Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Ship life runs together from day to day. I cant seem to get enough sleep with the rocking of the boat cradling me in my bed. I cant seem to get enough to eat. Seriously. With each hour comes hunger eventhough I eat 3 meals a day plus snacks. I cant seem to get anyones names right. With 700 students.. cut me some slack… I cant seem to get up early enough to claim a pool chair.. girls are like madwomen claiming them at 9 am.
Aside from that, life is good. My classes engage my interest each day. The entire student body takes a Global Studies class from 9am-10:30, where we learn about the history of the countries we will embark… I eat lunch at 11:30 and soon after I indulge myself in the sun doing homework or reading for class… I have drawing II at 2:55 and History of an American Musical (with Barrett) at 4:15.  In theatre we finished West Side Story and clips from La Bohéme and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. We also read a strange short story called Maria de Prazeres… Anyway, I eat dinner with a usual crowd at 5:30 and then meander around the ship. Sometimes going to seminars, working out (cough. cough) or just playing card games with randoms people. At night we usually go to the top pool deck to hang out with everyone. They play music and you can get wine… if you want to pay $3.50 for a splash.
        BUT TODAY WAS AN UNORDINARY DAY!! We crossed through the Strait of Gibraltar. The front of the ship was bombarded with students taking pictures and gawking at the inscriptions in the African hillside. Our Global Studies class told us it meant.. welcome buuuut don’t mess with us (not in literal translation). I also got to see WHALES. At about 1800 (yes im cool enough now to write in ship time), they made an announcement so I flew to the port side and there they were… as we stared out into the Mediterranean I could see just tales flipping and the fountains of water blow holes. A girl beside me started singing (Kaitlin this made me think of you) “Hold me.. like the river Jordan”, by Michael Jackson. I thought it was pretty appropriate.
        I will finally be on land in Spain on Thursday. I am extremely excited to revisit such a beautiful city. I have made friends with girls who plan. Yes dad, I actually found friends who made up an entire itinerary for Barcelona. This would be extremely unlikely for my roommates of Bonnie (house @ UK… I miss you all). With the help of “dos and donts” of Barcelona, we have made a list for each day… seeing La Familia Segrada… Gaudi’s other structures… flamenco dancing.. La Rambla.. etc. I feel as if I left Canada two years ago.. yet we still have not made it to one country!
        To end this blog I would like to give a few shoutouts. 1. To Mamma G (barretts mother) for all of the snacks you stuffed into her monstrous suitcases. 2. Megan Reynolds hilarious emails. 3. The intercom man on our boat giving dumb questions of the day “Is lobster expensive because its extinct?” 4.  Obviously my parents.. mother email me back! 5. STEPHANIE SHACKLETTE IS 21 TOMORROW!