Just Your Average Day Riding A Camel, In the Sahara

So Morocco was my fist and only overnight trip through Semester at Sea. I decided that I didn’t want to risk having a bad time or not feeling safe in the country so I chose to do the four day and three nights trip to Marakkech and Camel Trek in the Sahara. Immediately after the ship was cleared we got our stuff and headed to the buses and we were on our way to Marakkech. It was a three hour bus ride, that was wonderful. Our guide’s name was Jamal, and he was the youngest looking 28 year old I have ever seen. After we arrived in Marakkech we ate lunch a restaurant in the old medina (old city), where we had Chicken Tajine. A tajine is the thing they cook their food in and it’s what the dish is called as well. After lunch Mike, Alyssa and myself head out to the souks (markets) in the medina. We enjoyed perusing around and had a light dose of bargaining and we bought these cute hand painted bowls for ourselves but stopped there since we still needed to trek out to the Sahara. After about 25 minutes, it started to down pour, out of nowhere. Well not completely nowhere, seeing as we saw the nasty clouds but we thought they were going the other way. Needless to say, we were getting drenched and my camera was exposed so we ran under someone’s souk and they let us stay there until it died down. They gave me a plastic bag for my camera since I didn’t have a bad with me, they were really nice. Later my friends Vanessa and Alex came running up to us and they were DRENCHED. We stayed there for about 30 minutes and once it was done we ran to where the buses were thinking they would come early for us, but NOPE. Once we got to the buses we headed to our hotels and got ready for our dinner at 8:30, I am not used to eating that late anymore so it was hard. We went to this place we now call Fantasia because it was like the Morocco World that never made it to Epcot at Walt Disney World. It was a cool experience and we had couscous and other delicious foods. The next day we woke up early for our drive to the Sahara stopping for lunch along the way where I ate pigeon (it’s considered a delicacy in Morocco), and in my opinion, ONE LESS BIRD for Kate to be scared of ;). When we reached the camels we loaded up and trekked about an hour to our nomad camp which was much more than I expected.  It was beautifully decorated and all our tents were up. We watched the sunset and took fun pictures and then had dinner at 8:30 when the sun went down since it was Ramadan and we had to wait for them to eat which was cool. Then we continued to celebrate through out the night with the nomads in song and dance, and go to see the women make fresh bread and what not. We played games and chatted till around 1AM and then I rested my head on a pillow that was outside in one of the areas where we had dinner, since ther was a rather large bug in my tent when I  went to change. I bundled up and made sure my pants were tucked into my shoes and I covered me ears and wore a jacket no bugs for me thank you! The next morning we woke up for sunrise and hiked to the top of the hill and took more fun pictures then got on our camel and headed back for the buses. We drove again back to Marakkech and had that night on our own. Our tour guide decided to take us to a private restaurant in the medina and it was wonderful, we drove by the mosque and saw 40,000 people praying and then as we got off the bus, they all started walking towards the medina at once, it was an amazing experience to be a part of. We saw the celebration in the medina all night and it was awesome. I was definitely glad I decided to take up the offer my tour guide provided. The next day we woke up early and headed out to the souks again it was about a 35 minute walk and we spent the day shopping away at everything we knew we wanted to buy.  Then we headed out of Marakkech around noon back to Casablanca. I didn’t really spend much time in Casablanca I went to the wannabe souks they had just to get some last minute stuff I needed, and my sister’s tea since I couldn’t find it in Marakkech, but I was back on the ship by 12:30 and didn’t leave again as I didn’t really find Casablanca that great of place and it was a really far walk from the ship to the port gate. So I enjoyed laying out and hanging out instead. Overall I had the greatest cultural experience while in morocco hanging out with the nomads and the locals. Being a part of the Ramadan experience and learning all that I could about a country that is unified by their religion. It  is truly amazing to me how unified Morocco was as a country because of one religion, something very different from the United States where religion has torn our country apart. Congrats if you read through all of this!
Ashley

Even If You Are A Vegetarian?TRY THE HAM!

We arrived in Cadiz and I woke up the earliest I have ever woken up at 6am, watched the sunrise and our porting into Cadiz. I went out on a hunt with friends to get my bus ticket for Sevilla the next day. We ended up with some really bossy girls in our group who were too dumb to bring some currency with them or a debit card and the banks were closed, so of course it becomes our problem! Finally myself and Lindsay and Mackenzie split off from the pack and went walking around Cadiz by ourselves. It was such a cute little town and I enjoyed walking through the alleyway neighborhoods and seeing where they live and how they interact with each other. We ran into some of my other favorite girls on the ship, and took pictures with them by the beach and did a little shopping. We went back to the ship around 12:15 to eat lunch and then Lindsay was off to her tour. I then went out with Alyssa, Denim, Kristen, and one of my roommates Liz. We walk around some more and we had lunch with them but I dind’t eat and got some ice cream and then went back for Siesta time. Later I went out with a way too large group of friends and we probably walked a good 4-5 miles because someone said it wasn’t a far walk, and we were always almost there…NOT. Most people saw the down side of it, but I said “I’d rather be walking five miles in Spain, than in Thousand Oaks, or Indio”. I just didn’t understand how they didn’t appreciate being in Spain. Finally after three break offs from the group it was myself, Denim, and the two boys were following all night that led the group. We ended up hanging with the locals on a beach bar and walking along the beach. It was a really good night and I went to sleep at 3:30 AM and woke up 3.5 hours later for breakfast and getting to the bus station hoping my friend Sam who I convinced to come last minute with me could get on our bus that morning. So day 2 was our trip to Sevilla, we went by bus and got there around 11:30 and we walked around all day. We saw the Catedral, went up La Giralda and took pictures of all of Sevilla, then went to La Plaza de Espana, and el Palacio de San Telmo. I was exhausted and we headed back to our hostel, which was amazing because we could call home for free, free internet and breakfast and we paid 16 euro for the night. Later we went out to dinner and it took two restaurants to eat since the first one pretty much made us so uncomfortable we left, but the second was amazing and lots of fun. I didn’t go out because I was exhausted and went to sleep early and survived my first hostel ever which was a great experience. The next day we woke up and went and finished up with the Alcazar. It was beautiful! We spent about two hours there and it was so huge, I was so overwhelmed I just stopped taking pictures because they did not justice of the place. We finished the amazing garden which reminded me of so many movies with the extravagant gardens like the Secret Garden. We had tapas in the garden cafeteria and then headed out to catch our bus. While we waited for our bus though, there was a riot going on and it was really interesting to hear and see, and then it was also scary because the police were suited up and ready to shoot fire if necessary. A couple of hours later we got on our bus and headed back to Cadiz. That night Lindsay and I hadn’t seen each other in forever and we just wanted to hang out so we ate dinner on the ship and went out for Sangria and conversation. Then we ended up at a club and stayed out with the Spaniards till 5:30AM. The following day I walked around Cadiz shopping last minute with my roommates and then went off with this girl Corrin who was by herself and did my shopping. We got back on the ship by 4:15pm and on ship time was 6pm. I went up to the pool and tanned and got in the pool with my friends. All in all, Spain was amazing I can’t wait to go back.

Adios,
A-Ram

I'm on a ship in the Middle of the Atlantic!

Well let’s do a run down of the last few days I have had since I left home! I flew out of LAX at 10:38pm arrived in Baltimore at 6:41AM plane delayed so I missed my flight in Toronto to get to Halifax arrived in Halifax an hour later and had the person I was sharing a room waiting for me with two other people from her flight, there were semester at sea kids everywhere particularly everyone that was work study. Lindsay is the girl that I met at the airport along with Kelsey and Kareem…we then all proceeded to the Westin, and Kelsey ended up staying with us instead of going to the hostel by herself. I had lots of fun with them. The next day we got up and headed out to the ship to check in for work study. Had some orientation type stuff and they put us straight to work for a few, later that evening we went out with another girl named Alyssa, and sat at a restaurant and chatted and had some hummus and what not. We didn’t go to “The Dome” where everyone was meeting at from SAS because we heard from the locals it was sketchy and not to go on THURSDAYS lol. I was supposed to meet Mike there, but I didn’t go and then when I saw him he said yea neither did I. It’s pretty fast paced going on the ship once the other 460 or so students got on, it’s funny to see how people self select themselves with others on the ship and great to meet tons of people, we are much smaller than most Semester at Sea communities but it’s a lot of fun so far. I found out that I am working for Student Life as their Activities Program Assistant…aka. I DO ALL THE ACTIVITIES…it’s like being Jesse or now Ryan as PB Director but not PB under you, and with 1/16th of the resources and funding. Yea…. So I am supposed to put on events every day except two days before port while at sea just for an hour and a half and what not so if you have any ideas that could be thrown my way for activities on a ship with not even markers and no funding let me know! Leaving Halifax was amazing, I couldn’t believe it, when we  finished our lifeboat drill and then we all go to the top it was sooo crazy I got chills because we were finally and there was no going back, but WHO WOULD?! Orientation day sucked it was soooo long and the ship was moving which doesn’t make me sick at all instead I fall asleep on every soft surface I sit and since this is a ship,  that used to be a cruise ship…that is all there is…MAJOR PROBLEM. I can’t really read without falling asleep lay in bed without doing anything. I have so much reading it’s ridiculous I don’t know how to read 181 pages in two days, craziness. My class schedule is interesting but “flexible”. That word is in quotations because it’s the word of the ship we have to learn flexibility in order to overcome our limitations here on the ship. Today was A Day 1 or A1 as we call it first day of classes I had Global Studies and Multicultural Detective Fiction. Tomorrow is B1 so I have Interpersonal Communication and Deviance and Social Control, the professors are awesome (and as I write this I am pretty sure I just heard thunder….crap) and very helpful I love this whole integrated learning thing on the ship having the Life Long Learners and LLCs (formerly known as RDs) and just the family or spouses of faculty and staff. I’m loving it so far and found a group of people for Spain, unfortunately I will not be making it to Granada for La Alhambra like I wanted as time will not permit it but Seville is a go! ☺ And I have a group, like they say, just go with the flow and it will work out so I am pretty much set for everything up till Ghana assuming I get the day trips I want. Sale 1 is taking place and I am sure it’s going to be difficult I didn’t get a home stay and it’s required for a class. Well I have written way too much but last but not least here is some ship terminology for you when I use it.

Forward – front of the ship
Aft – back of the ship
Starboard – right side
Port – left side
Deck – not level or floor
Voyage – not cruise
And finally it’s a friggin SHIP not a BOAT!
LLL – Life Long Learner
LLC – Living Learning Coordinator (formerly RDs for you previous SASers)
CEO – no one knows, but it’s the RAs they changed the names though it’s a new program

P.S – we are the 100th voyage and we have the best shirts everrrrr! And I am the yellow sea deck three in the ghetto haha four of us in one room lame but whatever!

Well, it's time!

So as I write this post I am about 24 hours and some change away from being on my flight headed to Halifax, Canada. What am I feeling? Oh everything possible, you think after leaving for a semester to DC that I'd know how to handle this, but nope, leaving the country and really not seeing anyone I know for 4 months that my friends is a scary concept. I have packed my life into two duffel bags, which tomorrow still need some rearranging for weight limits, and getting rid of some stuff since I think I could lose a few tops, I don't even remember packing pajamas to be quite honest. I have my new billabong backpack I bought today, and my REI hiking/daypack to be filled tomorrow with leftovers and dvds and all that good stuff. I'm sure I am forgetting something but almost positive I will find it in Halifax if need be.

I am excited, I can't believe it's finally here, I've been waiting for this day for two years and it wasn't easy getting here either, but all the stress and troubles and financial figures have worked themselves out and tomorrow when I get on that plane and go to bed for the night and arrive in Canada the next day, it will be well worth it. Sure I am going to cry, but who doesn't cry, it's natural. I'm about to learn to get out of my comfort zone like no one's business, I'm gonna see things very few people will ever get to see and do things even fewer will ever do. I'm going to live up this moment like none before. And of course I am going to miss my beloved family and friends.

Emily, thank you sooooo much for all your help, you could have made me figure it out on my own but you were very helpful, I promise to e-mail you and let you know all the crazy adventures, and ship experiences just because we both know, you will be the only one who gets it, and I will make sure to get dressed, to "go up" and laugh when I do it :).

I'm really excited, and sure as hell nervous and as much as I talked to Emily I still have NO IDEA what to expect, I am ready to meet new friends and meet the ones I am already friends with like Mike the guy from Colorado who we've both already decided is going to be my bestie on the ship. Now I am not the type for experiencing wonderful things on my own, but I am sure I will think of all you that I love so much with every experience I have and at times wish you were right beside me, but know that I can't wait to see you all in January and share all of our adventures abroad we've had!

So my friends, this is the last you will hear from me until I get settled on the ship, to my family that reads this, thank you for being so wonderful and helpful in making this experience possible. if anyone wants to e-mail its: aaramos@semesteratsea.net or aramos@clunet.edu

Much Love,
A-Ram

29 Days!

Holy Crap.

Still a lot to do, and way overwhelmed with everything between work and SAS. Well this is going to be insane but I am so ready and nervous and excited. You think after all the talking I have done with Emily picking her brains to pieces that I would feel like I know what I am getting myself into, I still have no clue what to expect. I've been avoiding doing a day count for the last two weeks because I didn't want to know how close it was getting but I thought it was finally time. So since the last post I have changed and added to my list of what I will be doing. So here is the updated itinerary for myself for each country that I have figured out.

Canada: Explore and go to the club everyone is meeting at.
Spain: Sevilla
Morocco: Marrakech and Camel Trek in the Sahara 4 days / 3 nights
Ghana: still NO IDEA
South Africa: Shark Cage Diving, Skydiving, explore Cape Town (not completely planned yet)
Mauritius: Catamaran, Service Visit, and something else (not completely planned yet)
Vietnam: Hanoi visit, Halong Bay Cruise, Ho Chi Minh shopping day.
India: Dehli, Agra, Varanasi, Kate (hopefully, playing it by ear)
Hong Kong: day of exploration
China: Beijing - Great Wall of China (hike and sleep on), Acrobat show, village visits, Olympic Venues, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, Shaghai.
Japan: homestay one night, and some other stuff that I haven't figured out yet.
Hawaii: surfing, and seeing New Moon in theaters.

So yes, I still haven't set in stone anything in Spain, Ghana, SA, Mauritius, or Japan. So we will see what everyone else on the ship decides to do. I still need to turn in some paper work that I haven't gotten to do, get my yellow fever vaccination, malaria pills, couple of books, another luggage, currency, flight, hotel and I am good. Man...oh and I gotta slang some blades to make some more money. So until either the night before I fly out or the day I move in/on the ship!
A-RAM

70 Days!

-70 days as of Friday, June 19th that we depart from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
- 69 days till I get on the ship because of work study
- 68 days till I get to Halifax.
...not that I am counting or anything...

I'm excited, nervous and scared...and waiting with each day making me a little more anxious. haha.

I feel like I need to get some more research done, but I think I am going to be okay.

Planning China has been going nicely, and I am glad so many people are interested in joining this amazing adventure.

I don't know exactly what I want to do or see in each country yet but here are some tenative ideas:

Canada - whatever I can!
Spain - seville / la alhambra / barcelona
Morocco - marrakech / saharra
Ghana - ...no idea... beach town
South Africa - Skydiving / Shark cage diving / cape town / safari
Mauritius - Scuba diving
India - Kate :) / Taj Mahal / Dalit Village
Viet Nam - ...no idea...
China - hong kong, beijing city tour, sleep on great wall of china, shanghai
Japan - disneyland, hiroshima, tokoyo, ice bar
Hawaii - zip lining, surfing, skydiving again, see New Moon (yes, I will go watch a movie cuz it's Hawaii and not a a foreign country), call Matt Sagum!


I need to get my plane ticket, shots and pills, books, and figuring out my packing situation hah! OH man...

95 Days & Counting

Hello,
So a little update on Semester at Sea. I am officially going, a lot of things are finally coming together in terms of funding. For once in my life I received financial aid, I got $4,000 from the program through work study in the Student Life office, two hours a day every day that we are at sea but not in port. Also, my grandma decided to give me my money left by my great grandma early, sine I am not supposed to have it until I am 21, so that was another 5,581 dollars towards Semester at Sea that I was hoping she would give to me early. I am really excited! I love talking to Emily about everything. Right now I am planning the Great Wall of China trip or the entire China Indy Adventure which should be really cool since a lot of past SASers and have used the company and really enjoyed it. I can't figure out when I am going to go fly to Canada cuz I want to see some of Halifax but a lot of people aren't going till the 26th and I have to be on the ship the 27th so I want to go the 25th, hopefully more people will go and I can find some people to room with or something. I need to get working on my visas and stuff, I am being a total slacker, not okay, but I am also just working a lot right now, it's a Vector Summer you know what that means! I am actually having a horrible summer start. Oh well, I'll do better eventually...hopefully