OH MY GHANA!

Each country has its own unique and identifying characteristics. They each possess something that makes me fall more and more in love with the world we live in. It has never been so evident that we are all individuals, with unique personalities, but we all are the same in essence. WE ARE ALL PEOPLE. From 700 college students on a ship, to the crewmembers from Jamaica, to the Ghanaian taxi driver, to the nomads of Morocco, we all have a very strong common thread. Ghana has engrained this in me and it is something that I will forever value but most importantly has allowed me to have a much needed paradigm shift.
        I started off my 1st two days with Semester at Sea sponsored trips. The 1st day I went on a trip called slave dungeons and castles. Here we were taken to two castles that were used before and during the Atlantic slave trade. We were exposed to the quarters that the men and women were held captive in and got a true sense of the pain that they endured. This gave a tangible feeling for what I had learned for so many years in history classes. The thing that surprised me the most was the grotesque smell that filled the air. Our guide asked us to imagine back to the day of when individuals were actually kept in the quarters and how it must have truly smelt. Due to the lack of movement in these areas and also being malnourished individuals urinated, defecated, and slept in the same spot. This caused a truly nauseating scent. After the 1st castle we headed to a hotel resort for lunch, this is where I began to have a slight issue with SAS trips. There they provided us with wonderful food, somewhat authentic and some staged entertainment. As I set there and watched this entertainment, I felt as if I was in a glass box. I had not at all interacted with the people of Ghana or really felt their culture. I also have a new appreciation for taxi rides, stopping to ask for directions, and street vendors, this is truly the most amazing way to interact within ones culture. Don’t get me wrong the slave dungeons were a great experience and I learned a wealth of knowledge and have had the issue of slavery reintroduce to me in many different light.
        Bright and early the next morning I loaded the bus for another SAS trip. I had signed up this summer for a trip to the “water village”. I really had no idea what this would entail, but I thought it sounded interesting….I load the bus with a few friends and we are off on a 3 hour bus ride. While it took this long in Ghana, the distance was only about 75 miles. In Ghana one of the many things that is inadequate is their highway infrastructure, it is non-existent. Upon arrival we were greeted by some locals from the water village, which is only reachable by canoe. We were dressed in ever so attractive fluorescent orange life jackets as we floated away in our manmade canoes with our guide. The hour boat ride was very luxurious, through canals, rainforest and big open lakes. Mother nature also threw in a treat of her own; a downpour. Upon arrival to the village it was surreal to see an entire civilization built on stilts. We were greeted by the village elder and discussed with us the history that encompasses the village. We walked through the village and examined the conditions in which they lived. While it is so different from ours, I had a weird feeling within the entire duration of the visit. I know that I would not like someone walking down my street and peering into my bedroom. Shortly after arrival, we hoped back in the canoes and paddled back to this small restaurant for lunch. While these two trips I took with SAS were not the highlights of my voyage, they have taught me how to better plan for other ports. That is the most difficult part is even before boarding the ship deciding what trips to take in the first several ports.
        So here is the highlight of my 4 days, but I am warning you these thoughts are raw, so bear with me as I attempt to cohesively attempt to depict what I experienced. So on the 3rd day I joined 30 students and a few life long learners (LLLs) to head to City of Refuge Orphanage in Tema, which is located anywhere from 4-6 hours away from Takoradi. I learned about this service visit from a Life Long Learner, Ken, in my leadership class. He was hoping to arrange a visit to an orphanage that his daughter had visited on a whim when she sailed on the Spring Voyage this year.   We started to prepare 3 days before arrival in Ghana, talk about “flying by the seat of your pants”. We collected money from some LLLs and Ken provided the transportation, but who knew what a transforming 23 hours this would be.
        The City of Refuge Orphanage is one of the most amazing NGO’s I have ever witnessed. Two people are attempting to create such a dramatic change, and they are doing it! John, a Nigerian native and Stacey, a U.S. citizen met while volunteering in Ghana and have now created this fantastic organization. They moved to the U.S. in 2002 and shortly after were married, and started a family of their own, always with the intention to move back to Ghana to work for change. In 2006 they started the City of Refuge from the United States, but just this January bought a piece of land and settled on the outskirts of Tema. There mission is huge, they aim to help enslaved children at Lake Volta, the worlds largest man made lake. Children begin to be sold into slavery as young as the age of 3 and are brutally worked and mistreated. Single mothers tend to sell their children into slavery because they have no other option and cannot care for them, or do not realize what their child is about to endure. John and Stacey have taken a holistic approach on this situation. It is about so much more than just freeing kids from the lake and finding them a home and helping them receive an education. Getting the kids off the lake is a tough process, but they approach the situation from many different angles. The first step is usually going to talk to the fisherman and trying to learn if they have any children enslaved. If the men admit to this crime, it is explained to them that the government is planning a massive raid on the lake and anyone with enslaved children will be arrested. Usually the fisherman will have the birth certificate or address of where the child came from and after much negotiation will relinquish that information. John and Stacey then will pay a visit to the mother of the child and discuss the situation of her child. If a mother is capable to take back that child then John and Stacey will rescue the child and return them to their home and provide the funds for the rest of their education. If the child has nowhere to go, that is where the orphanage will step in. They now have 14 children in their facilities, but have been able to rescue 42 within the last year! At their facility they provide an English based school for their children and provide them with a tremendous amount of love and support.  Also, they have started a pure water company, in which women of the village sell bags of water that discuss the issues of child slavery. Not only does this serve as an educational tool, but it also provides jobs for women of the village so that they can have a form of income so that they don’t have to sell their child into slavery. Within the next 6 months their fair trade jewelry company will also be available for women as a means of work. Another aspect they have started is called “the feed”, which we were able to partake in. As of right now it is a bi-monthly event, soon to be weekly. Here they go to Tema New Town, a village in which children are usually sold from, and provide a meal for the kids. They use this as an opportunity to talk to women about the issues that surround the area, but also to register children and look for patterns that might indicate that they have been sold. All of these aspects will hopefully one day end the cycle of child slavery. I could go on recounting all the horror stories told about the children dying at the lake and the pain and suffering they must endure. It is painful to see this type of inhumanity, slavery has not ended, rather the numbers are growing everyday. There must be a stop; children around the world are being stripped of all humanity. Here is how we all became so greatly impacted by this experience. 
         Our day started at 3 a.m! We met outside the ship and had a brisk walk to the front of the port to meet our bus. Everyone seemed so excited about this event that we knew so little about. I attempted to catch up on a lack of sleep as the bus driver bumped down the unpaved roads containing potholes the size of Texas. Several ipod playlists later we arrived at the orphanage. As we pulled up the most beautiful smiles greeted our bus. We met the 14 children that live at the house and John and Stacey. They welcomed us with breakfast and showed us around the facilities. Here we began to interact with the kids, we saw them break out of their shells and begin to cling on to the love we showered upon them. We played soccer, little sally walker, bubbles, and they got a hold of our cameras. I have some fantastic pictures of bushes, ground, and body parts ☺ The most important thing was we shared love, smiles and a sense of hope with these children. After several hours we split up into three groups, one to stay at the house to help prepare meals, another to take the children to the field for a soccer game, and I went with a group to the village to notify people that we would be there that evening for a feed. As we walked through the village I became aware of so many small details that tore at my heart. Stacey introduced me to a lady that they have been working with that is HIV positive and has a newborn baby. She is in desperate need for rent money. Her rent is 6 cedis or 4 US dollars a month, but she must pay for 3 years in advance making it difficult for her to come up with the money. Her rent for 3 years is only 144 US dollars, the amount that many Americans spend on a pair of jeans or gas for a month. While at the village, we also interacted with the children for a little while, but then headed back to the house to load up the food.
        Back at the house we played with the children while the rest of the meals were prepared and then created an assembly line. We passed down 1200 meals consisting of rice, fish and stew in a small container. We packed the van and the trunk of the car. Before you know it, our group and the children from the house loaded up on our big bus and headed to the village. It was quite a sight getting the bus through the village but that does not even hold a candle to the wind of what I was about to experience. As our bus pulled up to the lot it was swarmed by children filled with waves, smiles and cheers. It seemed as if we were almost celebrities. Getting off the bus I was greeted with so many hugs, high-fives, and latching children that the tears started to flow, it was a good thing it was raining. I have never felt so welcomed in a place. After gathering the children sang us songs and prayed through music, it was such a moving experience. At this point the sky was also singing its praises and we were soaked. As the food began to be distributed all organization was lost. I saw the happiness in the children’s eyes turn into fear of not receiving food. Little children were pushed and shoved and it began difficult to regulate who had already received food. After an hour the 1200 meals had been distributed. Some acted as if they had not received food, but I must believe that if they did not their siblings did and they were able to share. I know that some took more than one, but due to natural conditions it became very difficult to regulate. We loaded back on the bus and I was full of emotions. My mind was racing in so many directions I could not speak. I set in silence on the ride home attempting to process what I had witnessed.
        We had just provided 1200 meals to children that had virtually nothing. While I am well aware that a single meal will not fix any social injustice, it was the expression of the children that made every minute a memory that I will always remember.  More than anything in 23 hours this group of semi-strangers had become a family. Back at the house we ate dinner with the children and said our goodbyes as they headed off to bed. We were then fortunate enough to hear John and Stacy’s story and what motivates them to be the phenomenal people they are. As a group we than began to debrief for a great deal of time.  This was very powerful, because the act we had all witnessed resonated so strongly in the room. As I write this several days later, I still feel the call to action, and as a group we are still working towards making change happen.   
        Slavery has not ended and it is only growing. We must find a way to put a stop to this inhuman action. Child slavery is a growing and dire problem that few people are educated about. Before going to City of Refuge Orphanage I knew that child slavery existed, but no way in the capacity I do know. It is now my mission to educate others about the facts and problems of childhood slavery. I can’t just let this issue go, I have been educated and now it is the world’s turn to know that this problem is just one of many injustices that we as a global community must make a part of history rather that a never ending cycle.
        Ghana was a country of Hope, Despair, Vivaciousness, Awareness, and Love. I have hope for the future of Ghana. They are one of the most forward moving developing nations. I have hope that what I was a witness to will one day be eradicated and that I am part of that solution. I also saw despair, but never in the people. The despair was in their roads, houses, and educational system. While I saw desolation in these areas, I believe the people saw hope for a better Ghana. The peoples sense of pride and liveliness negates any negative image engrained previously in my mind. They are one; they take care not only of themselves, but also their society. I believe they instilled in me a new sense of attentiveness; to the needs of people, the culture and the simple aspects of life. These individuals are the most simplistic and elegant people I have ever come in contact with. They are truly diamonds in the rough. Overall, I am in LOVE with the people of Ghana. Their hospitality and true sense of happiness is second to none.  Ghana for me was in one simple word: a RENEWAL.

Neptune Day!

Today was a special day on the ship! It was supposed to be a reading day, which is a time for students to catch up on their work and not have classes. This sounds like the perfect day, but SAS went on and made it even better! We celebrated Neptune Day. This is a tradition of the sea, representing crossing the equator. While at sea, before you cross over the equator you are considered a pollywog, but after initiation you have been deemed a shellback. This years voyage earned even a more prestigious title! Thanks to our captain, we sailed over the golden X, the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator. Being of a rare population to do this, we were knighted Emerald Shellbacks today. The day started early. The king and his court paraded down the halls blowing whistles and clashing symbols at 6 a.m. They kindly gave us time to eat breakfast before summoning all voyagers to the pool deck. Here we became initiated, but not so easily. We were soaked in “fish guts” (luckily the let us jump in the pool afterwards), then had to kiss a very large fish and the rings of the king and queen before being initiated. As tradition has it, you are also supposed to shave your head, and many participants did. I believe that 30 girls shaved their heads today and many guys are running around bald or with some beautiful mullets. We then had the rest of the day to study for our ship wide test. We all have a test in Global Studies this evening. I think it will be fine, we have had study groups all afternoon. This evening for dinner they spoiled us! We had a BBQ! They served hamburgers, mac and cheese, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, lemonade and ice cream sundaes. IT WAS SUCH A TREAT! I think it was the best brain food I could have asked for! I promise I will finish the Ghana blog soon, I just need some time to debrief and collect my thoughts. Hope all is well and miss you ton

I am at the center of the world!

So I looked up at the position report on the TV today in the Union and it showed that we have made it to the center of the world. We are at 0.0 longitude and 0.0 latitude. I don't think I will ever be able to say this again. We are back to classes and normal life today. I will have a blog up shortly from Ghana, but I have so much to say. 2 days from now I also have my 1st test, it is in Global Studies, the class in which everyone on the ship is required to take. So, I have a lot planned in the next week until we get to Capetown. I will keep you updated. Love you all.

Thank you very Marrakesh

Greetings from Africa!  I have just arrived back on the ship from what was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever been apart of. Do not get me wrong Spain was an amazing country, but Morocco has made such a greater impact on me. I am so grateful for every minute of this journey, whether it was a high or one of the very few minor glitches.
We were cleared for docking a day early so there was only 16 hours between Spain and Morocco. This transition was rather a little stressful; I felt as if I had very little time to process what I had seen and Spain and was attempting to prepare for the lack of familiarities of Morocco.  We have a ship wide meeting, a logistical pre-port, the night before we get to a country. Here they try to prepare us for some of the various issues we may run into while in that country, but I have come to realize that nothing can truly prepare you for what you will witness walking off the gangway of the ship in a port for the 1st time.
. We came into Morocco at a very interesting time. Our first day in port was the last day of Ramadan. During this month many activities shut down or close early so that individuals can spend time with family and focus on their religion. Also, the 2nd day in port was the feast acknowledging the end of Ramadan. The holiday is called Eid al-Fitr, it is the equivalent of the American Thanksgiving. On this day almost everything shuts down so that people can spend time with their families and celebrate the occasion. This day was also September 11th. It was very interesting being an American in an Islamic country on this day, especially due to the threats of Qurans being burnt in America. The ship sent out an exclusive warning for all students to be extremely careful while traveling and exploring. I am very happy to report that I did not feel great side effects of being American on this day.
So on the 1st day once the ship had been cleared and all passports stamped I went and wondered around Casablanca with a group of friend. We headed towards the medina, or city center. Located here are tons of individual shops and street vendors. In Morocco there is a lot of pottery, leather goods, and rugs for sale. Our experience turned out to be rather stressful and after 2 hours all of were ready to head back to the ship and get dinner in some place that we knew and were familiar with. While in the medina, many of the girls in our group felt rather uncomfortable. There was not a minute in which you could take your eyes off your possessions, making it difficult to look at all of the beautiful works of art. Also, a man tried to lead the group through very sketchy alleyways and when we became uncomfortable and tried to leave he demanded a ridiculous amount of money.  Also, it became very apparent the status of women in this country. When I would try to barter, they treated me as a second-class citizen. I always had to have my guy friends do it for me so I could get the best price. I became very frustrated but now am so much more grateful for my freedom to express myself as a woman. This day ended up to be rather short but was an eye-opening experience without a doubt.
I awoke with the sun the next morning to catch a train to Marrakesh for an independent camel trek with 11 other students.  I randomly was sitting at the pool one afternoon and started talking to the girl next to me and said that they needed more people for their trip and asked me if I wanted to join. That is the great part of SAS, you meet so many people and are able to make travel arrangements so easily. I knew a few of the people on my trip, but not very well so I was excited to be able to hang out with a new group and be able to expand my circle even further. We arrived at the station with only 10 minutes to spare, to learn that the train had been delayed for 45 minutes. When the train finally showed, the station became a mad house. The trains do not sale out, they pack as many people on it as they can. Our group had to split up to all make it on the train. We became crammed into a corner of the car. Comfort during travel outside the United States is a luxury not an expectation. We stood like sardines for the 1st hour and half of the train ride. Luckily my friend and I stood by a local that spoke a decent amount of English. We discussed many aspects of Morocco with him ranging from lifestyle and family to politics and religion. He was a great wealth of knowledge but also so hospitable. He even invited our whole group and tour guide over for couscous on Saturday morning. This is a dish that Moroccans only eat on Friday for dinner, but wanted to treat us. This train ride was one of the coolest things I have ever witnessed. It started as something I saw as miserable, a 3-hour ride while standing and no air conditioning, and ended up be something amazing, After getting off the train we made our way to the street and a police officer ended up helping us line up four taxis so that none of us got left behind or ripped off. This was another warm welcoming we received from the locals. We finally made it to the medina in Marrakesh and headed to our riad, an old palace that has been converted into a bed and breakfast. While the streets of Marrakesh did not look that attractive, what was behind closed doors was a completely different story.  We stayed at the Riad Lila and were greeted with warm glasses of mint tea. This tea was out of this world, and the locals use it as a time to welcome and catch up with their guest. After dropping our stuff off we were starving, so the man at the riad walked us to his favorite local restaurant. In Morocco they start every meal with green and black olives and bread. I really liked the green ones, they were pickled in some spice and tasted like nothing I have had in the states, the black ones on the other hand I am not a fan of at all! For our main course we split 3 large couscous dishes and they were out of this world. They had cooked veggies, chicken and meat. I am in love with Moroccan food and think I could eat it all the time, I found it much more appetizing than Spanish food. For desert the always serve grapes and melon! It was so fresh and delicious. After dinner our group decided to split and head into the medina and do some shopping. I was able to score some awesome deals, my favorite being a pair of pants that were perfect for the desert. Also, the medina has a ton of stands that sale fresh orange juice, and it is unlike any other orange juice I have ever had. It was so fresh and still had the seeds of the oranges in it! After our group met back up we headed back to the riad and hung out by the pool. No one realized we would have a pool so we didn’t bring suits. So while the guys got in the girls set with their feet in the water. The best part about it all, the guys took turns rotating and giving all the girls foot massages. It was fantastic and a great time just hanging out and relaxing in a beautiful city.
Early the next morning we woke up for breakfast from the riad. The local breakfast is orange juice and tea with these pastries that are like Swedish pancakes with jelly. They are so delicious and I could eat them every day. We then grabbed our stuffed and headed back into the medina to meet our driver.  It ended up to be quite hysterical because we were supposed to meet our driver at the Café de France and we were sitting at the Café de Fran and we did not even realize for the longest time that we were even at the wrong place. So after finally meeting up with our driver we were on our way to the Sahara. We knew that we had a long day ahead of us, but I would have never would have expected that it would have been a 12 hour drive. Although it seems like forever, it was one of the shortest drives I have ever been on. Around every bend in the Atlas Mountains there was something new to see. Berber villages were everywhere; they were built in the side of the mountain and all so different. On the side of the road there were so many locals selling various crafts and collectibles. The driving is absolutely ridiculous, a few times I feared my life. The roads are so windy and people pass without any care. There are also nomads walking on the side of the cliffs and goats roaming in the middle. After about 4 hours we stopped in a town for lunch and met our guides, Habib and Braham. There we had another local dish called tagine, I ordered citrus chicken. It is so cool how they make it in these clay pots over an open flame, it makes the meat so tender.  We continued on our way and made several stops along the way to take pictures of various areas of Morocco and also visited the studio cinema, where movies such as Gladiator and Babel were shot. I also spent a great deal of time talking with Braham about their culture and his life. We mainly discussed their medical practices and natural and holistic healing processes. I found this so intriguing and probably asked a million and one questions.  I was so impressed with him, he has never been to school a day in his life and can speak 6 different languages. He continually said that life is his school and he would have it no other way. He loves the slowness of the desert life and the simplicity of it. I really learned so much from Braham in those two short days, I don’t ever want to forget the lessons he taught me. The last 8 hours seemed to go by so quickly due to conversations, the gorgeous sunset and the pure beauty of the dunes. Our final destination was Mohammad, our guides’ village. Here they have created this resort for tourist, it was fantastic. Upon arrival the served us tea and showed us our options for the night. They have very nice rooms to stay in, but there is also the option to stay in tents or on the dunes. All of us choose to stay in the air-conditioned rooms that night. While they prepared dinner we all swam in the pool. We turned off all the outside lights and just gazed at the stars, I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it. In just a few hours I saw 7 shooting stars! Dinner was a feast, we had salad, couscous, meat skewers, french fries and soup. After that we were all exhausted and I went right to sleep.
The next morning we woke up and hoped up on camels. It was so much fun to ride the camels, but let me tell you I am paying for it today! We trekked through the desert for 2 hours to the Kasbah, or the villages were nomads go in the winter purchased some jewelry from the people of Mohammad.  Here we were really able to talk to Habib and Braham. For a friends class she has to do field interviews and ask locals if they had 3 wishes what they would be and Braham answered that he wants nothing he is so content and would not change a thing. I thought that this spoke volumes for the man he was and the lifestyle these people live. Habib said all he wants his for his workers to be happy and a personal camel. Neither one replied frivolous responses, and both caught me off guard and really made me think about the necessities of life in a new light. We then went back to the resort and had tagine for lunch and packed up the ATV’s and headed out to the dunes. One of the coolest parts of the trips was in the middle of the Sahara we stopped and had a dance party with no one around, but it was AMAZING!  It showed a common thread in us all. Upon arrival we climbed a 350-meter dune and sat and watched the sun set it was breathtaking. Once the sun set it got really dark really fast. We sat around a fire and listened to the guys play tribe music on their guitars and drums and had a wonderful dinner. We then decided that we all wanted to sleep together so we pulled the mattresses out of the huts and placed them in a huge square under the stars. There Braham told jokes and the history of the Sahara, we joked and laughed and laid in amazement of the stars. I cannot explain the magic in that day. It was so peaceful and calming, exactly what I needed as a reminder of all the glory in the smallest things on Earth.
The next morning we packed up as the sun came up and headed back for Casablanca. This leg of the trip was 14 hours. It was a long day but also a great day for reflection and spending time with those that I had the opportunity to share this experience with. I wish I had better words to describe these moments and feelings because I know that I am not doing them justice.
Today we hung out in Casablanca and went to visit the Hassan II mosque the world’s 3rd largest mosque. It was gorgeous and overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. One thing that I have noticed in all of these quaint and modest towns the mosque are always very ornate and beautiful. We also went and got a hamman, a Moroccan scrub and massage. It was a very interesting experience but also very cultural. Overall, Morocco has been a step outside of my comfort zone, but also put me back into perspective in so many ways.
Sorry for the long blog but there was so much to say and I had no way to summarize. Hope all is well back in the states. I love and miss you all very much and can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the kind words you have sent.
Love always,
Jordan

Espana

I have survived my first port! Spain was an absolute blast and I am still trying to process what I have just seen and experienced. Tonight we had to be back on the ship by 6 P.M. and we were off sailing again by 8. (Side note: Getting used to the boat rocking again is very weird.) I can't believe it, but we will be in Morocco tomorrow at noon, It is only 50 miles from Cadiz to Casablanca! Tonight, we had a debriefing session in our small groups about what our overall reactions to Spain were. Here is my recap of my 5 wonderful and amazing days exploring such a rich and vivid city.

We arrived into Cadiz on Saturday morning, and the sight of land was fantastic. It was truly wonderful to know that I was about to truly start on this journey of being enriched in so many aspects. I got off the boat with a group of 6 friends and without a map we began wondering. The city of Cadiz was just beginning to wake up so we sat at a small cafe and did a great deal of people watching. We made note of what they ordered, and were curious to try everything in sight. We made our way to the city square, which revolves around a Cathedral that was built in the late 1100's. It is so amazing to see a structure standing and functioning with so much age and history. As we wondered the narrow cobblestone streets we stopped at all the small shops, bought fruit at the local market, and found our way to the breathtaking beach. Throughout the day we stopped at many local bars and would try various tapas. Being a costal city, they have fabulous seafood that freshness is very noticeable. That night I sent all of my friends on various trains for independent trips. I then made my way back to the ship and ran into a friend who was headed out with a group that I did not know, but I tagged along. We ended up having dinner outdoors. The meal was fantastic and lasted 3 hours, that is something I love about Spain, their desire to truly spend face to face time with friends and family. It is considered rude for the waiter to ask you if you would like your check, once you have the table, it is considered yours for the night. After that we ended up at this little local bar and I had a blast brushing up on my broken Spanish and attempting to converse with the locals. In this night owl city, we ended up arriving back at the ship at 5 A.M.

The next morning I got up early to meet a group of friends, we actually went into the cathedral to see the mass. It was interesting to see how short their services were because there is no sung music. We then went to lunch and hit the beach for the afternoon. The beaches were very rocky and lacked sand, but it was very evident that this was the local weekend meeting spot. Families had made picnics and were camped out there for the day. That night we went to dinner and just sat outside. I attempted to catch up on sleep that night because I was headed to Seville early the next morning. 

Before coming on the ship, I planned a trip through Semester at Sea to Seville and Cordoba. We took a bus to Seville and were able to see this awesome government building, Plaza de Espana. We then made our way to the Alcazar, a historical fortress of the King. The construction of this palace started in the 10th century and is today still being completed. Here there was so many various and breathtaking types of architecture that span through all different periods of time. We then made our way to the local Cathedral, it is the 3rd largest in the world. Also, it is the burial sight of Christopher Columbus. We then ate lunch at a quaint local restaurant and made our way to Cordoba.

Once in Cordoba, we ate dinner and then were free to explore for the night. Early the next morning we got up and hit the city. Our first stop was the local Alcazar, it had the most breathtaking gardens I have ever seen. The flowers and fountains made for the most gorgeous views. After that we headed over to another cathedral. What makes this cathedral so unique is that it used to serve as a Mosque. The architecture is still of that of the Mosque, but the center has been converted into a Cathedral. It was quite interesting to hear about the transition period.

Today, we just hung around the city of Cadiz and did last minute things before boarding the ship. Tomorrow I head out in Morocco and will be on a camel trek till Sunday. I will be sleeping in a tent in the Sahara. This will be a very interesting experience.

Miss you all and hope all is well back in the States.

Love always

Bienvenido a Espana

Wow! What a week. At this time a week ago all the students had just boarded the ship and we were all strangers. These 7 days have been insanely crazy, but so exhilarating. Tomorrow morning we will be in Espana! I am so excited to finally get to a port. I have quite a bit planned, including an overnight trip to Seville and Cordoba. Every night this week we have had various speakers acquainting us with the culture, food, and history of Spain. There are so many activities on the ship it is unbelievable.

This week has been quite a challenge because we have lost an hour every night so we are literally living 23 hour days. It is finally starting to catch up with me. I have not had much sleep due to classes, work, clubs, meetings, and socializing. Today after class a bunch of us laid out for awhile and now I am a little red :( . Hopefully everyone has had a good week. I will update the day I get back from Spain. We only have 12 hours on the ship between Spain and Morocco, so no classes. We have an 11 day break! Love and miss you all!