mind now and so much to share! I think its worth sacrificing a little
sleep. We set our clocks ahead again tonight but this time only a half
hour (weird right?) So it's 2:30AM now. Crazy that I'm so far ahead of
you all back home. Its only 4 in the afternoon over in NY. I'm on to
the next day already!
So we got to go to Mauritius for 4 hours! We pulled in, and I woke up
for sunrise and the start of immigration at 6. The sun had already
come up by then but it was cloudy. I opened the door and right there
in front of me was a beautiful bright rainbow! Within 10 seconds it
was gone. What a blessing and way to start my day in Mauritius!
Immigration went fast so we were able to get off an hour early-at 7AM.
Mauritius is beaaaautiful! So much green and beauty! Most of Semester
at Sea students went to Flic n Flac beach and that was our original
plan, but a native told us it would take an hour in traffic. We ended
up going to a beach that was only 20 min away called Grand Bay. This
beach was beautiful! It was pretty secluded and only 5 or so Semester
at Sea kids were there, most of whom I was friends with, and it was
one of the guy's birthday. One of the girls I hadn't met yet at the
beach is from Albany and goes to school at SUCO! That was pretty cool
to talk to her! So we stayed on the beach for a couple hours and swam
in the nice warm water. The weather was perfect! The sand was the
softest sand I'd ever felt. I bonded with the girls I was with and we
took so many pictures. It was a beautiful, beautiful day.
We got back to the ship and stood in line and unfortunately we saw a
few girls stumbling, completely wasted. We'd been in Mauritius for 4
hours and it was only 11:30AM. Yeah. Sad. There were thirty something
people drunk tanked, which means they were put in a room and
supervised because they were visibly dangerously drunk. It was
embarrassing. They're representing all of us. Also, deans and other
staff pulled serious strings and went to a lot of effort and spent
more money on fuel to get us to Mauritius for 4 hours, and then kids
don't even appreciate it. It's a slap in the face to the people who
worked hard to get us there. So sad.
Today we had a huge reflection and discussion about it. I even spoke!
I spoke about how a lot of people on this ship seem to me like they've
never even tried drinking like an adult. They only know drinking to
get wasted. It's getting wasted or nothing to a lot of kids. And I
urged them to just try having a couple drinks and try drinking like an
adult, because adults don't get wasted because they're boring or lame.
They don't get wasted because they're smart and they've learned and
realized that having a couple drinks is way more fun than getting
completely plastered. A lot of people were so upset and embarrassed at
how so many students acted so irresponsibly and immature in Mauritius.
Anyways, back to the day at Mauritius. It was wonderful, and I had
great conversations with people on the pool deck all day when we got
back on the ship. For dinner, an older couple sat down with us. I was
talking with them for a while. They said they were interport guests
that were traveling with us from Capetown back to the US. When they
got up to get more food a girl sitting at the table with me told me
that the guy was a former senator in Virginia and his wife is Lyndon B
Johnson's (former president!!) granddaughter!!! How cool?! They were
very sweet, and I talked to them a lot! The other 2 girls at the table
didn't say anything. So that was pretty awesome..I knew they would be
joining us on the ship, but didn't realize I was eating with them at
first!
That night I went up to the observation deck by myself and looked at
the beautiful sky, with the bright, almost full moon, beautiful stars
and ocean that was lit up by the moon, for a long time and spent time
with God and thought about how incredibly blessed I am. We're half way
through our itinerary now and I started thinking how much I don't want
this voyage to be over. I love everything about it so much. I've
loved everything from the beginning. I've had uncomfortable moments
and I've missed friends from home so much..but I've always loved
everything. Now I'm comfortable. I'm so comfortable..more than
comfortable. I love all the people here. I love having conversations
with so many different people-constantly..and learning SO much from
them. Two quotes that my incredible, incredible friend, Rheanna said
to me today:
1.When you travel, everyone you talk to is a teacher.
2. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
The first one...I can't believe how much I've changed. How much I've
learned. How much I've grown. It blows my mind. 2 nights ago when I
was spending time with God and just feeling overwhelmed with
blessings, a guy I had talked to just once way back in the bahamas,
Bob came up to the observation deck after a while and we started
talking. We had a long convo at how mind blowing this experience is.
He named the observation deck the "Mind blowing deck." I mean you're
standing at the top deck..in the very front of the ship, by yourself,
at night, with the big bright moon shining down on you, stars in the
sky, clouds lit up by the moon, reflections on the water, on your way
to INDIA in the Indian Ocean. Reality hits at times like these. And
I've just learned so so much from people. I've learned so much about
myself. I've become INDEPENDENT. I didn't realize how dependent I was
prior to this voyage. I think I thought I needed people around me to
feel happy and to be having conversations with people to have fun. I
can't tell you how many times I wander off by myself on the ship, or
just take things in by myself in these countries. I always had the
mentality back home-well I need to have my best friends around me to
having the absolute best time. Almost like I couldn't function without
them. This is part of the reason I felt so uncomfortable when I didn't
have that close group of friends in the beginning. But I've changed!
I've grown! I've become so independent on this trip! I still don't
have that group of friends that I was 100% expecting on this trip. But
you know what...praise God! I've learned and grown so much because of
it. I've met so many more people and had so many more conversations
and been so much more open to everyone than I would've if I made a few
best friends that I did everything with! I travel with different
people all the time, eat with different people, sit with different
people. Everyone is beautiful and I get to see that! There's so many
cool people on this ship and I'm getting to know so many more than I
would've if I had a "clique". A big reason why I found being
independent and alone time so great once in a while is because
they'res so much more quiet time here and time to think than at home.
I'm always plugged in at home or always listening to music. Once you
take a moment to be silent you learn so much, you think more, you
reflect-which is such a great thing. There will definitely be some
lifestyle changes made when I get back. I'm going to spend way more
time in nature-I freaking love it. Its my favorite thing-ever. I have
to pry myself away from beautiful sunsets, or the moon and stars-
especially when I'm by myself. I'm realizing how valuable quiet time
and time to be independent is. I was talking with Rheanna tonight
about how seeing how God has certain things happen in your life for a
reason..and at the time you may not understand and be very upset, but
later you understand and see that it was all a part of God's plan and
that you wouldn't be who you are if it wasn't for those experiences!
Thats totally what I'm feeling right now. Its so beautiful to be able
to recognize those blessings and those moments that God used to shape
you.
My roommate told me the other day she wants me to tell her everything
about christianity someday..I'm pumped about this! I was telling
Rheanna that I hope I say the right things and such and she told me my
personal stories are important to share and show God the most and best
way for me as an ordinary girl..crazy thing is after this long,
awesome conversation, I checked my email and I got one from Janie-our
bible study leader, who randomly sent a chapter of a book her friend
sent her. It went along EXACTLY with the conversation I had with
Rheanna!! Talk about a Godwink. So, so, so cool. Here's a taste of it:
In one of my favorite Tyler James songs, he says "my life's not a
story about me." My life is not a story about me. And your life's not
a story about you. My life is a story about who God is and what he
does in a human heart. My story is about the people on my street, the
things i read, the way we raise our child, the things I've done and
the things that have been done to me. A story is never about one
person. It has a full cast of characters, connected by blood or love
or jealousy.
Please let me know if you'd like to read the whole chapter! I'll
gladly email it to you! I couldn't believe my eyes when I read
it...how much it coincided with the convo I just had!
And the 2nd quote-Being comfortable with the uncomfortable is such a
great way to describe this experience. Its so great to. It's so
wonderful to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. This is how you
learn and change and blossom!
So yeah..my mind's been going crazy lately-in a wonderful way. This
experience is just so mind blowing. Mostly mind blowing in how much
you see yourself change. I'm so comfortable here now. I'm probably
leaving important things out, but its 3:15AM over here now, so I'm
going to have to call it good. We get to India in 2 days! I'm going to
Agra and seeing the Taj Mahal, Veranassi the Holy City and Delhi. I'm
doing a whole lot of flying. I can't wait..I have no idea what to
expect in India..but I've heard great things.
Events of today before I sign off: interesting thing I did today-the
videographer on the ship is from Ithaca..so he got me to be in a
safety/emergency video. Another girl and I were in a video today where
we were "roommates" and put on our life jackets and demonstrated what
to do in an emergency. They even used a fog machine in one scene to
make "smoke" and turned the lights off in the hallway, and we had to
crouch down. It was fun! A cool opportunity! They'll be showing it
next voyage when the new SAS kids board the ship.
Another cool thing I did yesterday was go on a Bridge tour. That is
where they steer and control the ship! It was so interesting, and so
cool to be there and see all the controls and learn so many
interesting facts. The ships on auto pilot most of the time!
Also there is a talent show when we return from India. My friend
Bryana and I are singing a duet. We audition for the talent show
tomorrow! We're singing "Take Me Baby or Leave me" from Rent. Can't
wait! I'm trying to learn the song quickly!
There was one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen tonight
after Zumba and during dinner. Tonight I went outside again by myself
and spent time with God and watched the beautiful lit up night sky. I
even saw some birds fly by..even though we're in the middle of the
Indian Ocean? I'm feeling so blessed! I can't get over this
experience. So. incredible.
Those are my deep thoughts for the afternoon/night/morning..whatever
it is for you!
<3 Love from the Indian Sea
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