Nzulezu River Ghana

Below is a photofrom the official SAS website.  Jess is with some students exploring the Nzulezu River in Ghana.

Students explore the Nzulezu Water Village in canoes. Photo by Danny Askew, Unreasonable Media.

















Students explore the Nzulezu Water Village in canoes. Photo by Danny
 

Approaching Africa

Jess has left Mauritius and is now heading to South Africa. Jess responded to my email where I told her that I would be out of touch for a period of time.

                                *************************************

Jess, I will be hard to get a hold of for the next several days. I am heading to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shenzhen. You will be in South Africa. Mom will be in IA.

Pappie

                                ***************************

 

Dad,

Thank you for the deposit. Unfortunately, I will have to buy a new camera in South Africa because while on a boat in Mauritius a giant wave hit and destroyed mine. Luckily we will be in South Africa instead of Ghana or somewhere--I think I am going to look for a waterproof one- that way I can take pictures while shark cage diving.

Tomorrow I will be twisting balloons at a children's hospital which was set up by Desmond Tutu.

Have fun in China, I don't envy you....or mom.

Jessica

                                 *************************************

Signed: The Grouch

 

Neptune Day

The MV Explorer crosses the equator the first time during this voyage.   This is a reason to party.  The passengers celebrated Neptune Day.   Below is from the official SAS web site.  In "Where is Waldo" tradition, Jess can be spotted in one of the photos.

Signed:  The Grouch

Photo Gallery: Neptune Day

By: Rico Andrade | Date: 3.15.2013

In a time-honored maritime tradition, the shipboard community celebrated Neptune Day as we crossed the Equator for the first time. Uninitiated “Pollywogs” completed a series of ceremonial rites of passage as they begged King Neptune, Lord of the Seas, to grant them passage to the Southern Oceans and give them official status as “Shellbacks.” The majority of students, faculty, and staff voluntarily joined the initiation festivities.
All photos by Danny Askew, Unreasonable Media.

Crew members parade through the hallways with drums, whistles, and cymbals, giving everyone on board a special early morning wake-up call in honor of Neptune Day.

The crew parade climbs the stairs to Deck 6 after completing their (noisy) rounds through all of the residential hallways.

King Neptune’s army marches across Deck 7.

Professor Ed Sobey kicks off the Neptune Day ceremonies as he introduces King Neptune’s court.

King Neptune (a.k.a. Captain Jeremy Kingston) arrives to preside over the ceremonies as the “Pollywogs” get promoted to “Shellbacks.”

Some crew members play a practical joke on the “pollywog” crew members standing below who thought they were just posing for a picture together on deck 7, but ended up getting doused with “fish guts.”

Lisa Marshall gets “fish guts” poured over her head as part of the initiation ceremony.

After shaving his head, getting doused with “fish guts” and jumping in the pool, Stephen Brown (University of Dayton) shows his respect to the sea by kissing a fish.

Student, Sarah Cady, kisses King Neptune’s ring.

Newly bald Greg Colquitt (Clemson University) smiles as the final few tufts of hair are shaved off. A fair number of students voluntarily opted to have their heads shaved in honor of their new status as “Shellbacks.”

Jordan Loewe (University of Alaska Anchorage) waits nervously as her long brown hair gets shaved off.

The shipboard community gathers around the pool to celebrate Neptune Day.

Remnants of the head shaving ritual litter the starboard side of Deck 7. Anyone who had more than eight inches of hair shaved off were able to donate it to an organization that makes wigs for cancer patients.

Arrival in Cochin, India

Jess arrived in Cochin, India to celebrate her birthday.   She was anxious to tour Agra to see the Taj Mahal.   Unfortantely her friend was not able to join her due to class schedules.   She apparently has gotten some additional responsibility related to the "Balloon Club."  Below is her email to me.

Hi Dad,

So you probably talked to mom and I'm really sorry to do this to you, but I need your input/help for India again.

So when you booked me the flight my intention was to go with Jordan, but 8:00 p.m. is too early for him because he has a field lab for a class/he may not got to Delhi at all. That said I was told by everyone that traveling alone in India is not good,  Especially being a girl getting there at 11:00 at night with no hotel. I'm only expressing this concern because I've heard multiple horror stories. My friend Kelly, who is on the ship, has a friend who was kidnnapped in India when she took a cab alone and was held for ransom for 2 days.

I'm not trying to be dramatic, but everyone I have talked to has said that India is one if not the worst place to travel alone in out of all of the ports. That said, if there is any way you could help me either a) help me get a hotel room near the airport or b) if it is possible to cancel the flight - there is plenty to do in southern India, by Cochin.

I would love to see the Taj Mahal and northern India, but I would only have one day and transportation is terrible so what do you think I should do?

Thank you. I'm so sorry to be a pain in the butt, I know you already booked the flight- but I was hoping to go with Jordan. I want to experience all of India, but would also a) like to see the country without being rushed through everything and b) don't want to die.

Also If the flight cant be cancelled, I am going it is only a matter of seeing if there is a hotel/ maybe getting in earlier when it is a little safer since i wil be alone/ getting a later one that Jordan could get on.

THANK YOU AND SORRY--IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION TO DUMP THIS ON YOU

Sincerly,

Jessica L. Coder

VP of Balloon Club, Spring 2013 Voyage, Semester at Sea

She will be exploring Southern India around Cochin and not traveling to Agra. We have heard Southern India is is a lovely part of the world.   Perhaps we will do a family trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

Signed:  The Grouch

Life at Sea

The below paragraph and link are from the official SAS website.   This is a brief video from last fall's voyage of what life is like for the semester.   I hope you enjoy it.



"Have you ever wondered what it is like to sail on Semester at Sea?  How do classes work? What are cabins like? Where do you  eat? Is there a place to study? How does the community form on the ship?  Watch this informative video to get a glimpse into what life is really like life onboard the MV Explorer, the most unique college campus in the world. Filmed in beautiful time-lapse over the Fall 2012 voyage, follow the journey of students, faculty, staff, lifelong learners and the crew as they embark on a journey around the world."    http://vimeo.com/60493174

Signed:  The Grouch

Burma

I just received word that Jess has departed Burma and received the below email:

"Hi dad, I am leaving Burma today. I had a really good time. Our group hired a tour guide while we were there and it was a good idea because he took me everywhere i wanted to go. We went to remote villages which comprises of 5 stick huts together, we went to 2 orphanages, and I went to an elephant camp and got to ride them. We also saw that shewdagon pagoda in Yangoon. It has been one of my favorite ports even though it is 100 degrees, lots of stray dogs, and its kind of stinky."

Once photos are received (it could be in April) I will share.

Signed:  The Grouch

Reflections on Vietnam & Cambodia and Field Lab in Hong Kong

We are not getting much word from Jess.   We are assuming that she is having a wonderful experience and does not have time to send updates or is simply having technology problems.   Below is a link from SAS Official site regarding Student Reflections on Vietnam and Cambodia, and Field Lab in Hong Kong.   It taks a little time to load.   Please be patient.  I hope you enjoy it.

http://vimeo.com/60464909#t=198

Signed:   The Grouch

Crazy Cambodia

Just received word that Jess is now in Cambodia. 

Jess wrote: "I have had so many people straight up pose their kids in front of me to take pictures with the "white girl". ---Crazy Cambodia

And a note to her mother:

Hi Mom,

I think I am stealing internet right now, so I can't share a lot of stuff right now.  Once I get back on the ship, I'll try to give a better update.  I just wanted to say thankyou for this experience, I can't tell you all I have done in the past few days. Cambodia is probably my favorite place I have been.  I am in love with the country.   I am learning a lot and can't wait to tell you about it!

Jess has been incurring some technical issues.   Photos are few and far between.  However, below are a couple from Hawaii to Hong Kong.   Other than Kobe, Japan I am be guessing the locations.   My guess is the one on the bottom left being Hawaii.   I am guessing the one on the right being in Kowloon (Hong Kong).

TheTrain from Shanghai to Hong Kong

Yes, I really liked Hong Kong. It wasn’t as disgusting. It was fun we went to Shelly Street where a bunch of other SAS kids were and everyone was dancing in the streets.  We also went to Temple Street and had weird food. We had a situation where we couldn’t get into our hostel and it was pretty sketchy. A bunch of Nigerian rascals were following us and all the doors were locked.  In the end, we figured it out and we are fine.

I took a train from Shanghai to Hong Kong and it was literally the most disgusting and miserable experience of my life. Each cabin had 6 beds, 3 on top of each other on both sides. We each got the top so we had to climb on all the other beds to get up there.  There is no room to sit, the mattresses were covered in hair, and everything had a weird stench. The toilet was a squatter and so there was pee everywhere. Not to mention people kept hacking lougies and burping every 5 seconds.  It was a terrible.  The worst 21 hours of my life.  I don't mind taking the train from Boulder to home after that experience.  

I love you.

Desmond Tutu Reponds to Student Questions

Below is a link to the offical SAS web site with a student interview with Desmond Tutu.   Quite interesting.

Student Q&A with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

By: Rico Andrade | Date: 2.01.2013

Students in the Global Management Lens course taught by Professor John Girard of Minot State University  had the opportunity to hear from a very special guest speaker recently. Archbishop Desmond Tutu joined the class for an intimate Q&A session where students were able to ask him about a wide range of topics — from his work with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa to what it was like to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The full audio podcast of the Q&A period is available here.

Typical Day on Board

Below is a post from the official SAS website showing a typcial on board day from a film student.

01.30 Student Story: A Day in the Life

Ever wonder what it is like to be a student at sea?  We asked film student Jordan Mancuso of Ithaca College in New York if he could document one day from start to finish.  Wearing a GoPro Hero 3 camera for much of the day, this is what he put together.

Signed:  The Grouch

First Update from Japan

I picked up this one sentence post from Jess.

"Living the Tokyo life with Sake, Japanese slippers, and some kick ass friends."

All's well.

Signed:  The Grouch

Her Update from Hilo

Hi dad, I have told you a lot about what is going on, but I will give you another brief summary.

So we just left Honolulu after bobbing in the port for a few days. We were trying to avoid a storm, but the skipper says we will hit some of it...good thing I took some Dramamine.

In Hilo my friends and I went to the downtown area and the best way to describe it is as Jordan said, "Hawaii's shit hole" that sounds awful but it is an extremely poor community and is run down, the main drag had 3 discount/ salvation army stores. We then took a cab (as we had to do the whole time because everything is so far away from each other) and we got 2 ladies- one old and one young I tried to convince them to throw a party for us and the old on agreed! We went to a black sand beach and got saw the wild sea turtles that live there. The beach was really small and overrun by SAS kids. We went to the beach the second day as well and saw whales breaching.   It was my favorite part of the the time in Hilo.

The next day, Jordan and I decided to go to the Rainbow Falls because some SAS kids said there was cliff diving there. We went, climbed some rocks to see the waterfall and it was beautiful.  There was no guard rail or anything to block the view.  It was slippery and kind of scary.  No cliff divers.   Next we decided to walk a mile up the road to the Boiling Pots falls...it was a humid trek and when we got there we were disappointed to find that there was no cliff diving there either...the locals warned us that people who just swim may get caught in the currents and drown.  Another  cab ride back downtown and found ourselves at the farmers market.   Lots of interesting fruits and vegetables so we decided to get lunch there....delicious tamales and a fresh avacado complimented by fabulous views of dumpsters and locals carrying dirty carts around.  It was very representative of Hilo. The cabbie driver said we were the most mellow kids they have had…surprising based on the lecture from the night before about how bad we were.

A lot of kids (1/3) of the ship rented rooms in a hotel.  Actually a pro-sports kid rented out nine rooms and had a huge party. They had to replace carpet because someone puked in the elevator.  Thirty IDs taken confiscated.  There were 40 cases of extreme intoxication, it was really bad.  It made me kind of sad because I have met so many people that are so interesting and are trying to help the world, and these people are not noticed. For example, my friend Jessica (her middle name is Lynne) is an extremely good balloon twister (you know the kind that make balloon animals and stuff) she is teaching a class about how to twist balloons so we can go to kids all over the world and make balloon animals for them. and we in turn have learned a new skill that we can make money.  I helped her promote her club by walking around with an duck intertube made out of balloons.    It is very cool.

Today we saw more whales and dolphins.  Just beautiful…I can’t get over it.

  

Thanks.   Love you,

Jessica

Rough Weather Outside of Yokohama

As the Explorer closes in on Yokohama they've encountered some rough weather.   See Jessie's email below.

So we have hit a bit of a storm- and by a bit I mean a Tsunami.

Shits falling everywhere- the plotted plants are on the ground, the TVs are flying off and breaking, and everyone is running to the toilet. I find it very entertaining. We will be experiencing this weather until we hit Yokohama- about 15 hours away.

Woops we just went over a massive wave....better go get my head in a toilet.

Jessica

Signed:  The Grouch 

Approaching Japan

An Update from Jess......

All,

Sorry I have been bombarding with emails, but the internet on the ship is so sketchy that I feel the need to update you while I am able.

I just listened to the Arch Bishop speak for the first time while on the trip. He is very entertainianing to listen to, he said a few things that I found pretty funny,

" I thought I have someone praying for me at 2 in the morning in the woods in California, how could we lose?" *cackles* --when speaking about his rebellion.  

"There are only 3 things you need to be a noble peace prize winner: an easy name like 'Tutu' (laughs), sexy legs, and to realize winners are not fallen from heaven but are just like you."

I am really hoping to have a meal with him soon. I am going to keep my eye out.

Having experiences like this is so awesome! I think it must be a requirement to deal with the shitty stuff to be able to experience the truley amazing ones.

Also I am helping the Prakti team today (they are trying to launch clean stoves for those in poverty) I am helping them in Burma and Ghana,

Jessica

And from SAS Official Site:

News Home › Breakfast with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Breakfast with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

By: Tori Hogan | Date: 1.25.2013

It’s not often that you get to have breakfast with a Nobel Peace Prize winner. However, on our current voyage around the world, it happens all the time. Many members of the shipboard community have already had the privilege of sharing a meal with His Grace, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I had the good fortune to share breakfast with him recently, and was deeply touched by the experience.
The unspoken protocol on the ship is that the Archbishop should choose his own table, but if there are additional seats available, it’s perfectly fine to join him.  After six of us (including the Archbishop, myself, one student, and three members of the Unreasonable at Sea community) had settled into a corner booth in the Garden Lounge, we soon left the small talk behind and dove right into a conversation that was both dynamic and inspiring. During our forty minutes together we touched on a wide range of topics from the Archbishop’s passion for Semester at Sea to his work with The Elders and their advocacy on important issues in Sudan, Cyprus, and Palestine. We talked about God, and global innovation, and the challenges of providing effective international aid to those in need. His brilliance, warmth and curiosity about our lives was evident throughout the conversation.
“Isn’t it a shame that the young have to grow old?,” Archbishop Tutu asked us at one point, shaking his head. He explained that one of the reasons he loves sailing with Semester at Sea is because he is invigorated by the students and their enthusiasm to change the world. When we asked him how he channels the youthful energy he gains here on board, he replied, “On you. I hope I can inspire you to go on. Don’t allow yourself to become cynical or tell yourself that the world is unchangeable. Look at South Africa,” he said with a smile. He reminded us that much of the success of the anti-apartheid movement was because young people all over the world, in universities like Berkeley and elsewhere, forced others to take notice. And while he agreed that there are indeed major difficulties facing the world today, he assured us that “good will prevail in the end.”
Each of us left the conversation with a different take-away for our own lives, but we were all undoubtedly inspired. Student, Amee Covarrubias from the University of California, Riverside, later wrote on her blog, “this is a conversation that I will tell my children and grandchildren about.” The Spring 2013 voyage is incredibly fortunate to have Archbishop Desmond Tutu sailing with us for eleven weeks, and I know we’re all looking forward to soaking up more of his infinite wisdom and infectious laughter over future meals together before he disembarks in South Africa.
Photo by Danny Askew, Unreasonable Media

MV Explorer Details

Jessie's Uncle John provided a couple of informational links about MV Explorer. 

(Source:Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Explorer_(2001  

     

MV Explorer in Cádiz, June 2009.
Career
Name:	Explorer
Operator:	V.Ships
Port of registry:	2001–2004  Greece 2004–Present  Bahamas
Builder:	Blohm + Voss, Hamburg, Germany
Yard number:	962
Identification:	IMO number: 9183518 MMSI number: 311705000 Call sign: C6TN4
Status:	in active service, as of 2012
Notes:	Originally named Olympia Explorer(2001–2004)
General characteristics
Type:	Passenger ship
Tonnage:	25,000 tons[clarification needed]
Length:	590 feet (180 m)
Beam:	84 feet (26 m)
Draft:	24 feet (7.3 m)
Decks:	6 (passenger)
Speed:	28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Capacity:	836 passengers

In Route to Japan

No news from Jess.   From the official site we have learned the Explorer has crossed the International Date Line.    See official site below.   BTW: The "Coder" referenced is no known relation.  Very thoughtful to support MLK Day for the students on board.

Where Did Today Go?

By: Tori Hogan | Date: 1.21.2013

Monday, January 21^st doesn’t exist. At least not for us on board the MV Explorer. As we cross over the international dateline on Sunday, January 20^th we skip right into Tuesday, January 22^nd, leaving the 21^st in our wake.
For most participants on board the MV Explorer the loss of an entire day is nothing more than a novelty. However, for three members of our shipboard community, the disappearing day on our calendar is personal. Ashley Krieger, Pedro Tomás Delgado, and Sarah Kluger will all be missing their birthdays this year due to our westward course across the dateline.
“When I first heard about it, it was kind of upsetting,” Ashley Krieger of the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa admits. “But it’s actually kind of cool that I can say to people in the future that I never had a 22nd birthday. People on the ship love it too. They’re intrigued to hear about the ones who don’t have a birthday.”
“I’ll be celebrating my birthday on Spanish time,” Pedro Tomás Delgado, an Unreasonable at Sea entrepreneur from Spain, says with a laugh. “In ten minutes starts my birthday in Spain!” Pedro claims that missing his birthday is actually a positive thing, “Now I’ll be 27 for the rest of my life. Eternally young!”
It’s not only birthdays that we’re missing. We’re also skipping right over a very important holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Fortunately, Resident Director, Elizabeth Coder, is providing space for all members of the shipboard community to reflect on MLK and his dedication to service, despite the absent holiday. Coder has set out a large paper banner in Tymitz Square encouraging members of the Semester at Sea Community to share how they will create positive change and what they’re doing for others. The banner serves as an inspiring testament that the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. is alive and well on this ship, with or without January 21^st.

Students, Sarah Worrell and Ryan Reed hold up the banner containing reflections by the Semester at Sea community in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day.

Topics: Science, Student Life | 2 Replies

Signed:  The Grouch

Spring 2013 - By the Numbers

 

Below is a post that I lifted from SAS official web site.   

Signed:  The Grouch

 

Spring 2013 – By the Numbers

By: Tori Hogan | Date: 1.16.2013 | Tags: faculty, itinerary, life jackets, peanut butter, speed, staff, statistics, students, weight

Infographic by Ashley Krieger and Alyssa Fishman

Stuck in HI

T and I received a couple of calls from Jess while in Hawaii.   The scheduled stop in Hilo enabled her to do some exploring of the Big Island and meeting other students and finding groups with similar interests.   She has not been able to forward any photos yet, but described seeing whales reaching for the stars in the distance. 

The Explorer headed to Honolulu for a brief stop to take on fuel.   The stop ended up being longer than expected due to poor weather conditions so the group was permitted an additional day in HI.   The captain and crew did not want a repeat of the 2005 situation.   A link discovered by John M was provided in a previous post.   Jess is anxious to get going to be immersed in new cultures.

Approximately 10% of class work should be completed at this point.

Signed:  The Grouch

In Port at Hilo

Jess arrived in Hilo yesterday as expected.  What was not expected was my receiving a call from her.   The call went something like this:

Grouch:  How is the trip going so far?
Jess:  Dad, I really don't feel well.   I got seasick the first day really bad.  A lot of other kids did too.   They got over it.  I didn't.    The infirmary suggested I come down for a test....a pregnancy test.   It was positive.
Grouch:  I don't believe you.
Jess:  Why don't you believe me!  Laughing and thinking she is clever, why not?   I thought I was doing a wonderful acting job.
Grouch:  I deal with people trying to BS me all day long.   You're going to have to do a lot better than that.

(Later she tried the same stunt on T.   She didn't buy it either.)  

She did not get seasick yet.   She had just arrived at port and not gotten off the Explorer yet.   She is very excited.   I asked her if she had met Desmond Tutu yet.  "Oh yes, he is such a cute little old man".   She is meeting a lot of very ambitious people.  Serious people with serious expectations.  She feels this will be a "life changing event."   Her mother and I hope so.

Her other quote was that she had only been at sea six days and already feels like a pirate.   Perhaps I need to adjust my expectations for her.

Signed:  The Grouch

The Voyage Begins

Jess finally boarded "MVExplorer" and getting acclimated to the ship.

Her first correspondance is below:

                                        Hi Dad,

                                        We embarked about 2 hours ago. I have met a lot of really nice people but it's been kind of a blur of faces. The ship is getting pretty rocky already so I have a feeling I will be puking in about an hour or two. My roommate is very nice and I like her a lot. My cabin is small but there is a lot of storage space---except for the bathroom that is going to suck. I have to go unpack my luggage because it took them about 6 hours to get it personaly delivered to my room...ridiculous!
                                       
Lunch was horrible but dinner was good and it was nice sitting out on deck eating watching Ensanada disappear. I can't believe I won't see land for another 6 days! I will talk to you later, I love you.

http://fatherofthenomad.blogspot.com/

Another official blog from SAS is shown below:

News From the Helm

The Spring 2013 Voyage Sets Sail

By: Tori Hogan | Date: 1.10.2013 | Tags: Desmond Tutu, embarkation, Ensenada, Mexico, Semester at Sea, Spring 2013, students, Tom Jelke, Welcome

Photo by Danny Askew, Unreasonable Media

The 112^th voyage of Semester at Sea has officially begun as the MVExplorer set sail last night to make its way across the Pacific for a 106-day journey around the world. It was impossible to miss the feelings of both anticipation and excitement on students’ faces as the buses arrived from San Diego to the docks in Ensenada, Mexico yesterday. After months (if not years) of eagerly looking forward to this voyage, many of the students appeared almost awe struck as they laid eyes on the ship that will be their living/learning community for the next four months.

Faculty and staff, who had already been on board for a few days of pre-voyage training, watched with excitement as the population of the ship suddenly swelled to 962 participants as students and Lifelong Learners continued to arrive throughout the day. Despite boasting the highest total population of any previous Semester at Sea voyage, the embarkation process went very smoothly as everyone made their way on board.

While every Semester at Sea voyage is special in its own right, the Spring 2013 voyage has several unique characteristics that make it a particular stand out. For starters, due to recently improved political conditions, Burma was added to this year’s itinerary, giving students the opportunity to explore a country that is only in the beginning stages of reopening its doors to the world. On this voyage students will be sailing westward with the opportunity to spend time exploring Hawaii, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Burma, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, and Spain.

In addition to an exciting new itinerary,  Spring 2013 participants will also have the distinct privilege of sailing with Nobel Prize winner and long-time supporter of Semester at Sea, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as he joins the voyage for 11 weeks from San Diego to South Africa. When he was introduced during yesterday evening’s welcome ceremony the students all rose to their feet with excitement, greeting him with a resounding standing ovation. “I had heard that he was supposed to come on the ship,” remarked Clair Sutton of Boston University, “but it wasn’t real until I actually saw him.”

Members of this semester’s shipboard community will also have the opportunity to interact with a unique on-board experiment in global entrepreneurship called Unreasonable at Sea. The program aims to use the power of the Semester at Sea experience to help accelerate 11 international start-up companies that are innovating solutions to some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges of our time. Through on-board workshops, close interactions with distinguished visiting mentors, and engagements in nearly every port on the itinerary, the start-up founders will work to spread and scale their businesses worldwide. Students will have a chance to engage with Unreasonable’s community of global innovators throughout the course of the semester.

As the MV Explorer sounded its horn to signal its departure from the Ensenada harbor last night, students enthusiastically gathered along the railings of the ship to watch the shores of Mexico retreat into the distance. “I’m excited for what’s in store, for what’s ahead,” Millie Williams of Chapman University said as she watched the ship head off into the Pacific.

“This experience is going to change your life,” Executive Dean, Tom Jelke, assured the students as he formally welcomed them yesterday evening.  “We’re really excited about who you’re going to become, what you’re going to learn, and how you’re going to grow in the next 106 days.”

Signed: The Grouch

Arrives in California

Received word that Jess has arrived in LAX being met by her "Mean Uncle John" and "Aunt Pain".   They have scheduled a whirlwind tour over a couple of days in Southern California.   She will have dinner with her grand parents in Palos Verdes Estates.  She meet a good friend's father.  I appreciate this friend.   He does a good job of keeping Jess on track.  She will visit her Uncle Sean and Aunt Lori and cousins, JP, Mo, Maddie, and Scuba Steve in Yucaipa.  MUJ & Aunt Pain are planning on taking her up the cabin in Crestline for an evening before driving down to San Diego.  

Her Uncle Scott called in for last minute advise on the trip. 

John & Kerry we appreciate all the help.   Thanks so much.

Signed:  The Grouch 

Her Itinerary

                                                The Route

Starts: January 09, 2013 | Ends: April 25, 2013

106 Days, 16 Cities, 12 Countries

• Fly to Los Angelous to spend time with her grand parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and meet a friends family.
• Embark: San Diego, CA, United States (for bus to Ensenada Mexico)
• Hilo, Hawaii, United States
• Yokohama, Japan *
• Kobe, Japan *
• Shanghai, China ² *
• Hong Kong, China *
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Singapore, Singapore

• Rangoon, Burma
• Cochin, India
• Port Louis, Mauritius
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Takoradi, Ghana *
• Tema (Accra), Ghana *
• Casablanca, Morocco
• Debark: Barcelona, Spain   (Jess plans to spend a few more days abusing privileges exploring Spain before returning home)

Signed:   The Grouch

January 6 2013

Greetings from places in the midwest.   Permit me to introduce myself.   The easiest way would be to say many of you know my daughter, Jess.  I am her grouchy old father.   She is off on an educational excursion and has requested that I post some updates on her behalf.  Today we dropped her off at the Moline airport.   Her packing is much improved from three weeks ago when one bag weighed in excess of 100 pounds.

Send her a message.   She would be pleased to hear from you.   No Facebook or cell service.  She does have email and can be reached at jessica.coder.sp13@semesteratsea.com


Additionally,  attached are a couple of links showing a previous groups tour of the ship and a storm they encountered.

Ship Tour Video (Jess said her cabin is on deck 3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImitwjI5QJ0

This scary video shows probably why the ship now departs from Mexico to Hawaii in January instead of Canada to Hawaii in January.  Much fewer winter storms this far South.

Vancouver to Hawaii (2005 Semester at Sea storm video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DBGhXI586k.