Words Are Not Enough

Probably the most constant questions I will be getting asked are,

“How was it?” “Was it fun?” “Have you changed?” “What was your favourite place?”

These questions can simply not be answered. I am sorry, but too much has happened that has changed my life in ways I never thought possible.

At a personal level, I felt like this has changed me as a person. Yeah, that may sound absolutely cliché and cheesy, but it really has. I feel more aware. I feel lucky that I live in a country where I am free to be whoever I want to be. I got to see the ways other people live; I got to understand their culture. Probably one of the most life changing events that happened was in Panama when I ventured into the Darien Jungle. We were at a village where children were attending school. They showed us a dance performance that they had worked so hard on. This village had a population of around 30 and the living standards were definitely not near as luxurious as we have back home. They treated us like gold and they felt honoured to show us their village and their culture. I was in such awe and shock at the time. It was so beautiful. These words are not enough to express myself. However you thought it was, think of it like 200 times better.
I guess you could say that living with college level students made me also change. Now I know what you are thinking, but they truly had a good impact on me. They were sort of like brother and sister figures to me.

But the most rewarding and best experience on this trip was being lucky enough to share this experience with my father. I am the luckiest kid on earth to have a father that cares about me so much. He let me go into the Darien Jungle. He took me to the very top of New Zealand. He didn’t fuss when I got back in the room at 1 in the morning. He encouraged me to take photos and let me stay somewhere until I got the photo I wanted. He sped along the highway in New Zealand to catch the sunset on the beach for a great photo op. He took me around the world. He cares about me that much. I probably wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun on this journey without my father. Sure, I had fun with my friends many times, but the times with my dad were the ones I will remember forever.

So having to say that to every person who asks me about this voyage will soon get tedious, and a lot of people will not fully understand. Like I said, think of these experiences, and multiply them by 200. That is how amazing they were. So if I had to tell people one phrase about my journey, I would say, “I could explain it to you, but you wouldn’t even get it. Words are not enough.”

Davis

Ask me?

I’m excited to be going home! I’m excited to share my experience with others! But I’m uncertain how I will adjust or respond to my “old” world? I’m uncertain what to say to family and friends when they ask me about the trip, what was your favourite country, what did you like most, what did you like least, how have you changed?

In preparation for your questions I would like to share some thoughts. What I might say in response to “how was your trip?” is to start by saying the trip has been overwhelming – the travel, the places, the people and the experiences. After that it will be difficult to describe what that means.

How can I explain the feeling of floating in crystal blue warm water off the island of Tahiti, basking in the sun and watching small fish swim by? Or sitting in a restaurant with new friends in the old part of Panama City savouring every bit of local cuisine and wine that is bursting with flavour and freshness? Or seeing an amazing sunrise almost every morning while sipping on a coffee and waiting for the breakfast line to open?

How can I describe strolling through a banana farm in Ecuador having conversation with the owner or our mentor? Or explain how I felt sipping a cappuccino at a sidewalk café in Lisbon with new friends from around the world? Or writing a song about TSS (sung to the tune of YMCA) on the train from Beijing to Shanghai with ship colleagues (of course after a few beers)?

Will people really understand how it felt to pull into the various ports at 6:00 am and see things like the Sydney Opera house? Or the sense of awe we felt traversing through the Panama Canal? Or participating in a traditional dance with the Embera tribe? Or cycling through the streets of Auckland in and out of traffic, up and down the hills to viewpoints that are amazing?

If asked “what was your favourite country” it will be difficult to describe all of the “pictures” in my head like the snow covered Great Wall of China, the white sands on the beaches of Greece, Tahiti and Australia, the lush forests of Panama and New Zealand, the neon lights of Shanghai and Beijing, the colors of the traditional dress of the indigenous tribes of Ecuador or the monuments of early explorers from Portugal.

In response to your question “how was your trip” I will continue to explain how the experience has been humbling – the sense of privilege I that I have, how fortunate I am to have been born in Canada, to have the means to make choices, to have the health that allows me to travel, to have access to education that has opened my mind to the world and, and …

I’m humbled by the poverty and inequity in the world and how those that “have not” make the most of what they “have”, each other, laughter and a life full of joy. And those that “have” often lose sight of the simple pleasures of life like relationships and sharing meals and conversation with each other.

I have been humbled by realizing how much I don’t know about the world and the people from around the world. I am humbled by the wisdom and knowledge of the students, faculty and staff that I have had the pleasure of learning with. I am privileged and humbled by the new friendships I have with people from all over the world.

Most importantly when asked “how was your trip” I will tell you the best part of the whole experience is that I did these things with my son, Davis. My head is full of pictures of the two us trying to get the best shot on a beach in New Zealand or standing at the most northern part of New Zealand in awe of the view. Me heart has been touched by hearing about his adventures in the Darien jungle or our discussions about what we have learned and how we’ve changed.

It will be difficult to explain to others the sense of pride I felt while watching Davis assist in a ship-wide photography workshop or perform in a one-act play. Or how inspired I am to see his photographs being displayed or seeing him take on responsibilities with the camera crew.

Of course there were challenges, but without challenge there is not growth. If asked “how was your trip?” I will have to say I was challenged by the diversity, the organizational processes, the inefficiencies, teaching in the ship environment, the unfamiliarity of the ports and myself. I have been challenged by living without my family for four months, by living in a confined space, numerous days at sea and ship life in general. So in response to your question “what was the best part of the trip” I will respond by saying it is these challenges that will provide lasting memories and perhaps have had the greatest impact on my growth.

Have I changed? I am certainly more global in my experience, my perspective. I have been humbled by this life experience. I am closer to my son than I was before as we’ve shared something special together that few will ever get the chance to enjoy. I am more understanding of differences and similarities. I hope I am more patient, accepting and loving. I believe I am a better person for having experienced the world aboard The Scholar Ship!

Thanks for asking! I hope you’ll understand!

Ken

Those Random Ideas That Brew In My Head: Ramblings

I was so excited to go to China because I had been studying it in school for 3 years straight. I felt like I had a good sense of the culture. It was interesting watching a textbook turn into a reality, but I soon learned that textbooks teach you barely anything. That may seem like a rash statement, but it is so unbelievably true. Sure, you read about the history of the rulers of China and the impact they have on the people, but you can only get a proper sense of their situation if you are in it or directly in contact with it. That is just one example.

While I was at The Great Wall in Beijing, I had an unveiling realization. Think of how big that wall is. We are astonished today at how big it is. I mean, it can be seen from space; it is obviously huge. Now put yourself in the Huns shoes back when it was being built. You arrive on horses, preparing to attack China. When you arrive, this wall is in your way. You have never seen anything like it. This wall that spans several thousand kilometres is standing in your way. I think that would be a pretty baffling sight. Since the wall had design flaws in it (e.g. parts easily breakable, breaks in the wall to allow farmers to get to either side) the Huns easily found a way through, but still, imagine this structure that you had no idea about just all of the sudden be plopped there. Mind-boggling, yes?

China thinks big. Everything is in mass. Size, architecture, items, population – everything is bigger. They are so advanced in every way as well. You have probably heard of the theory that ‘China will take over the world’, but there are all the right reasons that they could. For starters: they are a third of the world’s population. How hard could it be to take over the other two thirds? Another big theory that I stirred up in my mind is the intelligence of the people. After years and years of communism ruling China, the generation of children will become the smartest people to walk this world. Being born into communism, these kids learn strict discipline, and they are focused, and not distracted. I feel that us ‘Westerners’ are taught and run in ways that let us get distracted and brought away from our goals. China is so focused that they get what needs to be done, done. They are productive. I remember watching a film called ‘Manufactured Landscapes’ about a photographer that documented the industrial world of China. There was a scene of a girl, probably 15, that was part of the process of putting together a computer. Her job was to simply screw in the chip. They work 18 hour days with limited breaks, and it took her around 4 seconds to complete her step in the process. I did calculations to see how many chips she completed in a day. I took out 600 seconds for breaks, which probably consisted of using the bathroom quickly, and I came up with 16000 chips. 16000 in a day. No complaints, either. They just do as they are told. In Canada or America, there is no possible way that we could have that type of discipline. Back to my original theory, these people will build such productive routines and personalities that they will become geniuses and soon rule the world! It is a simple theory that could be branched out into a million twigs, but I hope you catch my drift.

All in all, China was astonishing. I always had admired China, and finally standing on top of The Great Wall was the time where I thought, “I am so lucky.”

-Davis

China is ‘chillin’ and ‘hot’!

‘Chillin’ – short for chilly or cold – yes, we noticed the change in temperature just off the coast of China. They even moved breakfast indoors from the Lido deck to the Coral dining room. As we pulled into Shanghai at 2:00 in the morning it became even more noticeable.

So off we went looking for warm clothes (jacket, scarf and hat for Davis and hat and scarf for me – I borrowed some mittens). After two days of wandering the streets of Shanghai (shopping, sight-seeing and eating) it was off to Beijing on a shore excursion.

There were 60 of us who boarded the train at 7:30 pm for an all-night ride to the capital of China, Beijing. It was lots of fun, squeezing eight of us into our room for wine and cheese (compliments of Dana) and then trying to sleep in the hot and stuffy cabins.

Upon arrival in Beijing we immediately noticed a further drop in temperature (close to freezing). So prior to starting our first tour many folks were seen “haggling” over prices for hats, gloves and scarves. Davis bought a pair of gloves for just over two dollars.

As we toured the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square it became obvious that we still were not prepared for the damp cold. A hot lunch warmed us up somewhat but that afternoon at the Summer Palace we were still ‘feeling the cold’.

That night Davis and I figured out that we needed a second layer on our legs as well as a layer or two more on our upper body. The next day we were prepared as we wore our pyjama bottoms underneath our pants and added a couple of layers for the top. Of course it snowed which actually proved somewhat warmer than the first day.

We were more than prepared for our hike up the Great Wall as we quickly warmed up with the climb! It was amazing even though our view was limited by the snow and overcast day. Davis even skateboarded on the Great Wall (a student had brought her skateboard with her)! The afternoon we finished up by walking down the “Sacred Walk” and visiting The Ming Tombs. Another great day, especially as we were prepared for the cold!

Our last day in Beijing was sunny and ‘chillin’! We toured the Temple of Heaven and Hutong (old part of Beijing). Once again we were prepared for the penetrating breeze and our ride on the bicycle pedicab. We finished our tour of Beijing by shopping in the very warm Pearl Market. Then it was back to the train for our overnight trip back to Shanghai and an even warmer night in our sleeper cabin! All-in-all a very ‘chillin’ experience!

‘Hot’ – slang for ‘lots happening’ – I guess I had heard that China was growing and modernizing at an amazing rate but I was not expecting so much to ‘be happening’. One of the guides joked that the national bird of China was the crane, the building crane that is so prevalent on the tops of buildings.

There is so much construction and development going on much of it in preparation for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The infrastructure (i.e. roads, transportation, tourist facilities and so on) seems quite developed.

Cars are everywhere as are bikes and still a few “rickshaws” (either motorized or bicycle powered). Air pollution is quite obvious although we’ve been fortunate to see blue sky from time to time. Multinational corporations are also prevalent (from McDonalds and Starbucks to telecommunications and other global companies).

Tourism appears to be booming although we are in the low season. Street vendors are everywhere and are quite aggressive at times. The Chinese have discovered the joy of travel and can be found in large numbers at various tourist sights.

It’s been an exciting port with ‘lots happening’! Some highlights include: The Great Wall, negotiating over prices, The Legend of Kung Fu show, going into the home of a Chinese family in Beijing, riding the bicycle pedicab, the Drum Tower, the Forbidden City, the Sacred Walk at the Ming Tombs, Temple of Heaven, a Chinese Opera, the train ride to and from Beijing, the foot massage, the Chinese food, the silk factory, walking the Bund and the streets of Shanghai and, and, and!

China is definitely ‘chillin’ and ‘hot’!

Ken

P.S. Stay tuned for an update from Davis!

Smooth sailing - for the most part!

We’ve been on the water now for eight days, four to go to Shanghai. Does it seem like a long time? Some days for sure, yet much has happened to keep us occupied, challenged, learning, laughing and sane. A few highlights:

Star Wars – a “fun” battle between the resident communities (e.g. relays, basketball, mask making, skits, hall decorating, tug-of-war and so on) and a good diversion from the “stresses” of assignments and the long voyage.

Classes – are winding down (class numbers 16-19) with assignments coming in, student presenting their work and final exam preparations – so much to do in so little time – we’ll see how we meet the challenge

One act play night – a 24-hour event where small teams wrote, produced and performed a one-act play – a great night showcasing, once again, the many talents onboard the ship including Davis cast as Sam in a very “moving” and entertaining story (ask him about it)

Barbecue – an excellent event (in the wind and rain) outside on the Lido deck with plenty of barbecue meats (chicken, hamburgers and ribs), Caesar salad and other fixings – a great diversion from our “regular” meals in the Coral dining room

The Crew Talent Show – another wonderful night of entertainment put on by the crew of the ship – plenty of singing, dancing, comedy and fun! Definitely a well-timed highlight of our voyage as it is great to see the crew in a different role! Lots of cheering, hooting and hollering!

Dana – a good friend of ours (faculty member) was evacuated in Papua New Guinea due to some medical problems. He received a “royal” navy send off with ship whistles and songs playing as he disembarked on a waiting coast guard boat. He is currently in Australia receiving treatment – our thoughts and prayers are with him!

Classical music night – it’s amazing to see the talent of our students as they sang and played instruments for a very enjoyable and relaxing evening of classical music

Meetings and other sessions – whether it’s a faculty meeting, student voice gathering, United Nations conference, language class, next voyage orientation planning meeting, self-defence class, boot camp workout and so on, there is plenty to keep us occupied, challenged, learning, laughing and sane.

Still to come is the Masquerade Ball, community meeting, marking of papers, session #19, preparation for China and . . .

And of course we still have our amazing sunrises, sunsets, expansive ocean view, collegial conversations over cappuccino, beer or meals and . . .

So as you can see, life is full (and smooth sailing) onboard Oceanic II!

Bring on China!

Ken

Davis' Australia Experience!

In Australia, it really struck me that I was half way around the globe. I have traveled almost all the way around the world; nearly every continent. I realized how lucky I was to have this experience. Not many people get to experience something like this. I also realized that I will probably not get this experience again, so I have to make the best of it.

During our week in Australia, I got to see some pretty amazing sights. I got to see a play in the Sydney Opera House called Vienna Woods, I got to go to Bondi Beach and see a sculpture exhibition, and I got to go to the Blue Mountains. It is so surreal because these sights are world-renown and everyone knows about these places, and I get to see them.

The Opera House was so cool! It is amazing standing beside such a wonder of the world. I saw a play called Vienna Woods. Surprisingly, it was not very expensive; only 28$ for someone under 30. The play was quite good too!

It was quite a task to get there (Subways, trams, buses) but when we got to Bondi, it was such a beautiful little town/beach. We saw a sculpture exhibition that was going on while we were down there. A whole bunch of sculptures made of various mediums were on display by a whole bunch of different artists from all around the world.

On the second last day, I went to the Blue Mountains on a tour bus. We got to hike around the area and explore on our own, then they took us for lunch in a little town, and then we went to the Animal Refuge Zoo. I got to pet a koala! It was so soft! Kangaroos were just jumping around the park, so I got to interact with them as well!

Those were the main excitements of my time in Sydney. I am a little disappointed in myself because most of the time in Sydney, I was sitting around, going to Starbucks in the same place everyday. I did see some pretty cool things, but I felt like I could have done more. Hopefully, I will get to go back to Australia for a longer duration in the future!

G’day mate!

How’r ya? Yes, two days in Australia and I’m already using the language! Sydney is quite the city, over 4 million people spread over a very large area. Lots to see and do! The day we arrived in port there was a large contingent of TSS folks who “hopped” a bus and headed out to Bondi Beach to enjoy the sun, shopping and the last day of the “Sculptures by the Sea”. As well as enjoying Bondi Beach I was able to take in the sights (i.e. shops, families, restaurants, exhibits & performers), sounds (i.e. people laughing, children screaming), smells (i.e. fresh air, food cooking & ocean) and tastes (i.e. coffee, pizza) along Darling Harbour, a tourist and local “Mecca”.

The second day all of the Academic Field programs headed to Macquarie University for a general orientation to the University, Sydney and Australia. Similar to events in British Columbia, we were also given an indigenous welcome by Uncle Greg Sims. Our specific AFP ended the day with a session on the Australian economy, which has been quite robust in the last ten years. It was suggested the election that happens on our last day might change all of that.

On our third day we hit the road and headed north to coal mining country. We were first given information about the coal industry at the Coal Industry Centre and then a tour of an open cut coal mine. I think students were most impressed with the average truck driver salary of $110,000 and the gigantic machinery used to dig and carry the coal.

Day four was on the ship where we had sessions with the NSW Department of State and Regional Development Trade Services section and the NSW Business Chamber. Here we mostly learned how well Australia is doing in the export world.

Day five was a hit as we headed up to Hunter Valley where we were treated to a wine tasting and tour of Lindeman’s Winery, a session with the regional tourism association, a great lunch Harrigan’s Pub, a session with the manager of Hunter Valley Gardens Resort and a tour of the Hunter Valley Gardens. A “jam-packed” day with many sights and sounds and tastes to enjoy!

Our final AFP day had only a session in the morning with an investment banker from Macquarie Bank. Interesting stuff that the bank is involved with (all over the world) from bridges and toll roads to hospitals and retirement homes. The afternoon was free time to enjoy a variety of Sydney sights (e.g. Chinese Gardens, sushi for lunch, browsing in the Queen Victoria Building, browsing in Paddy’s Market, the Sydney Tower viewing deck, the Oz Trek, the rooftop beer gardens, the wine bar and so on).

Our last day in port Davis and I headed out to take some last photos for his social studies course and have one last Starbucks coffee. After phoning home we headed back to the ship in preparation for departure.

Back to the seas we go! Let’s hope it’s not as rough has our journey from New Zealand to Australia.

Ken

Here’s My Update!

New Zealand was definitely my favourite port so far. It was really interesting being in a metropolis environment again! The city was so beautiful. It reminded me of Vancouver so much. The great part about New Zealand is that you can enjoy the busy city, but also escape to the beautiful outskirts.

The first day, Erik, Melanie, Amanda, and I all went out to explore the city. It had been a while since I hung out with the staff, so it was good to spend the day with them; like old times. We walked around Queen St, which was the main hub of the downtown area. We visited a few stores, and then went for lunch in a beautiful Thai place called Mai-Thai. It was so good! We came to the conclusion that it was so good because we had been eating ship food for so long and that we finally ate something with decent taste. After that, Erik and I went on our ‘tech hunt’. We sat in Starbucks, enjoying high-speed internet over a good Chai Latte. Decent internet is such a surprise to everyone now, because we have been stuck with the horrible internet on board the ship. After we checked all of our e-mails and local news, we left Starbucks and went to camera and computer shops. Only if I had money… . We bought the new Mac operating system for Erik which he was pretty excited about. The Mac store was so cool! Everyone has Mac computers on board the ship. They are so awesome! I want one so bad. Christmas? Haha, I wish. After our hunting, we were tired, so we returned to the ship.

The next day, Dad and I went to the outlet mall! It was huge! I bought so much. I bought 2 hoodies, 2 tees, 1 dress shirt (very classy), 1 blue tie, and a book. It was great bargains! I couldn’t have passed them up.

The third day, dad and I went on our big adventure! Great F&S (father/son) time! He gave the general speal on what we did, so I won’t chronologically spell it out for you. My favourite places were the sand dunes, where we enjoyed sand boarding! Dad had the record for farthest run, but I conquered him by only a foot on my last run! Me and dad conquered the hill. Nobody touched our records. I also enjoyed Cape Reinga, the very northern tip of New Zealand. It was a beautiful view. We took a whole bunch of pictures there! We had an amazing, life-changing time together.

When we got back on day 6, Dad got to go cycling! I hung out with some people, and we went to Esquires for more coffee and internet. I was surprised to see Mom and Lex online! I went on webcam and they got to see me in New Zealand, and I got to talk to them! I also got to talk to all of my friends at home! It made me really miss all of them, but not much longer until I can again!

Davis

On the road (sea) again!

I just can’t wait to get on the road (sea) again (an old Willie Nelson tune)! Well, actually I think most of us would prefer to stay a bit longer in New Zealand. It’s been another great port with lots of laughing, living and learning!

It started off with a couple of celebrations – one to say thanks and goodbye to Jim (the IT guy) who is heading off to New Orleans to manage his bar Finnegan’s in the old French quarter (see you there Jim for our TSS reunion) and Dana who celebrated his 70^th birthday in style (a couple of us went running with Dana, 7 km’s, one for every decade) – lots of laughing at these celebrations!

But first things first, my first experience in New Zealand was to get off the ship for a hot cup of coffee – next up was a shopping trip to an outlet mall (jeans, shirt, tie and book for me and five shirts, a tie, sunglasses and book for Davis) – you’d think we hadn’t been on land for weeks!

New Zealand just kept getting better as Davis and I rented a car and headed up island – first stop the Bay of Islands (very scenic and very historical) where we caught a ferry to Russell (very much like our visit to Sonitula this summer) and hiked and poked around the island. Next day it was a stop at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds (the birthplace of New Zealand) where we learned about and experienced the Maori culture. We continued up the east coast through several fishing villages to the tip of the island (Cape Reinga) where the view and scenery were fantastic as was the sand surfing on the dunes. We raced back down to catch the sunset at Ahipara where the 90 mile beach begins. Our third day was down along the west coast and through some very hilly and winding roads through sheep and cattle farms and forest where we saw the “Tane Mahuta” (one very large Kauri tree, much like our Cathedral Grove trees on Vancouver Island). Of course we laughed and learned about driving on the “other” side of the road where the biggest problem was switching on the wipers instead of the signal light – we made it back to the ship though, through some very busy Sunday afternoon traffic heading into Auckland. All-in-all a wonderful life experience with Davis (thanks son!)

Experiencing Auckland was easy as we were docked right in the “heart” of the city, everything easy to walk to or take a bus. Thanks to Christy for renting bikes with me for the day and peddling along the coast through Mission Bay and up to some fantastic view points and then ferrying over to Devonport to cycle up to another fantastic view point. And thanks to Shirley and Elizabeth for taking me for a walk along Mission bay (after we took a bus to get to Mission Bay)

Ports also allow us the wonderful experience of sampling the local cuisine, beer and wine (and tasting flavours and freshness we don’t always get on the ship) – thanks to Dana, Brachir, Christy, fellow Rotarians (and of course Davis) and others for sharing these experiences at places such as Portofino, Tagore, Thai chilli, the Fish Pot, Duke of Malborough Hotel, Y Not Bar and Café, the Auckland Club and so on and so on!

Yes, I think I could definitely stay a bit longer in New Zealand to laugh some more, live many more moments and learn much more about the country and culture! Till we meet again New Zealand!

Ken

P.S. Stay tuned for an update from Davis

It’s hard to explain?

Some things are hard to understand even when you experience them. To explain these experiences to others is even more difficult. For instance:

We just lost November 5^th! The whole day has been wiped out as we’ve crossed the dateline. Insignificant for some but significant for others (e.g. a birthday disappeared).

A few weeks ago we crossed the equator where my “pollywog” status was replaced with “shellback” status. I have a certificate to prove it.

Flying fish – one of the most common species we’ve seen is a fish that flies.

The power of the “human spirit”, a spirit that seeks understanding and is filled with hope for the future, hope for something better

A “world of differences” but at the same time a “world of similarities” – different cultures and life circumstances but similar dreams and aspirations

Students and staff that step up and lead – “Leadership is like beauty – it’s hard to define but you know it when you see it” Warren Bennis

The disappearance of so many things in such a small confined space – what happens to all of those electrical cords, plug-in adapters, I-pods, white board markers and so on?

Through challenge, adversity and dissonance we learn and grow – difficult to see and understand in the present but so clear in reflection and hindsight

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t you’re right.” Henry Ford

Relationships with people give life meaning even though life’s greatest challenges are relationships with people

The excitement of reaching a port and a new city, country and culture – the comfort in returning to our home on board the ship and continuing on our journey

Put a ship load of students, teaching staff, administrative staff, intercultural residence coordinators and crew from over 50 countries together for four months, mix in an academic program designed by seven different universities from around the world, visit seven different countries with structured and unstructured learning opportunities, something great is bound to happen!

Hmm, as they say “you had to be there.”

Ken

P.S. Today we arrive in New Zealand (home of the All Blacks)

P.S.S. Happy 70^th Dana!

Tahiti Treats!

It was quick, it was expensive and it was a real treat! We were only there for a day and a half but I’m sure most of us would agree that Tahiti was a real treat! I think the first thing everyone noticed was how expensive everything was. From the eight dollar beers to fifty dollar tourist shirts, everything came at a hefty price. Rumour has it that Tahiti is the second most expensive tourist destination in the world (I think Japan is number one). Nevertheless, some of my Tahiti treats include:

Docked right downtown! We were within one or two minutes of the centre of Papeete and even less than that to take a ferry to Moorea!

The island of Moorea, a half-hour ferry ride away! A number of folks stayed overnight at various resorts on the island while many of us went to the island for at least a half-day. The ferry ride was scenic as was the island.

Swimming in the crystal clear blue warm water off the island of Moorea! After a 4 kilometre walk from the ferry we came upon a wonderful white-sandy beach just on the other side of a resort.

Walking on land after 12 days at sea! Walking through Papeete and on Moorea was a pleasure as we were able to “stretch” our legs and “experience” the city and island by seeing and hearing the sights and sounds.

The central market and craft exhibition! There was plenty to see at the craft exhibition and central market where local artisans displayed their crafts and Tahiti tourism souvenirs were in abundance.

The French cuisine and wine! It’s always a treat to taste such fresh and flavourful food and wine. It becomes even more of a treat when you can share the enjoyment with friends. Thanks Bachir, Dana and Christy!

Five days until New Zealand! I wonder what treats are in store for us there?

Ken

Tahiti went by way too fast. I wish I had more time to explore the region and do more of what I wanted to do there.

The first day we got there, we jumped off of the boat at 12 o’ clock right as it docked so we could maximize our day. A whole bunch of us wanted to go surfing that day, but by the time that we would have gotten the equipment and to a decent beach, it would have not been worth it, so we decided to wait for the next day. In replace of surfing, we went around the city. We went to the craft market, but everything was so expensive that buying things was out of the question. From 30$ plastic earrings to 400$ ukuleles to 1000$ black pearls, everything was way too over priced.

You could notice the loss of culture due to the French invasion, but everything was still so beautiful. Everyone was always happy. We ate at a little place called Le Retro, which was pretty cool, but a crazy guy came and sat with us. We were trying to get him away, but he wouldn’t leave! It was really funny, and I couldn’t stop laughing. He was complaining how everyone thinks he is English, but he is actually French. He didn’t even make any sense. After eating my 5$ panini (which was reasonably priced) and my 5$ coke (which was not), we decided we needed to hit up a beach. We got on a bus that locals said rode along the shoreline and stopped at great beaches, so we got on the bus. We hit a traffic jam, and were pretty much locked. We decided to just jump off of the bus. We saw a resort up ahead, so we decided they must have a beachfront, so we walked in there like we owned the place and went and sat down at their beach and pool. It was so beautiful, and we never got caught! We sat in the water and watched the sun set. It was like in the photos that you see of an ideal, picturesque paradise. It was a great way to spend the evening. When we decided we needed to get back, we asked a local where to catch a cab, but he offered we could ride in the back of his truck for free! We said, “What the heck; why not.” so we hopped in and had an awesome ride in the back of some random man’s truck.

That night, we decided we wanted to go find a nice place to eat. After searching for a long time, we got to this place called Modern. It was really high end, but it was reasonably priced! A 20$ meal in Tahiti is a bargain. I had a great lasagne and a coconut and pineapple drink. We spent a bit of time there and enjoyed ourselves there before returning to the ship.

The next day, we were planning on waking up at 8 to discuss our surfing plans, but I slept in until 11! I was devastated. I slept in while in Tahiti, and I missed doing the one thing I wanted to do; surf. I ran around the city trying to find someone I knew, and finally I found a student, Laura, who was in the same boat as me. We decided to go to Moorea before we had to get back to the boat at 4. The day turned out surprisingly nice. We got off of the ferry and went to find a nice beach. With the limited time we had, we found a decent beach with nobody on it. We just went into the water and sat there for like an hour and a half. It was so awesome. The water was actually hot, not warm, HOT. After that we got back on the ferry back to Tahiti Island, and got back on the boat, preparing for our 6 day endeavour. Now I have to write a 4 to 10 page essay about Tahiti. Wish me luck!

-Davis

Rock’n roll!

We are rocking and rolling in more ways than one! The last few days we’ve had “rough” seas meaning we tend to rock back and forth quite a bit. In our cabins we can watch the ocean disappear and then re-appear through our cabin porthole. The same is true for the sky. In bed (and while we’re sitting) we find ourselves sliding (not too far but nevertheless sliding back and forth). In the halls and on deck no one is able to walk a straight line. Fun to watch! Running on the treadmill poses its own problems.

On board, things have been “rock’n roll’n” in terms of events. A few days ago there was a very successful auction (both live and silent), raising funds for a school program in Africa. A variety of “things” and “people” were auctioned off. Davis raised money through auctioning off a personal photo shoot and then a day-long date with himself including breakfast in bed and carrying books to class. I’ll let Davis tell you more about that.

Also, we recently had a very moving and exciting intercultural night with performances from many of the cultures represented on the ship. Songs, dancing, skits and even a fashion show from around the world. Highlights for me were the dances from Morocco, Ghana, China and India and songs from talented musicians from Australia, USA and Indonesia. And of course seeing Davis modeling in the fashion show (more on that from him).

There’s the usual “rhythm” of the classroom, meetings, meals, movies and more! Tahiti is two days away. Rock on!

Ken

Ferry rides from Vancouver to the island will feel motionless now. Nothing will compare to how rocky the seas are right now. You find yourself falling over and hitting unexpected walls, as well as falling off of your bed if you aren’t paying attention. I have developed an iron stomach. It sure is fun though. It is like being on a ride 24/7.

A few nights ago, students put on a charity auction to raise money for schools and communities in Africa. The turnout was great. We had people auctioning off massages, jewellery, t-shirts, vacation homes, tours of their home cities, dates, etc. People bid unbelievably high! I think having a bar at the venue was definitely a plus. I auctioned off a photo-shoot, and Alfred (the onboard life director) won the heated live bidding with 60$! My first paying job! I still need to talk to him and figure out when he wants his photo session. I also auctioned off being someone’s boyfriend for the day. I was coaxed into it by my friends, so I said, “What the heck, why not?” I ended up being in a heated battle between many wanting people. I eventually sold for 140$ to one of my good friends. She said, “I couldn’t stand seeing all of those other girls wanting you that bad!” It was really funny and we all joked about it for days. Yesterday, I gave her breakfast in bed, carried her books, and walked her to class. It was pretty fun, but I usually hang out with her daily anyways. It was for a good cause though, right?

Two nights ago was Intercultural Night. People displayed their culture in dances, speeches, songs, etc. A fashion show was also displayed at Intercultural Night, and I was in it. It was alright, but sort of dumb that we displayed our own clothes. Nonetheless, people all got quite a kick out of it.

Well, that is what has been recently happening on board. Midterms and important papers and essays are in the air and students are staying up all night powered on Red Bull and espresso shots. It is quite humorous watching them get up the next morning.

-Davis

“A few of my favourite things”

If you’ve seen the movie “The Sound of Music” you will recognize the words “these are a few of my favourite things” from one of the songs. So as I sit here with the song in my head I reflect on “a few of my favourite things” on board The Scholar Ship. Or in other words what do I like to do when I’m not in class.

“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” (no, no, that’s from the song . . .)

Having a massage (just had one yesterday – it was wonderful)

Have a drink with colleagues or students in the staff lounge or student centre (just had one yesterday – it was also pretty good)

Reading the books from Davis’ grade 9 English curriculum (there’s some good stuff)

Early mornings on deck (watching sunrises, enjoying an “okay” cup of coffee, chatting with colleagues or students or accessing email when very few people are on)

Writing and reflecting (some of it you see on this blog)

Those extra hour days (we’ve had two more recently)

Morning workouts (alternating between the bike and the treadmill and upper and lower body)

Engaging conversations with students and staff (at meals, at meetings and even in classes)

Being out on deck (enjoying the sun and sea)

Meal times (even though meals are starting to be repetitive and just okay, it’s still a great time to converse with others)

Class preparation (yes, one of my favourite things is to read course material and determine how best to facilitate student learning – as we all know the best way to learn something is to teach it)

Catching up on Davis’ day (we don’t seem to see much of each other even though we’re roommates)

So on that note, over to you Davis . . .

Ken

Days seem to fly by while on the ship. There is so much to do during the day that it is sometimes hard doing everything you planned.

I like to…

- Hang out with my new friends a lot. Most of my time is spent with them.

- Lay out in the sun and tan; occasionally jump in the pool.

- Work out. It is a good way to keep the sickness off of you. Sweat it out. I won the muscle contest yesterday. I had to go up and show of my pipes in front of the panel of judges.

- Lay out in my hammock. I had it up where nobody would find me, so I enjoyed reading or playing the guitar while up there, but someone stole my ropes, so I took it down.

- Playing the instruments set out. They have a bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, a keyboard, and a grand piano. I realized I need a lot of work to get back up to where I was playing piano. I may want to start playing again…

- Participating in the theatre production group. It started yesterday, and it is super fun. We play games and such, and we will write and produce our own play by the end. We practice every class day.

- Napping. It is tiring on this ship!

- Going to the snack bar and ordering a pizza or a smoothie.

- Lastly; homework. Since there is nothing to do, I sit in my room and do a whole bunch of my homework all hours of the day.

-Davis

It's not all roses!

I may have given the impression that everyday is filled with wonderful life-changing experiences! Although everyday is filled with wonderful experiences they often come in the form of challenges (or should I say opportunities). A sampling of these challenges (opportunities):

Internet access and speed – it often takes 5-10 minutes to get connected and then several minutes to download an email or an internet resource – fortunately we haven’t been charged to-date (that changes come Monday)

Limited resources – limited library resources, basic classroom supplies, space for gatherings, extension cords, plug-in adapters and so on

Illness – several students have had to be evacuated (3 out of the 4 are back on board) or quarantined – numerous students have come down with a cold (or flu) and seasickness

Theft – in port students and staff have been “robbed” of some of their belongings (e.g. money, camera, I-pod and so on) – onboard students and staff have either misplaced or been “robbed” of some of their belongings (e.g. camera, I-pod, computer and so on)

The unexpected – I often arrive at my classroom on a blue day at 8:00 am (to set-up for my 8:30 class) to find the classroom filled with musical instruments and chairs from the night before – I then find out the extension cords are missing or that the plug-in no longer works – or I find out I can’t print from my computer – or I find out there’s been a change in our AFP schedule

Competing cultures (activities) – three cultures compete for attention on the ship (the on-board life culture, the port programs culture and the academic culture) – to get the students to focus on their classroom education has been challenging partly because their “space” is filled with other wonderful learning opportunities (e.g. social, physical, travel & so on)

Finding space – there are few “spaces” where you can get away on the ship – you can only stay in your room for so long before you have to “get out”

How do I find the “roses” in these challenges? Early mornings are the best time to access the internet (hardly anyone is on at that time) and I seldom use the internet to seek resources. In terms of resources I scrounge and hoard as well as purchase my own extension cord and plug-in adapters (and of course carry them with me). I also make use of the limited library resources (I’ve rediscovered Encyclopaedias) and utilize the “people” expertise on the ship. To avoid illness I stay active, take vitamins and wash my hands frequently. “Luck” has helped me to avoid theft on and off the ship. To deal with the unexpected I come prepared and “roll with the punches”. Competing cultures will take a bit of a “shift” on my part as well as others. I will continue to emphasize learning both in and out of the classroom and will hold the students accountable for their classroom learning. I will also seek ways of creating a more “integrated” culture where there is less competition. To find personal space I get up early when nobody else is around.

If I still can’t find the “roses” I head off to the student centre or staff-lounge for a Scotch or beer (or Scotch and beer)!

Ken

The Ecuador Experience!

Another port, another “bunch” of experiences! Highlights include:

People, people, people (Olmedo, Ian, Ruth, Johnny, Julio and so on) – we have been fortunate this port to have had contact with some wonderful locals which has really given us a taste of the country and culture. AFP’s were assigned “mentors” to travel with us throughout our 5-day program and we have also been fortunate to be assigned great tour guides and student interpreters.

Our AFP experience – from visiting banana and cocoa bean plantations to packing and processing plants to the port and Corpei (exporting agency) we have learned much about the process of exporting in Ecuador. Along the way we have also been fortunate to experience the local cuisine, crafts, sites and of course chocolate!

The students – our team of 10 post-graduate international business students (and our IRC Dana) have been a pleasure to work with. They have been motivated to learn and engaged in the entire process, taken on leadership of the group and have even produced a paper on recommendations regarding the Ecuador export market. I would take a team of learners like this anytime!

The country-side, the beach, the developing downtown of Guayaquil, the University (UEES), the old part of town, the rivers, the new part of town, the people and places – once again it’s all been good!

Off we go to Tahiti!

Ken

Photos!

It is just Davis updating here!
I finally set up a Flickr account and that is where I will post photos!
It is the only site where it is possible, and I can group them.
I put my Panama pictures up, so go and check those out!
I will update photos regularly there, so check back frequently.
Click

Talk to you later!
-Davis

Panama Port Reflections

Tonight we have left for our next port in Ecuador. Memorable moments in Panama include . . .

Interacting with the Embera tribe

Tasting the rich flavours and freshness of a 12-course Panamanian meal at Manolo Caracol (old city) with friends from Morocco, US, Scotland & New Zealand

Watching traffic go by in the Panama Canal

Swimming in the waterfalls

Catching mosquito larvae in the Gamboa Rain Forest

Boarding and riding the tender boats when we were anchored out in the harbour

Seeing crocodiles, turtles, toucans, birds and butterflies in the wild

Standing among the ruins of the 15^th century old city of Panama (Panama Viejo)

Wandering the streets of modern Panama City (in the rain) looking for the “Crème” (a nightclub where TSS folks were partying)

Watching part of a quarter final World Cup rugby match in a pub on Calle Uruguay and sharing in our New Zealand friend’s grieve (the New Zealand All Blacks lost)

Listening to the sounds of the jungle

Walking the streets of old Panama City (Casco Viejo)

Riding one of the famous city buses from the Albrook Mall to Casco Viejo

Hobbling home in a broken-down taxi with five of us crammed in

Hearing about Davis’ adventures in the Darien Jungle (read below)

Only three more days and we’re in Ecuador! I think I’ll sign up for the “healing mud bath”!

Ken

The last few days have been some of the most life changing events I have ever experienced. I ventured out deep into the Darien Jungle region of Panama with 23 students, and we had the most amazing time. Our trip started off with a four hour bus ride from the boat, and eventually had to change into jeeps since our big van could not handle the tough roads of the jungle. After about 30 minutes in the jeeps, we came to a small village which had a school, a general store, and about 5 houses. I forget the name, but I will update you when I get that information from other people. The kid’s classes were in session, and they welcomed us with a warm heart. They sat us down in their small little desks, and then performed dances for us. They seemed like they were so happy to see us. The kids ranged in age from 5 to 9. Eventually, we were all pulled up to dance by someone. A little girl grabbed my hands and led me to dance Panamanian style. It was so fun and amazing. They treated us to a meal of their own chickens, and the meal was accompanied by rice as well. After we finished that, the kids had to get back to classes, but I first got to say goodbye to all of them and get a group picture with the kids.

The company that put on the tour rented horses from the locals. Advantage Tours is big on community trade and helping the local villages. We mounted the horses and started up the mountain on what we thought was going to be a 3 hour ride. If that wasn’t long enough for you, it was actually 6 hours. My body ached from sitting on a saddle for 6 hours, but nonetheless, it was so fun. The trail was so muddy that some of the horses ended up getting stuck and falling over. Nobody got hurt, but I felt bad for the horses. We finally got to a point that was too steep for the horses, so we had to walk in thick mud and straight uphill for 20 minutes. A lot of falling left people fairly unhappy, but eventually, everyone just didn’t care about the mud anymore. By the end of the trip, we were used to sinking in knee-high mud. My white shoes did not take kindly to that.

We finally made it up to base, which had 5 rooms that each held 5 people. I took top bunk in one of the rooms. The base looked over a huge mountain-top which was so beautiful. Everyone was tired, so we had dinner and went to bed early.

The next day, we woke up at 8 and ate breakfast. The chef, Jesus _[hay-zeus], cooked the most amazing meals. He didn’t even have an oven; just a little stove top. After a big breakfast, we went on a 2 hour nature walk through the woods. We saw green and black poison frogs, monkeys, toucans, amazing birds, and the beautiful trees and forest. We also learned about the forest and the trees in the area. That hike was easy. We got back and ate lunch, and then ran down to the river. We swam in the river under waterfalls and in pools. It was incredible! It looked like a movie. We got back and sat around camp, because we were too tired to do anything else. We had dinner, and then followed up that by playing cards and the students drank the alcohol that they bought for miniscule prices at the super market. It was like 5$ for a huge bottle of anything! I went to bed fairly early that night.

The next morning was about the same as the first, except instead of going on a 2 hour hike, we went on a NINE hour hike to the top of the mountains that look over our camp. It was probably one of the hardest hikes I have ever done. We saw all of the wildlife that we saw in the previous hike, but we saw a whole lot more of them this time around. That took us the WHOLE day, so we got back, ate dinner, and then had another night the exact same. That was our last night on top of the beautiful mountain.

The next day was earlier than the rest, because we had to pack up and ride back down the mountain. We cleaned up camp, and then grabbed our bags and left. The ride down on the horses only took half the time, and it was so fun! My horse was really aggressive and always wanted to be in front. My horse also loved to run. At the end, the guide told us to finish it off on our own, so we ran at full speed with the horses! We were going so fast! It was one of the highlights of my trip! We returned to the village with the school, returned the horses, and waited for the others, since we were so ahead from running. When we all got back together, we got back into the jeeps and returned to our van.

We rode down the road for about an hour until we got to a little locally-owned restaurant. We had a great meal of beef, chicken, or pork. We piled back into the van and kept going for another 20 minutes until we got to a native village. They only have visitors every 2 months, so they welcomed us very happily! They were wearing their traditional attire; topless, men and women. It was such a cultural experience. They danced and danced and then asked us to dance with them! They also showed us an enactment of getting married for the women. The girls get married at 15! They have to do a test for virginity; they tie a string around her neck, and if that string doesn’t go over her head, she is ok. We were nervous because somewhere in translation, that information got switched. We thought she was going to be in some trouble, but luckily, she was ok. The second test was to give her an alcoholic/narcotic beverage, and if she passes out, she is a virgin. It was very interesting and different. After the demonstrations, we had free time to talk to the children and buy handicrafts from the family. That went on for about 2 hours, but sadly, we had to leave to get back to the ship. It was a sad goodbye, because we all became quite close to the kids. As soon as we got into the van, I slept until we returned to the ship. We said goodbye to the three guides and presented the 250$ we gathered for tips to them, and the 350$ for the school at the village. They were so appreciative of the money, and we hope it got to the school OK.

I will never forget that experience in the jungle, and I bet it will be pretty hard to forget it with SIX HUNDRED pictures.

-Davis

Adventures Everyday!

Wow! Something extraordinary happens almost everyday both on and off the ship. As I’ve mentioned before we have had several guests on board giving lectures and sharing in class discussions. From time to time we have other scholars, researchers, press, partner institutions, parents, politicians and others. Today a number of University career/academic advisors are joining us from Panama to Ecuador to get an idea what the Scholar Ship is about, and hopefully, recommend the experience to their students.

Every evening I look forward to hearing from the various Academic Field Program (AFP) experiences from students and colleagues. Some work really well and others don’t quite provide what they promise. Fortunately students and staff make the most of all of these experiences and come away with some good learning.

Shore excursion experiences and independent travel are also shared when folks return from the day or in some cases several days away. Some times these experiences work and again, sometimes they don’t. Either way there is always something to talk about.

Yesterday a group came back from the Pirates of the Caribbean excursion with stories of over-promising and under-delivering or miss-delivering. It seems they spent the whole day driving back and forth in Panama not really seeing or learning much. One participant even had a reaction to the bug spray she used and had to head off to the hospital (everything is okay). Another participant said “we were captured by pirates and driven around on a bus”.

I talked to a few students today about their adventures to the east coast of Panama to the best beaches. They said they had a great time with several challenges to overcome. There are many more stories like this.

For me, I just got back from a great day canoeing (with a motor) up the Chagres river to a wonderful waterfall and swimming spot. We then headed to a community of the Embera Tribe (13 families, 62 people) where we were fed a wonderful meal of Tilapia (fish), plantain and fresh fruit. We learned about their history, were entertained with music and dancing and then had the opportunity to purchase their hand-made crafts. Oh, and did I mentioned we saw crocodiles, turtles, numerous birds & butterflies and other jungle “things”.

Yesterday I went hunting mosquitoes. Not really hunting. There is an international research team onboard who will travel with us and collect mosquitoes and larvae from around the world. I was research assistant along with several others. We essentially found a pool of water came up with a sample and then “sucked” up any larvae we found (of course there is lot more to it than that). Oh, and did I mention we saw toucans, sloth, numerous birds and butterflies and other jungle “things”.

As they say you really need to be here as this is only a sampling of what we see, hear, feel, smell, touch and do. I can’t wait until Davis returns from his Darien Jungle experience tomorrow. Stay tuned for his “blog” where he will share some of his adventures.
Ken

Preparing for Port!

You can tell by the atmosphere on the ship that we will soon be reaching land (after 11 days on the ocean). Tomorrow we go through the Panama Canal! And then for many of us we are either off on Academic Field Programs, Shore Excursions or Independent Travel. How do we get ready for these wonderful learning experiences?

Well it depends! Most of us have been reading through travel guides, internet sources, promotional materials and briefing sheets. In several classes students do research on the upcoming port. For example, in my human geography class we had a field trip (to the library around the corner) where we identified some basic information about Panama (e.g. population 3,320,000, life expectancy of 72.7 for males & 77.9 for females, 275 people per square kilometre and so on).

Today we had sessions on “The Ethical Tourist”, the local culture of Panama and the current situation in Central America (a presentation by Dr. Eduardo Gutierrez of the UN). Some students had meetings with their learning circle teams in preparation for their AFP’s (they review their five-day itinerary, set some goals and determine how they will maximize their learning in Panama). Tonight we get a safety briefing on Panama and Panama City.

Many students are discussing plans to rent vehicles and travel on their own (independent travel) while others have chosen shore excursions. Davis has signed up to spend five days in the jungle with 14 others. I will probably do a tour of Panama City (half day) and then a full-day trip along the Chagres River to a local village where we will learn about the native culture. In between shore excursions I will be preparing for classes as I am on an AFP in Ecuador.

We will definitely report back on our experiences.

Ken

P.S. An update, its 6:00 am and we are now entering the port. It will take the whole day to get through.

25-Hour Days!

What do you do with an extra hour almost every day? This is often a question we explore in our leisure studies courses. Crossing the Atlantic has given us the opportunity to “live” this experience (five hours in seven days). So what have I done with this gift?

Enjoyed the sunrises

Coffee with colleagues

Course preparation

Writing for our blog

Reading (e.g. “A day no pigs would die” one of Davis’ English 9 books)

More leisurely workouts in the gym

What has Davis done? I’ll let him answer that. What would you do?

What else is new? Today we finish session 4 in each of our subjects, 16 more to go! Tomorrow is a “free” day or should we say “no obligation” day (ha, ha). There is so much scheduled and so much course work to do that I’m sure we will all find something of value to do. I think I will try and do some reading on the deck. The weather has been quite warm as I’ve heard we are in the “Gulf Stream”. This morning it was 24 degrees at 6:00 am!

We have two guests on board travelling with us from Lisbon to Panama. They have interesting backgrounds and provide unique perspectives to our courses. Dr. Eduardo Gutierrez has served for 33 years with the United Nations. He is currently finalizing a paper on “Human Security in Latin America and the Caribbean”. Dr. James Rieley is an advisor to CEOs and leadership teams in both Europe and the USA. He has experience in business and consulting. I hope to have both of them come into my course on Managing Cultural Diversity in Business.

That’s it for now! On to course preparation!

Ken

Things have settled down now on The Scholar Ship and it seems that things are getting into more of a routinely fashion. I am getting more school work done now that fewer distractions are around me. I have become pretty close with a big group of students. I will definitely get some pictures with all of them and show them to all of you. The media lab is open downstairs. It is like my haven. It has 2 iMac computers loaded with all of the things I need, and they have 2 professional video cameras that I love to use. I am probably going to make a few videos that can go up on YouTube or something so I can give you a ship tour, and show you what it is like on board! Today, I sat outside in the blistering sun for 30 minutes and in that time, I got so dark. I will look out of place coming back into winter months. It is fun playing volleyball and basketball up on the top courts. The food has been amazing. I rarely make it for breakfast since I am getting up at 10:30ish. Oh well. My schedule works productively, so there is no reason for me to get up earlier! It works just fine.

Well, I miss you all and hope to hear from you via e-mail or comments!

-Davis

ps. I think someone should come surprise me and dad in one of the ports. Just a simple suggestion.

Farewell to Lisboa!

Tonight we leave our friendly port of Lisbon for the open Atlantic Ocean! We’ve had seven wonderful days on shore with numerous sights, sounds and other sensations! On the formal side of things I’ve been a participant leader with the International Business and Communication undergraduate learning circle students, a group of 66 very diverse and dynamic learners. More on that latter … Fortunately for me my partner participant leader was Yas, an energetic and highly capable IRC (Intercultural Resident Coordinator). AFP’s (Academic Field Programs) are coordinated learning experiences with partner Universities, businesses, tour companies and other organizations. As in most learning opportunities, some were better than others. A few samples of our learning adventures …

• Introduction to ISCTE, (business school)
• Learning about Sonae and experiencing Continente (department store)
• Visiting and learning about the Belem Tower & Monument of the Navigators
• Learning about early explorers at the Maritime Museum
• Experiencing the Jeronimos Monastery
• Sampling products and learning about Belem Pastries
• Feeling the “bumps” and “eating” dust on the Sintra Jeep Safari
• Standing “on the edge” at Cabo da Roca
• Wandering the streets and experiencing Sintra
• Experiencing and learning about mythology and history at Quinta da Regaleira
• Learning from the Jeronimo Martins (food distribution) experience in Poland from the Strategy and Development Director, Margarida Martins Ramalho
• Exploring “Entrepreneurship – Theory & Practice: A Dialogue Between Entrepreneurship and Culture” with Professor Virginia Trigo from ISCTE
• Receiving a hospitable presentation and tour about Grupo Luis Simoes, a trucking and logistic company, from Antonio and Andreia
• Learning about Audax, a centre for entrepreneurship and family business at ISCTE, from Rui Ferreira the Director
• and so on and so on …

On the informal side of things, numerous sights, sounds and other sensations were also enjoyed. These include …

• Savouring the fine port and wines (and beer) of Portugal
• Experiencing “life” in the port community
• Tasting the local cuisine (e.g. cod dishes, sardines)
• Enjoying a “real” cup of coffee (cappuccino)
• People watching at the many outdoor restaurants
• Meeting locals in their home environment (e.g. the Estonian server in the cafeteria, Valdemar the Renault car salesman from Porto)
• “Feeling” the local culture on the many forms of transportation (i.e. buses, street cars, metro, train, by foot & taxi)
• Sharing the experience of Fado music and Portuguese dancing with Dana, Shirley and Bachir at O Forcado in the eclectic and delightful Bairro Alto district
• Hearing, smelling and watching life on the streets of Lisbon during our various walkabouts
• Joining all of our students for a night of food, fado (“Tuna Academica de Lisboa”) and fun hosted at, and by, the University of Lisbon
• and so on and so on …

It’s been fun, flavourful, educational and exhausting! I need a rest.

-Ken

Portugal has been amazing. It was far more amazing than I thought it would be! Dad covered a lot, so I will make my share short. The days have been pretty laid back. The first day, we walked into town and saw the main square. It was beautiful. Musicians filled the streets, as well as outdoor restaurants and civilians. We walked around down there, until I crashed. They (Dad and Bashir) dropped me off, and then went out for dinner. I had dinner on the ship that night.

For 2 days, I rested and just chilled out on the boat. It was relaxing. On day 3 in Lisbon, we went on our AFP, which was a discovery walk/tour of Lisbon. We ventured into the Belem area of town, which is historic and beautiful. We saw monuments and statues, followed by a maritime museum. It was neat to see the paths the Portuguese took in their explorations, as well as seeing the models of their ships. Following the museum, we went to an old Catholic monastery. It was absolutely beautiful. It was decorated so incredibly inside and out. After that, we went to the legendary Belem Pastries shop in the Belem district. They have a secret pastry recipe that only three people in the whole entire world know. It was delicious. I truly think it was just sugar and butter, but it was very tasty. Following that, we got back to the ship in time for lunch.

On day 4, we had an amazing adventure. We went on our Sintra Jeep Safari. We got in jeeps and ventured off. We first went to the most western point of Europe. The people of Europe used to think this was the furthest west you could ever go. If they went any further, they thought they would have fallen off the world! I lost my sunglasses at the end of the world. What a story to tell. We got back into the Jeeps and then rode down a narrow, windy cobblestone and dirt path that led us through the bush and into a little village. It was so amazing! They had a little marketplace, colourful buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, and local inhabitants. It was the true Portugal. It was so beautiful and cool. It is what you see in those movies. We didn’t stop there, but we got a pretty neat ride through. We kept going and ended up in a nice park. No vehicles can go in there, but the jeeps were exempt. It was a nice ride, as well! We ended up at a beautiful viewpoint of the area. We sat there for a bit and nibbled on our lunch, and then went on our way to Sintra. Sintra was a beautiful town full of cobblestone streets, back alley shops, and amazing foliage and sights. I could definitely live my life there. We were left to explore freely in Sintra. After an hour or so of exploration, we were regrouped and walked to a palace. It was astonishing. The garden was massive. Everything there was so picturesque and perfect. We got a very informational guided tour and walk around the area. We got to the top and walked down ‘the 9 stages of Hell’. It was a 9 story hole that you could walk down. The fall wouldn’t be pleasant. Rituals used to be held at the bottom of the grotto. We waked down, and then escaped through a little, pitch-black passageway. Scaring people around the dark corners was quite a laugh. We walked to the end and then got a tour of the actual palace. It was beautiful as well. Tired and sore from walking, we left Sintra in a tour bus. We got back to the ship after a long day. Sleeping wasn’t hard after that day.

The next day was a rest day. By the evening, I was quite bored. So the video crew, the two other kids, and I went out for a night filled with Fado music, food, and Sangria, which is absolutely delicious, by the way. The night was beautiful. The music was so pretty. I passed as 16 so it was all good. =)

The next day was a breather day. Stephanie, the coolest faculty member on this ship who is from London, and I went out to the center of the city again. We pretty much just wandered around. We looked for new sunglasses for me, but were unsuccessful. It was fun anyways. That night, we got dinner actually served to us. It was really weird and random. The university held a dinner and entertainment night, but I was so tired so I stayed in that night. I went to bed early. So now we are on to today. Today, we got up early (9:00!) and went back to the city again. I got all of my hair cut off by a local barber! It was really funny. Communicating was so hard but funny. A great ‘cultural experience’, right? I also got a whole bunch of clothes. It is so cheap in Portugal! I got 3 nice tees from H&M for 9€! I spent probably 120$ cad. It was well worth it though. =)

Now we are awaiting our departure for a 12 day excursion. It will be pretty cool! I am looking forward to Panama.

I am becoming friends with a lot of cool people. The students and staff are so nice and cool. I really got to get going on school work, though. I doubt that will be a problem with a 12 day sea voyage, though.

Well, that is all for now.

Time for our Titanic voyage across the Atlantic! Let’s just hope that we don’t sink.

Wish us all luck!

-Davis

Sights and Sounds of the Sea!

Day 8 at sea! We’ve definitely experienced a variety of sights and sounds of the sea! Sunrises and sunsets are spectacular! Yesterday we felt, heard and saw what rough seas could be. Although it only lasted a few hours we were tossed around and rocked to sleep. White boards tipped over, students sat on the floor in the classroom and “barf bags” were handed out and placed strategically around the ship (e.g. along corridor rails).

This morning we were treated to the Rock of Gilbraltar and views of Morocco. Tonight we were entertained with a pod of dolphins! Tomorrow we hit the shores of Lisbon. Can it get any better?

Ship life has settled into somewhat of a routine. We’ve had two sessions of each of our classes. I teach two classes on “blue” days and one on “green” days. Most students have two classes on each of the days although I’ve talked to some who have three on one day. Classes resume in about nine days. I should say formal classes resume.

Academic field programs that last five days will soon be starting up in Lisbon. These include everything from lectures at a University, visiting a winery, touring castles or the country-side or meeting with international businesses. Now that’s what I call an education!

Included in our education are many extracurricular activities. Emma (one of The Scholar Ship photographers) and Davis hosted a photographer workshop with over 30 in attendance. Tonight we have salsa lessons following our safety briefing on Lisbon. There are many other activities starting to appear (e.g. palates class, model UN, student government, basketball, foosball, soccer, table tennis, an “ab” workout group and so on). Again, that’s what I call an education!

Thoughts – I can definitely see community being developed: more interactions; more student leadership emerging; norms being established; traditions being discussed; ceremony becoming part of the culture; and a definite “spirit” of community. What impresses me most is the positive and accepting attitude, or spirit, of students and staff. Although we’ve experienced inconveniences and small setbacks through our eight days together, there remains this refreshing “spirit” of cooperation and community and virtually no “complaining” and negative attitude. I wonder what it will be like at the end of the voyage? I really do need to pay attention to this and try to capture what makes it work – is it the “nature” of the people, the confined living space, the values of The Scholar Ship or overcoming obstacles together?

On a personal note – I continue to enjoy my morning workouts followed by a coffee, breakfast and conversation. I also am enjoying connecting with students “in”, and “outside of” the classroom as well as getting to know other staff. And of course I’m enjoying my roommate, Davis. Today, with the rest of the students, we started to develop a “roommate vision”. No problems so far, although he continues to come in late and sleep in.

We are definitely looking forward to Lisbon! More on that later…

My days have been pretty unorganized, but that is the fun part of this whole experience; just enjoying the moment and doing things as they come. This morning, I slept in till 10, got up, went to the gym, and jumped into the pool. After I got out, I walked up to lunch. The food is amazing. Words cannot explain it. Tonight at dinner, I tried guacamole and it was amazing. There, mom! I am trying a lot of different things! Tomatoes and onions are even becoming a personal fave. Me and Dad started taking pictures of our cabin. We will take pictures all around the ship, and then post them up somewhere! We will give you a peek at our lives on board. 2 people have already been evacuated for medical reasons! They weren’t related. One had appendicitis, and the other had some bleeding issue. We rode up the coast of Sardinia to drop one off, and the other, we had to ride up the coast of Spain! Me and a few other students came to the conclusion that this is all a MTV Real World season, and they are secretly filming us. All of these evacuations are people getting voted off. Well, that is just my two cents.

We are off to a safety briefing for Portugal.

Talk to you later!

Dave.

Okay.

Me and Dad wrote this yesterday, so we have a bit of updating to do. This morning, we docked in at the Lisbon port at 8. Lisbon is beautiful! We walked around today and saw the city. We didn't see that much, because we didn't want to spoil our tours. Speaking of tours, I signed up for (and payed for) some excursions that will be happening in Portugal! I just chose the ones Dad has included in his AFP (Academic Field Program) so I will tag along with him. We are going on Lisbon and the Discoverers, which is a tour of the city and sights, mainly the marine explorers and their impact on the area. We are also going on a Sintra Jeep Adventure! I am so excited for that. We will be going into the countryside of Lisbon, Sintra, and we will get a Jeep ride to a nice remote location where we will enjoy a nice picnic lunch! It will be amazing. I am so happy right now, because there is an area that you can access free internet from the port while still onboard the ship! The signal is limited, so I am here at 11:15 sitting on the deck of the ship, trying to keep a decent signal. Dad went back out for dinner with some of the teaching staff, but I decided to stay behind and have dinner on board. I didn't feel like going back out again. My feet were dead. We walked for so long! Dad should be back soon.

Well, I am done writing for tonight.

We are missing all of you and wish we could experience this with all of you!

Gooood night.

-Dave