In the middle of the Atlantic

I'm somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  It feels like no-mans land.  I'm enjoying the rocking of the ship in my cabin right now, but that was not the case a couple days ago.  The Superbowl was broadcasted in the Union (big area where everyone almost fits).  It was fun being with everyone and watching the game.  The next morning the seas were ROUGH. It was the worst its been! I got sick that morning.  Both of my classes were cancelled because the professors were seasick.  My cabin is in the front of the ship, and it rocks the most there.  It was unbelievable how much it would rock up and down.  You felt like you were about to be airborne sometimes. You'd watch someone on the bed opposite you rise and fall.  I couldn't be in my room at all that day and the next day because the seas were so rough.  After I got sick in the morning and ate I felt fine and have felt great ever since.  Today the seas are back to normal and we have our sealegs back.

A famous musician in Ghana named Sharif Ghale is on the ship with us on our way to Ghana.  There was a jam session yesterday where we got to jam out and play a bunch of African drums.  That was a lot of fun.  Today there was a Bob Marley tribute where Sharif played a concert for us.  He was wonderful!

Today was also Neptune Day.  There is a tradition that goes back many years that before you cross the equator you are polywags, and when you cross the equator after getting green water? (traditionally fish guts) and kissing a fish, you become a Shelback. At 7AM we were woken up by the crew members marching down the hallways in costumes blowing whistles, playing drums and cymbals to wake us up.  We then went to the deck and kissed a fish after getting green stuff dumped on our heads.  The Dean and his wife dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Neptune.  The Dean painted his whole body green.  It is also tradition for people to shave their heads.  Looking around today you'll see a lot of mohawks and shaved heads.  6 girls even shaved their heads.

I'm looking forward to reaching Ghana! We arrive Monday after four more days of classes.  I'm going to do a homestay with my roommate(s) in Ghana.  It should be great!

Adios from somewhere in the Atlantic!

This is a sunset from the ship when we were going down the Amazon River:

These are the great girls I've been hanging out with a lot (Katie in the middle and Andrea to the left) (Today at Neptune Day):