Pictures: Morrea Island by day and by night


A QUICK STOP IN TAHITI...

Thursday, November 1, 2007

So after almost two weeks at sea, we were ready for our "break port"
of Papeete, which although less than a 30-hour stop, was still a
lovely treat! (I realize that I don't use the word "lovely" very
often in writing, but I needed a new adjective.). Once we docked in
Papeete, a lot of people took the Ferry to the neighboring island of
Morrea (Funny, we get off of one ship and immediately get on a
ferry.) Pulling into Morrea was like pulling into a postcard
paradise. Seriously. The land is so lush and the water so clear,
with two blends of blue coming together. Mariam, Makiko, Mel,
Amanda, Ann and I found a hotel ("Hotel Hibiscus"--Doesn't that just
sound tropical?), where we took the last rooms, and enjoyed a late
afternoon of playing in the water (during which Makiko introduced me
to sea cucumbers, my new favorite marine life animal), watching the
sunset, and enjoying a nice meal together. I hadn't had sushi since
I left the U.S., which as many of you know is a long time for me...so
I was excited to try a traditional Polynesian sashimi mix. It's
actually a good thing that we were only in Tahiti for a night because
it is VERY pricey. VERY pricey. After dinner, Makiko, Ann, Amanda,
and I went out by the water, where we laid on the sand and watched
the stars. It was so peaceful listening to the waves--Amanda and I
actually fell asleep!

The next morning, we headed out to the water for some snorkeling.
Lots of coral around the shore, so we got to see some pretty fish.
My favorite one was this white fish, with orange, blue, and yellow
lines--Like colors you would see in a painting or a cute pair of
pants. The rest of the day was spent leisurely hanging out, eating
coconut (which was as thick as a steak), walking around the area, and
calling home...Until around 1:30, when we had to head back to the
ferry. This marked a fun little ending to the trip. Instead of
taking the bus back to the ferry with some of the other students, we
hitched a ride with these two (very cute) Polynesian guys. We're
such role models, I know...but hitch-hiking can be a cultural
experience, too, right?:) Mom and Dad, don't worry, it was safe.
Our new friends made a couple little pit stops by the beach, for a
bathroom break and to toast a drink, before we finally arrived just
in time to board the ferry and head back to the ship.

And now, on to New Zealand!

Shipboard events:
I realize that much of my blog is about my time at port, when the
shipboard life itself is actually such a huge part of our overall
experience. So here are a few tidbits...

"Scholars Helping Scholars":
This event was a charity auction, organized by our Social Justice
student group, for schools in Kenya. The group picked Kenya because
of one of the students' (Cindy's) previous work experience there.
The event was a huge success in that we raised over $11,000! And all
from a community of 200+ people! It also brought up a lot of
sensitive issues and triggered intense emotions, specifically in
relation to socio-economic disparities on the ship, between those who
could afford to spend a lot of money vs. those who could not...as
well as the auctioning of people, which began with somewhat "tame"
innuendoes, and then escalated with the growing momentum and increase
of alcohol. It was interesting to see that the issues raised at the
Hunger Banquet, a simulated event, were actually playing themselves
out for real now. Heated discussions were happening all over the
ship, which created tension, frustration, defensiveness...but through
such discussions, important issues surfaced and learning was taking
place. Not that it made it comfortable, but like one of my students
said, our discussions do not all have to be tied up in a bow...and
that it's almost more thought-provoking when they don't. Some might
disagree.

"Intercultural Night":
This was a great event organized by our Recreations Specialist,
Michael, during which students displayed traditional music, dances,
and fashions from their respective cultures: Sweden, Morocco, Ghana,
Australia, China...It was truly a beautiful night, and reminded us
all of why we are here. It was also great to see the community that
is being formed, the way people cheered for one another, the
admiration expressed, and the pride that was felt. One of my
favorite events thus far.

Open Mic Nights:
Another one of my favorite events is the "open mic" night, where
students and staff come together to spontaneously share their
talents--from singing and dancing, to beat boxing, drumming, poetry
reading, etc. Our most recent open mic session was actually held
outside on the aft of the ship, with the lights turned out so we
could see the stars. Although the sky was cloudy that night and we
couldn't actually see too many stars, it was still so magical to be
out there, listening to music and enjoying the night air and the
sounds of the ocean. We also recently had a movie showing outside,
during which I fell asleep (so relaxing and so typical of what
happens when I try to watch movies). Once the movie was over and
everyone had left, however, Makiko, Amanda, and I laid out on the
aft, and Makiko sang to us a beautiful Japanese song as we gazed up
at the stars. And then Sarah brought over peanut butter, which of
course, was my perfect ending to the night.