Sailing Through the North Indian Ocean

We have spent the past 5 days sailing north in the Indian Ocean… and I can gladly say that we didn’t get attacked by pirates! As much as this is a joking matter, it’s actually quite serious. Our voyage was originally supposed to go through the Mediterranean Sea to Turkey, Croatia, and Egypt, then on to India. But because of the pirate attacks in the north-western parts of the Indian Ocean, our route got redirected to go around Africa up to India. I think our new route was just as great, if not better. I REALLY enjoyed Africa and am thankful we got to go there. And I’m also thankful that we escaped any possibilities of a pirate attack!

We had classes 4 of the 5 past days. On the free day we had Sea Olympics! Each “sea” (which is equivalent to a dorm floor) competed in different activities all day. I represented the Balearic Sea in “Dean Byron Says” which is SAS’s version of Simon Says. Sadly, I didn’t win… I got out when I was too quick to give the person next to me a massage and forgot that Dean Byron didn’t say to! Haha. Out of about 10 seas though, the Balearic Sea came in 3^rd! Whoot! That same day was the prettiest day we’ve had on the ship yet. It was about 85 degrees out and the ocean was so smooth and calm; it looked like glass! The past few days the ocean has bee so incredibly calm. In fact, so calm that the ship hasn’t rocked me to sleep like my body is used to! The crew cooked us a BBQ the night of the Sea Olympics (which was delicious!) and there was the most beautiful sunset yet. Colors were splattered all across the sky with fluffy clouds and a beautiful reflection on the ocean. WOW. So it was a BEAUTIFUL day!

I went to a seminar by a guy who was finishing a documentary on the health in Nepal. He had been working as a videographer in Washington and just got stuck in the rut, wanting something more. He found a group of people who were heading out to Nepal to hike the Himalayan Mountains. He joined them this past April and his life was changed. Nepal is one of the poorest of the poor areas, living on $2 a day with medical care hours away. We watched his 90 min almost-finished documentary and were shocked. They visited the villages of Nepal and talked about what they could do to help. They then climbed the mountains of the Himalayas as a fundraiser. This money sent 3 students to medical college who will go back to their villages and provide useful health care. I feel so blessed to constantly be hearing stories about how people are taking action on poverty throughout the world. We each have so much we’re capable of doing. We each have ways to help the impoverished.

My mom pointed out that people might be interested in hearing how SAS prepares us for each port. There are numerous ways. Our individual classes right before a port normally focus on that country. For example, my 2 Global Music classes this past week have discussed music in Northern and Southern India. We also have a class called Global Studies that every SAS student takes. They bring in inter-port lecturers that will speak numerous times in class prior to arriving. These lectures are normally about economics, politics, and any major issues. For example, prior to arriving in Mauritius we learned about how small islands are most affected by global climate changes. There are also 1-2 inter-port students that are on the ship a few days before arrival. They go to our classes, hang out, and give advice about their country from a 20 year-old’s perspective. 2 nights before arrival we have Cultural Pre-Port, which our dean, inter-port lecturer, and inter-port students put on about the culture of their country. The night before arrival we have Logistical Pre-Port, which our dean, doctor, field office workers, and assistant dean put on to cover the logistics of the SAS trips, health, and basics of the country. We are given a “Green Sheet” which has all the information about where we’re ported, telephone numbers, currency rates, transportation info, etc. on it that we are recommended to keep with us at all times. The morning of port we sometimes have a Diplomatic Briefing in which the country’s diplomats welcome and advise us. Lastly, most countries will provide a hospitality desk on board with maps and people to answer questions. So as you can see, SAS makes sure we are prepared for each country through a variety of ways.

Well, we port in Chennai, India in the morning. I’m very excited for this port. I hope your past few days have flooded you with blessings.