my cousin calls it Honk Honk

Hong Kong is not in China. The people of Hong Kong make that very clear. When asking if their relatives are from the Mainland China, they got really offended, and made said "oh no!! We are all from Hong Kong!"

I have come to the conclusion that the richest people in the world live in South Africa, Singapore, and Hong Kong. While most of the people on the ship traveled to Beijing for our week in China, I stayed in Hong Kong for 2 days, was in transit with the ship for 2 days, and then spent the last 3 days in Shanghai. I did not go to see the Great Wall of China because I had 3 required class trips planned during this stop. It would have been another “India” independent travel, and I couldn't risk missing my trips that are for class credit. Both days in Hong Kong were spent on FDPs. The first was a Family Insight Tour where we visited a community center at government housing facilities. Here, we learned about how families typically work, and where they live. The center provides educational services for kids, the aged, and everyone else. After a Q&A with volunteer students, we visited a families home for some tea. Here we saw how a family of 4 can live in a space the size of 1 standard bedroom. After spending some time there, we went to a local market to see where people get their things from. It was similar to the market in Cambodia, but a lot smaller.

After my FDP I spent the rest of the day in the largest mall that was attached to the cruise terminal. I have fallen almost everyday while in Asia. 2 days in a row I fell in Viet Nam. The first time I scraped my knee, the 2^nd time, I fell and got 4 HUGE bruises all up and down both legs. The first day in Hong Kong I fell again and sliced my toe. My professor told me that this is pretty common. Because I have been living on a ship for 3 months, I am not used to a floor that does not move. It will take some time to get used to walking again, just like it took time to get my sea legs. That, and I'm just clumsy.

For my FDP on the 2^nd day, I had no idea what I was in for. My trip was called “Sustainable Cities: Is high-density the new green?” I did not read any of my trip descriptions before signing up because they are required regardless. SO, I showed up for this FDP thinking we would be in a museum or presentation or something. NO. I wore my toms (with a hurt toe) and skinny jeans, and got all dressed up. When I showed up, I was told that we were going to be hiking 7 miles through rough terrain. GREAT. I had no choice but to suck it up and go. I had no water, snacks, anything. Luckily they provided lunch and water, but I was still not dressed properly. The first half of the day was on an urban walking tour where we saw development projects and walked through the city. The second half, we ventured up to Victoria's Peak which is the highest point in Hong Kong, and much like a jungle. It was nice to see this side of the city because I would have never thought there was any greenery in Hong Kong had I not gone on this trip. I ended this day again in the mall...Luckily, this was a really upscale mall so I could not afford the Prada and Coach stores.

I would like to go back to Hong Kong someday, but I feel like I will return to a place like Cambodia first. The next 2 days I would be at sea until we arrive in Shanghai!

I went to Cambodia!

While with Semester at Sea the only way we are allowed to leave the original country is if on a SAS trip. I took advantage of adding another country to my itinerary and signed up for the trip to the capital of Cambodia and Angkor Wat. SAS has a way of making us in to tourists. We eat at fancy restaurants, we stay on the air-conditioned coach bus, and we have tour guides to all of the museums and sites. Regardless, it was still an amazing opportunity to visit Cambodia. I was fortunate to be in a good group of people. We had a small group of 19, with over half of them being life-long learners. President LBJ's daughter and her Senator husband were some of our fellow travelers.

I do enjoy learning about history and things like that, but I personally feel the most accomplished when I can actually be interacting with the local people, and making myself useful. This trip was a lot of museums and temples. The architecture was incredible, but again, there is only so much of fancy carving that will keep my attention. It was a foreign experience for me to tour the king's palace. It never crossed my mind to think that there are nations today that still have kings who live in a fancy palace and who sit on thrones. Another learning experience that I had was visiting the killing fields. This was grounds for the Cambodian genocide that took place by the Khmer. The thing that struck me the most about this site was how recent it was. From the looks and ideas of what happened, it seems that something so gruesome as this would have happened hundreds and hundreds of years ago. No, the last truck of victims arrived on January 7^th 1979. Because of how recent this was, with annual rains, clothes particles are washed up and visible peeking out of the dirt. There are whole teeth and bones pieces laying on the ground where people lost their lives. This experience was similar to the burning ghats in Varanasi for me. It was something that I have never seen/felt/experienced. It was a harsh reality of history.

Following the Killing Fields, we went to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was a former schoolhouse that was used as a torture prison during the time of Genocide. The cells are still standing, and reminiscences of the torture devices were there along with still pictures. There were only 9 known survivors of this prison, 2 of which are still alive and were at the museum signing their books.

Later that evening we went to the biggest buffet that I have ever been to! The food wasn't the greatest, but was still amazing. During dinner the large venue put on a traditional Cambodian dance show. After dinner, we were free to visit the Night Market. While in Viet Nam, I learned about a fish massage. I was trying to find it, but couldn't. Lucky for me they were everywhere in Cambodia! At the night market there was a massage place where you could get a full leg massage for $1US. The fish massage was $2US for 40 minutes and it included a free soda. The massage is simple. There is a huge pool of fish that you put your feet in to the water and they eat all of the dead skin off! It was terrifying! I already have a hard time getting pedicures because how much it tickles. Imagine hundreds of little fish sucking and nibbling on your feet!! I survived, and my feet felt really soft after! We spent a few hours in the market before catching a rickshaw back to our hotel

The last day in Siem Reap started at 0430. Early in the morning, we woke up and saw the sunrise over Angkor Wat. It was absolutely beautiful to see the temple just light up with God's gracious sun. After getting some good pictures, we returned to our hotel for breakfast. After, we returned to spend time going through Angkor Wat. Next, we went to a fancy restaurant. Then, we had some free time to roam through the local market. This market had everything from clothes, house supplies, and food. Literally anything a local person needs, they can come to this huge market. The group that I was with wanted to find insects to eat. After walking around and asking people, we were lead to 2 small women sitting in the middle of the market with big containers of crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, frog legs, and other delicious delicacies. I was not brave enough to dig in, but some did. After the market, and 5 temples later, we were headed to the airport to catch our flight back to Viet Nam where the ship was. I am so grateful that I was able to go on this trip. It was 1 of 2 big SAS trips that I did, the other being Rio. By the way, my passport is looking so awesome right about now! Next.....HONG KONG!
I had the choice of a western and eastern toilet in the palace and I chose this!!

I

Chinese Authorities

were on the ship for a mandatory temperature taking. We walked in to the
union, and walked right out. Then as we were leaving they said that we
walked by a what looked like a camcorder that took our temperature. I
was joking that temperature was not the only thing that it took! It
probably took our picture, stem cell count, DNA sample. Technology
around the world is 10 million times ahead of us. TRUE STORY

Viet Nam

Viet Nam! The night prior to our arrival in VietNam, I was very anxious and more excited than anything! I knew that while in Viet Nam I wanted to learn more about the War. I also had a big Cambodia trip planned while in this port. The day started out by getting on the shuttle in to town. The shuttle dropped us off right in front of the Burberry store. I did not have very many expectations about Viet Nam, but this certainly was not it! We walked around for about an hour before stumbling upon a travel agency. We went in and looked at possible day trips. We found a city tour that would cost us each $7 USD. The trip included a private driver and a 6 hour tour through the city to see all of the major highlights. We booked the trip! Before leaving, we stopped at a little restaurant for lunch. I ordered the spicy curry of course, and it was delicious! We headed back to the agency and met our driver. We got in to the air conditioned, new, good smelling SUV, and were ready to go!

The first stop on our tour was to the War Remembrance Museum. This museum was very interesting in that it was the “American War” from the Vietnamese perspective. In school, I thought that I was taught all about the War, but being in this museum was a wake up call. While people were talking about how one-sided the museum was, it just made me realize how one-sided and censored OUR material is. As I kept moving through the exhibit I was growing more and more frustrated, confused, sad, and annoyed. In Viet Nam, when talking about the war, we are the “enemy”. The first part of the museum was portraying the entire world's support in Viet Nam against the US aggression. As I moved through the museum, there was a small corner of musicians. The musicians were singing, playing instruments, and making bead crafts. I took a closer look. The people were severely disabled, all of them. I then read the big sign hanging above them that said that they were victims of agent orange. The entire visit to the museum was an eye-opener for me. I was disgusted, I felt like I have been lied to my entire life. Yes, occasionally in school we talked about the war, but we NEVER talked about what I was seeing. I felt guilty. Why? I shouldn't because I wasn't there right? I feel like I am guilty by association. Even if it wasn't my generation, it is my generation that is still living with effects of the War today. I left the museum numb. I had questions that were left unanswered, and a heavy heart.

In the evening me and some friends had bought tickets to see a traditional Vietnamese Water Puppet show. The puppet show was in Vietnamese so I could not understand what they were saying, but it was still fun to make believe a story. The show was held in a small theater. There was a pool of water at the floor of the stage and the musicians and voices were on the sides. The show was only 45 minutes, but it was a lot of fun! We caught an over-priced taxi back to the ship, and did some more shopping right outside the ship where some vendors were set up.

The next day, me and my friend Danielle bought tickets from the same agency to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels are where the Viet Cong set up an underground world in the fields to hide from the enemy. On the way the bus full of tourists stopped at a rest stop. Here there was a huge store with goods to buy, a juice bar, and a workshop where people were making the goods. I had an orange-mango-pineapple smoothie made with milk, ice, water, and everything else they told us to avoid. It was delicious! Once at the tunnels, the one-sided story continued. In the first part of the tour, we watched a movie with a basic background about the tunnels and their purpose. During the movie, the narrator was talking about how the Viet Cong were given awards for who could kill the most Americans. In a single sentence, the movie said “kill Americans” a minimum of 6 times. It was interesting to watch, but again, I was glad to finally be hearing the other side of the story. Once in the fields, we saw where the past had been preserved. The holes in the ground are still open, and I even had the chance to crawl through a tunnel. It was small and hot! I only made it 20 meters, but the entirety was 100 meters. At the tunnels, there was a chance to shoot guns. I do not understand what the purpose of this was, but I can only imagine what it must be like for veterans to return to this site and hear real guns being shot.

We ended the day by stopping at a small restaurant for dinner. Here, Danielle and I ordered appetizers, a main course, and a soda for $6USD. It was a lot of good food for $3 a piece! OH, throughout my 2 day stay in Viet Nam, I fell 2 times. The first time I scraped my knee, the second time I tripped on a wire. Later I found out that this is common because after being on a ship for so long, many people have trouble adjusting to walking on land. My legs are all bruised up, but it is funny to think that I do not know how to walk on still ground anymore! That night, I packed my new $12US North Face backpack, and prepared for my early departure to Cambodia!
OH MY! I forgot to talk about crossing the street. YouTube "crossing the street in Vietnam". You will understand.

Just sayin'...

what's going on?

Deans Memo

Friday March 30 & Saturday March 31, 2012

Issue # 42

Friday, March 30 Agenda ·         1700-1800 – Health Careers Panel.  Physicians, nurses, medical researchers, health care administrators, etc. will discuss their respective career paths (why they chose this profession, what training is required, what has changed during their professional lifetimes, etc.) and then the platform will open to a question and answer discussion so that we target our comments to what the students really want to know. Panelists include Executive Dean Bob Vieira and members of our visiting medical team. (Union) ·         1800-1900 – Shabbat Dinner at Sea. All are welcome. (Classroom 1) ·         1900-2000 – Meditation/Qi Gong.  (Classroom 8) ·         1900-2100 – Cultural Pre-port: China. Chinese students will offer a sample of Chinese music and dance from 1900 to 1945, followed by conversations with those students, Profs. Farmer and Zhang, and Senator Robb. (Union) 2100-2200 – Crossing the Line. A powerful and interactive diversity awareness activity that seeks to raise awareness about our racial, social, sexual, and cultural differences and to build community within our diverse group of SAS students. (Classroom 4) ·         2100-2330 Film Club Movie: Enter the Dragon. (Classroom 5) Saturday, March 31 Agenda ·         0900 – Family Photo. All dependent children and their families, caretakers, et al are invited to participate in the family photo. (Pool Deck) ·         1600-1730 – Mandatory Shipwide Temperature Taking. Hong Kong health authorities require everyone to have their temperature taken prior to our arrival in Hong Kong. Please have your shipboard ID ready and enter the Union on the Portside. There could be classes in session in rooms 6 & 7 so please be quiet when you go to have your temperature taken. (Union) ·         1700-1830 – Gumshoe Enigma Schnitzel Road kill Improv Workshop. (Classroom 8) ·         1700-1800 – Politics of China. Professors Edward Farmer and Ruizhang Zhang, and former US Senator Charles Robb, on US-China relations and Chinese politics. (Classroom 4) ·         1800-1900 – Language Workshop. (Union) ·         2000-2100 – Mandatory Logistical Pre-port: China. (Union) ·         2100-2300 – Movie Night: Up. (Union) ·         2100 – Chess Club. Come join chess club as Gavin Se teaches us the basics of Chinese Chess. Bring your chess boards for a friendly match afterward! Beginners are always welcome. Announcements Japan Transit Forms are Due. Get those forms to the Admin Office ASAP! Immigration Forms. Don’t forget to get those forms at the purser’s desk signed by 1200 on March 31. China Transit Passengers. There will be a mandatory lifeboat drill just after On Ship time… April 2 at 2130-ish. Shipboard Group Photos. Want to know what happens to those Shipboard Group photos that were taken on Vietnam Preparation Day. Several weeks after our voyage, you will receive an electronic copy of the Spring 2012 Voyage Directory via email. The Directory will include photos, names and email addresses of all students, faculty, staff, Lifelong Learners and dependents, along with the group photos. Passover Seder. If you are interested in attending a Passover Seder on April 8th 1730-1930, please sign up at the Student Activities desk. You must sign up by 1200 March 31st in order to attend. Space is limited so we ask that priority goes to community members of the Jewish faith. Zumba! Every morning at 0700 in the Union. Information from the Captain and Crew ISE Explorer is committed to reduction of water use onboard by means of increased awareness and engineering solutions (e.g. water flow restricting devices). Crew onboard are encouraged and motivated to be environmentally innovative by a monetary award for contributing the best environmental ideas for further improving management practices.

Today’s Quote “The art of learning fundamental common values is perhaps the greatest gain of travel to those who wish to live at ease among their fellows.” -Freya Stark Laundry Service B17: Deck 2 April 1: CLOSED Happy Birthday! Farrell Saunders Question of the Day On what date did China resume sovereignty over Hong Kong? Last question: What is the Vietnamese common name for the herb Polygonum odoratum? Answer: rau ram, or Vietnamese coriander (source: Oxford Companion to Food, p. 656) Television Programming Ch. 2: Japan's Killer Quake – for Natural Hazards and Evolution of the Earth Ch. 3: Nell (1994, 112min, PG-13)– for Cognitive Psychology Ch. 5: Hearts and Minds (1974, 112min, R) – for Global Cinema Ch. 6: Is Wal-Mart Good For America? (2005, 60min, NR)– for Modern China Other Gratitude Meditation I am aware that I owe so much to my parents, teacher, friends, and all beings. I vow to be worthy of their trust, to practice wholeheartedly, so that Understanding and Compassion will flower, and I can help living beings be free from their suffering.         -Thich Nhat Hanh field office hours – tymitz sq. At Sea  1130-1300 In Port CLOSED Dining Hours Breakfast 0700 – 0830 Lunch        1130 – 1330        Dinner      1730 – 1930 Medical Clinic – Deck 2 Hours: At Sea  0800–0900 and 1630–1730 In Port 0730–0800 and for 1 hour following “on ship” time Counseling Center – Deck 2 Hours: 1500-1700 and by appointment Dependent Children’s Program– Main Dining Room Hours: 0845-1145  Home Schooling 1345-1545  Afternoon Activity

 

Singapore

Another 1 day stop..Singapore!

WOW! Singapore is up there on my list of favorite countries! After being in India, Singapore is 100% different. The country is so technologically advanced, I felt like I was living in the future for a day! The day was spent with friends, exploring all Singapore has to offer. During our pre-port meeting the night before we were told of the intense laws that this country holds. For example, chewing gum has a $1000 fine. Jay-walking and you will be caned. And drug trafficking gets the death penalty. This explains why SAS cannot be trusted to spend more time in this amazing country. Singapore is one of very few cities that is also it's own nation. SO we started the day by getting a metro day pass. The metro station is an underground world. The train runs all throughout the city and also has the largest shopping mall. There are restaurants, and everything else that anyone would ever need. No need to ever go above ground! The train was the cleanest train that I have ever seen, and the whole country, above ground and under ground, was spotless!

We spent the day wondering around the city, and seeing as many highlights as possible. Singapore is home to the world's largest Ferris Wheel. This was another peak in to the future. We boarded the sealed vessel and saw the country from way up high! On a clear day, you can see Indonesia and Malaysia. Unfortunately, it was not a clear day, but we still get to see all of Singapore from an aerial view. After this, we came across a Starbucks! The whole day was spent exploring the city, and seeing as much as we could. We managed to stumble upon a University which was a part of the underground world. For lunch, we had Wendy's, and for dinner before heading back to the ship, we had Pizza Hut. In the shopping mall in Singapore, there were many familiar name brands and stores. Because it is a very modern city, there were many tourists there, and also many business people that were there for work. Everything in Singapore is very expensive, and I did not do as much shopping here. Headed to Vietnam where everything will be cheap, I was looking forward to buying a lot!