Friday, August 24

Today got off to an amazing start when we had our first whale sighting while we were outside on the deck looking across the water after breakfast.   They weren't that close and we didn't see them come fully out of the water, but it was still impressive.  There was another sighting while we were eating dinner that was much more impressive and nearer by.  Barry missed it, but Jayne got a good view.

 The students boarded the ship yesterday and today was been a full day of meetings of various sorts for them.   For us, it's been a relatively slow day.   Barry spent the morning in the faculty lounge preparing for the first day of classes.   In the afternoon, students had the opportunity to meet with members of the faculty they needed to see.   Barry had a few students who just wanted to come by and introduce themselves.  Several others were hoping to add into one of the courses, but it is already full.   The most remarkable student was a young man from the University of California-San Diego.   He is in a wheelchair as the result of a automobile accident four years ago.   I ask him about accessibility issues on the ship and he said that it was pretty good.  But here is the most amazing thing, other than his incredible courage in taking on an adventure like this, he told me that he is rooming with a fellow UCSD student who has been his friend since high school and the accident.  "If there's some place I can't get to, he will just throw me over his shoulder and carry me.  He's been doing that for four years."  I'm honored to have them both in my World Religions class.

The MV Explorer is supposedly among the fastest cruise ships in the world, capable of 30 knots.  We've been sailing at around fifteen knots.  Someone said this evening that we are proceeding slowly both because we need a long crossing to get all our teaching days in, AND, because there is bad weather ahead we are trying to let pass.  The captain did say rather ominously last night that he's confident that we have two days of good weather ahead of us.  Only two!!!   

 Both us had our second visit to the workout room today.    We will soon have to both sign-up for times on the exercise equipment.  We are only allowed a half-hour reservation.   We did learn that they are moving some brand new bicycles into the facility.  They should be installed in a day or two.

 Tomorrow classes begin.   We both will attend the Global Studies course that provides the historical, social, political, and cultural context for the various countries we will visit.  Barry will meet for the first time with his Liberation Theology class in the afternoon.

 The sea and sky are beautiful and calm.  No seasickness so far.