Almost in China!!

One more entry before I get to China…
The general feeling on the ship is still lots of happiness and excitement about our new president! It’s been a good day.

Just thought I’d mention a few more things. Yesterday we had a pretty cool opportunity to hear a panel of professors and other “old people”on the ship talk about their experiences and/or involvement in the Vietnam war. It was VERY interesting to hear all the stories, especially after just visiting Vietnam and seeing the war museum and everything. Most people had not served in the war although one professor had. He only spoke for a few minutes, it was pretty difficult for him to talk about, I could tell, but I was glad he did speak even for a couple minutes only. He encouraged us students to really just talk to everyone we know, especially our parents, about what they thought and what their experiences were during that time. (if any of you have stories I’d love to hear them! Email me!!) It all really sparked my interest. I feel like I don’t really know THAT much about the war and people’s personal experiences for those who were around my age during that time. Most of the professors and others who spoke last night had been consciencious objectors or avoided serving in the war by one way or another. Some were women who couldn’t be drafted, one professor avoided the draft by joining the peace corps in Africa. Overall a very interesting and somewhat emotional night.

Today was, of course, a big day as well. The election definitely interrupted our usual routine of classes and such, but it was great to watch history happening! Tonight during our “pre-port”about China they showed a short clip of a sort of news story that had been done in 1965 about the Semester at Sea program! It was so funny to see what it was like 50 years ago. The biggest shock was the nearly $20,000 increase in tuition to be in the SAS program from 1965 to now. Haha. Sigh.

Now I’m getting excited for China! We arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow morning (tonight, for you all) we spend 2 days there, then 2 days at sea and then we spend 2 days in Shanghai. After that we head to Japan. It’s crazy to see how fast this trip is going. I’ve got about 5 weeks left here. After 2 ports in Japan we head down to Hawaii (during that time we have two November 22nds because of crossing the international date line! Haha) and we spend Thanksgiving day in Hawaii, then move along to Costa Rica, and then Miami, where the trip ends. Wow. I’ll be sad to have this trip end but I’m also getting excited to go home. I miss my friends and family and Boulder! I miss cooler weather, haha. I miss clean clothes (our laundry schedule is madness!), I miss my car too! I’m excited to be home for Christmas.

Well, I think I’d better go to bed now so I’m ready and awake when we pull into China! Yay!

Send me emails: jmturcios@semesteratsea.net

*peace, love, and YES WE CAN!*