Getting Her Sea Legs

My apologizes for not having written to you in a while.  Honestly, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed… in a good way!  Okay let me retrace my steps so that I may, to the best of my abilities tell you what’s been happening. 

My first full day on the ship was interesting to say the least.  I shall call this chapter of my Voyage: “Getting Her Sea Legs”.  Granted that I have never been on a large sailing vessel, never partook in the likely of cruising across a large body of water, or even been off land for more than 5 hours, I thought that perhaps I would fall victim to what is often referred to as sea sickness. 

Some of the other voyagers (that is what we are affectionately referred to as by our faculty) have been plagued in the worst way by this nautical nausea.  Running to bathrooms while clutching their stomachs and mouths, drugging themselves with all kinds of prescription to hopefully prevent these occurrences I, luckily enough, have not been subject to this kind of torture, which our on board physician said: “can be cured by a tree in Spain” (i.e. Land).  The only symptoms I suffered were headaches.  and the occasional tripping.  Walking on a boat…  I mean ship (this has been drilled in us that we are on a SHIP not a boat, and that this is a VOYAGE and not a cruise, dually noted). 

Anyway, my mechanical skills have been strengthen by this experience.  I have gone to the gym everyday since arriving onboard.  The first day I tried out the treadmill….  BAD IDEA, I almost died!  I’ll let you use your imagination for most of the details, but let’s just say we hit a wave or more so the wave hit us, and I hit the floor and almost took out two people on the elliptical.  So, for the rest of my journey I’ll be burning up my caloric intake on the elliptical machine. 

I should tell you about the accommodations of the ships, I don’t want to deny you all of its glory and grandeur.  Well as you’ve read it’s equipped with a gym containing: 1 treadmill, 5 elliptical machines, 3 cycles, and 2 stair masters.  There are also 5 weight machines on deck 7, and they have a closet full of yoga mats and jump ropes.  Next to the gym is a fully staffed spa/salon, where you can get your hair and nails done, along with aromatherapy and massages. 

The dining areas can be found on the 5th and 6th decks, and they have an outside café on the 7th deck by the pool.  I’m feeling a little spoiled because the crew come and take the dishes off of the table when I’m finished, and refill my cups if I get parched, like seriously!  We even have cabin stewards who make our beds, everyday, and clean our bathrooms, fold our clothes, and provide us with fresh towels.  I’m living the life. 

The people are cool.  I’ve met a lot of individuals that I have become fond of in this short time, we’ve planned trips to the different countries that we will be exploring in the up coming days, weeks, and months.  I’ve also signed up to be on committees throughout the ship.  I’m one of the event planners; my duty is to come up with events (DUH) for the shipboard community.  Sunday (tomorrow) our first event is “Rock the Boat” a ship wide dance.

 I also am Sea Council Representative for the Red Sea.  It’s our version of a Student Government Association.  “Sea” is also code for our floors, and my floor section is called the “Red Sea”.  So my duties are to make my cabin mates aware of activities, ask them if they have any concerns and rely those concerns to the leadership (Dean of Students).  This position also makes me co-captain of our Sea Olympic teams, which are held at the end of the semester.

All this and you’re probably asking yourself when do I have time for class.  And the answer is plenty, plus school comes first.  The courses that I’m taking include: Intro to Political Theory, Global Studies (which the entire ship participates in, including the other faculty members), and African American Women Writers.  Both of my teachers are professors from the University of Virginia.  I have about 30-50 pages to read a night for my classes; but luckily, I’m through with all of my classes at noon.  So, I have time to get everything done. 

My favorite place on the ship is the 7th deck.  That’s where I go to read.  I slide one of the chairs close to the railing and just take it all in.  I can’t even describe it….  I don’t think I could really do it justice, but I keep saying to myself “your in the middle of the ocean, on a magnificent ship, being educated” (maybe I don’t say all of that but something to that degree), but I’m just mesmerized none the least every time, all the time.  I don’t think that it’s actually hit me yet, but I’m taking it all in.  I love it and feel so privileged.