Home sweet home!

Alumni Ball

As we officially became alumni of semester at sea, we celebrated with the alumni ball. A night of fancy dining and a dance in the Union. 
From left to right - Tricia, Me, Michael, Same, Danielle, Phillip, Sydney, Yarden and Frances



 

Our incredible Shipboard Community

My wonderful family

Back row - Rhianna, Bubbie (Carole), Nick, John, Papa Phill, Parker
Front row - Drew, Michael, Me

A great night with friends

A great night with my closest friends. Left to right, Yarden, Sam, Sydney, Ryann, Frances, Joselynn, Michael, Tricia and Danielle. 

Celebrating the End of our Journey

The last few days of the voyage are upon us now. We finished final exams and had the convocation ceremony today. We are busy packing up and spending time with our friends.

 It is the last voyage for the ship the MV Explorer with Semester at Sea as it was sold. We were able to commemorate its final voyage by taking pictures with the ship life ring. 

Flags of the countries we've visited, with great friends!

Morocco Recap!

We finished our final port of the semester today with a wonderful trip to Morocco.

 

Day 1: Casablanca

·         Spent the day touring around the city, including a drive by the movie made famous Rick's Café. The highlight of the day was visiting the Hassan II mosque. This grand structure can hold 25,000 people inside and 75,000 additional people on the grounds surrounding it. The 800 billion US dollar project paid off in the beauty and intricate details of the decorations.

 

Day 2 & 3: Chefchaouen

·         After a log day of bus rides we arrive in Chefchaouen, also known as the blue city. See the picture! The narrow cobblestone roads led us uphill and through the decorative houses. Donkeys would pass us carrying good on their backs. It felt like another world.

 

Day 4: Fes

·         We spent the day exploring Fes with the first stop being a market. The small alley waves winded between buildings. The shops lined the sides, some selling meat which was hanging out in the open or fruits and vegetables.

·         Then we went to the King's house that also houses a school. Then went to a spot overlooking the Medina, or main town which is 950 acres, with 300 mosques inside. The tan houses were close together and up the side of the hillside.

·         We visited a tannery, where they make leather products. This was very interesting as the men were cleaning and washing the pieces in large water pools. It definitely could have been on an episode for dirty jobs. Then, next stop was a place were traditional pottery is made by hand.

 

Day 5: Volubilis

·         On our final day we stopped at Volubilis, old Roman Ruins. Most of the structures were partial, but there were some interesting columns, tile pictures for floors, and a large arch still standing. It was nice to see these things up close while walking through fields of extending grasslands, very beautiful scenery. 

 

Namibia Recap!

Namibia may be my favorite port so far! It was incredible!

 

Day 1 – Walvis Bay & Swakopmund

• ·         We wandered the small town of Walvis Bay, finding a nice restaurant on the pier called the Raft for some lunch. Then we headed to Swakopmund a larger, touristy town about a half an hour away. Here we did some shopping and booked trips through an information desk for the rest of the week.

Day 2 – Marine Dune Day

• ·         For the morning we boarded a boat for a harbor cruise. A seal climbed on board with us and I was able to sit next to him and pat him. There were large pelicans sitting on the roof, and I had a close encounter with them as well, feeding him a fish right from my hand! We saw dolphins and a whale, as well as large red jellyfish that don't sting.

• ·         In the afternoon, we went on a 4X4 ride through the dunes. The dunes is the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Namibia has the sand dunes of the desert that come all the way to the ocean shore, creating magnificent views. We flew up and down the steep dunes, sometimes at a 45 degree angle, having a blast.

Day 3 – Sand Boarding

• ·         We went sandboarding today, which is basically sledding down the huge sand dunes. Some people chose to try and snowboard down as well, but we stuck to sledding. First we had to trek up the dunes, which is much harder than is sounds. But the views from the top and the fast ride down were absolutely worth it. The fastest I went was 68 kilometers!

• ·         Then we went to the small local aquarium in Swakopmund. We relaxed on a grass park right next to the beach, and then went to dinner at a local restaurant. It was another fun filled day.

 

Day 4 - Sea kayaking & Mondesa Township

• ·         Happy Easter everyone! This will definitely be my most unique Easter. We began our day kayaking with the seals. There are 40,000 seals that live on this peninsula. Some were laying on the beach and others were playing in the water. We got to see them in their natural habitat. Some were curious coming up and swimming back and forth right beside and beneath us.

• ·         Then we went on a bicycle tour of the township Mondesa. This was a wonderful experience to see the poverty that exists in the world, but also the incomparable spirit and welcoming nature of the people. We spoke with a local woman from the Herero tribe and another local medicine woman. We stopped to get some local street food, our guide described as "African Takeout," locals cooking on the grill outside. And finally stopped at a local bar to talk with the locals. Some of the people here make $1000 Namibian dollars a month, which is about $100 USD.

 

Day 5 – Camel Trek

• ·         Today we did some more last minute souvenir shopping at the local vendors and then headed off for a camel trek. I can tell you that camel butt is definitely a real thing because it is not a comfortable ride! But it was fun and memorable to experience riding a camel in the desert.