25 february 2009
last night mckendree, ren, caitlin and i planned to watch a movie with our friends brian and chandler. we didnt end up getting to the movie but chatted, listened to chandler play the guitar and looked through pictures. it was so relaxing and nice to learn more about eachother. we even drew a picture to put on their porthole. brian went shark diving in south africa but didn't get to see any sharks and was bummed out about it. so we drew him a picture of a shark and hung it up for him. he thought it was hilarious, and so did we. all too quickly it was nearly 11 (which meant nearly 12 with the time change) and everyone parted and headed to bed. i guess we'll try to watch that movie another time.
today has been a semi-productive one, i suppose.
global studies today focused on our next port of call, port louis mauritius. one professor gave an extended talk on the wild life found on the island and about his hatred for all mammals that kill birds. he ranted about the mongooses that were meant to kill rats on the sugar plantations but ended up eating all the birds and then complained about cats. and how he wishes he could run over them with his car. it was a little much for 0900 in the morning, and it left us all puzzled.
to follow up on the cat-hater, another professor gave us a history of the dodo bird, which is extinct. birds, when not threatened by mammals (like on the mainland), adapt and often become fatter and flightless. such was the plight of the dodo bird. they were said to be very friendly but quickly died out due to hunting and the introduction of small mammals to the island. that was in the mid-1800's. and it was the first tangible example of how humans can mess up an ecosystem and directly affect the survival of a species.
word is that the global studies test went rather well and hopefully we get our grades back tomorrow. there is a bug going around the ship and apparently a bunch of kids missed the test because they were so under the weather. i'm washing my hands religiously and trying to stay as healthy as possible!
it was a rather morbid way to start the day. my other two classes were interesting and i need to get working on my papers, which are due after mauritius.
i then came back to the room and found cnn on the tv again. i LOVE watching the news. and even more, i love knowing what they are talking about when it comes to world issues and the countries i have been to (or will soon see). i worked on my blog and i got two more days completed. three down, two to go. it just so easy to get distracted!
i know they tend to be long but they are the best record for myself so i like to take my time and really describe what i've seen and done.
mckendree and i, feeling sleepy after losing 2 hours of sleep so far, decided to watch a movie instead of napping. we watched erin brockovich and i really enjoyed it. i hadn't seen it since it first came out, years ago and it was just right for today.
i just got back from dinner and plan to head up and watch the sunset with my new camera. i have a little time so i'm charging up my computer battery so i can bring my computer too. we have a special explorer's seminar tonight-- we will be watching obama's speech to the joint congress. i'm excited, as are many people on the ship. obama just gets everyone excited. i could have watched it on cnn but i would have had to be up at 5 am or something and with the time change it simply was not an option.
tonight we lose yet another hour of sleep and i am pretty sure its the last one. we have a b day tomorrow and i'm going to try and balance some sunshine with some homework. we have a combined cultural and logistical pre-port tomorrow night and then i suppose i'll figure out what i'm doing in mauritius. i think i'm going to try and see some waterfalls and spend time on the beach. i also may try and write out more postcards..
off to see the sunset and then watching obama-- have a good morning!
1 comment:
well i find myself speechless, if you can imagine.....be nice ;) You just MUST put this all together in hardcopy and read it at least once a year. It will keep it all fresh and real for you - with the addition of what i'm sure are lovely pictures, you will have a treasure! After reading the last 3 entries, my little game of "word" seems trivial and unworthy....i hope you realize that the "word game" is my small attempt to bring you "home" to us a little bit of every day, and in no way is intended to belittle what you are experiencing. Broke my heart about the baby who was offered you - nothing greater than a mother's love, indeed, we all want the best for our children....so so sad.
I think you will greatly enjoy our President's speech - I know we did. He makes me feel as if there is hope for our country and for your generation which was not there before. I pray he can accomplish what is needed to keep us all safe and enjoying all the freedoms to which we have become accustomed, i.e., that we continue to be spoiled rotten!
On another note, I don't know what I'll do when I no longer have your blog to look forward to!! It has been SO much fun so far, mostly because of your writing skills, I think....but I can't wait to see where "WE" get to go each day. You aren't even halfway into your journey and I'm already bemoaning it's end....silly aunt
Tis almost dinner time so i suppose I'll go scrounge something up. I imagine you'll read this in the AM, now that you've lost yet another hour - seems odd doesn't it?
Last but not least my word for today is LOGIZAT..... SO, one lumberjack says to the next lumberjack, "Whose logizat?" - i could do a whole story about beavers, too, but dinner is waiting..........love you!! AuntT
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