are cultural norms and customs that people may not be aware of, and offend out of that ignorance. <br />
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8:39 pm: Cheatun is now talking strategy. One way to remind yourself to avoid “ugliness” is called the String theory. Tying a simple string around your wrist serves as a reminder to wearer to be culturally aware, and lets others know that it’s okay to remind them of their commitment if they forget. Cheatun brought string for the seminar participants. <br />
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8:42 pm: Verbal Judo is a series of techniques to avoid confrontation. Controlling your responses and remaining calm when others would expect anger, throws them off and causes them to lose steam. There is never an appropriate time and return an verbal attack. Remain calm and confident with body language. Be professional and courteous; this will provoke a respectful response. Your goal is to terminate the escalation of confrontation, particularly from verbal to physical. Can be used when interacting with people in different countries as well as other students on the voyage. <br />
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8:48 pm: Jenkins is discussing the importance of being mindful of respecting others. She says that a lot of the time it goes beyond respect for cultural differences to just plain common courtesy. <br />
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8:51 pm: Cheatun says that the “ugly Americans” are always the minority of tourists, the perception doesn’t always match reality. Realizing this will empower others to stand up in the face of “ugliness” to prevent its occurrence. <br />
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8:58 pm: Cheatun is wrapping up the seminar, thanking the participants for coming and talking, and inviting them to join the next one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0