Happy Birthday to ME!

I know some of you were wondering how I celebrated the big 22 on the ship. Here are pictures from our "Night of Elegance" birthday celebration.

Welcome to India!

Here are some images from SAS travels in India...

Traditional Indian dance, food and henna at the Welcome Reception

We somehow found ourselves at a Bollywood film studio. They were extremely relaxed and let us run around exploring. Mason of course wanted to recreate an America's Next Top Model shoot...What exactly do you do with that sprayer?

Adventures at an Indian amusement park. Let's just say the safety restraints were minimal...
They said we wouldn't get wet!

The following are from the SAS 'rural village visit.' We were able to meet with locals where they taught us about their way of life. This included a visit to the rice paddy farm, coconut farm and villagers home and a local school.

South Africa!

How do you put South Africa into words? I'm not sure if you can. This place is absolutely amazing. We're about to set sail to India but I want to give you all a glimpse of my travels here in Cape Town and let the images speak for themselves.

CAPE TOWN!



Operation Hunger


Winelands

Robben Island


Table Mountain


Desmund Tutu!!

Welcome to Nam.

Namibia, Namibia, Namibia, oh how I love Namibia! On our first day here, once again, I bolted from the port city to elsewhere in the country. This time it was on a 3-day safari in the northern part of Namibia. It's still weird for me to think that I'm actually in Africa, AFRICA! I like the way it sounds. We left Thursday, on a 5 hour bus ride to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. I’d say after 10 or so minutes on the bus the scenery as complete desolation. Sand surrounded us for the next 5 hours and I was entranced watching it pass by the window. You would see people walking through the hills, literally out of nowhere and I couldn’t help but wonder where they were coming from and where they were headed.


Once in Windhoek we were brought to our hostel for the night, the ‘Box’ as it’s referred to by locals. We asked the woman working the hostel where was the best place to eat and she said hands down, we had to go to Joe’s Beer house. I got the ‘Bushman's Kabob’ which included, zebra, crocodile, ostrich, chicken, kudu, springbok, and orryx. Go big or go home right? To my surprise it was really, really good. My favorite was the zebra. I didn't even know you were allowed to eat zebra! For some reason I was convinced it was an endangered species, that just shows how much I know! They say zebras are just like horses in Namibia though, they’re all over. And man are they tasty! I’d compare it to a big, juicy steak. Mmmm. At dinner we ran into a group of Americans studying abroad in Namibia and I sat with them for the rest of the night. They told of their experiences here and gave more background on the country. Namibia as a country is actually younger than I am and still struggling to put all the pieces together. Apartheid is still prevalent which is crazy to consider. I’ve never seen blatant racism before, rather just read about it in text books. Honestly back in the states I’m not sure if I would have even believed that there were places in the world stuck on this issue. It’s a sad reality. (I’m not quite sure how to jump from a serious topic like that to describing the safari I went on, it seems so unimportant. So goes the life of a student on Semester at Sea I suppose.)


The morning after our night's stay at the hostel we got picked up in huge 16 seater safari buses and headed to Etosha National Park. It was another probably 6-7 hour drive but it was an amazing ride. We seriously almost drove across the entire country of Namibia! This place is beautiful though. In comparison to other African countries they say Namibia is very clean. It's not very populated either. The same amount of people that live in Salvador, Brazil live in the entire country of Namibia. There are also a lot of European tourists here, especially Germans since Namibia was one of the only German colonies they still have ties to it. Back to the safari, we drove through the country and parts of it reminded me of Arizona. Going through all the dry desert brush was kind of like driving out to Queen Creek. I guess minus the gigantic sand dunes we passed. Definitely don’t have those in AZ! My eyes were glued out the window the whole time just trying to soak it all in. Once we got the park we set up our tents and then went for a game drive. Throughout the whole thing we saw wild giraffes, elephants, hyenas, lions, cheetahs (just one, barely!), black rhinos, zebras, orryx, springbok, kudu, ostrich and I think I'm forgetting some other little guys.. oh warthogs! These two warthogs came and walked through our campsite. Everyone was running up to them and taking pictures and I was just waiting for one of them to charge!


Back at the tents there was a "watering hole" you could walk to that they set up with lights and benches and you could sit out there all night waiting for something to come get a drink. That's where we saw the rhinos. In the morning we did another game drive, then breakfast, then packed up camp and drove to a new campsite, doing a game drive along the way. The second camp was awesome too with more watering holes around. At each "camp" there were also like little chateau rooms to stay in. There was even a pool! There were lots of European tourists as well. (I’m assuming they were European since the men all wore those little speedo swimsuits at the pool!) The second night my friend and I decided to sleep on top of the bus vs. in our tent. You had to climb on top of the bus, a good 14-15 feet high, but there was a cage up there at you could throw a mattress in and sleep. I've never seen so many stars in my life. In the morning it was more game drives and packing up camp. Then we left for the long trek home. I know these few sentences give little justice to the actual experience. I'm so glad I decided to do the safari. I won't lie, it's one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done. Driving throughout the safari I kept looking at my friends and saying “You guys.. we’re in Africa. AFRICA!” It’s surreal.
When we got back to the ship I talked to my roommate about her time in Namibia and it sounded like a lot of the people that stayed in Walvis Bay ended up going to Swakomund the whole time. Most people went sand boarding, quad riding or sky diving. I’m glad I got to have my time driving through the country and getting to see more of the people living here. As we drove there were so many people we passed living in little tin shacks, even tents, in the middle of no where. Or just walking through the desert with seemingly no destination in sight. Many are extremely poor, I think they said unemployment rate in Namibia is like 40%. Pretty high. We did pass through one of the largest wood markets and again, it was heart breaking to see the conditions people live in. I just wanted to give them all they money I had. A friend of mine, Mason, had one someone ask him for his shoes. He ended up trading him a shirt for some of his wood carvings. What a nice guy, huh?

We got back earlier than expected from the safari and still had one day to roam around Walvis Bay. I went running in the morning and there were guys that would yell at me, "Hey sistah, you wait for me, I'll come, I'll run with you" or "Hey sistah from California, don’t run, don’t run away!" It was crazy. I’m not sure what gave them the impression that I’m from California, must be the blonde hair! I ran outside of town and along the beach for an hour or so. The further down I went the more and more it looked like California. There would be these super nice, super big houses and condos and whatnot facing the ocean. Then a small patch of grass and a pathway that followed along the shoreline. Oh and I ran past flamingos too! Who knew big, pink flamingos hung out in Namibia? Well then again, who knows very much about Namibia? Honestly when I heard we were going to Namibia I had no idea what to expect; no image of what the place would be like and no idea what the customs and culture would entail. I’m so glad I was able to see this place though. The beauty of the land as well as the people is something I won’t soon forget.

Finally a POST!

PREFACE: I'd like to start out by saying my apologies for the delay in posting to this blog. There have been some technical difficulties with regard to posting images since we don't have internet on the ship. Because of this I'm having to post some back dated entries of Brazil and Namibia now as I sit in an internet cafe in South Africa! Again my apologies if these first few posts are out of order and some what confusing. Thanks for bearing with me! Also if any of you didn't get my email address from before, we have free email on the ship and I'd love to hear from you all. jmburas@semesteratsea.net



We’ve reached our first port and I can honestly say I’m absolutely awestruck with this country. I’m considering this my first time out of the country (OK I think I drove through a town in Mexico as a child, does that count?) As soon as we arrived in Salvador I hopped in a taxi and rode to the airport for my flight to Rio. A group of us arranged a trip through Facebook before our travels on Semester at Sea and for most, this was the first day we actually met in person. Driving in the car I felt like I had to try and take in all of Brazil as it quickly sped past my passenger side window. And let me tell you, that’s a big task! Our taxi driver was awesome too. He tried to talk to us in Portuguese and teach us simple phrases for our next few days in the country.

The airport reminded me of the states except for the fact that they give you plenty of drinks and snacks on the plane. We got lots, and lots of guava juice, guarana and these amazing little cereal bars. Mmmm.


After our 2.5 hour flight to Rio we all decided to take the scenic route to the hostel traveling on a big, fatty tour bus. The bus went right through downtown and I’m not sure how to really describe it. Rio itself reminds me a lot of New York except there are a many, many more homeless people here. Or so it seems. It’s a weird feeling driving through a town in a gigantic tour bus, looking out the window at people who are sleeping on the streets with tattered blankets and makeshift clothing. You start to put things into perspective.



Our bus reached it’s final destination and we began the walk to our hostel, Bamboo Rio. This was my first hostel stay and I’m not sure if I can imagine traveling in any other fashion. Our room had 4 bunk beds, 3 beds high, nice and cozy with 12 girls in a room!


I’d have to say though, the best thing about the hostel was how we had the opportunity to meet other people staying there. In one evening I had made friends and shared experiences with people from Brazil, France, England, the States, Mexico, Ireland and the list continues. The atmosphere is really conducive to meeting other people and soon traveling with them. Our group actually latched on to a few other hostel goers who not only spoke Portuguese but ended up hanging out with us for the rest of the week. Showing us where to eat, what to see and how to manage in this foreign country. It was amazing.

The days following the first were jam packed; Venturing into markets, viewing Christ the Redeemer, feeling the sand and water of a Rio beach, experiencing a Brazilian soccer game, savoring the taste of Brazilian food.. everything was immensely overwhelming.



I think the one thing that had the biggest impact on me was traveling into a favela. We arranged a tour and after watching “City of God” on the ship before we left, I was a little nervous. We did at one point pass a man holding an AK but were assured he was just guarding the area for drug lords. It’s weird, favelas are considered the slums but are actually kept extremely safe. I guess the idea is that drug lords keep it safe so people continue to enter the favelas and buy drugs. That aside, walking through the community was such an eye opening experience. It’s unfathomable that people live in such poverty. There are houses literally built one on top of the other. Some don’t even have running water and resort to filling up buckets from spigots that periodically flow. No one in the favelas pays for power, rather they just run cords from the city lines that are already in place. We stopped at a childcare center near the end of our time at the favela and it was heartbreaking to see the children knowing the challenges that face them. For many, just having food on the table at the end of the day is a huge concern. How lucky are we to be in the position we are as Americans? I’m not sure how people can overcome such hardship and continue on day to day. It makes me feel guilty knowing how much money was spent on this trip and how that alone could have changed this community for a lifetime. I’ll just have to be content knowing I’ll take my experiences here and knowledge learned to hopefully open the eyes of others and together we can find a way to give back to the international community that so desperately needs our help.

I am in the Bahamas right?

Inside the Prince George Wharf

I'm sitting here typing this in our hotel with the Democratic National Convention on in the background. Everywhere we go it seems to be on. When we arrived yesterday our taxi driver spoke of the excitement he had for Barack Obama and today when we returned to our hotel the DNC was playing on the tv's at the bar while some local boys swam in the pool singing a song about Barack Obama. It's crazy to actually see how large of an impact the U.S. has outside our country lines. I mean, I am in the Bahamas right? I'm still trying to understand what this place is all about. Parts of it, like the Straw Market, are somewhat depressing. The entire place is devoted to selling goods to tourists. I've never really been out of the country to see how other people view Americans. The impression I get from parts of Nassau is that we're all just gigantic consumers. I'm not sure how I feel about being associated with that generalization. It'll be interesting to see how this view of Americans fluctuates as we travel to and from different areas of the world. Ok, ok enough about that right?

Bacardi store in downtown Nassau

Today we started the day by going back downtown. We stopped at the Bacardi store and Audra bought a few bottles of local rum. Turns out that's the cheapest souvenir we could find. They insisted we sample it. I figured coconut flavor wouldn't be too bad, but geez! I opted out of sampling the pineapple and banana flavors. Even the traditional rum cake we got seemed strong. Isn't that stuff supposed to bake out when you cook it? I must just be more of a virgin strawberry daiquiri type of girl!

Queen's Staircase

At the Bacardi store they gave us directions to the Queen's Staircase, a sight high on my list of places to visit. The stairs were created by slaves in the late 18th century to serve as a safe route to Fort Fincastle for British troops. Over 65 of them were carved out of limestone with only basic hand tools. Known as the Queen's Staircase it was dedicated to the reign of Queen Victoria.

From the top of the stairs we were able to make our way over to Fort Fincastle. The fort was built on the highest part of the island to serve as a lookout point. It was never actually attacked but it is outfitted with some pretty gnarly canons! Here's the view from the top..

At the bottom of the Fort, as expected, there were a bunch of vendors selling purses, bracelets, fans, pretty much anything you could imagine. We skipped over that but there was a guy selling pina coladas in the corner that I paid a visit to. I told him I didn't want a pina coloda but just to drink the coconut water. He asked if I was American because I probably wouldn't like it if I was. Apparently only people from the Caribbean do that but I went for it anyways. Audra and mom thought it was gross but I actually liked it. Then again I've always had a weak spot for coconut.

Unfortunately my coconut didn't hit the spot fully so we headed to the local "fish fry" for dinner. I apologize for lack of images but seriously, this place was good! I got the grouper fish with macaroni, peas and rice and plantains. MMMM. I'm not sure why I never eat plantains in Arizona, they are absolutely delicious! I'm pretty sure my favorite thing about traveling will be the food. I can't wait to be pretend like I'm Anthony Bourdain! I'll let you guys know how it goes..

Goodbye Arizona, Hello Bahamas!

Yesterday was the beginning of my travels with Semester at Sea. The ship doesn't sail until Friday but my mom, sister and I decided to come down a few days early and enjoy some Bahamian hospitality. We left on an overnight flight from AZ and spent the next 9 hours en route to Nassau. It still hasn't hit me what I am about to embark on. The past few months have been a whirlwind of things; packing, paperwork, shots, financial aid, class equivalencies and working as much as possible. I never imagined I would be able to be apart of a program like this and am full of anticipation for what's in store. Hopefully through this blog I'll be able to share my travel experiences with all of you and keep everyone informed on what I'm up to.

Saying goodbye at the airport

Here are some pictures of my first day in Nassau. We got in around noon and just spent the day settling into the hotel room. We walked around downtown a bit but are planning on returning in the morning to explore some more. Audra and I had more than one group of Bahamians call us Charlie's Angels, we're still trying to figure that one out..

Home for the week, the El Greco Hotel.

View of the beach from El Greco

Local street artist

Horse buggy outside the library in downtown Nassau

Bahamian wall paintings

And this was a t-shirt we found that I just knew my dad would LOVE!