Orientaton

I cannot believe that today is already the third day of my circumnavigation! We have had so many orientations and meetings, I feel like I am a freshman all over again.

Yesterday (Tuesday, January 20th) was a very long day. We had to be at a meeting in the union at 9am. The union is the main large lecture hall, which sits around 100 people. There are 700 of us so we all just fill in satellite classrooms and hallways and hope for the best... It lasted around 2 hours all together. We were introduced to faculty and staff and blah blah blah (that's basically what I got from it). After that we had a break for lunch. The food on the ship is GREAT. Besides being a non-meat eater, if you hand me anything else I am not picky. Bread and butter is a 32 oz. steak to me! They have so many vegetables, you might say I'm in veggie heaven.

After lunch we had hours upon hours of other meetings but Caitlin and I decided to head back to the room. I heard a fabulous rumor that all things that take place in the union are broadcasted to our room T.V.'S... Let's just say I found one of lifes best kept secrets! We laid in our beds and watched the meeting aka fell asleep immediatly and woke up in time for dinner :) When we walked into the dining hall we heard a lot of "are you guys alive?" Yes we are alive, don't be jealous that we have the key to life on the MV Explorer. We shared our secret and maybe gained a bit of fame :P

Before we "died" in our beds (as Marcus would say.. "We were depressed" haha!) They got satellite feed of the inauguration. The fact that everyone on this ship is trying to see the world, teach, learn and spread hope that globalization can close the gap of tribe means by default we are all liberal and Obama lovers. We are also college students so I guess that helps also.. Quite the Obama demographic we are. It was astounding how during lectures we all talk, text and doze off, but when this inauguration was playing 1000 people sat in silence. Obama's speech was amazing. Inauguration speeches are known for being morale boosters filled with fluff and clouds with silver linings.. he kept it real. I think we need more of that. In the words of Obama, we choose hope not fear.

After dinner we had a champagne toast and cake party to the new president, were not joking around about this! As we walked up to get our champagne we see them putting away the empty bottles of alcohol removed "champagne" aka the O'douls of champagne aka carbonated water. We toasted and one of my friends ran to the balcony and vommitted... The ship was KICKIN last night. Almost everyone I know is having serious sea sick problems. I absolutely love the feeling and as they're all green sitting in chairs I was up doin the macarena (for some reason it was being played over the speaker system! Ha!)

We turned our clocks back an hour last night, and we do it again for the next 6 nights! It is definitely going to hit us. We are 3 days into the Atlantic and have about 5 left to Espana.

Today (Wednesday, January 21) was the first day of class. I was in biomedical ethics and my professor was telling us how she grew up on Long Island. So, of course I do a double fist pump in the air followed by a standard "woo!" She asked me where, I said Northport, and she said "that's where I am from!!" My response was "No you're not!" Hahaha

She lives on Highland Ave... Aka the backyard of every house I grew up in. Small world.

Well, I am about to grab lunch and then lay out on the pool deck for the rest of the day. Tough life, I know.

Jac

P.s. Missu
P.p.s. Jennifer Maletto have the most amazing 21st birthday ever!! I miss you so much and I wish I could be there to hold your hair back.. Get it girl, werk mama!

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