Almost to Port

So have you ever tried to run on a treadmill while on a cruise? I did today and so please imagine trying to run on a conveyor belt while you are being rocked left and right. It’s sort of a two-steps-straight and one-to-the-side pattern. It was certainly a unique to start my morning. Today was the third out of ten classes that I’ll be having on the voyage. Class time just flies by, but today we only had the one professor (the Dean, who is also teaching the class, was not there) who shared with us his current project in Honduras. He has helped this Hondurian community to install a water system, which brings water inexpensively to this community. He said that the project is not finished, but it was cool to hear about an actual Humanitarian Engineering project by the person who was responsible for it. These SAS professors are all quite impressive. (You can read about them here: http://www.semesteratsea.org/current-voyage/overview/faculty-staff.php)

Today we also received a typed version of the goals we had for ourselves for this voyage. We had to pick a word/goal and describe it. Mine was: “Discovery – I have never been to this part of the world, and I would like to learn and experience as much as possible! I’m excited for this unique endeavor! –Matt Knoth (2046)“

Tomorrow morning we’ll be arriving to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (which is ONE country.) I had a last minute schedule change with the nature center that I was supposed to be visiting tomorrow, so tomorrow I’ll be attending “The Turtle Vigil.“ SAS explains it like this: “Each year, majesty and mystery emerge from the deep. The Leather Back Turtle makes its nesting journey to the north and north-eastern coasts of Trinidad from March to August.  This labor of love lasts from forty to sixty minutes after which the turtle returns to the sea. Tagged turtles from Trinidad and Tobago have been found as far away as Madagascar. Witness this spectacle.” It something I’ve witnessed on the Discovery Channel, but it’s probably much cooler to witness in person! (knock on wood) So I’m off to the “Pre-port Seminar” for Trinidad and Tobago, which is basically a crash course orientation on culture and ways to behave.

Should be interesting to return to solid ground,
Matt

P.S. We receive a Daily Memo from the Dean, and I thought it was nice to see that SAS has a sense of humor: (This has been directly copied and pasted from the Memo)
“Water Conservation 
Please remember to conserve water on the ship.  Some tips: Don't leave your faucet running while you shave or brush your teeth.  Take a "sailor's shower" where you turn off the water while you lather up and turn it back on to rinse.  Shower with a friend.”