March 19-23, 2011

Vietnam… nothing like I had expected.
Why do we expect things anyway?  So we can be proven wrong?  So we have a good feeling about what’s to come?  Beside the point…
I started my Vietnam experience with nothing planned at all, and subsequently achieved far more things than I would have if I had planned every minute of it.  Once again, best way to travel is with no plans.  Can’t stress that enough. 
As soon as the ship was cleared for the students to get off, I headed straight for the city without a plan, map, nor idea where in the hell I was going.  The sights were incredible in Ho Chi Minh City and the people were entirely too nice.  Mopeds.  More mopeds and motorcycles than I had ever even thought existed. 
Ho Chi Minh City population: roughly 10 million people
City’s Moped population: upwards of 4.5 million
Population of people divided by the moped population=absurd.
Next, I headed off the next day to the Cu Chi Tunnels, the major site of the Vietnam War.  It was very eye opening to see the war from another perspective rather than the one we are forced to gaze upon.  After seeing the way the Vietnam were far more intelligent in the war, it should interesting to hear about these issues back at home, from the one-sided point of view.  
After the tunnels, I explored the city some more, including shopping through one of the busiest/most stressful marketplaces I’ve ever witnessed. 
The next day I took part in a Semester at Sea led service visit for the majority of the day.  We visited a school for the deaf and an orphanage for the disabled.  Not only was it fun and interesting to see this side of the country, but also it was a great learning experience. 
My next day in Vietnam consisted of a trip to a Buddhist temple and a daylong visit to the Mekong Delta.  Happy Buddha… he was huge.  With the amount of food and fruit we were fed, you’d think they thought that we had an eating disorder.  I’ve never eaten that much food before, but it was all so good. 
My last day in Vietnam was quite a sobering one to say the least.  We visited the Vietnam War Remnants Museum, and what a sight to see.  The images and words portrayed many emotions that completely changed my viewpoint on the war.  I’m super glad I got to visit this museum, and I hope that we never have to experience a tragic war like this again. 
Following the museum, I got more shopping done in downtown Saigon and enjoyed a 90 minute hot stone and oil massage… for only 13 dollars.  What a deal. Only if massages back home cost that cheap…
Overall, Vietnam was nothing I had expected, but phenomenal at the same time.  I hope to come back someday and spend more time here. 
Now, I’m sitting in my bed and we are en route to Hong Kong, China.  This might the first time that the seas are really rough.  We had to close the hatch to our cabin window, and secure everything we had out in our room.  It’s going to be hard to sleep tonight.  Waves are huge, and this storm seems like it’s not letting up any time soon.   Wish me luck!

March 17, 2011

It's approximately 11:00 at night here in this calm ocean.  We found out earlier today our new port will be Taiwan.  No more Japan obviously.  Listening to Mumford and Sons.  Relaxing.  Finally.  We gain an our tonight rather than loose one.  Singapore to Viet Nam, time-zone drawer guy didn't know how to draw a straight line I guess... I don't mind it though.  I don't mind it at all.  Tomorrow, class.  Next day Viet Nam.  Sweet.  Excitement.  Great excitement of what to come... only because I have no clue what I'm doing there.  The best way to travel: On the spur of the moment, no plans at all.  Just great experiences.  Stay tuned for post-Viet Nam updates.  Thanks to all, stay lovely people. 

Good Things,
Eric

Update on Japan's Port of Call...

March 14, 2011: The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), in consultation with our shipboard administration, has resolved to cancel the Spring 2011 Semester at Sea voyage's call to Kobe and Yokohama, Japan on April 4 and April 7 respectively. This decision follows our careful assessment of the conditions in Japan which raise serious concerns about health and safety as well as concerns that our visit would impede relief efforts currently underway. Our assessment also takes into consideration a recent travel warning for Japan issued by the U.S. State Department. Currently, ISE and senior voyage officials are evaluating alternative ports in consideration of safety, logistics, and maximum value to the academic and field programs. Thank you for your patience during this complex process. A revised voyage itinerary will be announced on the SAS website in the next 48-72 hours. Participants who have signed up for ISE-sponsored field trips in Japan will be reimbursed.

March 14, 2011

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always."
-Mahatma Gandhi

March 12, 2011

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much
in being able to remake the world - that is the myth
of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves.
       – Mohandas Gandhi

March 6-11, 2011

Before I begin to empty out my emotions regarding this planet and its inhabitants, I'd like to start this blog entry apologizing for not updating my page lately.  As you can assume, everyday I learn an exponential amount more about myself, others, and this world we live in.  It's hard to write down what I learn day in and day out, given that I don't even know myself what is happening all around me.

With that said, we are currently sailing away from India, and I feel that these past 6 days have been equivalent to approximately 3 months in any other schooling system that I've ever been a part of.  I now have a complete new mindset on everything we are seeing, breathing, smelling, touching, and tasting everywhere around the world.  You don't realize what the world is actually up to, until you are dropped right in the middle of it. 

Day 1: Hung out in Chennai, ate some local food, went to an Indian supermarket, hung out with locals all day.
Day 2: Woke up @ 4a.m. to catch a plane to Delhi, hung out in Parhganj Bazaar all day, met locals, bought some sweet pants, saw a protest parade, went to a wedding, played pool with locals, and walked the streets of Old and New Delhi. 
Day 3: Played some more pool with locals, went to the Lodi Gardens, went to South Delhi and the Deference Colony, hung out on the roof of the hotel.
Day 4: Went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, hung out all day in some temples and monuments, headed back to Delhi at night.
Day 5: Checked out form the hotel, hung out last time with locals we met the first day, walked around Delhi, headed back to the Ship via Jet Lite Airways. 
Day 6: Hung out in Chennai, went and spent the remaining time at a local hookah bar and talked to the owner for a long time, picked up some henna tattoo ink, headed back to the ship. 

Here is the basic itinerary of what I did, but it has no comparison to what I've learned and actually saw in India.  You really grasp the fact that we are living in a fairytale world back home, and it is heart-breaking to see what people will do to make a living all around the world.  But besides the incredible time I had in India over the past couple of days, we all need to open our eyes and ears and notice what is going on around the world.  Libya, Japan, Yemen, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, basically the middle-east as a whole, etc.  What is going on?  Riots, assassinations, tsunamis, political uprisings?  If anyone who is reading this can find me a good article to read about everything that is going on, please email it to me.  We just left India, and I am currently watching the world news on our TV's in my room. 

It didn't hit me until I had just left India.
It hit me when I heard that Japan is [right now] experiencing an immense earthquake/tsunami that is literally wiping out the entire coast of Tokyo, and other places, let alone everyone else connected to the Pacific Ocean.
It hit me when I heard the name of some Japanese students over the intercom of the ship, whom I can only imagine are going through a lot of turmoil regarding their families and such. 
It hit me when I was watching a political leader plead to his people, whom couldn't even listen to what he had said to say due to their ridiculous amount of ignorance. 
It hit me when our dean told us that we are not sure if we can stick to our voyage's itinerary.

But what really hits me, is the fact that I'm in the middle of it all and am having the greatest learning experience of my entire life.  We can only do so much, and simply have to ride the storm in when it comes to these worldly issues, no pun intended.  I'd love to write more, but I'm wasting my valuable time that I have left on this ship of exploration.  Thanks for everyone's support and keep in touch.

May the world be a nicer place one day,
Eric

PS: If there are any mistakes with my grammar, language, etc. forgive me, I don't feel like re-reading everything I wrote. 

March 1, 2011

Dear Blog,

Mauritius was fun, and much more beautiful than I could of ever imagined.  But straight to the point, post-college... I'm going to join the Peace Corps. Awesome.

Eric