your age is not a deadline

Came across this blog and the post was exactly what I needed to read. Your age is not a deadline to a specific accomplishment that needs to happen. Everyone travels through life at different paces, there is no need to speed up your life to fit with what is expected or what seems to be normal at a particular age.

Read, Think, Enjoy

http://todaywasmeaningful.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/because-im-a-twentysomething/

Day under water

We only had a day in Mauritius so how was I going to make it the best day possible? Scuba diving! My friend Kendall and I went to a dive shop and had the most amazing time. They took us out on a boat and we went diving at a spot called the cathedral. Our dive was around 50 feet deep and it was crystal clear! Some of the people with us went to 100 feet and we could see them at the bottom that’s how clear it was. There were schools of angel fish, and a school of massive puffer fish! We also saw giant lobster, a few lion fish (very poisonous), two eels, and many other species of fish. That was my first dive ever after being certified and it was better than I ever imagined. I took pictures and videos with my GoPro and you can hear me breathing and laughing underwater. When the dive ended we boated back in and got some lunch. The spot was about 30 minutes away so by the time we got back to the ship it was time to leave. It was an amazing day and a gorgeous island. It was fun being under the water all day rather than on top of it.

We've got some talent on board

We had two talent shows that took place on the ship. The crew talent show and the shipboard talent show.
Over the span of the voyage the crew becomes your family also, you get to know their personalities, their stories and make great friends with them. ( shout out to Darwin and Ledford! Love you guys.) they put on a talent show on for the ship and it was great! There was dancing and a lot of singing, songs we could sing along with and songs from their home country. our crew is talented and this show allowed them to show off their skills and we got to see them in a new way. No uniforms, just them being their selves.  The crew is amazing, they work so hard to make everything perfect. They are the hardest working people and always have smiles on. I will always see them as family.

The shipboard talent show was unbelievable. It was right at the end of the voyage. And some how I was able to score front row seats, almost impossible. There is so much more talent on the ship than you could imagine. This is the time where you can show your new friends what you can do and what you are interested in back home.
We had amazing hip-hop dancers, tap dancers, salsa dancers. we had musical people that blew our minds, unbelievable singers-people you would never think sang all the sudden knew how to hit every note. A few slam poetry- Stephen who made the entire audience bust into tears because his words about he voyage were so spot on. And Indigo wowing the ship with her amazing ability to hula-hoop.
There was a mix of everything and every act blew my mind. I had been living with these people for so long and just now being able to see some of their amazing skills. We had a wide variety of people on our voyage all unique yet all having the same dream- travel the world.

"Ghana" be amazing...

It's is a country that is a little hard for me to describe, and harder for me to write about. I had no expectations of what anything was going to look like and it sure did surprise me. I went on a trip through "can do land tours" and it was the best thing I have ever done. The company was started by a guy named Fredrick and he came along with us on our journey. He is all smiles and the greatest person to be around. Our trip took us way out into Ghana where most of the roads were dirt and the houses were built out of whatever was around. The village we stayed in had one paved road in the area, it wasn't used with in the village, it was just there as a pass by road to get to other towns and places.

When we unloaded the bus there was a massive group of kids anxiously waiting to see us. We all immediately had at least 5 children trying to hold our hands. The tours are for semester at sea participants and around 15 of us went. We were given various host families and the homes were all different. My family did not speak any English, but there were two little boys who understood a few words. The house I stayed in was actually pretty nice, it was one made out of cement. No electricity or pluming but that was no problem at all.
      -funny story: the little boys were showing us where the bathrooms were and there was a language barrier confusion that happened. They pointed to two rooms: boys and girls. When I looked inside there was only a drain and nothing else. I thought that was strange because usually the bathrooms at least have a hole in the ground. After using the room a few times a bathroom for a day and a half I found out that in the room over there was actually a toilet....... I had been going in their shower! Luckily it was one # 1 the whole time but when I found out I was laughing so hard. Oopsss.

Through out the trip we met lots of people, played many games, and shared lots of laughter. Just because we don't speak the same language doesn't mean we don't know common things like dancing, soccer, and laughing at funny faces. We found out that the money for the trip actually went to the village, with the money we were able to build them water tank system! The women no longer have to work to pump their water.

When the last day came it was hard to leave. I did not want to leave my new family, or the children I met. I did not want to leave the village that gave me a new outlook on living. We even got to meet the village elders which was a great pleasure.

I did not realize how much of an impact Ghana had made on me until I was back on the ship feeling guilty for everything I owned and for everything I have been able to do. Before I knew it I was crying so hard that air was hard to take in. I was sad because I did not want to leave where I just came from, and frustrated that I can't help with what I saw. But how would I even help a place that doesn't think anything is bad? Where would one begin, and would the people even want it? They are very loving people and everyone is considered family.  Where for me, back home i barely know my neighbors, and two doors down I couldn't even give you a description of their face, but here in Ghana all doors are always open and neighbors and friends come and go as if it were their own house. There is no selfishness or whining about who owns what or where one property starts and the next one ends. If you are hungry you will eat and if you need help it is given.

No wifi struggles

So my trip has ended and I have yet to post about all the countries..... Why is that? Well during the dtip there was extremely limited wifi!! So I had a hard time posting then, when I got to Spain it was better for a while, my two weeks in Campo de Criptana I had wifi on a regular basis. Very cool, and something I was not use to. It was exciting. Now I am living in Valencia Spain for my summer classes and the host mother I am living with does not have wifi in her apartment. No problem, nothing I haven't dealt with before, but because of this I will fall behind again on my blog posts (farther behind than I already am... Sighh). Very unfortunate. But just so you know, I am not neglecting you, I just only have wifi once a day for about 30 minutes to check my emails and get plans situated for the night.

Red sea for the bronze medal

Sea Olympics! Never heard of it? It is a day during Semester at Sea where the shipboard community participates in a variety of fun games. The ship is broken up into about 8 different seas and on this day we all compete against each other.  I lived in the Red Sea. There was a ping pong tournament, a blind doge-ball, who can do the most pull ups, melt an ice block to put on the t-shirt inside, synchronized swimming (but it was too rocky so we did that inside which was even better!), Ship-wave-captain, standup comedy, trivia, and soooo much more. The day was action packed with events going on and they were happening in every part of the ship. I participated in Ship, wave, captain (version of rock paper scissor shoot) and we took home the gold! I also participated in the leap frog portion of the ship relay, blind doge ball, and a few other small events.

                The whole day we were in first until we scored zero points in one of the events. We ended the day with Bronze and were more than pleased. At the end of the day it is not about points or score boards, it was about if you had fun and made new friends doing some of the ridiculous tasks. Did you meet someone that you had never seen before, did you go out of your comfort zone, and did you feel completely happy about where you are in life.

                We were in the middle of the ocean where only the sea could hear our laughs and our loud chants. Sea Olympics is a day where the whole ship is out of their cabins and all interacting like a true family. At dinner the cafeterias are loud with laughs and everyone is talking about their favorite Olympic game. Everyone is full of energy and the whole ship is glowing with pride. We are in the middle of the ocean and we are having the best time of our lives. 

India Fun

Beautiful passage

Great writing and good to think about!

http://jamesrusselllingerfelt.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/date-a-boy-who-travels/

Date a boy who travels, by lainnnes.

Date a boy who treasures experience over toys, a hand-woven bracelet over a Rolex. Date the boy who scoffs when he hears the words, “vacation”, “all-inclusive”, or “resort”. Date a boy who travels because he’s not blinded by a single goal but enlivened by many.

You might find him in an airport or at a book store browsing the travel guides – although he “only uses them for reference.”

You’ll know it’s him because when you peek at his computer screen, his background will be a scenic splendor of rolling hills, mountains, or prayer flags. His Facebook friend count will be over-the-roof, and his wall will be plastered with the broken English ‘miss-you’ of friends he met along the way. When he travels, he makes lifelong friends in an hour. And although contact with these friends is sporadic and may be far-between, his bonds are unmessable and if he wanted, he could couch surf the world… again.

Buy him a beer. Once a traveller gets home, people rarely listen to their stories. So listen to him. Allow him to paint a picture that brings you into his world. He might talk fast and miss small details because he’s so excited to be heard. Bask in his enthusiasm. Want it for yourself.

He’ll squeak like an excited toddler when his latest issue of National Geographic arrives in the mail. Then he’ll grow quiet, engrossed, until he finishes his analysis of every photo, every adventure. In his mind, he’ll insert himself in these pictures. He’ll pass the issue on to you and grill you about your dreams and competitively ask about the craziest thing you’ve ever done. Tell him. And know that he’ll probably win. And if by chance you win, know that his next lot in life will be to out do you. But then he’ll say, “Maybe we can do it together.”

Date the boy who talks of distant places and whose hands have explored the stone relics of ancient civilizations and whose mind has imagined those hands carving, chiseling, painting the wonders of the world. And when he talks, it’s as if he’s reliving it with you. You can almost hear his heart racing. You can almost feel the adrenaline ramped up by the moment. You feel it passing through his synapsis, a feast to his eyes entering through those tiny oracles of experience that we call pupils, digesting rapidly through his veins, manifesting into his nervous system, transforming and altering his worldview like a reverse trauma and finally passing, but forever changing the colors of his sight. (Unless he’s Karl Pilkington.) You will want this too.

Date a boy who’s lived out of a backpack because he lives happily with less. A boy who’s travelled has seen poverty and dined with those who live in small shanty’s with no running water, and yet welcome strangers with greater hospitality than the rich. And because he’s seen this, he’s seen how a life without luxury can mean a life fueled by relationships and family, rather than a life that fuels fancy cars and ego. He’s experienced different ways of being, respects alternative religions and he looks at the world with the eyes of a five-year-old, curious and hungry. Your dad will be happy too because he’s good with money and knows how to budget.

This boy relishes home; the comfort of a duvet, the safety stirred in a mom-cooked meal, the easy conversation of childhood friends, and the immaculate glory of the flush-toilet. Although fiercely independent, he has had time to reflect on himself and his relationships. Despite his wanderlust, he knows and appreciates his ties to home. He has had a chance to miss and be missed. Because of this, he also knows a thing or two about goodbyes. He knows the overwhelming uncertainty of leaving the comforts of home, the indefinite see-you-laters at the departure gates, and yet he fearlessly goes into the unknown because he knows the feeling of return. And that the I’ve-missed-you-hug is the best type of hug in the whole world. He also knows that goodbyes are just prolonged see-you-laters and that ‘hello’ is only as far away as the nearest internet cafe.

Don’t hold onto this boy. Let this boy go and go with him. If you haven’t travelled, he will open your eyes to a world beyond the news and popular perception. He will open your dreams to possibility and reality. He will calm your nerves when you’re about to miss a flight or when your rental blows a flat, because he knows the journey is the adventure. He will make light of the unsavory noises you make when you – and you will – get food poisoning. He will make you laugh through the discomfort all while dabbing your forehead with a cold cloth and nursing you with bottled water. He will make you feel like you’re home.

When you see something beautiful, he will hold your hand in silence, in awh the history of where his feet stand, and the fact that you’re with him.

He will live in every moment with you, because this is how he lives his life. He understands that happiness is no more than a string of moments that displace neutrality, and he is determined to tie as many of these strings together as he can. He also understands your need to live for yourself and that you have a bucketlist of your own. Understand his. Understand that your goals may at some points differ, but that independence is the cornerstone of a healthy relationship when it’s mutually respected. You may lose him for a bit, but he will always come home bearing a new story and a souvenir he picked up because it reminded him of you, like it was made for you, and because he missed you. You might be compelled to do the same. Make sure that independence is on your bucketlist, and make sure it’s checked. Independence will keep your relationship fresh and exciting, and when you’re together again it will forge a bond of unbreakable trust.

He’ll propose when you’ve breached your comfort-zone, whether it be a fear like skydiving or swimming with sharks, or sitting next to the smelly person on an overcrowded bus. It won’t be with a diamond ring, but with a token from a native culture or inspired by nature, like the penguin and the pebble.

You will get married somewhere unassumed, surrounded by a select few, in a moment constructed to celebrate venturing into the unknown together again. Marry the boy who’s travelled and together you will make the whole world your home. Your honeymoon will not be forgotten to a buffet dinner and all-you-can-drink beach bars, but will be remembered in the triumphant photographs at the top of Kilimanjaro and memorialized in the rewarding ache of muscles at the end of a long days hike.

When you’re ready, you will have children that have the names of the characters you met on your journeys, the foreign names of people who dug a special place in your heart if only for a few days. Perhaps you will live in another country, and your children will learn of language and customs that open their minds from the very start, leaving no room for prejudice. He will introduce them to the life of Hemingway, the journey of Santiago, and empower them to live even bigger than both of you.

Marry a boy who travels and he’ll teach your children the beauty of a single stone, the history of the Incas and he will instill in them the bravery of possibility. He will explain to them that masking opportunity, there is fear. He will teach them to concur it.

And when you’re old, you’ll sit with your grandchildren pouring over your photo albums and chest of worldly treasures, while they too insert themselves into your photographs, sparked by the beauty of the world and inspired by your life in it.

Find a boy who travels because you deserve a life of adventure and possibility. You deserve to live light and embrace simplicity. You deserve to look at life through the eyes of youth and with your arms wide open. Because this is where you will find joy. And better, you will find joy together. And if you can’t find him, travel. Go. Embrace it. Explore the world for yourself because dreams are the stuff reality is made from.

This time for Africa

Ostriches, and elephants, and zebras,  and me! 

(Thanks dad for the idea!)

South Africa was a great place to visit. It didn’t need tall building to make it beautiful, it had mountains in the middle of town and natural beauty. During my first day I went scuba diving. We went right in from the beach shore. It was a really windy day and the dive spot we were originally going to dive at was closed due to rough seas. The spot we chose was still rough but the professionals said it would be alright. The water here was super foggy so it was hard to see much, but I did manage to see a baby sand shark, an octopus, and some large lobsters. The site was a small offshore sunken sail boat over grown with various sea plants. Another day I was able to go to the top of Table Mountain and we picked the perfect day! It was super sunny and pretty much no clouds. All the other days we were there were very cloudy or too windy for the cable cars to go up. So it was good we chose the day we did. We could see all of the area and even our ship way off in the distance. A few friends and I made our way to Simon’s town, about an hour away from Cape Town. It is a very small very cute little town and about a ten minute walk down the road there were penguins everywhere! Some areas you could walk right up next to them and they wouldn’t mind. Simons Town is a about 25 minutes away from Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope, the southern most tip of Africa. Me and my friends Kelly decided to bike there! It was around 45-50 Kilometers up and around a mountain! It was insane and tiring, but so much fun and extremely satisfying when we made it. I do not know how I made it, but I did. And the best part was that my legs never got sore the days after! A miracle if you ask me. The day before the ship left I went Shark cage diving and it was so awesome! The water visibility was good but it was still an amazing experience. You could see more from the boat like when the sharks came flying out of the water with an open mouth full of massive amounts of razor sharp teeth. We could see their black eyes eager to catch its prey (half a tuna that we casted out from the boat) and the big splashes they made when crashing back into the water. Being in the cage was a little spooky since you weren’t able to see the great white shark until its hundreds of teeth were in your face and you were trying to remember if all your fingers were inside the cage. It was an eerie feeling being in the water with these massive creatures that could eat me in one bite. One of the sharks actually landed on top of my cage, we heard the loud crash but I didn’t know what happened until I saw the shark slide down the side and I was staring into its black eye. I would love to do it again on a day where the water is clear to see more while in the cage because that was really exciting!

Unfortunately I did not have enough time to do a safari so that just means I will have to come back  J I really enjoyed South Africa and would love to see more of the area. 

Time to become a Shellback

A person becomes a Shellback when they have sailed across the equator, and that’s exactly what I did. Our captain dresses up as King Neptune painted entirely with green paint and a few staff members are king Neptune´s council. Everyone on the ship gathers around our small pool and listens to what the king has to say. We then must recite a pledge and the activities begin. To officially become a shellback you could do one of two things. Shave your head, or get fish guts poured on you then kiss a fish. I wanted to shave my head but since I had an internship lined up I figured I´d better not. The internship is in Spain and I am sure they are going to expect a girl with hair. So I went for option two. 5 people at a time are lined up and we get fish slime poured over us. I´m sure they watered it down but it still smelt really bad, we then turned around and jumped into the pool that had turned brown from all the stuff they put on us. When it’s your turn to get out of the pool you must kiss a fish and King Neptune´s ring or else you are thrown back into the pool. Many people shaved their heads including a few girls, and a few people just donated some of their hair to locks of love. The whole event was a blast and the back deck was filled with excited shipmates. Study days can´t get much better than that!

India colors

       During my time in India I decided to travel with an SAS program. We went to Delhi, Japer, and Agra. Our bus would be riding next to camels, and large elephants. They would use the road just like the cars. I think the highlight of that trip was the Taj Mahal. Even though I had seen many pictures, it was still an unreal site to see, and its one hell of a love story. It was a fun atmosphere to be around, all the women had bright colorful sari´s on and anytime we stopped to take a picture the people wanted to take pictures with us. I felt like I was posing forever!

        Another highlight was being able to bathe and paint elephants. There was a large hose and the elephants would walk up and fill their entire trunk with water then fling it over their head and shoulders. If you were standing next to them you would be receiving a bath also. There were three or four elephants and they all loved playing in the water. I was then given a brush and we washed them just like we wash cars. We scrubbed their long rough trunks and their massive wrinkled legs. When they were clean we painted them. Sounds counter productive I know, but it was a lot of fun. The paint was more like a chalk. When it dried on your hands it felt chalky. Over all I did not get to see the rural parts of India because our trip sheltered us from that which was unfortunate. There were some funky smells and some interesting sights and I really got to see that the last two days I was in India. 

       The last two days I traveled with a few friends. We ventured out to the beach one of the days and it was an experience of its own since we had to be covered. We went swimming in our clothes anyways and it was a blast. We Talked with a local fisherman and admired his net full of sea life, and we drove around in Tuk-tuks (three wheeled vehicle that are very small!) The back seat fit two people comfortably, but we always but four in the back and one up front with the driver. If you sat up front you had to hold on tight because there wasn´t enough room for two people and the driver usually did not know how to share a seat. The time I sat up front I was actually able to drive! No worries, it was at night when there were no other cars around. It was a lot of fun. At night we decided to go to a club and it ended up being the best idea ever. Women do not usually go out at night, they stay at home, so in the club there were mostly men, but the few women that were there were a blast. There were people of all ages dancing like crazy. It was nothing like American dances where not everyone dances. Here everyone was on the dance floor and were not embarrassed to dance like crazy people.

If I were to go back to India I would do it completely different. I would want to see the side that was hidden from me. I would want to see more of their unique way of life. 

Burma- they call it Myanmar

Words cannot describe my feelings for Myanmar. I went there not knowing anything about the country or what to expect except for what I saw from a small documentary. The poverty was like nothing I had ever seen. Shacks everywhere build from whatever the people could find. Surrounding them were piles of trash, but there was joy everywhere. The Burmese people are the happiest people I have ever encountered in my life hands down. They were shy when they saw us but at soon as I said hello in their language “minglaba” their faces would like up and they would greet me with so much enthusiasm. Their smiles were just as big as mine and we would all take pictures of one another. In Myanmar the women wear bark paste on their faces to lighten their skin and keep them cool during the day. A few locals gave some to me to put on my face and they would all giggle when I had it on. I kept the paste on for the rest of the day and the locals loved it and would laugh and point at my cheeks.

During my stay in Myanmar I got the chance to sit and have dinner with some of the United Nations representatives, I was able to ride elephants, and I stayed at a beach. I picked a great trip for Burma because we stayed at the beach village for a few days and I was really able to get to know some of the locals. I was able to go and sit in their homes, which were tiny open shacks. I got to play with little children when they got out of school. I got to dance around a bonfire with kids our age, as we were all trying to understand each other and sing songs we knew, and lots of other activities. Myanmar people were so friendly and laid back, it was nice to come into a country and finally not feel bombarded with people trying to sell me things.

An interesting thing about Burma was the neighborhoods (if you can even call them that). There would be small run down shacks made of random scraps or nature than in the middle of it all there would be a gold pagoda. Every community had one even if it was a small one. Also the wealth distribution was very visible. On one side of the road there would be massive houses and on the other side there would be people living in ragged clothes in a hut. Walking through the city we had to be careful because out of nowhere there would be a massive hole in the cement that went a long way down. The sidewalk slabs would be wobbling and barely being held up so we had to be extra careful where we stepped so we would not fall down the never ending pit of doom.

Burma is by far my favorite place so far hands down. I have loved the other countries the love for them does not compare to the love I now have for Myanmar. It is a place where I want to go back as soon as I get the opportunity. It would now be the first country I would recommend to anyone who asked. It will be interesting to see what will become of Burma in a few years relating to chain stores and restaurants, but I sure hope that it will never change the attitude of the people. Their smiles will brighten up anyone’s day. 

Singapore Sling

We only had two days and one night in Singapore and I had a mission, go the Raffles hotel and buy a Singapore sling. Well, Mission accomplished and with a great story.

            My first day in Singapore consisted of a field lab for my water for the world class and we toured two water facilities around the city. That night a few friends and I went to little India to explore. We decided to eat dinner there so I asked what the least spicy thing on the menu was and ordered it. When I got my food it ended up being soooo spicy! The waiters were laughing at me because they thought my meal had no spice at all. It was delicious, but I was sweating the entire time. I guess it was good preparation for the real India. We later took the subway back into town and my and my friend Olivia went off to look for the hotel. After a while of walking we finally made it! But it was closing……. We told them it was our only night in town and we were dying to try their famous drink but they did not care. So we asked if we could at least take pictures and they welcomed us in. One of the bartenders from around the corner came over to us and said “two Singapore slings, no problem, sit down” It was the most exciting news and we thanked him about a hundred times. We ended up making friends with all the workers in the bar and having a great time laughing and telling funny stories. The bartender ended up re-filling our drinks when we were half way done with campaign because he said it would make the drink taste better. When we left we were the last customers in the place and had a bunch of wonderful new friends. It was the most expensive drink I have ever had at a whooping $31.00! It was well worth the experience though. I think the most interesting part of the bar was that when they gave you peanuts you were suppose to toss the shell right on the floor! Shells were everywhere!

            Our last day in Singapore a friend and I were able to sneak up to the rooftop of the Marina bay sands hotel free of charge. This is another famous hotel that’s roof was full of activities like an infinity pool over looking the city, a restaurant, a bar, and a nightclub. We went up for the view and it was amazing! We then walked around a park for the reminder of the time and it was a beautiful place with all types of blooming flowers.

            Singapore was fun but it did not feel like I was in a far away place since everyone spoke English and it was a giant city. The architecture of some of the buildings was awesome though. I am very glad I was able to see the country.  

Vietnam

This far in the trip Vietnam has been my favorite port. The amount of people was insane especially since we were there during tet (Vietnamese New Year). There driving system was like nothing I had ever seen before. There weren’t streetlights, and when there were they were almost never followed. Crossing the streets was an experience of it’s own. You cannot doubt yourself, if you decide to start walking do not stop! It is scary the first time but after a while I started to trust the motorcyclist that they wouldn’t hit me. They were pretty good at avoiding people in the streets but that first step out in the middle of a packed road is always a little sketchy. It is almost like it is rush hour every hour of the day.  We went to the Cu Chi tunnels and learned a little about the Vietnam War and the underground tunnels they built. I was able to walk through parts and the humorous part was that they had to widen the tunnels to that Tourist could fit inside. They made the tunnels extra small during the war so that American soldiers could not fit inside because they said we had big bellies. My time in Vietnam was very sweaty. It was hot, hot, hot until we got to Delat- a little mountain town north of Saigon. We took a night bus there that had bunk beds. I had a top bunk and it was fun but scary around curves when I though I would roll off. It was interesting because the bed seats were pretty small since the Vietnamese are short. I was lucky because I fit in perfectly, but my friends were not as fortunate because they were over 5”7. In Delat we ended up scoring an awesome deal. Me and three other friends got a private tour all over the country. We had a personal driver and a tour guide. During the day we played soccer with little kids that couldn’t understand us, drank weasel poo coffee, ate a spoon full of crickets, hiked down the side of a waterfall, drank their favorite drink called happy water (the strongest liquor ever), saw a giant happy Buddha, walked through a coffee farm of a very poor family, and rode an elephant. It was an awesome day and unbelievably cheap. Vietnam was incredible and it is a place a definitely wish to return to. It is a very dirty place, trash ever where, and rats all over, but it is still an awesome place. The people are so friendly and the food is so amazing.