First Day of Classes

Today, the seas have been really rough.     We both went up to the 7^th Deck this morning to the Faculty Lounge and it was really swaying.  Indeed, the outside balconies were closed because of high winds.  What happened to those two days of good weather we were promised?   There are some people struggling a bit with sea-sickness.  So far, the seabands are working for Barry and Jayne is doing okay with some medication.

 Barry's first class was at 2:30 pm.   As expected there were thirty eager students and a few who hoped to add in.  Jayne observed and wasn't too critical, except she said Barry used some words she'd never heard.   One student, at least, arrived late because she had been in the clinic because of sea sickness.   Another young woman introduced herself to me after class.  She goes to the University of Virginia and became friends with one or our JustFaith Christian Leadership students at SU this summer in an Episcopal vocational-exploration program.   Barry only had to reach for the podium once or twice to keep from losing his balance!

Prior to that, both of us attended the first lecture in the Global Studies class that all students have to take.  Everyone on board is supposed to attend as this course prepares us for the various cities and countries we will visit.   It is the one common experience shared by faculty, spouses, students, and staff (everyone but the crew that keeps the ship going).   The professor is a very engaging guy named Don Gogniat who teaches Cultural Geography at Penn State.

 We have signed on to be shipboard family for two students.  More than 300 students have signed up to have members of the faculty, staff, and spouses "adopt" them for the voyage.  We don't know exactly at this point what that means, except that we occasionally eat meals with them on ship.   Jayne worked with her kindergartner for the first time using some of the resources she has on her iPad.

Tonight we will turn our clocks forward another hour.  Tomorrow we will be 3 hours ahead of Eastern Standard time.