Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Day 4

It's the 4th full day at sea. We have sailed 1,370 miles and have 1,200 left before reaching Cadiz, Spain. Today is the 3rd day of class and it’s all splendid. The M.V Explorer is an everybody ship (ship, not boat. voyage, not cruise). Constantly wandering around this floating university, I'm in surreal mode, still adjusting to the fact that this is my real life. I'm aboard a ship. I'm sailing around the world. This ship already feels like home, and all these crazy people I'm with, they are family. 550 students running around, 20 lifelong learners (elderly people sailing with us and taking classes for fun), an incredible faculty, an amazing crew, and 15 little kids (sons and daughters of professors)- the M.V Explorer is a real functioning family. It's magical. I suppose I stepped through Platform nine and three quarters. Am I in Hogwartz? Dumbledore is Captain Jeremy, and The Ministry of Magic is the Institute of Shipboard Education. Yes, it’s that magical.

We lose hours every night and constantly adjust our clocks. It's difficult, however, I don't pay much attention to time. It’s raining today for the first time so everyone is inside. I'm currently sitting by the piano bar (yes, piano bar) gazing out the window at the waves. The ship is rocky. I didn’t think I would feel the ocean this much, I was wrong. I'm constantly swaying. No seasickness yet, but it could happen as we move towards rougher seas. Yesterday was like living on a seesaw. Our campus shifted back and forth over the waves, and some kid fell out of his chair in class. Think it's hard to pay attention in America? Try focusing on a teacher when all the heads in class are rocking like a slow motion Metallica concert. I daze out the window, watching the horizon line disappear and reappear into focus. Up and down the Explorer goes. Am I going to vomit?

My swaying elliptical yesterday took working out to an entirely knew level. Looking out the window as the ship rocked back and forth, I man handled my machine so I wouldn't fall. Ragtime music played on my iPod as I rode away, like a Disney ride. At night everyone hangs. Cards, board games, it's summer camp for college. "Spoons" has grown to all intensity with groups of 25 people. We eventually changed it to “forks,” which resulted in unfortunate battle scars.

Sources of communication on the ship are limited to face to face. I'll meet someone who I really like, but then lose them and not see them for a couple of days. Where do they go? I wonder around looking for people I know, meeting new people who are doing the same thing. Some had the genius idea of bringing walky talkies. This makes for a fun game. Right now the ship seems enormous, but I have a sneaky little feeling that will change.

Anyways, back to homework. Hopefully this window doesn't distract me too much. Dolphins are swimming by. :)

Peace
Lauren

4 comments:

  1. So you said boat like 3 lines after you gave your ship speech... and why am I not suprised you compared the ship to Hogwarts?? It's funny reading your writings, you write kinda different than you talk sometimes. It's cool though I enjoyed it. Keep us posted, hope things keep going well!

    Brooks

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  2. Hi pooks! oh my goodness that sounds absolutely unbelievably incredible!!! I can't even imagine what it must be like...i bet you don't ever wanna come home haha..but loserface i have emailed you like 15 bagillion times i just dont think your getting them because i get all of yours and i've responded to every email and even sent others ones on their own and i just don't think your getting them :(
    but thats okay we can talk on here!!
    haha brooks comments kinda funny hahaha

    well swaga sis oh boy how i miss miss miss you so much!!! i wanna talk to you if you get a chance to call me please do even if its in the middle of night my time! sooo anyways im just sitting here at home..im actually in your home sitting at your desk trying to get some homework done blahhh but i keep getting distracted by the 501 must see destination book you got me..and im also home alone cuz mom and dad are at a meetingggg i wish you were here to keep me company but i've got gisele up here she says she really really misses you..she's laying on your bed right now just adding to her collection of dog hair that she so nicely leaves right on your covers :)
    well anywayspoooooks i love you soooo much and am so excited for you!!!!!! please message me back on this blog thing!! i love love love lvoe love love love you fo real fo real! xoxoxo swaggin forver erisy

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  3. ahhhhhh IM SO HAPPY YOUR HAVING SUCH A GREAT TIME!!! i read your blog aloud at school today and everyone's really jeaous!!!!!!

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  4. Hey sister girl!
    What's going on? You should get on your blog site and message me back! right now, I'm sitting in my homeroom waiting to get let out for snack..I'm supposed to be choosing my service learning project right now but I thought I'd leave you a message instead :)
    well I still miss you! How's everything going? I'm so happy you've made such good friends! Everyone at home misses you! oh and I don't know if you heard but Tripp's wedding is going to be in the Spring Time so you can come!! Yayyyyy!!!! and I'm gonna start looking at houses in New York for Christmas! Send me pictures if you can!! if you want to email me you can and I will write back on here! okay I love you so much!! I gotta go eat snack now! yummmm!! Hope your having the most amazing time ever!!

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