An Evening With a Moroccan Family

One of the great things about Semester at Sea is the excursions. They provide a safe, hassle-free way to see the countries we visit, and, in some cases, provide opportunities that would be near impossible in independent travel or traditional study abroad programs. One such case was the evening a number of students spent with Moroccan families. Because SAS was in Casablanca during the Muslim holiday Ramadan, all of the families fasted during the day, and broke their fasts after sunset. Students were able to share this meal with them, and also the bonding and socializing that takes place.

Most of the students were shocked at how much food they were served. The families eat several times in the evening during Ramadan, so most groups were able to sample several courses during the three or four hours they spent with the family. They also had tea, which is strong, made with mint and sweetened with sugar. This was a favorite with many of the students.

Another thing students weren't expecting was how much of a social activity breaking the fast turned out to be. The families had many visitors during the evening, some coming even as the students were making their farewells.

Family, friends and food. As one student put it, "It's like Thanksgiving at my house!" Check out the pictures from one of the groups evening below.

One of the family sitting rooms.

A quick game of chess in between courses. Hide and seek was another popular way to pass the time.

A group of students with their family.

Adventure in Andalucia Slideshow up now

The voyage photographer recently finished up the Adventure in Andalucia slideshow. It is a wonderful mix of student comments, local music and, of course, fabulous photographs from student explorations of the Cathedral of Christendom, which houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus, and the Alhambra. Check it out here.

مسجد الحسن الثاني (The Hassan II Mosque)

The city of Casablanca's pride and joy is the Hassan II Mosque. Built in tribute to the previous king (by the previous king), it is one of the biggest religious sites in the world. Just about everyone on the voyage took a tour through the mosque, even those who didn’t do it with the city orientation. It is stunning; designed with traditional Moorish influences on a mind-boggling scale, it fits 25,000 worshipers inside during prayer times, and another 80,000 outside. The minaret is 689 feet tall, making it the tallest structure in the country, and the tallest minaret in the world.
The mosque was actually designed by famous French architect, Michel Pinseau. As large as it is, it was finished in a surprisingly small amount of time. The project began in 1986 and was completed during 1993. It is the only mosque in Casablanca that permits non-Muslims for guided tours.
The controversy surrounding the mosque when construction first began centered on the price tag. It cost roughly $800 million to build, and took over 6000 master craftsmen to finish all of the intricate designs in such a short period of time. However, the beauty of the building won over many of it's local detractors once the mosque was completed.
The mosque has several features that make it stand out from most other mosques. During prayer, worshipers will kneel down on the mosques floor, so the mosque was designed with heated floors, which impressed the students. But was amazed them the most was that the mosque has a retractable roof. On special occasions the sliding roof is opened, and evening prayers are done under the night stars.
The students were also taken to see the Turkish-style baths below the worship area. This is where worshipers make ablutions, purifying themselves before prayer.
The last notable feature is the laser that sits atop the minaret. At night, it shines a green beam toward Mecca in the East, the direction Muslims face during their prayers. This light can be seen for miles, and many students gathered on the decks of the MV Explorer each night because the beam was visible from the ship.

Cadiz Excursion: Flamenco Dancing

An excursion that was particularly popular with students was the trip to the Andalucian Flamenco Night. The trip was arranged by Professor Reyes-Torres, a native of Spain and one of the voyage's English professors. The show was a 30-minute ride from the port in Chiclana, and after light refreshments the crowd was led to a bullfighting ring. There they were treated to and amateur bullfight or cow taming with a young bull. The show was bloodless, and the students snapped many pictures while cooing over how cute both the little boy and bull were. After the amateur matador was carried out on the shoulders of a friend, a horse and flamenco dance commenced. This was one of the most interesting parts of the entire show because the horse actually danced with the two flamenco dancers. They tapped their hooves to the beat of the music, and hopped from leg to leg around the flamenco dancers, who twisted their arms in a serpentine fashion while performing complicated steps with their feet. The dancers also performed in the ring by themselves, matching their identical black and white dresses with fans that they threw and spun in the air, to the audiences delight.

After the conclusion of the dance, the students were led into a restaurant and treated to tapas or snacks, and something to drink. The dancers took to the stage and performed again, this time aided by a guitarist and singer. At the end of the show, the students got involved in the dancing as they learned how to do some of the simpler moves. One of the staff members, Danielle Jenkins, was celebrating her birthday and she danced with the flamenco dancers after they sang for her.

It was around 2300hrs. when the students were finally piled into the buses that brought them to Chiclana. After checking that all parties were accounted for, the group made its way back to the ship.

All About Cadiz (City Orientation)

The crowd of students at the fifth deck gangway was massive Saturday afternoon. Groups of new friends whispered excitedly to one another as they waited for the MV Explorer crew to swipe their ID cards, so they could disembark the ship. The numbers were impressive; they filled three tour buses, along with staff and a professional guide. The ship had docked in Cadiz just a few hours earlier, and for many of the students in the group, the orientation was their first chance to get out into the city. 
As for the city itself, Cadiz is beautiful. Full of history (it is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe), interesting people and fabulous beaches, the port is an ideal first stop for the voyage. The students that signed up for the city orientation were shown the city’s most memorable sites, including the town’s museum, which included paintings and sculptures by the city’s famous native sons as well as many of the ancient civilizations that once ruled the area. Both the Phoenicians and Romans governed the region before it passed into the hands of the Spaniards.

The orientation included a walking tour, and students had the chance to explore the cathedral that was finished in 1838, after 116 years of construction. Progress on the church was slow due to lack of funds, and the finished cathedral is actually a mix of the baroque and neoclassical styles, a testament to the two periods it’s construction straddles. They also got the chance to see the bustling residential area of the city towards the tour’s end. Many students made purchases in one of the many shops located near San Juan de Dios Square, which is located within walking distance from where the ship was anchored. The most popular purchase of the day? Ice cream!

Arrival in Cadiz

The sun got to Cadiz the same time we did. The MV Explorer pulled into the first port on its full itinerary at approximately 0800 hrs. Saturday morning, which turned out to be perfect timing; students that were milling about every deck of the ship in anticipation of our arrival watched the sun rise over a mountain range rolling along the Spanish coast. It was a bit chilly, not only because of the hour, but also because we were still on the water, so everyone was bundled in pajama pants, sweats, jackets and the occasional skullcap. Once the captain manuvered the ship to the port that will be its home until Tuesday, most of the students ran inside to escape the chill, and fill their bellies with breakfast (courtesy of the wonderful MV Explorer crew).
A couple of the overnight trips had early starts, and students picked up their passports and shuffled onto buses as shortly after the ship cleared customs. Others were eager to see the city although they had no official excursions planned for the morning, and they left around the same time. The rest snuggled into their beds for a few extra hours of sleep befor they ventured out or found a quiet place to congregate and discuss last minute plans.
The students have many options for port exploration. They can take advantage of the official excursions, which are plentiful, varied and carefully planned and chaperoned. The students that are feeling a bit more adventurous, or want to do something not included in the field program are free to travel within the country. To keep everyone safe and accounted for, students are briefed during cultural and logistical pre-port meetings about all aspects of life in Cadiz from politics to food, along with phone numbers for on-call staff members (who will be available 24/7 while the ship is in port) and Medex representatives. Safety concerns and procedures are covered in detail and students are given a page containing all of the most important items to take with them while off the ship. Also, there are independent travel information sheets that students can use to let the ship know where and when they will be traveling, as well as how to contact them. The students seem to be very comfortable with the ways they are choosing to see Spain, and it will only get easier for them as the semester progresses and they gain more experience.

--

The next couple of blogs will cover some of the interesting excursions the students have gone on, including a tour of Cadiz, flamenco dancing and a tour of a wind and solar power farm. ¡Que interesante!

The Big Event

Just wanted to post a quick update full of pictures from the first big event of the semester-- the BBQ and Mashup Madness social. The first two pictures are from the BBQ, which replaced dinner. You can see students piling their plates (and faces) with hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs and ice cream! Needless to say, a wonderful time was had by all. In the evening, students were invited to wear the most creatively mismatched outfits they could come up with, and meet in the Union for a night of Mashup Madness. The social was short and sweet, running from 2100 until 2300hrs (pretty tame, so everyone made it to class this morning!), and the students' clothes were the source of many laughs throughout the evening. Two pictures of the fun can be seen below.

The first few blog posts have been focused on showing how the students are adjusting to life at sea, as well as some of the things (like the BBQ and social) that the staff have organized to help ensure their social needs are served as well as their academic ones. In the coming days before the ship reaches the first port in Cadiz, Spain, the focus will shift a bit to look at some of the other aspects of ship life including academics.