Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Alex is Back
Hey sorry I have been away so long, Brazil was alot to take in. Once I got back on the ship I was sick for a couple days too, so I have been taking it easy. I already wrote a slacker post for Brazil and I'll put it up tonight. I'm going to go clean my room but expect another post soon.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
It's 8 In The Morning
And I'm writing this now because any time later in the day it will take forever for me to post this. I just had breakfast, Special K actually. I ate with Katey, Ashley and some of our cali and boulder friends. We have a test in global studies tomorrow, my first of the trip. Today, I have a small quiz in my ecology class. On Saturday we get into Salvador at 7 in the morning. I just want to get there so badly now. Last night we had a pub night and a Valentines Day dance in the Union. The dance was no different than a middle school dance, it was kind of lame but we all still had a pretty good time.
The ocean has been pretty rocky and at night, you can hear the massive waves smack against the ship when you're lying in bed. It actually makes the ship shake a little bit. Apparently those waves are nothing though, because when we head towards South Africa it is going to be alot more intense the crew says.
Alright well I just woke up and I'm still kind of out of it. I have more to post and I know once I leave here and sit in class that I will think of it all and become annoyed I didn't remember it all. I'm going to go get some coffee I guess, Ashley actually gave me a semester at sea coffee mug for valentines day yesterday because she knew I had been wanting one. So I am kind of anxious to use it for the first time. I'll post soon, and oh yeah, we're now 3 hours ahead of you mom and dad.
The ocean has been pretty rocky and at night, you can hear the massive waves smack against the ship when you're lying in bed. It actually makes the ship shake a little bit. Apparently those waves are nothing though, because when we head towards South Africa it is going to be alot more intense the crew says.
Alright well I just woke up and I'm still kind of out of it. I have more to post and I know once I leave here and sit in class that I will think of it all and become annoyed I didn't remember it all. I'm going to go get some coffee I guess, Ashley actually gave me a semester at sea coffee mug for valentines day yesterday because she knew I had been wanting one. So I am kind of anxious to use it for the first time. I'll post soon, and oh yeah, we're now 3 hours ahead of you mom and dad.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Now Two Hours Ahead of East Coast Time*
Hey Guys, sorry I took the day off but the transition between being in a city and then starting classes for six straight days is pretty intense. Classes are going really well. My foreign policy class I can already tell is going to teach me probably more than any IR class I have taken at SC. Probably because the class is so interactive with what we’re doing and with the countries we’re visiting. Documentary Film is awesome and is by far my favorite. We have just watched movies so far and learned about filming. My ecology class is really cool too and probably my easiest. Global Studies is pretty general and overall really easy. We actually have an exam though on Thursday before we arrive in Salvador. A lot of the kids are starting to book beach huts in Mauritius and are getting a bunch all together, Mauritius sounds like it will be one of my favorite stops. I just signed up for some more trips too. In Cape Town I signed up for a service project called Operation Hunger. In Malaysia, I signed up to go to Kuala Lumpur. India I signed up for another service project with disabled children which I am extremely excited for. They say its one of the most humbling experiences a student can have while doing SAS. Sorry the pictures still aren’t up. The problem is my laptop, where the pictures are, gets really slow connection to the internet and the computers in the lab get much better. So I may just end up transferring them to a disk and then putting them up in the computer lab. This lab steals your minutes though because of how slow the connection is overall and I’m really trying to stay away from the internet as much as possible.
We had our first pub night last night on the ship. It was so much fun. They are now every night for the rest of the voyage, so the nightlife is about to get pretty interesting. I didn’t see Tutu come out last night but hopefully he’ll come out tonight. They serve drinks at dinner and on the seventh deck between 2100-2300 hours. You can only have a max of 6 drinks a night so kids didn’t get too crazy last night but it was another way of meeting more people and hanging out. I’ll post more soon and promise I’ll figure the pictures out. I’m going to take a nap, we’re rocking really hard right now and it really puts you to sleep.
We had our first pub night last night on the ship. It was so much fun. They are now every night for the rest of the voyage, so the nightlife is about to get pretty interesting. I didn’t see Tutu come out last night but hopefully he’ll come out tonight. They serve drinks at dinner and on the seventh deck between 2100-2300 hours. You can only have a max of 6 drinks a night so kids didn’t get too crazy last night but it was another way of meeting more people and hanging out. I’ll post more soon and promise I’ll figure the pictures out. I’m going to take a nap, we’re rocking really hard right now and it really puts you to sleep.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
S.R.:Puerto Rico
Sorry for the long break guys, there was so much going on, especially since it was our first time arriving in a port. Puerto Rico was a blast. We arrived early Wednesday morning at 8. Some kids woke up to watch the ship come into San Juan but of course Alex slept in until we docked at around 8:30. We were greeted by the Governor of Puerto Rico. He came on the ship and gave a speech about his country and how proud they were to be Puerto Ricans but at the same time they did embrace the fact that they were part of the U.S. I got a couple good pictures of him walking around the ship afterwards with Desmond Tutu. Desmond by the way has been all over the ship hanging out with us. Last night I was in line with him at dinner and he threw so much Tabasco sauce over his food that it almost made me nauseous.
Back to Puerto Rico though. The day we arrived I had a kayaking trip at 1 in the afternoon. We drove about an hour away to one of the nicest beaches I have ever been too. The kayaking was no joke; we ended up kayaking for 3 miles and then hung out on a remote beach until we wanted to leave. We didn’t get back until about seven that night and we took it easy before we went out. That night my friend Keith and I went to a salsa dancing club where we were easily the youngest people there by 20-25 years. But it was still so much fun. We just split a bottle of wine and some calamari and watched everyone dance. After that we met the other 700 SAS students at Senor Frogs for the rest of the night. That was pretty funny, because it was the first chance for everyone to go out and party with one another since the start of the voyage. I have some really funny dance videos, especially of Ashley.
The next day we took it easy. We took a tour of Old San Juan, and went to a beach called Isla Verde. I.V. was just as nice as the beach we had went to the day before. After being there for most of the day we went back to the ship. From there we went to a really nice restaurant in Old San Juan called Café Puerto Rico and had dinner. That night everyone headed to the more local spots to hang out to experience a little more of the Puerto Rican culture, and it was a much more fun evening than Senor Frogs the night before.
On the last day, because we had to be on the boat by 7 that night, we didn’t do too much. I woke up early and went out with Ashley and some of our friends from Boston to Old San Juan to shop. I got a couple postcards, magnets for the room, since I’m doing that in every port, and I also bought some food for the room. It was so hot that I had to go back early though. The girls decided to stay and drink until the ship docked. They were a mess when they came back. Ashley and two others right before they got on actually chugged a pint of Bacardi in a restaurant bathroom before getting on the ship, it was hysterical hanging out with them afterwards because of how the ship started rocking again as soon as we pulled off. I grabbed my stuff and spent the rest of the day at the beach that was closest to the pier. Almost all of the students ended up there that day. We got a bunch of good pictures and footage for my doc. film class too which was good.
Well now we are on our way to Brazil for CARNIVAL. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this voyage even. Everybody is talking about Brazil and what’s to come.Nobody has any clue what to expect for this semester. We are learning about Brazil all week in our global studies course and it just keeps making me more excited. Unfortunately though we do have a week until we get there, which means classes everyday.
I’ll post more soon and will throw up some pictures from Puerto Rico at some point today, I promise. So check back.
Back to Puerto Rico though. The day we arrived I had a kayaking trip at 1 in the afternoon. We drove about an hour away to one of the nicest beaches I have ever been too. The kayaking was no joke; we ended up kayaking for 3 miles and then hung out on a remote beach until we wanted to leave. We didn’t get back until about seven that night and we took it easy before we went out. That night my friend Keith and I went to a salsa dancing club where we were easily the youngest people there by 20-25 years. But it was still so much fun. We just split a bottle of wine and some calamari and watched everyone dance. After that we met the other 700 SAS students at Senor Frogs for the rest of the night. That was pretty funny, because it was the first chance for everyone to go out and party with one another since the start of the voyage. I have some really funny dance videos, especially of Ashley.
The next day we took it easy. We took a tour of Old San Juan, and went to a beach called Isla Verde. I.V. was just as nice as the beach we had went to the day before. After being there for most of the day we went back to the ship. From there we went to a really nice restaurant in Old San Juan called Café Puerto Rico and had dinner. That night everyone headed to the more local spots to hang out to experience a little more of the Puerto Rican culture, and it was a much more fun evening than Senor Frogs the night before.
On the last day, because we had to be on the boat by 7 that night, we didn’t do too much. I woke up early and went out with Ashley and some of our friends from Boston to Old San Juan to shop. I got a couple postcards, magnets for the room, since I’m doing that in every port, and I also bought some food for the room. It was so hot that I had to go back early though. The girls decided to stay and drink until the ship docked. They were a mess when they came back. Ashley and two others right before they got on actually chugged a pint of Bacardi in a restaurant bathroom before getting on the ship, it was hysterical hanging out with them afterwards because of how the ship started rocking again as soon as we pulled off. I grabbed my stuff and spent the rest of the day at the beach that was closest to the pier. Almost all of the students ended up there that day. We got a bunch of good pictures and footage for my doc. film class too which was good.
Well now we are on our way to Brazil for CARNIVAL. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this voyage even. Everybody is talking about Brazil and what’s to come.Nobody has any clue what to expect for this semester. We are learning about Brazil all week in our global studies course and it just keeps making me more excited. Unfortunately though we do have a week until we get there, which means classes everyday.
I’ll post more soon and will throw up some pictures from Puerto Rico at some point today, I promise. So check back.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Chillllling
So i have gotten some emails from people saying that I am not posting too much. Grandma actually went so far as to tell me how great the other SAS kids blogs have been. Well those kids must be staying up all night and missing their classes to do that because we have so much stuff to do on this, we go from meeting to class and then more class. So ill try and keep updating as much as possible. We are about to go to a meeting about arriving in port and the whole deal with getting off and on the ship. So i have to go but grandma I was only kidding im glad you're reading this as much as you are.
Oh yeah, on the 7th deck there is a grill that serves hot dogs and hamburgers until midnight. It's been so nice to have them, mom i have already had 6 hot dogs since Ive been here. Phil graham if you were here you would live at that grill, its right up our alley.
Oh yeah, on the 7th deck there is a grill that serves hot dogs and hamburgers until midnight. It's been so nice to have them, mom i have already had 6 hot dogs since Ive been here. Phil graham if you were here you would live at that grill, its right up our alley.
Puerto Rico Manana
Hey, Let me apoligize for my spelling errors, as well as my future spelling errors, now. It seems I only end up posting on this blog right before I have a class or a massage to get too, so I have to hurry. That was a joke mom. The spa on board is ridiculous, by the way. They offer 10 different types of massages. I'm definitely going to need them after the rough times when we port in all the cities.
We arrive in San Juan tomorrow morning early at 8:00. We are already an hour ahead of east coast time and I was lucky that i remembered to set my clock last night and make my class at 9 this morning. In Puerto Rico I am doing a Kayak trip and a biolumnescent tour. Biolumenescence is the phenomena that happens in only a couple places in the world. Organisms will glow at night. Thats pretty much all I know so far. The rest of the time im just going to be surfing and kitesurfing with some guys I have met on the boat.
One nigth in San Juan I think some of us are goign to get a hotel room. Just to experience a little more of the flavor of the culture of course. Every student on the trip takes a class together in the student union every morning, it's called global studies. All that you are taught is about the countries you will be going to. It's interesting because allows you to learn about more stuff you can do, say and apprecaite when you get there.
Oh yeah i'll be starting up a trend from the USCfootball message boards that they use. After I come back from countries, instead of detailing everything i do I am going to give small brief summaries which are called slacker reports. Each slacker report will be unique to the country i just visited. You'll see what I mean shortly. I know all my college friends are laughing at that but I think it's cool. Alright well I am going to go out on the deck and hop in the pool, it is hot today and really sunny. Im getting so dark, I cant even imagine when I get to Brazil. I'm sure I'll leave as dark as the natives. Also, signing day is tomorrow for college football recruits, aka one of my most important days of the year, say a prayer for SC!! Oh yeah dad, phil g and mike found some housing, expect news via email about that shortly!
We arrive in San Juan tomorrow morning early at 8:00. We are already an hour ahead of east coast time and I was lucky that i remembered to set my clock last night and make my class at 9 this morning. In Puerto Rico I am doing a Kayak trip and a biolumnescent tour. Biolumenescence is the phenomena that happens in only a couple places in the world. Organisms will glow at night. Thats pretty much all I know so far. The rest of the time im just going to be surfing and kitesurfing with some guys I have met on the boat.
One nigth in San Juan I think some of us are goign to get a hotel room. Just to experience a little more of the flavor of the culture of course. Every student on the trip takes a class together in the student union every morning, it's called global studies. All that you are taught is about the countries you will be going to. It's interesting because allows you to learn about more stuff you can do, say and apprecaite when you get there.
Oh yeah i'll be starting up a trend from the USCfootball message boards that they use. After I come back from countries, instead of detailing everything i do I am going to give small brief summaries which are called slacker reports. Each slacker report will be unique to the country i just visited. You'll see what I mean shortly. I know all my college friends are laughing at that but I think it's cool. Alright well I am going to go out on the deck and hop in the pool, it is hot today and really sunny. Im getting so dark, I cant even imagine when I get to Brazil. I'm sure I'll leave as dark as the natives. Also, signing day is tomorrow for college football recruits, aka one of my most important days of the year, say a prayer for SC!! Oh yeah dad, phil g and mike found some housing, expect news via email about that shortly!
Monday, February 5, 2007
On Board...
Yo this is wild. I woke up yesterday just before 7 and boarded the ship at 8. It took me only about an hour to unpack and I have so much more room than I thought. My room mate's name is Alex too and he's from Big Spring, Texas. He's awesome. We havent had any classes yet but I am writing this quickly so that I can make my first. I met a girl that goes to USC and have been hanging out with her Katey, and Ashley the most. We are completely surrounded by water right now and it is so strange to see. Every body is in their bathing suits sunbathing on the deck. We have orientatiton all day, which is pretty annoyign but it's so much easier to meet people. I just met a kid who went to UF that was at the championship game an dthen an OSU kid who was there to started talkign to us. Kids are from all over, its awesome. Aklrigth i have to go see ya guys..
Saturday, February 3, 2007
From The Bahamas..
Hey guys this is my first post since leaving the states, and I didn't really want to start the blog until I left so expect new posts alot more frequently.
It is amazing here. So much has already happened, I can't imagine how I'll be feeling after this trip. I've met so many kids so far, all of them being from around the US. I was surprised to meet a bunch of kids from Pac-10 schools.
Last night we all went out to Senor frogs, a bar about 5 minutes from The Atlantis. It was alot of fun and there were so many SAS kids there that you couldn't even meet them all if you tried.
Oh yeah, when we first got to the Bahamas, when we were stil in the airport, we met a girl named ashley from Wash. St. She came here alone and we took her with us to the hotel. She's awesome, Katey Scanlon and I have hung out with her the most so far. Tonight we have a cocktail party on the ship, then we are eating at Nobu, and then gambling for the rest of the night. Ill be rotating between the roulette and carribean stud tables.
The ship is enormous we can see it from the hotel and it looks insane. We move in tomorrow at 730 in the morning. Until then...
It is amazing here. So much has already happened, I can't imagine how I'll be feeling after this trip. I've met so many kids so far, all of them being from around the US. I was surprised to meet a bunch of kids from Pac-10 schools.
Last night we all went out to Senor frogs, a bar about 5 minutes from The Atlantis. It was alot of fun and there were so many SAS kids there that you couldn't even meet them all if you tried.
Oh yeah, when we first got to the Bahamas, when we were stil in the airport, we met a girl named ashley from Wash. St. She came here alone and we took her with us to the hotel. She's awesome, Katey Scanlon and I have hung out with her the most so far. Tonight we have a cocktail party on the ship, then we are eating at Nobu, and then gambling for the rest of the night. Ill be rotating between the roulette and carribean stud tables.
The ship is enormous we can see it from the hotel and it looks insane. We move in tomorrow at 730 in the morning. Until then...
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