The Travel Continues: Post SAS Probs, NYC, Manila

Bye bye, SAS Fa13 *sniff*

It's been a week since I disembarked from the MV Explorer for the last time, and here I am, still trying to figure out how to approach "normalcy" again. I didn't expect to be missing ship life this much because my excitement about going home and seeing my family initially overshadowed the idea of experiencing SAS withdrawals. But now it's hitting me like a strong wave against the stern (pardon the sailing reference.. can't help it). Someone from the voyage posted a 4-second video on our SAS Fa13 Facebook page, showing the MV Explorer leaving the port of Fort Lauderdale, getting ready for another voyage for a whole new set of people. I seriously almost teared up. I actually felt my heart tighten a bit, as I swallowed the reality that the ship I have learned to call home will be welcoming new passengers on board, and that I am not one of them. All of this in that 4-second video. Talk about post SAS probs!

I guess it's a good thing that I still have yet to write about the rest of the ports we've visited (Ghana, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Bahamas) so I can relive my favorite moments in those places as I stroll down memory lane with you guys. But before I begin yet another set of backtrack posts, let me recap what I've been up to this week, aside from silently grieving over the end of my SAS adventure..

16 December 2013
Monday

After all the goodbyes were said and done, my friend Liz dropped me off at the Fort Lauderdale airport 10 minutes away from the ship port around 12:30pm, giving me plenty of time to kill before I can board my flight to Pennsylvania at 6:30pm. I was going to meet up with my sister Kai in Philadelphia before going back home to Manila together on the 19th. I was so psyched because this reunion with my sister was something we both were eagerly waiting for ever since this summer! We were literally counting down the days 'til #KaiNenReunion since August. We planned on going around Philly a bit, and then taking a bus to New York City for a day! But what made us look forward to our reunion more was the fact that we would have someone to endure that looooong travel back home with. A travel buddy makes a world of a difference when you're in transit for over 30+ hours!

Yay for my sister-travel-buddy! And yes, we are of very different skin tones  :p

Anyway, I didn't arrive in Philly until midnight, so when Ate Kai picked me up from the airport, we just headed straight to her dorm at UPenn, got our stuff ready for the next day, and passed out. Tomorrow--New York City!

17 December 2013
Tuesday

Taking the Bolt bus out of Philly at 8am, we arrived in NYC two hours later. The freezing weather did not make our walk to the hotel easy, as we trekked under the sleet for at least a good 20 minutes. My ears were starting to hurt and my fingers were getting numb, but heck, we were in New York! When we finally found the Holiday Inn, we dropped our bags off and went back out into the cold again.

I've been craving for Starbucks like crazy, so I definitely needed one of their
holiday drinks for a quick pick-me-up! Mmm Peppermint Mocha...Yum.

Ate Kai and I just walked around the rest of the afternoon, snapping photos and enjoying being in the city that never sleeps. We covered Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the NBC store that sold
awesome Friends stuff!!! We're both obsessed with this TV show, so we couldn't exit the store without buying any Friends paraphernalia!

The End

Well this is it, everyone. 115 days, 16 countries, 4 continents later, the MV Explorer has reached its final port of call: Hello from Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA! I am feeling a mix of emotions right now; definitely bittersweet. It saddens me leaving the ship I have called home for the past four months, but I am also very excited to go back home and back to Westminster next semester. I just can't believe my semester long adventure is now over. It's going to be so weird walking off that gangway for the last time, looking back at the MV Explorer and knowing I won't be able to just go back whenever I want to.. Waaahh I don't know how to feel! Come hug me!

So long, Fall 2013 Voyage! You've been life changing.
Thank you, Semester at Sea, for the experience of a lifetime.

#mixedfeelings
#theendofthevoyage

Of Lifeboat Drills and Final Countdowns

This morning at 9:00, we had our fourth and last lifeboat drill of the semester. I never liked these drills because it's basically 20 minutes to half an hour of standing in complete silence out on the deck armed with our bright orange life vests while trying to keep our balance against the waves. The only time we were allowed to talk or make a sound is when our Resident Director (RD) calls on our cabin number to check attendance and we have to yell out "Here!"

Although today's drill went painfully longer than the previous three (we were standing for at least a good 45 minutes), it was this drill that reminded me how little time we have left on the ship. It was those 45 minutes of standing and staring out into the ocean when it really just hit me that our voyage is coming to an end. On August 24, 2013, during our first lifeboat drill, I remember thinking that our fourth one would be lightyears away. And yet here we are now, three and half months + four completed lifeboat drills later, storing our life vests back into their compartments for the last time. Today is the 2nd of December, and we officially have exactly two weeks left in the voyage. TWO WEEKS! 

Towards the end of each semester, I feel like I always say how fast time has flown by. This particular semester proved to be no exception; it sped by despite the long stretches at sea! Wasn't it just yesterday when I was stressing over the thousand and one visa applications I had to apply for in order to sail with this program? Wasn't it just yesterday when I flew into London with bags in tow and butterflies in my stomach? 

I'm almost scared to get off the ship and resume "normal life", but then again, I am coming back home to my wonderful family and crazy friends whom I am missing so much! And besides, we all know they make my days anything but normal anyway :) 

Here's to enjoying the last 14 days of my Semester at Sea once-in-a-lifetime adventure! Good news is that Seamester Shenanigans will continue to be up and running with more posts even after the voyage ends. As you know, I am really behind in keeping you guys updated, and with finals coming up, I can honestly say I won't be able to write more backtrack posts anytime soon. I am slowly accepting the fact that I probably won't get you caught up until Christmas break, when I am home and have free time.. AND WIFI! ;)

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to share how incredibly thankful I am for the gift of life. I know it sounds way too cheesy and overrated, but that's okay. I'm allowed to be cheesy on Thanksgiving Day :)

I am thankful for my wonderful family, my awesome friends, and this amazing semester I am having. I am living my "once in a lifetime", and I couldn't be happier. I am thankful for the love of God, and the grace and mercy He shows me everyday. It still stumps me sometimes trying to grasp just how great His love is for me.

And finally, thank YOU, dear readers, for taking time out of your day to check out this blog :) Hopefully you're not getting too bored with what I write!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Lots of love from the Atlantic Ocean,
Laura

MOROCCO: Casablanca & Marrakech

Backtrack: Morocco

03 October 2013

Thursday

Hello, Casablanca! We arrived in Morocco at around 7 this morning and could hardly believe we have reached a new continent. When I think of Africa, I automatically picture the safari, wild animals, and the desert. And yet the tall buildings that surrounded the ship port we were in destroyed this preconceived image of Africa I'm sure a lot of us had and reminded us that there's SO much more to a place than what you stereotype it to be.

Prior to our arrival in Morocco, we were briefed on the cultural and logistical aspects of the country. We were told early on that because of the religion they follow, Morocco is a very conservative place where shorts and sleeveless tops are not appreciated on women. Shoulders and knees must be covered at all times, and in some parts of the country, a hijab (a head wrap) is required. 

I went on a city tour of Casablanca today and had to dress appropriately. That meant that despite the hot and humid weather outside, I had to cover myself up and fight through the heat! Thankfully, the dress I wore was breezy (but long, of course) but I could have lived without the sweater I had to put on. 

We visited the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest mosque in the world, where people gather everyday to pray five times throughout the day. The architecture was really pretty, and the inside was huge! The beauty of the mosque really reflected how much the Moroccans put value in their religion.

The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca

A stroll through the Habous Quarter was also part of our tour. The Habous Quarter was a medina, or a market place, where sellers had their products displayed out in the open along the streets. These are stuff that do not necessarily have a set price--the value depends on who the customer is. This is where tourists like us had to learn the game of bargaining, lest we get overcharged. It's exactly like trying to haggle in the tiangges back in the Philippines! 

The Royal Palace was located near this medina, but I'm not actually sure if the important royal people of Morocco reside in said palace. We went inside and only got to tour some of the outdoor areas of the palace which were lined with walls that had such gorgeous and intricate carving designs! 

Entering the Royal Palace

Royal Palace outdoor garden gates

Sailing to Salvador

I know I said my next posts would be on my adventures in Africa, buuut.. I haven't quite gotten around to that yet. I've been slacking. GUILTY.

Right now I'm in another cafe (surprise, surprise) with two of my friends in Salvador, Brazil! We left Rio de Janeiro 4 days ago, and was in transit at sea for 2 days on the way here. A lot of students and faculty members did overland from Rio to Salvador, so there were only about 250 out of the 700+ people on the ship during our transit, which was so nice! It was like sailing on a private yacht!

The transit was so much fun because my whole group of friends, except for Jess, stayed on the ship for the sail to Salvador, too. And since it was just a transit between two cities in one country, we didn't have classes those whole two days on the ship! We played sardines, card games, took photos, did girl's night, and basically took advantage of having the MV Explorer to ourselves. 

Here are some photos from our two free days at sea :)

Girls Night at Cabin 3053: Playing M.A.S.H.  (P.S. I ended up "marrying" my Ship Crush hihihi)

Using the ship's elevator bar as my ballet barre

BAHAMAS

About midway into the semester, talks of the possible docking of the MV Explorer in the Bahamas circulated the SAS rumor mill. There were students who were dead set in believing that we will be stopping by the Bahamas once we sail out of Cuba and head towards Florida.

"It doesn't take 4 days to get to Florida from Cuba! There has to be a stop over in the Bahamas."

They said.

Then there were people who insisted that a surprise stopover in the Bahamas was SAS's way of going all out to celebrate this 50th anniversary voyage. We are very special that way, after all. We feel like we deserve such a surprise.

Then during ship bridge tours, where students get to see the inside of the Captain's workplace (and get to sit in his chair and wear his Captain hat), members of the shipboard community caught sight of a Bahamian flag carefully nestled in between the other flags of the countries on our voyage itinerary. (It is maritime law to carry the flags of the countries your ship will be docking in)

"Now why would there be a flag of the Bahamas on board?"

They wondered.

But, there were also those who chose not to get their hopes up. They either refused to believe any part of the rumor, or they simply believed that even though we might be stopping over at the Bahamas, it would only be for technical reasons such as bunkering, and that we won't actually be allowed to get off.

Finally, two nights ago during logistical pre-port, our Executive Dean and Academic Dean silenced the rumors once and for all.

"Yes, we are getting off in the Bahamas!!"

They happily announced.

I will never forget the amount of cheers and the deafening sound of thunderous applause that followed. We were all so excited not just because we get to go to another country (our 16th one!!!), but mostly because by the time we get to Bahamas, we would be done with all things school related on the ship! Meaning we can bask under the sweet Bahamian sun, spending our last few days together worry-free. It would be like spring break!! Perfect way to cap off the voyage.

So yes, ladies and gentlemen: WE ARE GOING TO THE BAHAMAS!! Wuhoo! I guess some rumors turn out to be the truth! YAY SAS FALL VOYAGE 2013!! :) YEAH BAHAMAS SEE YOU SOON

Rio, Realization, Etc.

Hello from Rio de Janeiro! It's our second day in Brazil, and I've been having an awesome time so far, like always! Honestly though, when am I not having an awesome time?! Forrealz. It was just earlier today when I realized that I haven't had a bad day this semester, on or off the ship. I've had stressful days where I'm up to my elbows trying to balance schoolwork and travel, but I can't even really consider those bad days because somehow the adrenaline kept me going! It was an incredible realization for sure. But then again, that also scared me because in less than a month, this semester would be over! *cue parade of mixed feelings*

ANYWAY-- Just a heads up: I'll be doing more "backtrack" posts to try and get you guys caught up! My next blog entries will be about Morocco, Ghana, and South Africa. And possibly some random ones about ship life in between!

Happy reading!

The Long Stretch

So it's day 12 out of 13 on our Atlantic crossing to South America! I can't believe we're arriving in Argentina tomorrow morning! I can't wait to be back on land again!! Upon leaving South Africa, I was dreading this 2-week sail thinking it would be such a drag just being stuck at sea. But to my delight, it actually turned out to be a super fun stretch! 

Although classes have kept me busy (papers here, presentations there) ship activities have kept me and the entire shipboard community entertained, starting with the tri-annual Sea Olympics, followed by the SAS Talent Show!

SEA OLYMPICS

This is one of the most exciting and most anticipated events in an SAS voyage! Students, faculty, and lifelong learners are divided into different teams, or "seas", depending on where you live on the ship--which deck, and which side (port or starboard). A total of 10 seas now compete for the Olympic Gold. And what is the Olympic Gold, you ask? The Olympic Gold grants the victorious winners the choice on whether to disembark first or last once we get to Florida at the end of our voyage!

I've always bled blue when it came to school/team colors, but this time, I had to go GREEN! Gasp!! La Salle?! I had to. Kelly Green was my team's color, and our sea was called the Bering Sea! Our sea rivals were: Caribbean, Baltic, Red, Aegean, Adriatic, Mediterranean, Yellow, Dead (lol), and Diploma (get it? Diploma Sea. Har har. But that really was the faculty's sea name haha)

Bering Sea's lip sync routine! SAS Olympics Fall 2013

There were lots of Olympic events held like hula hoop, synchronized swimming, dodgeball, spoons, scrabble, volleyball, lip sync, and more! I participated in hula hoop and lip sync. Our sea didn't do so hot in the hula hoop game, but we definitely had fun with our lip sync routine! The lip sync event was basically coming up with a dance routine while lip syncing to the song(s). So it's pretty much all about dancing and singing without having to actually sing, which is PERFECTION for me since God and His angels know I can't sing to save my life. Maybe once I am able to connect to wifi again, I can upload a video of our debut! Lol

Backtrack: Porto and Espana

So I was mistaken when I thought that I could get you guys caught up with my adventures during this long stretch at sea, but there was no escaping schoolwork and ship activities! Things have been great but super busy on my end, so I didn't have much time to just sit and blog about the ports I've yet to share.

However, I just got done writing a paper for my Women's Health class, so guess what?? I actually have time to blog right now wuhoo!!

Let's see.. where did I leave off least time? Portugal? Spain? Wow those countries seem like ages ago!!! Hopefully I can still remember what I did haha!

Since I've shared some stuff on Portugal on my previous posts, I guess I can wrap it up by sharing this link that directs you to the official Semester at Sea blog: 

http://www.semesteratsea.org/2013/10/08/capturing-the-essence-of-lisbon-through-art/

It's a post on my field lab for my Mixed Media Visual Journal class, where we got to see much of the art in Lisbon. You'll get to see one of my sketches in one of the photos featured :)

And finally, to cap off my European journey, let me share some of the things I did during our short stay in our last European stop: Spain!

SHERRY WINERY FIELD LAB

Since I've been bitten by the lazy blog bug, I will just copy paste the complete description (as written on our syllabus lol) of the field lab we did for my Global Business Ethics class while we were in Spain hehe:

"Spain is the third-largest wine-producing country in the world, just behind Italy and France and the wines are gaining an increasing market share in many countries around the globe. We will visit a winery that specializes in sherry and brandy production. Our goal is to learn first-hand about wine production and the associated ethical, environmental and sustainability issues facing the industry. After touring the facilities, we will meet with one or more managers to discuss their perspectives regarding the management of wine and sherry production with particular emphasis on ethical, environmental and social responsibility issues that face their firm.

Praying for the Philippines

Last night, I got an email from my sister Karla updating me with what's happening in the Philippines. I was devastated when I read that an extremely deadly storm wiped out Leyte, and that the death toll continues to rise. :(

During noon announcements on the ship earlier today, the news of the horrible typhoon was also brought up as the Academic Dean informed the community about it. Since most of the crew workers here on the MV Explorer are Filipinos, this sad news from home is a big deal to many of us on board.

Hearing news like that when you're away from home is awful. It hits me harder than if I were back in the Philippines, I feel like. I guess it's that feeling of helplessness and knowing that I'm so far away and can't really do much about it but pray, especially since I'm in the middle of the ocean right now and literally have nowhere else to go.

It just breaks my heart finding out that my home country has been struck with yet another natural disaster. Sigh. I really hope the families of the crew workers here are all safe and sound. The crew here has become like my Filipino extended family, and I'd hate to think that they might have loved ones back in Leyte who were affected by this typhoon :(

Thoughts, prayers, and love go out to my fellow Filipinos back in the Philippines.

SAS Presents: Desmond Tutu

On our last day in South Africa, we had the honor of having Desmond Tutu come aboard the MV Explorer. Desmond Tutu, the first South African Archbishop of Cape Town, is actually a Semester at Sea alum! Waddup, Archbishop?! He sailed with SAS some voyages ago, so it was definitely a pleasure welcoming him back on board, even for just a few hours.

He is such an adorable old man! His speech was the perfect mix of inspirational and funny. With every bit of wisdom he shared, he injected a bit of humor in it as well which had the whole shipboard community engaged, closely following his every word.

It was incredible being in the presence of such an esteemed man, one who has garnered so many prestigious awards (i.e. Nobel Peace Prize, Gandhi Peace Prize, and Presidential Medal of Freedom to name a few) throughout the years. 

"None of you are here in this world by mistake. We all have a purpose. None of you are an accident. Some of you may look like accidents, but you're not." (Lol) - Desmond Tutu

Amazing Grace

As we begin a new month (is it really November already?!) I thought it was just right to start it off with a Bible devotion my friend shared with a couple of us tonight, from a book called "Jesus Calling":

"Do not be discouraged by the difficulty of keeping your focus on Me. I know that your heart's desire is to be aware of My Presence continually. This is a lofty goal; you aim toward it but never fully achieve it in this life. Don't let feelings of failure weigh you down. Instead, try to see yourself as I see you. First of all, I am delighted by your deep desire to walk closely with Me through your life. I am pleased each time you initiate communication with Me. In addition, I notice the progress you have made since you first resolved to live in My Presence.

When you realize that your mind has wandered away from Me, don't be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to distract you. Each time you plow your way through the massive distractions to communicate with Me, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they will increasingly light up your days." 

As I continue to go from port to port, city to city, country to country, and from continent to continent, I sometimes find myself drowning in the hustle and bustle of it all. This constant travel is an adventure, for sure, but I will be the first one to admit that finding some "me time" that I can share with God is very challenging when you live in an environment that is always up and about. 

I do not want to lose sight of one my biggest goals on this voyage: to further grow spiritually as I deepen my faith while exploring and getting to witness the beauty of God's creation in different places. My faith is a very important aspect in my life. More than halfway into this semester, I am realizing I need to do better in staying close to God and striving to be the best Christian He wants me to be, while on SAS, and even as I disembark on December and live my life outside the ship. 

Thankfully, my God is a faithful and loving Father that even when I am distracted by the world, He makes sure I can still come back to His loving arms, and return my focus on Him. 

What an amazing God I serve! :)

Goodbye, Africa!

It's the last night of our safari trip as we make our way back to Cape Town tomorrow morning, where the MV Explorer is docked. I wish we could stay longer! I find myself loving every port we visit, and South Africa is no different. I can't wait to share my South African experiences with you! But for now, I leave you with this photo of me taking a stroll with my new pet :D

Taking Marula out for a walk :) | Trunk-in-Hand Experience
Tsitsikamma, South Africa

Tomorrow night, we prepare for an almost two-week sail to South America! We will be crossing the Atlantic Ocean and will be at sea for 13 days to get to our next port: Buenos Aires, Argentina! 

The Postcard

Just a backtrack:

The postcard that was sent to me from Wellesley (click here) was actually from one of my UWC-USA firsties!!! Charlotte, thank you so much!! And I swear I read Elizabeth hahaha. My bad! But really, I loved it, THANK YOU AGAIN! :)

Expect a postcard soon! I'll be sure to address it to Charlotte, and not Elizabeth :p

Love,
Laura

With Love From South Africa

I am currently at a cafe-slash-bar right next to the lodge we are staying at in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. We just flew in today from Cape Town earlier this morning for a 3-day safari trip. I just finished a game of pool with some locals along with my fellow SAS-ers, after an amazing dinner and a couple of drinks. I got to see Table Mountain yesterday, and some cool animals out in the wild today. Tomorrow, we bond with elephants. South Africa is SO beautiful! Stay tuned for my SA posts!!

With love from South Africa,
Laura

At the peak of Cignal Hill, overlooking the city of Cape Town

Portugal: Segway Saturday

FINALLY! A post on Portugal!

On our second day in Lisbon, I had the chance to ride a segway while touring some of the city's ancient historical quarters! I wanted to try something else other than a bike tour, and the segway was the perfect contender. I've seen a couple of those two-wheeled vehicle type things before, but I never really knew what exactly they were.

Our three experienced "segway-ists" walked us through how to properly ride and maneuver a segway. All we had to do was get both our feet up on the platform, hold the handle bars, and tilt the bars either right or left to switch sides. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Only it isn't.

Leaning forward accelerates the segway, and leaning back will slow it down. Note that I wrote "slow it down" and not "brake". There is no brake on a segway. GASP! At least, not the kind you would find on a bike where you can just squeeze the handles and you immediately come to a stop. Nope, the movement of a segway fully depends on the rider's body movements.

You lean too far forward, you zoom away. You lean too far back, the segway will slow down, but will start heading backwards. So if you want to stay still or pause for a bit, you would have to strike a balance between leaning forward and leaning back to get your segway to be in a stationary position. That said, one of the most essential rules when riding a segway: YOU CAN'T FREAK OUT. If you do, your segway will freak out too trying to match your movements!

When I first hopped on my segway, I was so nervous!! I was gripping the handle bars so tight and froze for a bit trying to get a balance to stay still. My guide felt my tension, so he told me to relax and said that as long as I get my balance, I won't topple over because the segway is not built to be able to do so. Phew!

Of course, as luck would have it, it instantly poured rain as soon as we got to our starting point of the tour. And with rain came strong winds. And strong winds affect segway movements since like what I've said, there are no brakes. So the other challenge aside from trying to perfect a balance is battling those strong winds!

Ireland: Literary Pub Tour

So it's a day before we get to South Africa! We dock in the Port of Cape Town tomorrow morning :) But I'm gonna take this time to take you back to more of my European posts!

While in Dublin, I got the chance to join a Literary Pub Tour, which is a pub crawl with elements of theater thrown into the mix. A pub crawl is when you go from one pub to the next, spending a certain amount of time (and drinking a certain amount of drink) at each one. I signed up for this day program because it sounded so entertaining and unique!

The literary pub tour sign outside our first pub, Duke Pub

It is a guided tour by actors from Dublin, performing works by some of the city's best known writers. You get to go to different pubs, order a drink or something to eat, and relax and enjoy the theatrical bit the actors/guides perform for you! Then you all travel as a group and move on to the next pub, where the actors will then do another piece.

Drinking is a big part of the Irish culture, with Dublin having several thousands of pubs. Literally every corner has a pub! We started our Dublin Literary Pub Crawl at Duke Pub, where I was able to try Irish coffee. Let's just say I'd rather have my caffeine un-spiked. Lol. The whiskey was too strong for me, bleh. But hey, I can at least say I've actually had some legit Irish coffee!

With my Irish coffee (plus horrible lighting)

Kissing A Fish

Kissy kissy fish kiss!

Today, I am no longer a little Slimy Pollywog sailing on the ship. Let it be known that I, Laura Angeline Pastores, have been initiated and granted the official title of a Trusty Shellback!

Early this morning, her Royal Highness the MV Explorer crossed the Equator!! As tradition goes, our ship had a Line-Crossing Ceremony, also known as Neptune Day! This tradition goes back to the 1800s where ship vessels would initiate ship members (aka Slimy Pollywogs) into becoming seasoned sailors (aka Trusty Shellbacks) as they sail through the latitude and longitude lines both a 0 degrees!

Neptune Day is one of the biggest and most anticipated events on SAS voyages. I had no clue what it was when I first got here, but a lot of people did and seemed really excited for it. After today, I understand why!

The captain of our ship, Captain Jeremy, dressed up as King Neptune, while our Academic Dean, Dean Eddie, took the role of Queen Menerva. It was pretty funny seeing both of them all dressed up like that, especially Dean Eddie who rocked a long blonde wig and heavy makeup! The rest of the faculty dressed up as members of the King's Court.

Neptune Day started with the ship's crew members dressed up in some sort of tribal gear drumming and chanting across the halls to wake everyone up. After breakfast, we were instructed to go up to the pool deck where the ceremony was to take place.

Music blasted from the speakers as we all chilled by the pool waiting for the official opening of the ceremony. It was a beautiful day out! Everyone had their cameras ready, their swimsuits on, and their excitement unparalleled.

Greetings From Ghana!

Yes, I survived this past school week at sea, despite going through exams and papers that were seriously out to get me and my insanity. 8 days just at sea can do things to you...

Anyway--

We arrived in Ghana this morning, at the Port of Takoradi! It's only our first day and I've already had such an incredible experience after an afternoon of drumming and dancing with Ghanaian locals! Omg it was awesome, but more on that later!

I wanted to post an entry tonight for two reasons: (1) We've arrived in a new destination and (2) I RECEIVED A POSTCARD TODAY!! :)

I was walking back to my room earlier this evening, and found a lovely postcard waiting for me by my door. At first I thought it was for my roommate, but when I flipped the card, I saw my name on it!! 

So to Elizabeth Charlotte who sent the postcard from Wellesley College-- THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :) Your postcard made my day!! Hopefully I read your name right and that it is Elizabeth! Lol (Apparently, I did not!! Haha) Like you, I absolutely love getting "real mail", as what you've written, so receiving yours today was incredibly wonderful. The image on the postcard was lovely, but your message was lovelier :) I am psyched you are a happy reader of my blog! Hopefully you get to read this! I would love to send you a personal email (and a postcard!) as well, so if you're reading this, email me your mailing address if you don't mind :)

Yup, definitely a great first day in Ghana!

Ship Crush

You know what I hate?
I hate having crushes.

I turn into an awkward turtle when I try to interact with someone I find cute. Some girls get all cute and charming when they're around boys they like. Not me. I get all quiet and shy and ugh.

Awkward Laura is awkward.

Attention, attention:

Read more about our Gaelic Games experience on the official SAS blog!! Our photographer, Bryan Koop, explained the basic logistics of the game way better than I did and managed to capture photos of me in action!! Now I have evidence I actually did play!! Hehe

Click here: http://www.semesteratsea.org/2013/10/01/irelands-gaelic-games/

There's also a student photo gallery where one of my photos from Ireland was used! It didn't crop the way it was supposed to look, but eh, still pretty cool! Keep scrolling til you see the photo of a red door :)

Check it out: http://www.semesteratsea.org/2013/10/04/student-photo-gallery-ireland/

This and That

Hi everyone!

As I've mentioned before, keeping this blog updated per port is becoming a bit of a challenge as my load of school work has become heavier since we are approaching mid terms.

As I am writing this, I have two papers waiting to be written, three chapters + five articles waiting to be read, visual journal pages to create, and a set of photos waiting to be edited for a class portfolio. No matter how much fun I have when I go out and adventure in the different countries we go to, I have to face the reality that I am still a student, and as a student, my top priority is still my academics. Le sigh.

Don't get me wrong, though--I will still keep writing about my experiences in every port, but posting them might take a while. I still have pending posts from Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and now Morocco as we leave tonight and sail for Ghana next. Hopefully I can get caught up once we cross the Atlantic Ocean from South Africa to Argentina at the end of this month. We have almost 2 weeks just at sea during that time (I know, yikes!!), so I really hope that will give me enough time to cover all bases on my Europe and Africa posts!

I hope y'all understand! Thanks for reading!

Feel free to email me whatever and whenever :)

Love,
Laura

P.S. Have you guys seen the movie "The Impossible"? If you haven't, you really should. I watched it for the first time last night, and found myself in tears in a lot of the scenes. The film is based on a family's real life experience during the devastating 2004 South Asia tsunami. I didn't expect to cry at all! Maybe a part of it was the fact that I'm currently not with my family right now and that my emotions were probably a bit more fragile seeing a very touching and heart tugging family centered movie haha. But yeah, it's definitely worth watching!

Morocco!

We're in Casablanca!!

Breakfast out on the deck today felt a bit surreal as we looked out the view and allowed the reality of being in Africa sink in. I can't wait for what this exotic continent has in store for me!

Spain, Photos, Etc.

 Hola from Spain!

I can't believe the European leg of our trip is now coming to an end. Tomorrow, we set sail for Africa!!! I am so excited because it will be a completely different scene, meaning a whole lot of new adventures!

Our travels are going by so fast that I could hardly keep up with updating this blog, so I apologize :( I haven't even written about Portugal yet, and we're already in another port! We arrived in Spain yesterday morning, but two days from now, we will be in Morocco! Talk about a crazy itinerary!

In the meantime, I am taking advantage of this free wifi at another cafe to put up some pics from Portugal and Spain. I don't know how much internet access I will be getting once we get to Africa!

Saint Jeronimo's Monastery
Lisbon, Portugal

Picture Perfect Portugal! Breathtaking

Praca do Comercio (biggest city square in Europe)
Lisbon, Portugal

The view of Seville from the top of the Giralda Tower!
Seville, Spain

Sherry Winery
Jerez, Spain

Alcazar Gardens
Seville, Spain

Ireland: Boys in Blue

During the bus ride on our way to our Gaelic Games program, I learned so much about how the Irish are when it comes to sports, specifically football (soccer).

One of the two coaches who "trained" us that day said:

"When people ask me to explain what sports mean to Ireland, it's like they're asking me to explain what air means to everyone. We live for our sports. We breathe it." 

Since I've never really followed any international sports team, I had no idea how passionate the Irish were when it comes to playing their games. I mean, I guess every country is very into their sports in one way or another, but what struck out to me the most about Ireland and their sports is the fact that the athletes (at least those who play in the All-Ireland Football games) do NOT get paid at all! 

And I quote our coach:

"These players who'll be playing at today's final game, they don't get paid. Not a single cent. They play purely out of passion and pride for their team, for their county."

For all of their sports, teams are categorized based on the counties represented in Ireland. For example, Dublin and Mayo are two separate counties, so there's a Dublin team, and a Mayo team. The team you belong to is "assigned" to you at birth. Whichever county you were born in, that automatically becomes your team should you choose to enter the world of sports. I guess this is exactly what fuels their passion, pride, and loyalty!

Ireland: Gaelic Games

Game face on!!! Ready to dominate these Irish sports!
(c) Bryan Koop - Official SAS F'13 Photographer

As a dancer, all my time for extra-curricular activities was devoted to the dance studio, and never to an outdoor playing field, except during my senior year in high school when I joined the track team. That's the most I've ever done as far as sports go.

But one of my goals on this SAS voyage is to experience new things (activities, food, transportation, etc) in every country we go to. So when I read about the Gaelic Games Experience on the list of field programs available to us in Ireland, I jumped at the chance at trying my luck with Irish sports...or, well, sports in general.

So that beautiful sunny Sunday in Dublin, I hopped on a bus together with 13 other fellow SAS-ers, excited (and a bit anxious) at the thought of a sports-filled day!

Irish Football

So this is basically like soccer, but with different rules. Now, I know squat about the rules of American or Philippine or whichever country's soccer, but I did ask if Irish football was different from the kind of soccer that is played during the World Cup. Our coach said yes, Irish football is a wee bit different. One of the main differences is the fact that as opposed to the soccer I know, the ball in Irish football is barely kicked around on the ground. I'm not gonna go into details about the rules because i'm finding it difficult to explain and illustrate the moves allowed in the game. But, I am gonna brag that I scored a goal during practice!! Buuut.. never again during the actual game. Haha #athleteprobs #charot

(c) Bryan Koop

Hurling

When I first heard our guide say that we will be hurling that day, I was like WHUT. Hurling to me (and probably to everyone who is not Irish lol) means umm, throwing up. I thought they implied that I won't be able to take all the sports we'll be doing that day and that I'd have to hurl. Lol. So I was kinda relieved when the coach explained that Hurling is another type of Irish sport, similar to what field hockey is. You go around chasing a ball with a hurling stick (shaped a bit like a hockey stick) and try to maneuver the ball into the goal.

(c) Bryan Koop

Love From Lisbon

After three days of battling rocky seas, we finally docked in Lisbon, Portugal, this morning! I know I haven't put up all my Ireland posts yet, but I hope to get around to finishing that soon. I've been occupied with schoolwork these past few days, so I haven't had time to really blog. Well, that, and the fact that the constant swaying of the ship made it hard to focus because I was exerting all my effort into not getting seasick!

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. Much love from Lisbon!

Ireland: Pouring The Perfect Pint

Guinness Storehouse Brewery!

As part of our Guinness Storehouse Dublin Brewery tour the day we arrived in Ireland, we were taught how to pour the perfect pint of a Guinness beer through the Guinness Academy. There's a whole technique to pouring a drink; they don't just pull, pour, and go. Two key things that make a perfect pint: (1) it must be filled to the brim (2) it must not have any overspill whatsoever!

How to pour the perfect pint:

(1) Hold out the special Guinness glass with your left hand at a 45-degree angle towards the tap nozzle
(2) Pull the lever of the tap with your right hand from up above all the way down til it can't be pulled any further down to allow the maximum flow of beer into the glass
(3) When the beer reaches the Guinness logo on the glass, tilt the glass upright
(4) Let the beer flow continuously with the glass in an upright position until the liquid reaches half of the harp icon printed on the glass above the Guinness brand logo
(5) Allow the surge to settle, and then instead of pulling the lever towards you, push back the lever away from you to pour the final foam to top the glass
(6) Wait for the foam to reach the brim of the glass, being absolutely careful not to overspill!

There were specific terms used to explain the process, but I can't remember what they were so I apologize if my wording seemed a bit off! Hehe

After each of us got a chance to try our luck with the beer taps, the Guinness Academy printed off personalized certificates for everyone, making our experience totes legit (yup, I did just use totes)!

Commercial Break: Happy One Month SAS Fall '13!

Today marks our voyage's one month anniversary!! It's been one full month since we first embarked on the MV Explorer in London! Gosh, that feels like ages ago!! Time sure does fly on this trip. One month down, two and a half more to go! 6 countries down, 9 more to go! Let the adventures continue!

P.S. The seas have been really rough the whole day, so it's been a struggle trying to walk to class today. We all looked like drunk college students who can't get their steps straight! Staying awake in my classes proved to be difficult as well (more than usual haha) because the rocky motion of the ocean was rocking me to sleep! Oy vay. Oh well, at least I'm not seasick!

Diggin' Dublin

Hello from Ireland!!

I don't have much time at all to blog about my Irish escapades as of the moment, but I just want to say that I am absolutely loving this place! Everyone keeps asking me what my favorite country has been so far, and I would always have a difficult time answering because I really do love all the countries for different reasons, so it's hard to pick just one! But right now, I can probably honestly say that Ireland has made its way to the top of my list.

I have so much to say about Dublin! Stay tuned!

Le French Experience

The beautiful Eiffel Tower all lit up

 Just an overview: Our stay in France covered visits to 3 cities: Paris, Giverny, and Le Havre. Since the Port of Antwerp was very near the Port of Le Havre, an option to stay on land and do an overland travel was given to the shipboard community. That means we were allowed to travel from Antwerp and in to the next port of call (Le Havre) on our own, on land, as long as we were back on the ship on the last day at the Le Havre port. So my trip went from Antwerp to Paris to Giverny to Le Havre, all by bus.

PARIS

Aside from all the sightseeing (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe) and the river boat cruise along the Seine River, here are the highlights and the things I learned from my stay in Paris:

(1) Crepes, Croissants, and Chocolat Chaud

It would almost be a mortal sin if you skip out on the crepes and croissants when you're in France! I had croissants for breakfasts, either with jam or Nutella, and then had crepes for dessert whenever we were out for lunch and dinner. To hell with calories! When in Europe, calories from pastries do not count. I also had my fair share of their chocolat chaud aka hot chocolate. It's just so good. Why can't all hot chocolates be that delicious.

Croissant with Nutella or jam, pain du chocolat (chocolate bread),
bacon, orange juice, chocolat chaud (hot chocolate)
CALORIES DON'T COUNT IN EUROPE OKAY

Chocolat chaud viennoise <3

(2) Navigating Skills

In Paris, I learned that my navigating skills were actually pretty on point! I used to hate metro maps because I never had the desire nor the energy to try and decode all that was written/drawn on it. But these past few weeks in Europe have pushed me to get over my laziness and figure these maps out. I discovered that it wasn't that complicated after all! It also helps that i'm a visual learner (as opposed to being an auditory or a kinesthetic learner) which means that my strength is in learning and remembering things through sight and images. My photographic memory retains visual information of which street we were on based on the buildings/objects/signs surrounding it. And that helped a lot!

I don't look this lost anymore

(3) Bike Tour

We went biking again, yay! But this time, we biked under the rain, riding around the city donned in bright yellow ponchos. Biking in Belgium was awesome, but biking in Paris was amazing! Thankfully, it wasn't pouring rain the whole time we were biking. The weather would alternate between rain/drizzle and a bit of sunshine. We were a huge group, too, so the dynamics were different than when I biked in Belgium with just 2 other people. We had to make sure no one got left behind or was too far up ahead. I had such a great time biking, and as I've said, the rain added that new touch of adventure to the experience.

Our group with our tour guide

On my bike

Paris, je t'aime!

Sassy SASers in Paris!
(c) Cody Varela

The first time I went to Paris was back in 2009, with my mom and my sister Kai. I had enrolled in a two-week youth leadership camp in Megeve, France, that summer before my last year in UWC-USA. Since Paris was just a few hours away from Megeve, my mom planned a short trip that allowed us to spend a few days in Paris and Switzerland before they had to bring me to camp.

I remember being so enthralled and amazed by the city of lights back then. Who wouldn't be? The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, the sights breathtaking. I couldn't believe I was actually in Paris, France! Oui, oui! I remember going out into the tiny balcony in our hotel room, breathing in the cool Parisian air, and silently telling God that I want to be able to go back to this beautiful city someday, and asking Him to make this request possible.

True enough, He gave in to my request 4 years later and gifted me with the best birthday present ever!

---

Below is an excerpt from what I wrote in my journal when we arrived in Paris last week:

Friday, September 13th
1:37 pm

It's Friday the 13th and I am in Paris. If that doesn't cancel out the negative connotation that comes with that date, I don't know what will. Our bus stopped right by our hotel after a 4-ish hour trip from Antwerp. I stepped out of the bus, and that same cool Parisian breeze welcomed me back. The clouds were gray and the atmosphere seemed dreary, but the excitement I had, along with the giddiness of the 38 other students I was with, said otherwise. We were in Paris. PARIS!

Here's to probably the best birthday weekend I will ever get to experience. Cheers!

---

Next post: France Highlights (Paris, Giverny, & Le Havre)

While I Was Sleeping..

Before I put up my Paris/Le Havre post, I just wanted to write about the dream I had last night. I dreamt that I got kidnapped (adultnapped?) in Paris by bad people. The setting was just like how it was in the movie Taken, except I didn't have Liam Neeson running around trying to find me. It was pretty scary because it seemed so real, but it was also funny because in the dream, I politely asked the bad people if I could go back to my hotel and sleep there, and then just meet up with them the next morning to continue my abduction experience. They kindly agreed. Hahaha

I just really felt like sharing that to the rest of the world. You're welcome :)

Rain, Rain..

It was pouring rain, and my shoes got soaked. My feet were wet, I was cold, and the battery of my camera was dying. As I was trying to take a good photo of the Arc de Triomphe, raindrops began tainting the lens. I was frustrated and tired, and even entertained the thought of going back to the hotel and just staying indoors. I silently cursed the rain for how it was ruining my afternoon in Paris.

Immediately after, I was struck with guilt, ashamed of how I was reacting to the weather. There I was, in the heart of Paris, complaining about the rain, and almost forgetting how amazing an opportunity it is to even BE in Paris. I got so caught up getting annoyed that I overlooked the

Sure, it was raining. Sure, the battery life of my camera was about to give up on me because I didn't have a European electrical plug adapter in order to charge it. And sure, it was uncomfortable walking around with soaking wet shoes.

But the rain will stop, batteries can be charged (I bought an adapter yay!), and shoes will dry. But who knows when I will get to experience Paris again?

It was a humbling situation, and I told God I was sorry for being a brat there for a moment. In retrospect, the rain provided a different element of adventure to our Parisian experience. But more on my Parisian adventures later! I am super exhausted after such a busy day, so it's bed time for me! I hope to write again tomorrow.

For now, it's bonne nuit! And this happy pic--

This was a jump shot fail that turned out to be pretty cool.
It looks like I was just weirdly laughing out loud... which I was, haha.
(And you can't tell by the pic, but it was actually starting to rain at this point!)

Belgium, Birthday, Bikes

 Here it is! How I spent my birthday in Belgium:

Belgian hot chocolate to start my morning! 

During the day, a couple of my friends and I went out and explored the quaint city of Antwerp. How is it possible to fall in love with a city in a day? I feel like I would be saying this in each new city we visit. But as we were walking down the European cobblestoned streets of Antwerp, I kept telling my friends how everything was just so pretty.

Antwerp

Since Belgium prides itself for its delicious Belgian chocolates and waffles, we made sure we didn't skip out on those sweet treats. I love chocolates, like, I really do. So imagine my level of happiness when I found myself surrounded by Belgian chocolate shops! It got even higher when I was served my Belgian waffle with strawberries and whipped cream. Haaay. Sarap.

Omnomnomnom

But what made this day even sweeter was getting to do the ultimate European experience: Biking all over the city. For 6 Euros ($8; 350PhP), we could rent bikes for 3 hours. We didn't have set plans for the day, so we just went with the flow and decided to try our skill in bicycling. 

It was probably one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life so far. I've always liked biking around our street when I was younger, but never did I ever take my bike beyond the gates of our neighborhood. So honestly, I was initially a bit hesitant about the whole biking around the city. But you know what they say... YOLO. (eh) 

With my friend, Liz, ready to go and explore the city on our badass rides 

I am so glad I went through with it! Who knows when I could bike my way around Antwerp again?? So that's just what we did. We traveled all over the city on two wheels, and loved every minute of it. It was as if we paid 6 Euros for a tour of a great majority of the city. Such a sweet deal. 

While I was biking, I was actually having a silent casual conversation with God. My heart was just filled with so much gratitude and joy that I couldn't help but thank Him right then and there, and tell Him how I sometimes still can't believe this is my reality at the moment. 

The birthday girl holding her happy birthday sign hehe

Dinner and drinks followed later that night to cap such a wonderful day. This time, I tried the famous Belgian beer, Stella Artois! Parang ate Stella ko lang diba? Pero dapat sa kanya Stella Arte. Hehehe joke lang ate, love you! It was a fun and very chill night, as we sat outside the bars and cafes, enjoying the cool September breeze. Thank You, Lord. Just, thank You. :)

Now, I am in Paris, ready for another set of new adventures! Allons!

Here we go!