Sunday, August 25, 2013

Life on the Giant Waterbed

Location: Somewhere in the North Sea (going around the tip of Denmark, I think)

All of today was spent in orientation meetings in the Union on deck 6 (see the SAS website ship tour page for pictures.) At least it was for most people. After many nights in a row of what was probably not enough sleep, culminating with the night before embarkation, when I couldn't get to sleep until 5am, I finally succumbed. I must have switched off the sound on my alarm, because I vaguely remember dreaming about ignoring it and then... nothing.

...Until I woke up to the noon announcements over the shipboard loudspeaker. Panic! I missed all of the morning orientation meetings, though I'm pretty sure they didn't say anything I haven't already read all about (at least from what I manage to gather from all the sleepy people who did make it there this morning.) I was just in time for lunch, and to the next round of orientation sessions (in which they also didn't really say anything I didn't already know.) I did find out that the M.V. Explorer (this ship) has the largest floating library in the world! Apparently there is a cruise ship with 8000 volumes which has been claiming the honor, but we actually have over 9000 - awesome, huh?

On the bright side, I've (sorta) caught up on sleep now! And I don't feel at all seasick - in fact, I kind of like the rocking of the ship. It's like living on a giant waterbed.

There was also a big clubs/activities fair this evening, which had quite an impressive selection. I signed up for four:
1) A group that plans independent travel (so that I'm not traveling around just by myself! Much...)
2) "Talk Nerdy to Me" (seriously, it's called that! I'll feel right at home: I even brought the "Talk Nerdy to Me" T-shirt I won in an NSCS raffle)
3) The Semester at Sea Alumni association organizes something they call "shipboard families" in which you are paired with fellow students, lifelong leaners, and professors into little makeshift family groups. Which sounds kind of awesome.
4) Being a Spanish tutor for the little kids who are on board (for those of you who don't know, the professors and some other staff actually bring their entire families with them on the ship! Apparently on Halloween they even go trick-or-treating at our cabins)

... And there will also be an email sent out for Yoga and Zumba gatherings, which will be first come first serve, so I may do one of those as well.

Cool info of the day: in case anyone is curious how this internet at sea thing works, it was explained to us in one of the many orientation sessions: first, the info is sent from my computer to the IT department, where the computers there package it all up and send it through one of the two tennis ball shaped antennas on top of the ship (once again, you can always view the ship and its layout by going to the SAS website. There are even links to it right at the top of this page.) After that, the signal is bounced waaay up to our satellite, and waaay back down to the University of Virginia. The UVA sends the signal off to whatever server in the US hosts the website I am attempting to view. Then the info goes back to the UVA, up to the satellite, down to the ship, through the antennas, to the IT computers, and back to my computer. That's how the whole process was explained, and I thought it was neat enough to merit sharing. I also like to think about that whenever I'm emailing to my blog, or loading one of the sites that are free to visit (which includes wikipedia! Yay!) Considering all the technological effort (and the money: the Institute for Shipboard Eduction spends $200,000 a year so that we can have internet at sea) which goes into this process, the internet is actually quite good.

Well, classes start tomorrow so I'd better stop rambling and actually sleep. It's an A day so I will be starting with Mixed Media Visual Journal and finishing with Cross Cultural Psychology.

A comment a day keeps the Lindsey happy :)

3 comments:

grandma said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Hi, Lindsey, that giant waterbed is apparently doing a great job getting you caught up on sleep. So glad the bed is comfortable and the engine noise only a lullaby. Don't let them keep you asleep during your classes! Seriously, though, your classes and extras sound like fun. Did you bring a Halloween costume along? :)
Would love to be able to listen in on your tutoring class; lots of pantomimes, maybe? Love, Grandma

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Awesome photos Have a great time...Love dad
Have to press your dad to write at least a sentence and not just an "oi".Good luck on your studies at sea with that " Giant Waterbed" you sound like you're having fun, well that's should it be, do take care dear, love& prayer RV

Janice said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

If I had a pony, I'd ride him on my boat.....fair winds, calm seas. Love janoce