Ship Life

We haven't had a blog to just tell everyone about what we do on the ship, so here it is. Enjoy...

Well, what we do on the ship depends on what day it is. We don't have days of the week, we just have "A days" and "B Days". On A Days, Kate and I usually wake up at about 7:30 and get some breakfast before everyone else stumbles in around 9, and then get ready for Global Studies. It starts at 920 and everyone either sits in the union, or, when it fills up, in what we call "satellite classrooms" that have a screen where they can watch the class from around the ship. Global Studies has been an area of frustration for many aboard the ship so far, especially since we just had our first test yesterday, but that's a story for another day. Anyway, after Global Studies, we have a little free time, and I've started to go to the gym at this time since a lot of people are napping or in class. Kate has to work from 1040-1140 and then again at 1330 to 1420, so we usually schedule meals and such around when she works. I have to work from 1600-1700 on A Days, but other than that, we don't really have a lot to do until the evenings. We've started a tradition of having lunch with the twins and Pat at noon. There are two dining halls...one on deck 5 and one on deck 6. We always eat on 6, which is called "The Garden Lounge". Fancy, huh? We usually sit and talk with them for a while and then wander around bugging people in the piano lounge or Tymitz Square. This is also the time when we go lay out on deck in the gorgeous sunshine while "studying" aka sleeping. Eating, napping, and hanging out with people basically sums up our A Days. Very relaxing. At night, we usually have a few meetings, and we always have dinner with the twins and Pat as well (notice a pattern. haha). At 2000 every night, there's what we call Explorer's Seminars, which can be anything from a photography workshop to a presentation about a certain religion or something. They're usually always interesting, and we try to make it to most of them. Then there's snack time! It's at 2200, and it consists of the crew putting out delicious cakes, cookies, and sandwiches and all the students stuffing their faces while playing cards or going up to Pub night. Pub night is basically when the 7th deck turns into a bar, and you can have 4 beers or glasses of wine while hanging out with friends. The beverage vouchers are kind of expensive, so we haven't bought one yet, but going up to pub night and watching all the idiots on the ship is entertainment enough for us and our friends. It's ridiculous to watch girls who you just saw in sweatpants getting all dressed up...and I'm talking heels and short dresses, hair done and everything...just to go up to the pool bar and have a few beers. Kind of weird, but whatever....to each his own I guess.

Anyway, moving on.....B Days are my favorite. Or not. Kate has to work at 830, and then after Global Studies, which ends at 1035, we both have two more classes...I have East Asian History and Psychology, and Kate has Art and Economics... until 1330. Then it's a quick lunch (lunch ends at 1345), and we go somewhere to read the chapter assigned for our nutrition. After class again from 1455-1610, we usually take a nap, and then I have to work from 1700-1900. Then it's finally dinner time, and we usually find someone who's waited to eat dinner until then. It starts at 1730, so everyone's usually already done eating by the time we get there. The nights are basically the same both days, and we usually find time to hang out with Ellie and play with her :-)

Ship life is amazing. We live right at the bottom of the main staircase, and all we have to do is walk up two flights of stairs to get to class or eat. All of our friends are within a 100 ft radius and we usually always find something to do whether it's play cards or a board game, watch a movie, or sit on the deck and watch the world (literally) go by. Not to mention all the activities that go on....open mic nights, dance lessons, movies in the union, etc. It gets crazy around here, and the time is moving way too fast. It feels like we're in some kind of alternate time zone because I've never been anywhere where I can say, "wait...was that 6 days ago...I thought we did that an hour ago!". It's such a strange feeling. Especially because we've lost an hour every night since getting back on the ship, and we lose another one tonight. By tomorrow, we'll be 10 hours ahead of the east coast, and 11 hours ahead of Chicago! Crazy, isn't it? As much as I would like to complain, though, I can't. This is an absolutely amazing, unique experience that I can't seem to get enough of. At least once a day, I have to stop and think...is this really happening? It's kind of insane, but wonderfully enjoyable, and I think I could stay on this ship forever!

Well, work calls, so I should be heading out. We miss you all so much, and we'll write more after Sea Olympics. Love you!

Sarah and Kate