The computer lab, open until 11 p.m. with a techie on duty and assisted by work study students, is usually full of students and faculty. All of us try to go green and avoid printing materials. We have access to many sites (without having to go online) for research. Also professors put their homework assignment in the "public folder" and we are encouraged to place our photographs and impressions on the same file.
The dean sends us a memo every afternoon at sea, with announcements for the day and important information, including our location, water and air temperature (usually in the 80s F) and the water usage on board. We are conserving as much water as possible since we take in water only from the ports where we know we can get a clean supply. The last port was Singapore, the next is Mauritius
Most of us LLLs (lifelong learners) were asked to participate in an extended-family arrangement. I have two young men (one from Texas and one from Mexico) and two young ladies (from Idaho and Illinois), with whom I have dinner or lunch every third or fourth day. Sometimes I treat them to hamburgers on Deck 7 or smoothies. It is a way for us to give them sound advice or a shoulder to cry on, though mine have been trouble-free.
Topy Fiske (second from left) and I treat our "adopted students" Deck 7. Mine are the middle three students while the fourth, Juan, had a meeting and could not be with us.
The spa on board the ship is excellent. Massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, sauna, steam bath, haircuts, etc. are reasonably prices. They have beauty products for every need. We also have two shops selling clothing, gifts, memory sticks, thermoses, books, souvenirs and a lot of Semester at Sea souveneirs.
When it comes to fitness, we are offered a choice of classes like Zumba, yoga and Pilates. There are walks around Deck Three. There is a ping pong table on Deck 7 aft. Not far from the basketball court. I have even seen one gal being taught how to swim.
There are groups that practice conversational Spanish, and children of faculty members take advantage of the Mandarin courses offered by some of the Chinese students. We have 32 children belonging to faculty and staff whose parents are home-schooling them. One faculty member has brought the kids' nanny, others hire students to babysit when they need a break.
Left: The Explorer crew often hold emergency exercises. This photo was taken during a mock rescue mission. A dummy was dropped off the ship and the crew, lowering themselves in a lifeboat, recovered it.
No comments:
Post a Comment