Hello family, friends, and assorted other people reading this blog! I'm halfway through this block of time at sea, with only two more days to go until Namibia! The days can't go fast enough. Actually, considering the fact that I have two papers to write, they could go a bit slower, but I'll sacrifice my sanity to get to my safari faster. Not much has been happening. Days at sea pretty much go class meal nap class meal e-mail homework meeting movie sleep repeat. Not much variety.
I'm working on my first piece for my travel writing class. It's been really difficult to finish even though I know what I want to say. I don't have a good workplace on the ship. I have a desk in my room, but that includes roommate distractions. Lots of people work in the piano bar but its way too noisy for me. I've tried one of the dining halls but there are always people playing games and the tables vibrate which feels really strange when you're typing, especially since I leave my hands on the keyboard when I'm thinking. Plus you get some strange looks when you murmur to yourself in public places. So the going's been slow, but I think something good is coming from it anyways. I'll post it after it's been critiqued and edited a bit.
It seems most people on the ship have tons of free time in Namibia and no idea what to do. I'm the exact opposite. As soon as we can get off the ship my independent group is leaving to meet our vans that are taking is to Windhoek for the night. Then in the morning we'll be picked up for our 3-day safari at Etosha National Park. And we get back to the ship the last day in port, with a large cushion of time so we won't get dock time, but not really enough time to do anything in Walvis Bay. I'm okay with that though; I don't really feel like breaking my wrist sandboarding, which, given family history, is a likely occurrence.
If anyone reads any good articles or editorials in any newspaper outside of the New York Times, please send them my way! Hint hint Dad please watch thepantheronline.com for me so I can keep up to date with Chapman :D I get the "official" school e-mails but those aren't nearly as informative. In case you haven't been keeping track, my e-mail is MAHelme@semesteratsea.net Certain people such as a Miss Kathryn should e-mail me because I forgot to write down your e-mail. Lots of love from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!
1 comment:
Even if you have two papers, I can assure you that you are WAY better off than any of us stuck on land :-)
As far as study places go, sometimes I could find a quiet atmosphere in the Union, but it was really hit or miss and the ship rocked way too much up there for me to concentrate. A lot of people also worked way down in the second deck. There's a little niche under the middle set of stairs down on the second deck that people sometimes inhabit. It's not completely isolated, but there's a lot less people there than most places on the ship!
I wish I were going to Namibia. That's one thing that's different about our iteneraries. Don't forget to bring extra batteries for your camera on your safari!!!
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