Aloha, Aloha, Aloha

As I went to open my laptop to begin my Hawaii blog, I had to wipe off the cover because it was covered in a layer of beach sand. How great is that? I absolutely love Hawaii- more so Honolulu.

Okay this blog might be kind of long. We’ll see how much detail and time I can squeeze in, I’m exhausted.

So we arrived in Hilo, Hawaii on January 27 at some ungodly hour in the morning. My friends called me at 5:30 am so we could watch the Sunrise and us being pulled into the port. I’m pretty sure I haven’t been up that early in a really long time. So after I got up I headed upstairs to the 7^th deck. I’m pretty sure 99% of anyone who was up there was on their cell phone. I was obviously on mine too and thoroughly enjoyed being able to use it. Anyways I found my friends and we watched the sun come up and watched us pull into the dock. I wasn’t that shocked to see land for some reason. I think a week away from land wasn’t enough time for me to really grasp what exactly were doing.

So, at around 6:00 the voice came on and started announcing which seas could go through immigration. Mine was like the 3^rd called. Pretty much all I did was wait in a line, handed my passport showed it to a big Hawaiian man and then handed it back to the SAS people.

I went back and met my friends and ate some breakfast and then we got ready real quick and headed down to the gangway. We saw some of our friends already in a taxi cab and they asked us if we wanted to join them so all 8 of us crammed into a cab and headed into downtown Hilo.

We were dropped off at the bus station in downtown Hilo and didn’t really have much of a plan but some of the kids we were with were hungry so we stopped by a local breakfast place and they got some stuff to eat. While we were there we asked the man working suggestions of what we could do that day. We all finally decided that we would go to the black sand beach and those boys went and hiked the volcanoes.

Our friend Lauren needed to get back to the boat for an FDP, which is like a school related SAS sponsored field trip. So we took a cab back to the dock and dropped her off. After that me, Lis, Steph, and Kelcie headed to the beach. We took a free bus that makes a big loop around the town, which was pretty much taken over by SAS kids-a reoccurring theme all throughout our stay in Hilo. Once we got to the beaches we pretty much just hung out. It was just us…and like 75-100 other SAS kids. It wasn’t a standard beach. It’s rocky but not rocks its volcanic black rock and the little sand they do have is black. It was really really pretty and especially when the waves would crash against the black volcanic rocks on the shore. I even saw a turtle and was only like a couple feet away from it!

So we stayed at the beach as long as we could and finally headed back into the dock area when it was time for us to get ready for our lu’au.

We got ready for the lu’au and headed to the University in Hilo for a tour of the campus. It was semi-boring and pretty short. The campus seems nice and everyone there seemed friendly. After that we all loaded back onto the bus and headed to an observatory (we just kind of drove by, we didn’t get out of the bus). I guess it’s a really large one and it seemed modern too-but I couldn’t hear the bus driver announcing what exactly it was and why we were seeing it. I took a picture anyways cause I figured my dad would appreciate it and possibly recognize it.

Then we headed to the lu’au. It was sponsored by the University of Hawaii and was held on some farm. Once we got there we were greeted by students who handed us the leaves in which you make leis from. We all attempted t create our own leis but they didn’t turn out to well. The area where we ate was like 20 different picnic tables under a covered outdoor structure. We were spoken to by various people and shown a few traditional Polynesian dances. We then got our food which consisted of the following: rice, pig, poi, salmon that really looked like the mild salsa from chipotle, long finger rice (I think?), and some squid dish that tasted like cinnamon. The pig and the rice was really good but I wasn’t too sure about the rest-at least I tried it Poi comes from the tarot (sp) root and looks like a thick grey glue and tastes quite similar to a thick grey glue. Needless to say, half a spoonful was plenty for me.

The night went on with more traditional dancing and ended with another dance that the woman said every Hawaiian gathering is put to a close with. Over all the lu’au was okay, but it was definitely not a traditional lu’au and nothing like what I was expecting.

After the lu’au we headed back to the port and went out for the night. We went to one of the local restaurants that everyone apparently loves called Kens. It’s a pancake house and even though we just ate a few hours prior I was definitely going to try their pancakes, and did. I got banana pancakes and they were really good, definitely a good decision.

After that my friends were tired and they decided to head back onto the boat. I met some kids on the walk back to the boat who were headed to the bar across the street from our dock so I decided to hang out with them and go to the bar for a little while. After that I headed back to the boat for the night.

The next morning I thought I had an FDP but I didn’t so I finally got a hold of my friends and told them we should meet downtown. This was when me-who doesn’t do anything on her own and is the for independent as it gets- took a cab all by myself downtown to meet my friends.

There isn’t much too do in Hilo if you cant rent a car so once I met Lis and Lauren we just walked around and shopped a little. It came to about lunch time and we remembered from our first day a restaurant we walked by that smelled really good and garlicy and was also recommended by a local to us. So we went there and had lunch. I had pizza and garlic bread. That was like the best meal I had since I had been off the ship. Much needed American food.

After hanging out in Hilo we decided to go back to the boat and lay out for a few hours until “on ship time” (when we have to be back on the boat) and we got good seats on the deck where we watched the boat take off out of Hilo and set off on our way to Honolulu. I must say my tan has gotten to be pretty dark from being outside so much. I got a little burnt but nothing too bad. I hope I don’t lose it all in Japan and China!

This is already super long so ill do Honolulu in my next blog which I should hopefully be able to write later today!

xx

 

ps the title of the blog means Hello, I love you, Goodbye. Aloha can mean all three things, who knew.

Aloha!

T-minus SIX hours until I am in HAWAII !!!!!!!

 

You can just tell everyone on the boat is so excited to finally be here (or almost anyways). Everyone has so much energy and everyone is comparing who is doing what trip and which beach everyone is going to and so on.

 

I've met some of the nicest people on this boat. Its not like back in Durango. I think its because everyone here has a common bond of SAS. Everyone is so friendly and eager to meet everyone.

 

Before each port we have "pre port" and its a meeting where we are told pretty much anything and everything we need to know about that port and contact information and such. We are given "green sheets" which contain information helpful to whichever port we are at and contact numbers and helpful street names and stuff.

 

After the meeting me and the girls I hang out with here (Lis, Lauren, Steph, and Kelcie) met up with one of our friends (Hoff) who said the front of the boat is finally open because we are finally in calm waters. So we headed up there and hung out for a while. Its semi bright with the moon out but we can still only see ocean and horizon in the distance.

 

Oh also- at dinner is was Steph's birthday yesterday so at dinner tonight the serving staff brought her probably the biggest ice cream cake ive ever seen and everyone and their mom sang happy birthday to her. it was cute and I got a huge slice of ice cream cake which is like the best thing ive eaten in a week.

 

I was talking with a big group of people tonight and we were all saying we never want to go home and we want to stay on the ship forever. Its like a floating paradise. Its so amazing. Especially for someone like me who is obsessed with the beach and the ocean and warm weather! It was nice being at the front of the boat in capris and a tank top on January 24 and not feeling cold at all. Definitely my kinda of weather.

 

Anyway. We hear were supposedly going to get land sick tomorrow. So seeing how sea sick I got, ill probably get land sick too.

 

As for tomorrow, we get up at 6:00 am and our seas (or our area of cabins) will be called to go through immigration stuff and then we will hopefully be getting off the boat around 10 im guessing..im not too sure. Then all of us are going to kind of just explore and lay out on the beach maybe do a little shopping. Were all doing a lu'au at 4:30 till I think 9:30 so that should be fun. Then a lot of SAS kids are going to get hotel rooms and throw parties in there, so we might be headed that way after the lu'au!

 

I'm absolutely ecstatic! Hopefully my phone will be working then too! (a week with out it and real internet has been a little rough-definitely going through withdrawals)

 

Living the Good Life

I can FINALLY say I have my sea legs!! Well, kind of. Im over my sea sickness-thank god. But the boat rocking is SO intense I dont think anyone has their sealegs in that light at all. Its not at all rare to see the following daily:

-       At least one person fall out of their chair in class

-       A wave to splash up on a deck 4 window (7 decks total)

-       Lounge chairs sliding with the direction of the wave..with people in them

-       An entire class period with zero cell phone interruptions

-       Doing homework/updating blogs outside on the decks while watching the view go from sky to horizon sky to horizon etc

 

The constant rocking of the ship makes everyone tired. I didn’t really believe it at first when the staff would say the rocking rocks you to sleep like youre a baby, but it really does. At home I don’t get tired till like 12 or 1am and here I could fully fall asleep at like 9-I don’t though. I want to take in every minute I can here.

I LOVE being on the ship. I love being constantly surrounded by the ocean and not ever seeing a mountain or any snow. I’m currently typing this outside on deck 5 according to “the voice” (the intercom lady who comes on every so often all over the ship to make various announcements) its 70 something today..I can’t exactly remember what she said. But she updates us every day at 12:00 and tells us our location (longitude and latitude wise) ((were almost by the equator!) and how many nautical miles we’ve traveled and how many more till our next destination (Hilo, Hawaii). Anyways its really nice out..humid for anyone from Colorado..and a little cloudy. I hope all the Durang-a-tangs are enjoying the snow J.

 

Side note-there’s a yoga class attempting to do yoga next to me and its pretty hilarious to see them trying to do this while the boat is rocking so much.

Also-sidenote- rumor has it one of the LLL’s (Life long Learners) fell and broke their wrist yesterday. Life Long Learners are adults who are typically like a grandparents age but not always, who come on the ship to do exactly as we as students do minus the homework-isn’t that nice- and we can be adopted by them. You meet with them once a week or so and you hang out, play games, I think sometimes they’ll even get you some kind of treat!

Because of the rocking most everyone on the ship slept about 3 hours last night. The rocking causes our dresser drawers to open and slam shut every few minutes and some people’s dressers fell over completely! I even heard some girls TV fell too! Ah! So now I’m obviously paranoid because the tv is on my side and if it falls I will fully be taken out. And if I’m going to go out on SAS that’s not exactly how I was planning on doing it- death by tv. Okay anyways…

Gini- …or anyone who knows what my daily fluid intake usually consists of..I have been drinking THREE to FOUR bottles of water per DAY. Yes, that’s right. I have been drinking water..and a lot of it. I hardly ever drink juice now. Who knew it took SAS to change my dietary habits. The food on the ship is fine, but I’m not that picky anyways. Every meal has some sort of mystery meat that I opt not to come close to, a pasta dish, potatoes in some form, veggies, soups, salads, rolls, and everyone’s favorite PB&J. There’s usually a dessert too.

 

It’s crazy living with your professors. Right now my GS (global studies, a class everyone’s required to take) is sitting next to me- it’s almost like seeing a fish out of water. I missed a class-well I sat in the wrong class- and my professor dropped my missed work off at my cabin door, quite convenient.

 

Hmm what else..I don’t know if there have been any comments on any of this, but if there are I can’t read them..I can only read my sas email which is JAMARSHALL@semesteratsea.net. I love hearing about what’s going on back home or anywhere really..email me! We heard on the ship that California has been having some of the worst storms in years and there were tornado warnings in CA and AZ?! Crazy.

 

Uh oh. It’s starting to sprinkle a little but on the deck. I’m going to head inside to get ready for dinner. We were now, starting tonight, 4 hours behind Denver time. Hope all is well back home. Sorry for the lack of pictures. Ill try to figure out how to upload those soon-if I can at all.

 

xx

 

(sorry if theres typos i cant see ym screen real well outside)

Rock the Boat

Well, Ive made it onto the ship succesfully and even managed to make it through the first few days.

 

I wasn't too nervous getting onto the charter bus that was taking us to Ensenada, Mexico (which turns out to be a 2 1/2 hour ride) because I boarded and sat next to Lis, who is also from Colorado. We all headed down to Ensenada. At the border there were a few guys from Mexico who got on the bus and counted us and finally announced someones name. After the kid went to the front of the bus the Mexican guy announced so we would all hear, "Youre staying! and bring $22.00" All of us got silent and the Mexican man turned to us and reassured us and told us he was just kidding. I think we all took a breath of releif. He then preceeded to tell us a few racist jokes that he apparently told all the SAS busses.

 

Anyways after we got to where the boat is docked we were asked to fill out a few forms, throughly searched and patted down, our bags were checked and FINALLY set foot on to the MV Explorer. I then proceeded to even more lines and tables where I was asked to fill out more information and given my fair share of paperwork. After all of that I found my room and dropped my bags off. I met up with Lis again and we met up with 3 other girls as well. Kelci is from Las Vegas, Lauren is from Colorado, and Steph is from Colorado too (there are a TON of kids from CO on the boat-so much for escaping!) We all headed up to the 6th floor where lunch was being served. We ate outside on the deck. Its so great being able to eat on outside on the deck and watching the ocean and at that time the view of Ensenada. After lunch we explored the ship for a bit and had a lifeboat drill, which was pretty entertaining. After that we went to dinner and later in the night attended a bunch of meetings. Our final meeting was at 21:45 (military time of course) and by that time Id say the majority of the ship was feeling sea sick, including myself.

 

Being sea sick of one of the worst feelings ever. Ive been on cruises before but this boat is smaller and you can feel EVERY wave youre hitting. Though, I guess there are some storms around this way that we have been sailing around but we still get the tail end up it.

 

Anyways, I opted to skip out on the second half of our 21:45 meeting, which ended up being a good decision because I got really sick to my stomach.

 

The next day, Monday I woke up and felt better. We had orientation all day from 09:00 to 18:00 with breaks for lunch and dinner. After lunch I was feeling sea sick again and went into my cabin and slept from 7at night to 7 this monring. Apparantly 12 hours of sleep cured me.

 

Its now our third day on the ship and after my 12 hours of sleep I finally feel better (I think my ear patches help too). Today I had my first classes. We work on an A and B class schedudle. The classes rotate.Today, Tuesday, I have A classes. Tomorrow, Wednesday, Ill have B classes. so on so forth- we dont have classes in port.

 

My first class was at 8 and I guess I read the wrong classroom cause I sat in the wrong class for, yes, the entire time. I made my way to my second class at 9:30 which is Global Studies, which everyone is required to take. You have the class everyday at either 09:30 or 14:00. Half the ship takes it at one time and half takes it at the other. The class is located in the union which is at the front of the boat where the rocking is the worst. Its so weird to sit in class and look at the window and see it go from a full view of the sky to full view of the water over and over. Its super nauseating, so i try not to even look over at the windows.

 

I really like that class though, the professor is really knowledgable and hes hilarious too.

 

I guess that's it for now. Hope everyone back home is well. Its been super nice weather here-a little windy but definitely tollerable. I absolutely love being on the ocean 24/7 (minus the sea sickness) its beautiful and SO blue.

 

 

sidenote- My roommates name is Annie and shes from Seattle, Washington but she goes to Chapman which is in California. Shes a sophomore and shes really nice. Plus she doesnt snore, so shes cool in my book.

 

 

 

 

 

SIX days till Hilo, Hawaii !!!!!!

 

San Diego :)

After waking up at 4:30am Denver time, I sucessfully made it to San Diego. Ive been once before and have been in love with this city ever since-I even like it better the second time. After my dad and I checked into the hotel we decided to walk around a little bit. The hotel is about a 5minute drive from the airport and is located in a Marina on Harbor Island. Its really pretty being able to see all the boats on the water and the San Diego skyline in the background with a sprinkling of palm trees in there too! And more importantly the bridge to Coronado-an island off of San Diego (Coronado is my FAVORITE part about San Diego!).

Tomorrow i'll be boarding a charter bus at 9:30am to Ensenada, Mexico (about a 45min drive, I think) where me and 585 other SAS kids will embark on our voyage-finally! Unfortunately I wont be able to add many pictures to my blogs because attachments dont go through on the SAS email system. But I will try to keep this updated with text as often as possible!

Also, sidenote, as you may know..or you will now..I am a TERRIBLE speller. So, disreguard any and all spelling mistakes that may be in this entry or any that follow. I apologize in advance.

Okay, so here's the interesting part..the pictures:

The view of the marina from my room

SanDiego skyline

You cant really see it, but the bridge to Coronado

Yes, theyre everywhere and I love it

The Suspense is Killing Me!

Okay, Im testing to see if my email to blog works before I head out to SanDiego and get on the ship!

Oh, and I was confirmed for the following trips:

 

 

HCM06	Cambodia: Phnom Penh & Angkor Wat-Group A
HIL07	Hawai'ian Lu'au Experience
YOK14	Japanese Flower Arrangement
HON07	Polynesian Cultural Center - Group A [FDP: Medora]
KOB11	Tea Ceremony [FDP: Robbins]
CAP13	Three-Day Safari to Kapama (River Lodge)
HON12	Visit to the Hawai'i Psychiatric Hospit.[Schwartz]

 

EIGHT days!!