china, day four

china
day four - olympic venues & great wall
1 april 2009

with a plan to go to the cafe before checkout, shannon and i got up early. in a great coincidence, my phone rang and i was surprised to hear voices from home on the other end. mom, dad, andrew, bec, kizzy, mrs. donnelly.. it was so good to hear everyone's voices; even if i was half asleep and didn't say much!

a great way to start my morning, shannon and i then headed to grab a quick hotel breakfast. located in a separate building, it felt as though we were walking to the dining hall at school. the weather even reminded me of new hampshire and i was glad that shannon could relate!

some fabulous oatmeal and a croissant in my backpack, shannon and i dashed to the cafe for some coffee and one last check of the emails. unfortunately the computers had not been set up, but i was just happy to have some coffee.

after gathering our big group in the hotel lobby, we eventually made it out of the hotel. vincent deserves a medal for his patience. while he was happy to have a young group, i'm sure his older groups are punctual!

we began our day with a surprise visit to the OLYMPIC VENUES(!!!). i wish i had a recording of the bus as the water cube and bird's nest came into view. no one had realized that we'd see them! word was that the olympic venues were listed in our itineraries but most swear that they never noticed. i suppose sleeping on the great wall overshadowed that detail.

everyone was so excited, and most certainly awake as we got off the bus and headed towards the olympic park. the water cube was first in sight, and we were all taking pictures like crazy. the entire area around the arena was new; from the roads, to the apartments, to the 6-star hotel. we made our way around the water cube and the bird's nest came into view. it was so much fun! we were all running around like 5 year olds, reliving the weeks in august when everyone was glued to their televisions. i was positively giddy!

soon, a photo shoot began. jumping pictures, several group photos, solo pictures and some of the scenery. we had so much fun, and provided entertainment for locals, as well. we could see them taking photos of us, it was a strange phenomenon.

even more peculiar were the groups of women or other tourists that would come up and ask to have their pictures taken with us. who knows what they will do with photos of american college students, put them in their scrapbooks?

it was remarked that the olympic venues created much more excitement than the more historical venues of tienanmen square or the forbidden city. in thinking about that, i rationalized that while the historical sights were impressive and rich in history, the olympic venues resonated more due to the fact that we had experienced the 2008 olympics. back in august, as i watched the olympic coverage, i never thought i'd be standing in front of those buildings. i suppose that modern china is also a reflection of the current mindset of the country, one that is desperately trying to modernize, to build and to gain status in the international community.

reluctantly, we followed vincent back to the bus. a few more paparazzi moments as we walked through the parking lot and we were heading to the ming tombs. as is now tradition, everyone fell asleep instantly.

the ming tombs were the final resting place of 13 emperors, all buried around this area, 50km north of beijing. the tomb we visited was the only excavated tomb, named Ding Ling. the emperor buried there was wanli and he lived in fear of his people. as a result, the entire complex is buried underground and was not discovered until 1956. we wandered through the pathways and worked our way up the hillside. eventually we made it to the entrance of the tombs; a rather plain set of stairs, descending into the tomb. we worked our way down the stairs, descending deep into the ground. once inside, the tomb was simple. red caskets (replicas) of the emperor and his empresses where the main event. there were rmb's everywhere that people offer to the emperor as good luck.

we did not spend much time in the tomb, there was not much to see. as usual, vincent did his best to keep our merry band of troublemakers together and attempted to provide us with a brief history of the tombs and the dynasties of china. the best part of the tombs was the view from the hilltop as we exited the tomb. after climbing lots of stairs back up to the surface, the panoramic views made the trudging worth it.

a few more trips to the happy house and we were again on our way, all hungry for lunch. vincent promised a delicious lunch after one more stop.

the next stop was really neat. the spirit way/sacred way, a 7km path leading up to the tombs, was lined with concrete animals and guards. we began closest to the tombs and worked backwards, from the guards to the animals. it was great fun and the statues were gigantic! guards, camels, elephants, lions, and horses. there was a plaque next to one of the elephants with a photo of mao in front of the same elephant. vincent re-enacted the photo for us, using his yellow flag as mao's cane. it was precious. we had a great time posing with the statues and attempting to sit on the back of the camel. it was much harder than it looked! they were slippery! the weather was warming up and it was a lovely stroll back to the bus. i was nearly the last to get back to the bus; i walk slowly and stop to take too many pictures!

and off to lunch we went! a fancy restaurant, we repeated the system we'd created during our first meal together: becca pointed to photos of food and vincent did the talking. we had an incredible and lingering lunch in our own private room. the dishes were much more upscale at this restaurant, but we enjoyed ourselves just as much as we had in the hutong the day before. a final trip to the happy house before our 2 hour drive to the great wall and we were on the road again.

as usual, everyone fell asleep quickly, relishing the opportunity to nap.

a quiet and restful 2 hours passed in the blink of an eye and i woke up to the setting sun shining in my eyes. we had reached our destination: the great wall. bundling up against the chill, we grabbed our cameras and hiked up to watch the sun set over the vast hills.

a brief stop at the happy house, i decided to wait upon seeing the facilities.., and we took on the wall. after ascending the hill, multiple staircases and uneven steps, i made it to the wall. 

and yet another photo shoot began. solo shots, group pictures, and thank you signs were occurring all over the wall. it was chilly but we were all warm from having climbed. i took some incredible photographs and i am itching to get them printed and blown up. the sunset was perfect; better than anything i could imagine! we lingered on the wall for about an hour, thoroughly chilling ourselves and not wanting to leave. reluctantly, we made our way back down to the bus and had dinner.

in a restaurant of sorts, with a disco-ball and fake flowers on the ceiling, we huddled to stay warm and enjoyed a more informal meal. another small group of semester at sea girls were in the restaurant with us, though they were not very friendly. a few more chinese favorites: cornmeal pancakes, green beans in soy sauce, as well as a new dish made of scrambled eggs and tomatoes. no idea what it was or what it was called but it was sweet and so yummy with rice. it would have been delicious for breakfast!

after dinner we had to change and pack our bags for the overnight on the wall. layers were the key; 2 pair socks, leggings, gym pants, baggy sweatpants, tank-top, t-shirt, long sleeve, sweatshirt, jacket, panda hat, gloves. it was like a makeshift snowsuit! in our backpacks were the items we'd need the next day: cameras, sunglasses, and extra batteries. i also brought my wall-e fleece blanket, even though i knew i'd be carrying it the next day.

all bundled up like school-kids going to play in the snow, we disembarked from our cozy and warm purple bus and hiked to "our" tower. in the opposite direction of our sunset spot, nearly the entire hike was stairs. twisting and turning, little steps and big steps; lots of stairs. panting and overheating, we eventually got to the tower where our sleeping bags and mats were located. we then trudged to the next tower and began to set up camp. our tower, which had no ceiling, was simple and provided no shelter from the elements; though i suppose the walls broke the wind.

i took a few long-exposure pictures of the town but most of the evening will just be mental pictures. good friends, silly jokes and an overall sense that we were the luckiest kids on the planet.

opting for a slumber-party set-up, we arranged ourselves in a circle with our heads facing the center. then began the task of getting into the sleeping bags and arranging ourselves. we were offered 2 sleeping bags and i opted to stuff one inside the other, making a thicker wall. at the advice of mckendree, who has far more camp experience than i do, i removed my jacket and big sweatpants, so as not to sweat in my cocoon. i used them for my pillow. i decided to sleep with my cameras in my sleeping bag with me, hoping that my body heat would prevent them from cold-damage. expensive cameras are not made for 25-30 (f) degree weather!

as everyone settled into their respective sleeping bags, we got a "delivery" of juice boxes and beer. exhausted and ready for bed, most opted for the apple juice boxes. more photographs were taken and we attempted to tell stories and entertain ourselves. it was not long before the chatter lulled and everyone fell asleep. on the great wall of china, looking up at the brilliant stars. i wish i could have taken a photo but a mental photo will have to do.

i slept as best i could, shivering beneath my double sleeping bags and wall-e blanket. only my face stuck out and it was freezing! i tend to get claustrophobic, so being tightly zipped into a mummy-style sleeping back only increased my discomfort. overall, though, i could not complain. i was warm enough and was tired enough to sleep; even if it was only 930p!

as we drifted into sleep vincent promised to wake us up around 6 so that we could pack up camp, eat breakfast and head out on our 6 mile hike .

"when i grow up"

17 april 2009

1951 (7:51p)

 

this is the spoken word peice that i heard last night during the "explorer's got talent" show. it's by sekou the misfit & entitled, "when i grow up." there is a youtube video for those who are interested, check it out :)

 

---

 

Ask me now. 

Ask me now, mommy. 

Am I too late? 

Ask me now, what I wanna do. 

Ask me now, what I wanna do when I grow up. 

Am I too late? 

Cuz I think I finally figured it out. 

I don’t wanna do for a living. 

I wanna be for a living.

 I wanna be life.  I wanna make things grow and move and breathe and reproduce and respond, I wanna make things respond and react and rejoice and relax and relate and release and receive and reform as soon as I recite. 

When I grow up, I don’t wanna be like those other kids, mommy, that wanna be ballers and doctors and astronauts, I wanna be passion and heat and energy when I grow up. 

I don’t wanna be the fireman, mommy, I wanna be, the fire. 

I wanna be the explosion behind the soul’s big bang theory that leaves in its place desire. 

I wanna be that burning within that gives life to the word aspire. 

Let me, warm the cold souls of the despairing and heartless, let me, light the paths of those wandering in darkness, let me, fill the most primitive with wonder, and provide children with their first definition of “HOT”, and when the artists of the world have become so infatuated with ice that the whole world freezes over, let me be the poet that melts the icecaps, drowns the planets, and starts things over again two mc’s at a time like noah. 

When I grow up, I don’t wanna be the astronaut mommy, I wanna be the space that he explores. 

I don’t wanna be the doctor, mommy, I wanna be the cure. 

 I wanna be the prescription for a better life, the way through which the sick and the shut-in can find hope, health, happiness, and healing; I wanna be the pill of which they take two, and the call that is placed the next morning, I wanna be the white blood cells that strengthen the immune system, the clot that stops the bleeding, the antidote that counters the poison, I wanna speak antibiotic poetry that defeats your life’s viruses but ONLY if you take my words in three times a day until the entire bottle is gone. 

I wanna be the shot that you are scared to receive but makes you feel so much better when I am inside you, I wanna be the therapy that you hate going to but you know you cannot be better without. 

I wanna be the perspective of the world through the eyes of a child, an autistic child who is diagnosed with a sickness when in fact she merely sees the world with a clarity that the rest of us can only dream of having. 

When I grow up, I don’t wanna be the preacher, mommy, I wanna be the word. 

I don’t wanna be an artist, mommy, I wanna be the art.  not the painter, let me be the canvas. 

Not the choreographer, let me be the dances, not the poet, let me be the stanzas, I don’t wanna be the singer mommy, I want to, be the sound!

The song you sing the way you sing it when you think ain’t nobody else around.

When I grow up I don’t wanna be the lawyer mommy, I wanna be the justice. 

I don’t wanna the philosopher daddy, I wanna be the philosophy that the brilliant minds try to follow or the brilliance in that mind, or rather let me be the elusive concepts that they cant quite figure out like hope, purpose, faith, and time, I wanna be, time! 

So that the world will go to sleep every day feeling like they never have enough of me, and will panic when they feel me slipping away and so that when I am up, people will stress out, when they feel that they are running out of me, let me be time so that I will never again feel this depression I feel now for being abandoned by it, let me be time so that I will never miss myself, so that I will never be before myself, never be, out of myself, never be too late never be too early so that for once in this life of unfulfilled dreams that have left my cheeks streaked with saltwater erosion and my mouth perpetually coated with the bitter aftertaste of disappointment, for once I can be right on me. 

When I grow up, I wanna be the antithesis of without,

the contradiction of silence,

the inverse of absence,

the reverse of regression,

the paradox to mortality,

the antilogy to emptiness the illumination of shadows,

the antonym of void,

the opposite of darkness,

I wanna be the opposite of darkness,

let me be the opposite of darkness,

so that when the greatest poet in existence recites the first line of the greatest poem ever written,

let there be light,

I can begin.

explorer's got talent & a visit from captain jeremy

16 & 17 april 2009
(written 17 april 2009, posted 1745)

i haven't forgotten about everyone! it's been a busy few days. of course, that's all relative. but i'll catch you all up!

for starters, we are currently 7 hours BEHIND the east coast, and we will lose another hour tonight. as exciting as it is to work our way back to "home time", it means that we are getting closer and closer to the end of the voyage. i think everyone, myself included, are struggling to understand just what going home will mean. i am thrilled at the idea of seeing dear family and friends, but i will be leaving the dear friends i made on this fantastic voyage. it will be bittersweet, but more on that later.

i don't believe that i discussed my trip to the bridge; where they drive the ship. dad will surely kill me for that statement, as i am incorrect in my terminology. but with a steering wheel and lots of buttons, it's sort of like driving! there were about 15 of us on the tour, everyone eager to check out the view. we entered and were given a speech by the 1st officer, or maybe he was the 2nd. either way, this man knew the ship like the back of his hand. there were lots of buttons and lights, i felt like i was in the movie elf, when buddy presses all the buttons on the elevator because they light up: i wanted to push them all! facts about the ship included that we have 4 engines, how the stabilizing systems work, the global positioning screens and that the ship is on auto-pilot nearly 95% of the time. no blow-up otto from airplane, but a staff that keeps a lookout and a few who monitor the screens, day in and day out. we are the fastest ship of our kind, with the ability to travel up to 29 knots/hour with all four engines running.

the first few days back at sea, after japan, we experienced a storm that led to considerable rocking. the crew asked us how we felt about the storm, and many were surprised; asking "what storm?" i suppose a combination of sleeping in, studying for global studies and focusing on school kept people in their cabins and unaware of the weather. apparently it was pretty rough. a few photos in the captains chair and a peek through the lookout's binoculars and our tour was complete. it was fun to be in the bridge and to hear about the inner-workings of the ship. i'm not sure if there is a galley(kitchen) tour, but i'd love to check that out!

our dreaded global studies exam grades were posted in timitz square, and the grades were much better than the first exam. when discussing grades in class, professor schoenherr said that the faculty was pleased with the results. the majority received b's, the highest grade being a 95. i got an 82, which i was very pleased about; i was just 3 points from an A (according to the scale). i suppose i can't complain, i still did well! our next test will be our cumulative final, on april 25th.

classes are winding down and papers are all due by the last days of class, the 23rd and 24th. hard to believe the semester is almost over! only 22 class meetings per class, that's less than half of a semester at unh.

last night was "explorer's got talent," a more formal version of the open mic nights. there were auditions because too many people wanted to perform! the evening opened with a spectacular song by the "sober sailor singers." sober sailor is a term coined by luke, our academic dean, at the beginning of the voyage, essentially asking students to be responsible with each other and to designate someone to be sober each night. his rationale was that we were not to be driving, so designated driver was not appropriate. hence sober sailor.

the sober sailor singers, faculty, staff and lifelong learners, created a semester at sea version of the gilligan's island theme. sporting blue and white, and homemade sailor caps, the song was fantastic. dedicated to christopher, the 4 year old who sailed with us through thailand and often sang at open mic; the singers promised that they would put a video up on youtube for him to see from home.

there were countless performances and the show neared 3 hours. the emcee was a crowd favorite, jonathan, who provided his stand-up as well as introductions.

he joked about facebook: how we won't be able to find anyone because no one knows each other's names. he suggested a sas-book, with features like "what sea were you in," and "what was your room number." his jokes were perfect and his final set was about how he'll miss the ship. especially the noon announcements and the searching of his bags every time he wants to get into the house. i suppose that the jokes don't translate into the blog world, but i have a video that will do the routine justice.

the ship's acapella group sang natasha bedingfeild's "unwritten" and did an amazing job, i am always in awe of such talent! my ship-brother harry performed the al yankovich "white and nerdy," a follow-up to his karaoke performance of "amish paradise." a kid named ben did an acoustic set of popular rap songs, it was so much fun, everyone was singing along. there were a few dance numbers (including a hula dance) and original compositions. from opera to the chinese yo-yo(absolutely INCREDIBLE, wait for the video), there was a little taste of everything.

rounding out the evening was a follow-up to the song, "no land," reworked to ask, how we're supposed to live on land after the voyage. i look forward to getting the lyrics!

i have never been exposed to the art of spoken word before this voyage, and last night there was a great speech by grace and david. the piece, be the light, was awe inspiring. grace has created her own major in the art of public speaking and she is incredible. she certainly is going to do big things; she is quite possibly the sweetest girl on the ship. the performance was awe-inspiring, and received a standing ovation. i look forward to finding the text, something i cannot do through wikipedia.

there was also an original song, by a girl from connecticut, that closed the evening, nearly bringing the audience to tears.

it was a great evening, offering a true sense of the talent and diversity on the ship. i'm sure that some people will be famous one day; and i'll be able to say "i knew them when.."

today (17 april), classes as usual. except for a special treat in my first class, "english as a global language." the captain of the ship, jeremy, came and lectured! in his whites, jeremy spoke about the use of english in maritime communications and the need for a common language. he is a truly funny man, and we were so lucky to have him in class! professor thomas was so tickled that the captain came, he was still talking about it in our second class of the day.

i am now doing my best to study and prepare my papers due before the end of the semester. my game-plan is to finish as much work as i can prior to hawaii, so as to focus on exams and finals before guatemala. the end will be here before we know it! only 5 more days of class!

tonight is our cultural pre-port for hawaii. luke, the voice on the intercom, promises that it will be a cultural pre-port like none other, put together by the students. should be interesting! i'm curious, will we have a logistical pre-port? all the things to look out for when in hawaii? we joke we want a pre-port for fort lauderdale, to hear what foreign tourists hear when they visit the united states.

china, day three

i'm slowly completing missing blogs -- here is day three of china!

---

day three - beijing city tour
31 march 2009

as promised, our wake up call came promptly at 730, rousing me out of a deep sleep. bundled up in nearly all of my layers, shannon and i headed to breakfast, which was provided by the hotel.

chinese breakfasts are traditionally dumplings and rice, which is not quite my style. luckily there was oatmeal and fruit, along with some strong coffee. after assembling our group, amongst the other 150 sas kids milling about, we eventually made it out of the hotel, onto our purple bus and through the congested morning streets.

some students needed to use an atm so that they could pay for thier trips, so the bus pulled off to the side of a busy street. in waiting for the other kids to return, those of us left on the bus fell asleep. typical.

soon we were on our way to see the sights of beijing: tienanmen square, the forbidden city, the hutongs and the summer palace.

tienanmen square was a large open area with large governmental buildings on all four sides. clearly a tourist spot, there were large groups of chinese people following their guides, all wearing matching hats or jackets. guides were distinguished by the flags they carried, vincent's was yellow. we coined ourselves 'team vincent,' much to his dismay. i'm sure he got a kick out of us, but the flag was so helpful! that and his bright purple jacket and spiky hair.

out in the square, we were quite chilly and the street vendors took advantage of our lack of preparation. i was bundled up quite warmly, though i lacked a hat. many of the kids in our group purchased 'fargo' hats with red stars on them and they looked positively ridiculous. communist hats are not quite my style so i opted for the best option i could find: a panda hat.

positively ridiculous and most certainly the best 3 usd i've ever spent, my panda hat is absurd. it looks as if a panda is eating my head. but its warm! and i can't wait to wear it sledding. i'm not sure if i'll sport it on my way to class, but i have my halloween costume!

tienanmen square has a long history in beijing, not all negative, as many westerners believe. the people's republic of china was first announced by mao zedong in the square and festivals are often held in the area. protests are also common in the square, especially amongst students. vincent gave us a quick overview of the square but failed to mention the massacre that occurred in 1989. one of the girls inquired about the topic and we received little acknowledgment of the topic.

it was a widely discussed topic about how a google search of tienanmen square resulted in the photo of tanks and dead students in the states while the same search in china lead only to photos of the square itself. not wanting to push the topic, out of common sense and the advice of semester at sea, we dropped the subject. it would have been unwise to begin such a discussion, though i would have loved to hear what vincent thought of the true incident those days.

after clicking away at photos of the square, and of the people, we obediently followed vincent's yellow flag over to the far side of the square, to the gate of the forbidden city. mao's photo was everywhere, and there were scores of people lining up for pictures with his likeness. apparently mao's casket is also in tienanmen square, where his body is on display, in a crystal case. there was quite the line of people waiting to pay their respects.

our band of merry communist and panda hat wearing kids headed through the underground tunnel, a common phenomenon to avoid crossing the congested streets, and we entered the forbidden city.

there were so many large buildings, open spaces, other tourists and semester at sea kids throughout the forbidden city. we passed through several gates, which we had to cross over with our right foot first. we spent a good part of our morning wandering through the forbidden city, which seems to never end. we were always going through the large gates, which opened up to yet another square. vincent did his best to keep us moving; he kept promising us that a starbucks would be at the other side. throughout the forbidden city were groups of school children dressed in warm-up outfits. similar to the ones we wore when we were little, i think we called them swishy suits or something. it was a mutual exclamation that team vincent needed matching warm-ups!

as we were making our way to the final section of the city; it began to flurry! the snow made everyone excited, though i'm sure the locals thought we were crazy!

one of our last stops was a cabinet with the chinese symbols of happiness on them. supposedly, two of the symbols next to each other mean extra happiness; it is even used in weddings. so after touching the double happiness symbols, we exited the city and came upon the love tree. the tree is supposed to be lucky for couples and has been re-made over the years, which is a phenonmenon in china. sometimes, when things look historical, they may be replicas of the original. a few more photos and we walked back in the direction of our hotel.

lunch was in a traditional hutong. hutongs are the neighborhoods, found throughout the country. they are known for their narrow alleys and common bathrooms; a favorite place to live for those seeking community. vincent told us that he will not live in a hutong at this age, because if he has a girl over, everyone would know about it by morning. his parents, on the other hand, live in a hutong because they enjoy living so close to their friends and being able to gossip.

we ate lunch in a family's home, and had my new favorite chinese dish: garlic shoots with chicken. i know mom will want to try them! similar in style to the chicken and broccoli at home, the garlic shoots were so tasty! ah, i wish i could have some now! after receiving little key chains and good luck knots, we went on a rickshaw tour of the hutong.

teresa and i sat together, bundled in all of our layers and covered in a blanket. the bicycle rickshaws traveled in a pack, speeding through the winding neighborhood. it was a wonderful way to see the area and to take some photos. we passed locals who waved and smiled warmly, even on such a cold day.

following lunch, with vincent again (falsely) promising starbucks, we ventured to the summer palace. boy would it be great to have a summer palace! settled next to a large lake, the whole area was picturesque. i wanted to ride around in the paddle boats, but vincent said they don't allow it on such chilly days. a few group photos, trips to the happy house and general nonsense, we walked through the whole outside, admiring the kites as we walked by.

desperate for some heat and shopping, vincent had our bus driver take us to the pearl market, a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. the bus then left and we were to find our way back to the hotel on our own. luckily, we were all given cards with the hotels name, in chinese, as well as a map as to the location.

once we were set free into the market, things became hectic. stalls every, filled with knock-off bags, shoes, jeans, jackets, electronics and jewelry. as with many markets, the salespeople were vicious. calling out, "miss, miss, come look! you need ___?"

the experience was overwhelming but having gone in with a mission: converse sneakers and a duffel bag, it was easier to navigate.

prices were absolutely negotiable, and i must say that i am not good at it! i just don't like to fight over a matter of 2 dollars! teresa and i quickly picked up converses for about $12 usd, a great price for fake sneakers that would generally cost about $45 usd. the other girls went off in search of jeans and i did not let myself. tempting as it is to get knock-off seven/citizens for humanity jeans for $15 usd, i have too many pairs as it is! and i pay $12.50 at forever 21 for the same style, so i wouldn't be doing better to get jeans in china.

i wandered over to the bag area, and i knew i'd be in trouble. so many to choose from! the trouble with the vendors is that if you look or touch anything, you will likely end up buying it. the prices are not listed, as the vendors throw out ridiculous prices only after you've looked at or tried on the item. from there, if you decided to pass on the jacket or bag, the vendors would not leave you alone. becca, one of the girls on the trip, was chased nearly all around the market after deciding against a purse. they are so infuriating, many students said they just bought the item to get the salespeople to leave them alone. i try to have patience, knowing that this is how they make a living, but i do not tolerate people grabbing my arms and trying to drag me into their stall or trying to sell me more shoes/bags/etc after making my purchase. if i'd wanted a bag and a wallet, i'd have picked both out together!

despite the frustration and anxiety of shopping, i did manage to get a deal on a duffle and small bag. i will need the bag to carry things home!

a little while later, i reunited with my core crew-- mckendree, teresa, kelsey and mandi. we left the mall area and attempted to get a cab back to the hotel. being that there were 5 of us, it was going to be a challenge to fit in one taxi or to find two and split the group. insisting on the meter, taxi after taxi claimed that it would be cheaper to just pay 70 rmb ($10 usd) for the five minute drive. vincent had told us that the taxi should be no more than 25 rmb, so we knew that 70 was too much. claims that it was rush hour, that a meter would end up costing more, etc. were frustrating and we attempted to find our location on our chinese map, to see if walking was an option.

luckily, vincent found us! he had been moseying around outside the mall, playing with magic tricks. he was so cute! he helped us to catch the local bus back to the forbidden city, from which we could walk back to the hotel. he was incredibly helpful, even offering us the 1rmb that it cost to ride the bus. when our bus arrived, he informed the attendant where we needed to get off and asked her to please let us know when we were at our stop. the bus filled and we made our way towards the hotel. a bunch of 5 american girls on the local bus; i'm sure they didn't know what to make of us, especially with the communist hats mandi and mckendree were sporting.

we made it to our stop and trudged back to the hotel, resolving to find pizza for dinner. a slight mix-up with our room keys, which had been de-activated, and we were all soon able to change and head back out.

shannon happened to return around the same time and our group of six traipsed down the street, hoping to find pizza. the hotel desk had no idea what we were asking for, so we simply headed in the direction of the restaurants we'd seen the night before. luckily, we didn't go too far. at the end of the street was a little cafe, with a coffee bar, american menu and.. free internet! exactly what we needed!

a few pizzas, french fries and email checks made everyone so happy! the simple things: the taste of home and unrestricted email/facebook.

my most favorite part of the evening were the cats! and the kitten! a total of four, they all made me miss jack at home! i inquired whether they had rabies and was assured they were health. as the evening wrapped up, i put the kitten in my bag and wanted to take him home so badly! i didn't bring him back with me, but i was able to get a few pictures.

after our long day, everyone was ready to head back to the hotel. we had to check out in the morning, so i knew i needed to get myself organized for the great wall! we watched zorro on the television and i tried to call home, getting the answering machine. with my alarms set, i was soon fast asleep.

the past is a ghost, the future a dream;

all we ever have is now.
-bill cosby 

15 april 2009
2142 (9:42p)

another day on the pacific ocean has come and gone.

classes as usual; english as a global language, global studies and languages of the world. the lecture in global studies consisted of a world update: north korea & their nuclear weapons program, the rescue of the maersk alabama captain, an update on the political unrest in thailand and phil spector's guilty verdict. being the news-obsessed girl that i am, i had heard of all these stories via cnn.com and nytimes.com. the remainder of the class period was a lecture by a lifelong learner, alex kyserlink. he has worked in the financial business for over 30 years and discussed the world bank. the presentation was very interesting and he offered advice to those of us concerned with the slumping economy.

following classes, lunch and a movie (sex & the city) with mckendree. i'm going to miss lazy days at sea!

with the semester winding down, its time to start thinking about the end of the semester. we will have an ambassador's ball; essentially prom on the ship. dates are not required, but dressing up is. all the girls on the ship are getting excited, i know i like any chance to put on party clothes! in order to sign up for tables,  we had to wait in a big, long and slow-moving line. i'm signed up for the 1730 sitting along with the usual suspects: kelsey, ren, mckendree, caitlin & teresa. it should be a great time.. now we have to pick out something to wear!

i am now in bed, in preparation for losing another hour of sleep. there are two good movies on tonight: high school musical and south pacific. it's hard to choose! we are close to midway, so i think i'll watch south pacific. i can watch hsm anytime at home :)

tomorrow is classes, as usual. the sun is shining and its beginning to get warm out. the plan is to get some long-awaited rays tomorrow after global studies. i can't wait - we haven't had warm weather since vietnam, a whole three weeks!

the movie loop

14 april 2009
1921 (7:21p)

i would just like it to be known, that on our closed-circuit movie channel, are the following films:

1. king of texas
2. spice world
3. commanding heights
4. trials of life/holo mai pele (the hula myth)

and yes, spice world. the movie about and starring the spice girls! i've been transported back to elementary school! the movie is ridiculous!

experience is the teacher of all things - julius caesar

14 april 2009
1425 (2:25p)

today is a no class day on the seas, and i'm sure that many people hoped to use the opportunity to sleep in after a whirlwind four days of classes, papers and the global studies exam. sleeping in was not an option for those who wanted a spot in the voyage photo, which was taken at 0800 this morning.

i had trouble falling asleep last night and stayed up far too late watching a movie. all the naps/time changes have interfered with my natural clock. (that, and our closed porthole). today i am not going to let myself nap and hopefully i can start to get myself back onto a normal schedule.

last night was the students of service auction. students, faculty, staff and life-long learners all donated items that ranged from silly to extravagant. from an "i climbed the great wall t-shirt" to a weekend for up to 8 on an island off seattle, there were cool and clever prizes. there was a silent auction, a raffle and a live auction. i did not participate in any of the auctions but plan to donate to the cause through a donation. all of the money raised goes towards scholarships, donations to sas-visited charities and for equipment on the ship. the live auction was the most fun, and it was a great show. blowing the horn in fort lauderdale, raising the flag in fort lauderdale, piano lessons, a seat at the captains table, a bedtime story from the conduct officer, private viewings of the office or lost, dinner & a broadway show in nyc, a weekend in springfield, IL and a signed map of our voyage were just some of the big-ticket items. some of those went for over $400! four boxes of girl scout cookies went for $50!

we also took photos today by university, where unh had a respectable showing of 6/10. i couldn't find my unh communication sciences & disorders shirt, so a stoke hall shirt had to do. we were looking into the sun, so i hope my eyes aren't closed! the photographer only took one photo, so lets hope its a decent one.

i am very excited because we are going on a bridge tour today! at 1500 (3p), rennika, kelsey, mckendree and i will be checking out where the captain drives the ship! i'm bringing my camera, so i'll be able to show everyone! :) it will be neat to see the ocean from his perspective, because, as passengers, we don't have very good views from the fore of the ship.

as rebecca mentioned, via email, there are only 552 hours left on the voyage! how did it get so late so soon? where has the time gone? i'm excited to get home but it will be challenging to leave this trip. such a whirlwind adventure, i'm going to have to begin planning my next one soon! grad school? should be an adventure..

off to change before my bridge tour! sweet dreams, east coast! xo

global studies exam #2

13 april 2009
1009 (10:09a)


i just finished my exam, which took about a half hour to complete. i feel much better about this exam than the last, so lets hope my grade reflects that. i am now back in my cabin, feeling rather queasy from the time spent up in the union. its most definitely the most rocky part of the ship, and the seas are rather rough today. the doors to the outside are all locked and my porthole is still closed. oh well, the dark is good for napping!

speaking of naps, i'm off to snooze for a little while before lunch. then its blog time! i've been antsy to get back to work on all of my experiences, but i had to prioritize. tomorrow we have no classes! i'm not sure why, exactly, but i won't complain. either it was to make the schedule neat (4 A day classes, 4 B day classes) or it was to break up the stretch to hawaii. either way, i'm excited. the weather has not been good for sitting outside, but hopefully that changes tomorrow as we get closer to hawaii!

tomorrow is photo day aboard the ship, and there is a complex schedule of times that runs all day. at 0800 (on a day we have no class..?) we have our big ship photo on deck 7. this is going to be followed in 10 minute increments by school photos. listed by the number of students, unh falls relatively close to the top, with 10. so i'll dig up my unh t-shirt and get in a picture around 1000 or so. i hope we get copies!


alright, off to nap :)

april 12th, take two. evening edition

12 april 2009
(part two)
2351 (11:51p)

the day started with the ship 9 hours behind the east coast, and as i head to bed we are now 8 hours behind (losing another hour tonight). with all the time changes, i don't know that i'll ever have a right to complain about daylight savings time again!

the majority of today was spent studying for the impending global studies exam. the tables were crowded and it seemed everyone forgot to change out of their pajamas. i suppose tests have priority over putting together an outfit.

i feel ready for the exam, as best as i can. there is a large amount of information, so its hard to know where to focus my energies. the suggestions offered by the professors were helpful; we'll see tomorrow!

i stopped by the evening church service, though had to leave early on account of the waves. we were reminded to secure our valuables and they closed our portholes. its going to be a challenge to wake up in the morning!

in other news, i got my laundry back! after only one day! i have so many clean clothes to choose from, how will i ever decide? :P

good morning to you all! xo

april 12, part two

12 april 2009
(take two)
0900 (9:00a)


happy easter! (again!)

we crossed the international date line last night, and as a result, are repeating april 12th. thanks to some insight from dad and good ol' wikipedia, i have finally begun to understand how the whole situation works.

when i woke up this morning, at 0600 ship time, it was 1500(3:00p) on the east coast. therefore, our ship is now 9 hours BEHIND the east coast! i went to sleep 15 hours ahead, woke up 9 hours behind! crazy!

so please enjoy your easter dinners, i'm off to type and study for our global studies exam tomorrow morning.

xo

april 12 - part one

12 april 2009
(take one)
2046 (8:46p)

a productive day of studying and paper writing. soon i'll be done with all the work and i'll be able to enjoy the increasingly warm weather!

the ship is having a great time with the two april 12ths, they're playing groundhog day on the tv loop. the movie is about a man (bill murray) who lives the same day over and over. i've never seen the movie so hopefully i get a chance to watch it at some point, it seems fun.

the ship is back to rocking and rolling, a phenomenon nearly forgotten since prior to mauritius. we've only had short stretches at sea, leaving little time for seasickness. i'm sure that the rocking will only continue, so i may use a patch to keep from feeling under the weather during the global studies exam. 

we had a traditional easter meal tonight, lamb! and carrot soup, which i was more than happy about. it almost felt like home. no idea if we'll have the same tomorrow, as it will be easter again.. i'd love more carrot soup! there is a special buffet line for passover, though the quantities are limited so i won't take anything from the students observing the holiday. the matza looks so good, though! no rugelach, unfortunately. that i'd have to sneak!

 back to my papers and studying; lets hope the work pays off!
love and miss you all!

happy easter (and passover!)