Day 6...Whales Port Side

Day 6/ C 4,  June 20th:

Today is probably the most beautiful days that we have had on the ship!  The ocean is very flat so we are not rocking much and it is about 76 degrees.  Perfecto!!!  That also means that the entire boat is hanging out on the pool deck studying for our map quiz this evening.  What a view…of the ocean…(don’t forget that the girl to guy ratio is 3:1)!  I would bet that not one person is looking at the ocean…  

Switching gears, the food on the ship is now kinda getting annoying.  We always get the exact same thing!  I didn’t know you could call quartered red potatoes so many things.  They become hash-browns for breakfast, baked potato bites at lunch, rosemary potatoes for dinner, or roasted potatoes, boiled potatoes, mashed red potatoes, gratin potatoes, potatoes in stew, potatoes in soup…I think you get the hint. : ) We also have salad (some even have beets…),  PB&J, rolls, cheese cubes, mixed veggies, pasta (every shape, size, sauce and ingredients possible like primavera, alfredo, garlic, marinara, pasta with peas and broccoli, pizza pasta, cheesy pasta, and again I am sure you get the hint), and various soups.  The meat dish varies and is normally good, but just seems like we eat the same thing every meal.  They also have a fish dish every meal, but who wants that!  Yuck!  It doesn’t look like we get normal college food at all.  For example, we don’t get chicken fingers, burgers, or pizza.  That makes me mad.  Ohh well. I guess we could have good food that we eat everyday or bad food of the things we want.  Moving on…

I am beginning to see why this program is so unique. Let me explain.  My International Economics professor is from India, but he has lived in the US for 43 years.  He also travels the entire world teaching Economics to students.  He flew to meet the ship straight from a teaching a semester in China.  The thing that I think is so different is that he really demonstrates how much he cares about his students, what he is teaching, and respecting each person in general.  I have had some great teachers that do the same things; however, it is his mannerisms and his actions that make it remarkable.  When in class, he teaches his lecture through student questions.  If what he wants to cover does not come up in class that day, then we will talk about it another day.  He also wants to make sure that everyone is enjoying being in his class.  When you ask a question in class, he moves to the end of your row and listens to your question without interrupting, without moving, and completely focused on you.  He then thanks you for asking the question and proceeds to answer the question.  If more than one hand is raised, he tells everyone that he will get to get to all of their questions and he will.  It is very interesting to listen to his stories, feel his emotions about how America impacted his life, and how he can now be relaxed and enjoy his life.  It is awesome to see the difference in various cultures and lifestyles that I would not have associated myself with back home.  At college, I steer clear of as many foreign professors that I can; however, this is a real eye opener and a good experience for me.  I wish all of you had an opportunity to meet this guy.  Words can’t describe it. 

BTW I am writing this post on the 7th deck watching the sunset just after dinner.  There are students and professors calling out “whale port side” and “whale starboard”.  The whales are out blowing their spray (I don’t know what it is called) about a quarter mile from the ship.  Pretty awesome!  I am looking forward to taking a tour of the bridge!  I just signed up today to go see it on July 7th at 15:00.  It should be pretty cool.  Well, I got to go take my map quiz, so peace!  (BTW I did awesome!)

If there is something that you would like to know that I have not talked about in the blog, send me an email to ktboggs@semesteratsea.net or leave a comment.  I will try my best to answer.  I really enjoy getting all of your comments and reactions to my posts.  I know I don’t respond to all of them, but just know that it takes a long time to write these posts everyday in between sitting on the deck and watching whales…I know what you are thinking…I wish you were here too.

June 20th Noon Report:

1923 NM since Halifax, 357 NM since noon yesterday, 1537 NM to Barcelona, 28 NM NW of San Miguel Island, water is 3600 ft deep, air and water temperature is 68 degrees, swells are 3.2 ft, sunset 21:00, sunrise 6:59, clocks advance one hour tonight so we are currently +5 hrs from EST.