A Pefect Puzzle

**Note: Post Date is July 28, 2009**

This morning I awoke and outside my window was Turkey! No alarm we are making our way back through the Bosporus strait to head for Egypt. And as we inch closer and closer to the equator I can only imagine the degrees of heat we will be experiencing in a day from now. I’m already past my desired skin tone and now must reinforce with more sun block. As we leave Europe and enter the lands of Africa I’m ready to experience a culture and sight like no other.

Amidst my anxiousness to arrive in Egypt I am being extremely preoccupied with my duties aboard the MV Explorer. Besides classes and the homework, and essays and tests that are involved with such I have also been beckoned/elected/appointed or forced into the position of planning Casino Night for the entire Ship on August 5th, only two days after Egypt. Having a strong interest in event coordinating the task isn’t too overwhelming, but after expressing my strong dislike for gambling and my lack of knowledge in that area, this event is going to require a little more brain power on my part. The challenge has been presented and now I must deliver. I’m holding a meeting this afternoon and I hope to accomplish much in the short hour.

Along with that unexpected leadership role, I am also a member of The Ambassador Ball Committee, which takes place during our travels back home. Nevertheless hard core planning and finalizing is occurring as we speak and so I also have my hand in this event as well. I assure you that I am not stretching myself too thin. I, as well as many others, work better under pressure. With limited time I seem to be more effective, more punctual and even more creative in my processes. I can’t wait for the next two days to be over with, but I can’t deny my love for being involved and being able to offer my talents where they are of valued use. 

Today marks six weeks into the trip and it is getting harder to accept that this trip will eventually come to an end. I walked back to the ship yesterday with Kate and we reminisced of the first happenings of A.B.A. and even with our first adventure in Sevilla, Spain we were as close and as cohesive then as we are now. Of course we have grown to know more about each other and the love between us is stronger and unconditional but it is magical that we were already such a easy working team before all that came into place. The initial beginnings of our friendships stemmed from understanding, acceptance and just plain fun and we haven’t lost sight of that yet.

But we will inevitably lose this time together. After this trip we will never: the entire A.B.A. gang, be together all at once ever again. It seems pessimistic to say, but due to statistics, the variance of life and human error that calculation of a gathering is nearly impossible. This brings tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. I’m sad to know that this experience only comes once and that it is a section in my life that will always be cherished just as is high school and my childhood. I smile in thought that this is special. I’m lucky to be having such an amazing and unique experience. I’m lucky that I know these people and I’m positive that they will be in my life for years to come. It is a phenomenon. One alteration in the group, or in any other area of this voyage could have changed the experience of the trip all together. My happiness and my gratefulness is riding on an accidental chance. A chance that Bo would be my roommate, a chance that Kevin would be as sarcastic and as loveable as he is, a chance that Rachel and I would bond therefore adding another layer to the group such as Nicole and Nico, a chance that Kate would be a strong individual and leader and just happen to be Erika’s roommate, a chance that we would see Erik and Lauren at every port and eventually begin to love their company, a chance that Becca and Kevin come from the same school and same state and become good buddies, a chance that Nina and Shannon enjoy each other and happen to be roommates with other members of the gang, a chance that Lindsay met Shannon in Cadiz and has been with us ever since, and a chance that Erika and I would meet in 7th grade and be best friends ever since. All these things come together not because they are supposed to, not because we have no other choice, but by complete fate that I call magic. What would happen if one person was missing from the mix?

As me and Rachel sat on the deck looking into the deep dark Mediterranean we talk about how one person can alter your life completely. It is amazing that a person’s single decision or single act could change the course of your life entirely. The mere absence of someone is powerful all in itself. Without the people in my life I would not be where I am today. Not because they put me here but because one way or another their presence, their choices, and their attitudes were all part of the puzzle and I’m just the last piece.

I can’t believe I’m going to Africa.

One more day!

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. I want to see a shooting star someday.

We met under the Eiffel Tower.

Two people lost their passport within the short time that we were required to hold them. Semester at Sea was luckily able to sanction us from the requirement and we were able to leave the precious item on the boat.  However the lucky couple had to fly all the way to Sophia, the capital of Bulgaria. At the U.S. Embassy they were able to rush order a passport and timely board the ship before departure time this evening. I can’t imagine the expenses involved between the round trip flights and the ever speedy delivery of their passports. I count my blessings that my passport sits safely in a safe in which only one person has access to.

Last night was a blast! After a lovely afternoon of shopping, eating and having in-depth conversation it was time to let loose in the luxurious area of Golden Sands once again. There we stopped into a Casino to only leave as failures but it was still entertaining. It was interesting to find that everyone who gambled was required to speak English. A discussion has actually been made of what is the most spoken language and I was quick to say English. Due to population, Chinese it the most spoken language, however English is the most widely spoken language and is the language of business which I guess gambling falls under the category of.

As we left the casino it was evening and their was lights and entertainment all around us and the distance stood the small scaled Eiffel Tower. Swing dancers performed right outside the hotel and it really made me miss New York and my life there. For the past year I have been taking dance classes everyday thus preparing me for the strenuous profession that lies before me, and as I take a break from the hectic schedule it sometimes makes me realize how much I truly love and miss it. Erik and Lauren are taking tango classes when they get back to the States and I’m excited for them. Dance is not only athletic, it’s fun, exciting and you gain pride in being able to do something of such skill and dedication. A skill that I’ll loose rather quickly if I don’t jump back into it soon, but I’m not rushing this amazing summer at all!

The day before we had heard of a karaoke bar around the corner called Muppet. Seeing as we had done karaoke in the last two countries we decided to continue the trend. So after the Casino we headed to sing some tunes. But it wasn’t the conventional, awkward, sparse karaoke bar. Instead it was a crowded, loud, and exciting bar that eventually turned into a night club. It was so much fun! Except it came at a price. Certain song selections were being denied due to the D.J.’s desire to play dance music. Therefore selections had to be of a fast paced dance nature in order to be selected. Erik and Bo wanted to sing “Don’t Stop Belivin” by Journey really badly. The D.J. agreed as long as I would sing songs that they would choose for me. I ended up singing songs like “Closer,” by Neyo and “Sexy Back,” by Justin Timberlake just so the boys could belt out that ever so famous Journey hit. (Journey who I love by the way and can’t wait to go to their concert on September 3rd) Those weren’t songs that I would have chosen to sing but it was fun nonetheless. Actually it was more then fun it was the best!

Lauren’s camera broke the night before, but she is so obsessed with taking pictures and rightfully so. Even though some of the pictures might not serve the essence of the trip justice they are still a powerful creation that evokes memory, sensory and lasts forever. She needed a camera and therefore bought another one. It was pricey but very well worth the potential costs of  having no pictures. And it is again a true testament to expecting the unexpected and being prepared for such unfortunate happenings. She was prepared and thank goodness for she took many pictures of the evening and will take many more of the days to come.

The night lingered on as we walked up and down the “party block”. Everyone was craving pizza so we stopped to get some rather large slices. Amidst our eating we met an Australian, who now lives in Sweden. He was so friendly and conversational until Bo said something of offense. “Don’t pretend Australia is much different than the United States,” is more or less the comment that was made. After that this guy was not happy. Fumes started flying, threats were made and A.B.A. had to salvage the issue. I swept Bo out of that situation rather quickly as I urged the rather large man to calm down. It just proves that you have to be careful in what you say. Americans are extremely political, extreme debaters and will speak their mind. The rest of the world doesn’t necessarily have that mind set. Bo was actually speaking in a joking manner but nonetheless the comment was made. I can’t say I myself wouldn’t make the same comment but this encounter would have me maybe rethink it.

A conversation brought up during lunch was the global scare of war and the United States’ involvement in the world. We came to an agreement that the world becoming global has created a strong dependence that is in return creating a reliance amongst world leaders. Between the economic bindings alone nations have no security in attacking each other. This economic crisis may be an enlightening one to open the eyes of power hungry individuals. They may begin to see that we are all in this together and if we work together in this enigma we entitle life than we might effectively create a world that is functional and relatively peaceful.

This discussion took place in Happy’s. Happy’s was created in Varna, Bulgaria in 1994 and emulates American life and American culture. It was so surreal that we were sitting in a foreign country eating at a restaurant that was of an American essence. Just before that we shopped in a clothing store called the New Yorker. Neither had things that are necessarily found in the U.S. but I find it overly bizarre and at times sad that these countries have a large fascination with the Unites States and its culture, while we have an ultimate disregard for theirs. Foreigners hold more knowledge of our Presidential elections then our own citizens do. Do you even know when France’s elections take place? I don’t.

I don’t get the fascination of sex in these foreign cultures either. Besides the topless girls that lounge and walk around on the beach there are also many Sex Shop establishments throughout these European cities. Bo is taking a Human Sexuality class and so he takes pictures that document the different sex cultures. I had his camera and with it came the duty of continuing this documentation. I had it for all of a few minutes and it was surprising to see the abundance of explicit sexuality that was found in clothes, advertisements, flyers and establishments throughout the small city of Varna alone. I’m by no means a prude. Sex doesn’t make me uncomfortable or disturbed but I don’t find it necessary to display it in excess.

Excess of fun: I’m not opposed. Again we had a blast! As usual today was to relax and connect back to the world that we call home. I went on MSN today and was overwhelmed with all the new information that I have been oblivious to overseas. It will really present itself as culture shock to have to catch up to the happenings around the world. It may even become stressful. I should have gradually kept myself updated. Keeping in touch with friends is also another process and one that I’m trying to keep up with. I make contact with my family via phone and assure them that I’m safe and content.

I am extremely content as we now sail through the Black Sea and head toward the continent of Africa.

Today’s Expenses

…………………...Lira…………Dollars
Lunch……………8.00.……….5.71
Taxi…………….12.00.………8.57
Casino…………20.00.………14.29
Drinks…………17.00.………12.14
Pizza……………2.50.……….1.79

Total…………….59.50.……42.14

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. I’m not a fan of gambling.

Golden Sands

**Note: Post date is July 25, 2009**

It is a difficult challenge balancing the group’s decision with your own personal agenda.  I enjoy everyone immensely but at times most of the group decides in favor of something I’d rather not do. I must then suck up any reservations I have and follow along because unfortunately I have no other choice but to do it independently, which may seem reasonable but considering unknown territory and safety it isn’t the best alternative. There isn’t an alternative and that’s when it becomes an issue. This trip is mine as much as it is everyone’s else. Why should my desires be jeopardized because of others? We follow a democratic system within our micro schism of a group but for someone who doesn’t need much sleep, for someone who is very energetic and willing to do anything and everything it can become the unfavorable thing to be.

It is like spring break and we are loving it! It is called Golden Sands which is about a 20 minute drive away from the port. It is a combination of Atlantic City and Mexico beaches. (I’ve never been to either but that’s what everyone seems to be equating it to) The area is full of little nice shops, restaurants and outside bars with pools and slides. It is water-sport central with jet-skiing, parasailing, tubing, banana boat, and water-skiing. And everything is cheap, cheap, cheap!

Well besides the bathroom. (or wash closets rather) One thing I hate about Europe is paying for restrooms. And to add on to that frustration in Bulgaria they don’t seem to treasure toilet paper as we do. In fact they don’t seem to use it all together. Not the most comforting combination especially knowing that these people prepare food. Who doesn’t use toilet paper?

Anyway, there is a casino, a mini-Eiffel tower, a Ferris wheel, miniature golf, and of course the ocean. Well it is the Black Sea but it serves the purpose. There Erik, Lauren, Ben, Erika and myself sat, during happy-hour, in disbelief of this relaxing safe haven. We couldn’t believe it! And either will you, for none of us brought our camera! There is no documentation of this fun-filled day. A day full of lounging by the pool, sipping on drinks and soaking up the sun while jamming to the music.

So why did everyone want to leave? I’m not sure. This is where the majority of the group becomes a problem. I couldn’t see the benefit in leaving besides to nap and/or to freshen up. I’m not opposed to such things but we are only here for a total of fours days. Two of which are already limited due to trips and an earlier dock time. I wanted to stay. I wanted to enjoy an evening at this place. A place in which I don’t have access to very often. Why go back to Varna, the same place we were last night?

Nonetheless we did. We took a 30 minute drive (due to traffic) back to the boat. We rested for a couple of hours before heading out for the night. A night that I wasn’t really looking forward to. My heart was somewhere else. It sounds dramatic and maybe it is, but nothing sucks more than regret, nothing hurts more than doing something you don’t want to do and I was experiencing both. But I was with awesome people. People I love and people I have a lot of fun with. So we relaxed with some drinks at a bar once more before heading back to the boat.

Today’s Expenses:

……………………..........Lira………….Dollars
Afternoon Drinks……12.00.………..8.80
Lunch………………........2.50.………….1.80
Bathroom……………......1.00.………….0.71
Shopping……………......6.00.………….4.29
Taxi………………….......10.00.………..7.14
Night Drinks…………..15.00.……….10.70

Total………………….......46.50.………33.20

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. Some one lost their passport

Varna, Bulgaria

**Note: Post date is July 24, 2009**

We have been in Bulgaria since noon yesterday and are itching to get off the boat. I’m not sure why we sat in the middle of the Black sea for a day and a half before we could finally enter the country but nonetheless that’s what we did. It certainly has something to do with customs and a certain amount of time allotted for class time but it was quite frustrating to look out your window and see gorgeous beaches as you were taking notes. I couldn’t wait to get off. I also had no idea what to expect so I was anxious to see what this unfamiliar country was like.

“We could have just went to New Jersey,” Wilkerson remarks slyly. He went on to further explain how the surroundings of Bulgaria weren’t all that different than New Jersey. To a degree I agree. It is funny to think that we traveled across the world to come to a state that I live across the water from. But the country’s roots stem much deeper than the Jersey way. Only 16 years ago we wouldn’t have been able to visit this beautiful place because it was under communist rule. The theme of this voyage is Human Rights and that is why Bulgaria fits perfectly into the criteria. It has recently joined the European Union and its democracy is extremely new compared to other parts of the world. We are witnessing a newly developed nation.

For some reason Bulgaria requires that everyone carry their passport on them at all times so we are all in state of paranoia of losing them. If lost you have to wait 2 weeks for another one with a $600 cost and the boat will leave without you. This is serious and so it automatically puts a little damper on our travels throughout this next port.

But we’re handling it quite well. Erika and I had a Field Report Practicum today. FDPs are supplement excursions that relate to your courses: applying the education in class to the hands-on experience of traveling. Our ship was anchored about a half an hour away from dock so we had to tender via lifeboat to the dock of Varna, Bulgaria. From there we boarded the bus to the Ship Hydrodynamics Centre. “Why did I choose this FDP? I don’t know,” comically admits Mr. Wilkerson, our professor for our European Union class. He is a funny, but truthful fellow and we were all in it together as we took an informational tour of this unique center.

It was extremely long, extremely hot, extremely smelly but it wasn’t too bad. I actually found the parts that I actually paid attention to quite interesting. In short this company tests and researches ship engineering for commercial and military lines. They have many countries who are their clients and they seem to be an esteemed organization of education and engineering within the ship industry. It was also a relevant trip considering that we, ourselves, have been on a ship for the past 5 weeks. I have to say, even though it took away from our exploration time in Bulgaria, it was still an informative and unique opportunity to do something I wouldn’t otherwise.

Finally back to the boat, but we wanted to explore the city of Varna. And by explore I mean head straight for the dolphinarium. Erika loves dolphins. She has even swam with them before. For as long  as I’ve known her she has aspired to be a dolphin trainer. She has since then given up that dream but I still support her if she ever decides to change her mind. I think it would be an exciting and fulfilling career. Plus I’d love free entry to Sea World. Nonetheless, her love for this mystic creature hasn’t died and she wanted to catch the last show. I am always game and so we headed for the public bus.

The bus dropped us off outside the gardens which is equivalent to a less vibrant and landscaped central park full with fun stuff to do including restaurants, an amusement park, a zoo and of course the dolphinarium. Our tour guide, who gave us directions, said it was a large building and we couldn’t miss it. We opened our eyes as wide as possible and still all we could see is trees, grass and some dirt. Where is it!? We walked a bit and at some point were almost convinced we were in the wrong place. All we saw were a few cars, a house and long dirt roads. “This doesn’t look like sea world,” we thought to ourselves. At last after confirming our location we found it, shaded by large trees and other side buildings. Couldn’t miss it? Sure.

This adventure proved pointless after we heard some reviews of the show. It just didn’t seem worth it for the hefty price of $15.00. We decided to shop instead. Except that wasn’t any more promising. It was yet another hike in the heat to only be disappointed by an deserted, scarce shopping mall full of only upscale clothing lines that we weren’t willing to buy. We just needed some extra shirts to hold us off till the next laundry day not wedding attire. I wasn’t feeling to well either.

“Well if you didn’t eat half a gallon,” Erika reacts to my stupid decision to have 5 scoops of ice cream in basically one sitting. Allow me to explain: the ice cream was extremely cheap (less than a dollar for a scoop of ice cream) and it was out of this world. The combination of mango ice cream and a sugar cone was fantastic. I had ordered two scoops and with the economical advantage I was persuaded to by another. Except the lady gave me three scoops instead of two. I told her only two but she told me not to worry about it. There I sat and devoured a three scoop cone not even five minutes after my first one. As good as it was, I did not feel so hot and the bathroom was now my new best friend.

At least it wasn’t in result of the feared traveler’s diarrhea that the ship’s medical staff has so highly warned us about. Because the food in Bulgaria, Egypt and Morocco isn’t as sanitary as food  in the States our bodies aren’t accustomed to things such as fresh fruit, dairy or maybe even their water. If these things are consumed it has the possibility of causing sharp stomach pains and ultimately concluding in an unpleasant trip to the toilet. Luckily my mom packed me some Pepto-Bismol but I am actively trying to dodge any usage of that medication. Not as much as Kevin though, who won’t even order a drink with ice, but my caution level is higher than normal.

And so is my party level. It was such a great night tonight full of bowling, dancing, drinking and enjoying yet another night on this amazing trip. Erik, Lauren, Lindsay, Kate, Erika, Kevin, Rachel, Nicole and myself all went to cosmic bowling with flashy lights, dance music and a classy decorum. There we bowled with awesome bowling shoes while we challenged each other and enjoyed each other at the same time. There was even an outside terrace to relieve yourself of the noise. It was so pleasurable and relaxing. We even made a stop at McDonalds for a late night snack afterwards. Yum!

Fun Fact: Bulgaria is the #1 consumer of fast food.

It sometimes strikes me odd that we are enjoying the pleasure of summer at the same exact time as advancing our education through summer school. Just yesterday I was sitting in class learning of the Ottoman Empire and it’s legacy and now I sit in Bulgaria enjoying the intimate setting of restaurants, beaches and lighted street posts.

Today’s Expense’s

…………………....Lev………..Dollar
Bus……………...1.00.………..0.71
Ice Cream……4.00.……… .2.86
Water…………..2.00.………..1.33
Bowling…………5.00.………..3.33
Drinks………….18.00.………12.00

Total…………….30.00.………20.00

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. Who would want to work at a Ship Hydrodynamics Centre? 

Time Flies, Turkeys Do Not.

**Note: Post Date is July 22, 2009**

Walking around you can certainly feel the effects of this city being the largest in Europe. Either in population or in area, you feel quite tiny amidst it all.  There are people everywhere and that isn’t necessarily a good thing especially considering health conditions and environment stability. Like Naples, parts of Istanbul were quite dirty and underdeveloped. People were always in the streets or in park-like areas. I justify these constant gatherings to maybe worst conditions in their homes. Outside might just be more desirable. In the U.S. we definitely enjoy our days at the beach or the park for a barbeque or games, but at the end of the day we love the security of our own homes.

Most A.B.A. members had went to a Turkish bath. I was not willing to step out of my comfort zone for this one. Kevin had a big burley man massaging his bare body and that just wasn’t my cup of tea. But Turkish Tea….I love! It is of an apple flavor, it doesn’t need any additives such as milk, sugar or honey. It tastes just as good cold as it does hot and I have enjoyed many glasses during my visit.

It was our last day and with the others living in luxury, Erika, Nina and I enjoyed our own idea of luxury with another American movie: The Proposal with Sandra Bullock. I absolutely fell in love with this film and it is now one of my favorites. I had no expectations of this film besides a trivial and fun plot, but surprisingly it was uplifting, sentimental and quite hysterical. It made me miss love and heightened my desire to be in a relationship again. At times I’m lonely and worry about my relationship status as I look at my future but I understand that this adventure is meant for me. Not in a selfish way but in a personal and educational way that will facilitate my growth as an individual and scholar as I enter the real world. I hope that my endeavors come with a significant other but if not, I’m perfectly content with the amazing friends and family that I hold dear to my heart. But the movie was still amazing and I want to see it again! I’m completely obsessed and can’t wait to own it on DVD.

So being a theatre major and being someone who attends much theater intermissions are quite the normal procedure. However rarely do they present themselves in a movie theater, except in Turkey. Both in Transformers and The Proposal our movie abruptly cut out. The lights came on and people started to leave. We were caught off guard and quite confused and using our French skills were able to ask someone. It wasn’t a long intermission but I’m not opposed to this radical idea. It not only allows contemplation and discussion about the movie but it also allows us to go to the bathroom! I think we should start integrating this system into our movie system in the states.

Turkey was undeniably the most unique country thus far. It’s population is 90% Muslim and 4 to 5 times a day the Mosques hold a Call to Worship. At this time amplified voices sing or chant to beckon the citizens to come pray to Mecca and to their god, Allah. Even though these rituals take place quite frequently each and everyday, no one seems to recognize their importance. Everyone simply continues right a long with their daily activities. There are more tourists that visit these ritual prayers than actual Muslims. This struck me odd, but also made me feel better for not going to church. I undoubtedly believe in the higher power of God but don’t necessarily agree with being submissive to the human structures of religion such as church and the bible. It seems some Muslims don’t either.

 After the amazing time at the movies, it was a quick stop at the grocery store before we waved goodbye to Turkey.  We now sail through the Bosporus and are headed for the Black sea. We will be in Bulgaria by noon tomorrow and have no idea what to expect.

Today’s Expense’s

………………………........Lira……………….Dollars
The Proposal………….8.00.……………..5.33
Ice Cream……………...1.50.……………..1.00
Grocery Store…………10.00.…………….6.67
Doner………………….....3.00.……………..2.00

Total……………………....22.50.…………..15.00

Spain: A Surprising A
Italy: A Disappointing B+
Croatia: An Awesome A+
Greece: A Delightful B
Turkey: A Resisting B+

Only 3 countries left.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. There are no turkeys in Turkey.

It's So Bazaar!

**Note: Post Date is July 21, 2009**

I woke up, took a deep breath, and prepared myself for an afternoon at The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey. Souvenirs are such a bizarre (bazaar) thing to shop for.  You want to pick out things that people will use or admire and not simply store away in their closet for the rest of their days. I had some ideas before entering the crowded walls of the Bazaar but once confronted with the immeasurable items to choose from you start to question whether those ideas are truly the best. I still remain stumped on what to get everyone from home. Help anyone?

“You want to trade?” One of the sellers asks. At first he asks to try on my rather expensive Fossil glasses. I felt secure so I let him. He then shows me a cheap pair of American Eagle glasses and then proceeds to ask to trade. At that point I was beside myself with all the tactics these people were using. The may be creative with their selling but they are just plain rude with their attitude, their etiquette and their respect for personal space.  For some reason these people not only think they can scream in your face, but can put their hands on you and even physically direct you in to their place of business! That is a deal breaker in my book and made me plain disgusted at times.

I did some good work though. I made some deals for myself but my big spotlight of the day was when I bartered for a rug that our friend Morgan wanted. I was intense, aggressive and direct in what I expected. He tried to convince me otherwise but I held my ground and he sold Morgan the rug for 25 dollars, when he was initially asking for 60.

The day was long, but a lot was accomplished and I didn’t feel as panicked as I thought I would. I left calm, cool and collected and with bags in hand. I’m glad it’s over though. Now I had the evening to look forward to.

There we sat on the top of the hotel overlooking the entire city of Istanbul. The Mosques we visited, the Bosporus river where our home was docked, the colorful bridge and the golden sunset were all amongst this amazing view. This was the start of a great last night. Twelve of us, dressed up (except for a few) for a wonderful dinner with the skyline in the distance and the breeze gently blowing through our hair. The food was delicious, the talks were full of laughter and there were some appropriate moments of silence. Lots of pictures were taken and relaxing was inevitable. Three hours later we were stuffed and ready to go out for the night.

Taxi!…We took a quick ride to Taksim Square where we chilled for a couple of hours. Erik’s frat brother, who lives in Turkey, suggested a bar and it was right up everyone’s alley. The drinks were not only extremely creative but they were also relatively cheap making for a simply fun time! Pictures were being taken non-stop. Not by my camera unfortunately. Actually for the full five days that we have been docked in Istanbul, my camera has only made it off the boat for one day. I have to say I’m growing to become a traveler and not a tourist. Or I’m just being lazy. I need to take more pictures. It is what lasts the longest and means the most.

After the bar we headed down to the same area we went the night before. Those waffles were on everyone’s mind and they needed to have another. I have yet to try them but they definitely look good. It was in the early morn, we were relaxing on bean bag chairs and just reflecting. We couldn’t believe we were in Turkey. We can’t believe we are leaving tomorrow! It went by with the blink of an eye. I’m afraid the time keeps going by faster as this journey progresses. I need it to slow down. I need it ALL to slow down.

Today’s Expense’s

…………………….........Lira……………Dollars
Bazaar Shopping……50.00.………….33.33
Dinner……………….....22.00.………….14.67
Drinks……………….....23.00.………….15.33
Taxi………………….......4.00.……………2.67

Total……………….......99.00.…………66.00

I shut my eyes as I fall asleep. Goodnight.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. I hear there is a Bazaar in Egypt. Shit.

It's All Uphill from Here!

**Note: Post Date is July 20, 2009**

Walk, hike, climb, all the time. And it doesn’t help that the city of Istanbul is basically all urban hills of shops and such. It isn’t nice on the feet especially if you’re wearing flip-flops. And going down is even more treacherous. Nonetheless the crew makes it up these steep streets to finally reach the main street that we fell in love with the first evening. The girls wanted to shop and us boys were along for the ride. Our shopping concluded with some skirts, some jeans and a dress. We were hungry and where did we all end up? Pizza Hut! It was an unexpected unanimous agreement that pizza was the way to go tonight. Erika and I were in disappointment of this particular establishment though because it was not up to par to our last encounter with the food chain. And either was the food. It was agreed it wasn’t as good as it should have been, but cheap enough to get over it!

I had to see Transformers! I just had to. There it was. Erika had pointed it out. It was playing at a Turkish movie theater at 3:00pm and I knew it then that it was my destiny. And I’m so glad I went. First off, part of the film takes place in the sands of Egypt which has only heightened my excitement for our visit there and the Turkish cinemas are an experience all on their own. First you have to climb (once more) stairs to only walk down another set to finally enter the theater playing your movie. Inside it was pitch black! We couldn’t see a thing besides the flashlight that the worker was providing us with. We sat in the first seats that we bumped into and gazed at the screen. I was blown away. Not by the movie per say but definitely by the sound quality. It was so loud and so dynamic that I thought I had headphones on. The movie was funny, sentimental and corny at times but all in all I had a blast. I only wish I had got to see it with my mom and brother! We love our movies and it would have been a great afternoon. It still was.

The night was great too. Nice and relaxing. To keep up with the theme of the day we all gathered around at a hooka bar not far from the boat. Erik, Lauren and Ben joined the gang as we played backgammon, drank tea, smoked hooka and enjoyed each other’s company. Oh and the waffles. I can’t forget the waffles. Lauren and Rachel started the trend when they decided to order loaded waffles with chocolate, fruit and ice cream. This creation was absurd but looked delicious. It didn’t take long for Kate and Becca to follow in the outrageousness of the dessert. With full tummies and hours of playing games it was time to walk back to the boat and head for the covers. Besides I need my rest for the dunes of the Bazaar tomorrow.

Today’s Expenses

………………….......Lira…………Dollars
Transformers……8.00.………..5.33
Pizza Hut………..6.00.………..4.00
Tea……………......2.00.………..1.33
Drink……………...10.00.………..6.67

Total……………...26.00.………17.33

Explore. Dream. Discover.

P.S.  The thing I had for lunch the other day, it’s called a Doner. Yum!

Italy vs Turkey

I didn’t wake till noon. I had nothing planned for the day besides to look for stamps. I never found them. I’ll save the search for another day. Erika, Bo and Becca had quite the day. They went on a hike through Asia and got lost. I’m so jealous! Kevin and I wanted so badly to go on the trip and now that we hear of their adventure it makes us that more green with envy. Ughh!

It was three in the afternoon as Kevin and I waited for the others to return from the trip. Kate and Rachel were on an overnight excursion to the shores of Troy,(ya know like the movie?)  so we won’t see them till tomorrow. But due to the incompetent guides of the hike, Becca, Bo and Erika didn’t return until two hours later after their determined arrival time. They went hours without water and the panic of finding their way back to the buses was rising. I could only imagine the frustration and slight fear they had. At last they had returned and we sat as we heard their stories of the hot and waterless trek through Asia.

During dinner their were talks of attending the national soccer game of the Italians versus the Turks. And A.B.A. was at it again! We walked about forty minutes to finally reach the stadium full of outside vendors, fleets of police and lots of garbage on the streets. Erika wasn’t feeling very comfortable with the questionable atmosphere but most of us were just excited for this unique experience.

The cheering just wouldn’t stop. For the entire duration of the ninety minute game these Turks just kept shouting and cheering and chanting for their beloved team. We joined in at times, with parts that we could grasp to. They even came over to teach us some. It was  a roaring crowd and an exciting time. Some of the girls even bought Turkish jerseys they were so pumped. The game ended with a tie, but I only know this because Kevin, Becca and Lindsay stayed behind. Erika and I decided to head out early so that we could dodge the rowdy crowd that was bound to come rolling out from the stands. However, as were searching for the exit, the guards proceeded to tell us that we weren’t allowed to leave until after the match was over. Me being stubborn was not in favor of that ruling and made it clear that we wanted to leave NOW, even amidst the language barrier. But the point was made and we were able to crawl through our exit. They wouldn’t even open the gates all the way. It was quite scary and bizarre and I wonder what procedures they follow if a fire was ever to break out. Not smart!

It was smart to leave early though. Erika and I had a lovely walk home. We laughed and talked and I just really, once again, was enjoying myself. She is a light in my life that seems to never burn out. I can’t get enough of here outstanding comical spunk and her shared love for our time together. I don’t just mean me and her, I mean everyone. We love all the friends we have made during this voyage. I can’t explain the connection but we all feel like we’ve known each other for so long. We aren’t afraid to be honest with one another even when it isn’t something endearing. We can laugh and be serious and we all lookout for one another. I can’t say that I made friends this quickly at NYU. It took time to find the right group and at times I still feel like there are some loose ends, but here we are like glue and nothing is going to take us apart. Go A.B.A.!

And go to bed. It is an early night.

Today’s Expenses:

………………….......Lira………….Dollars
Soccer Game……15.00.……….10.00

Total……………...15.00.………..10.00

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. Hot dog stands in the U.S. vs. Corn on the Cob stands in Turkey.

Istanbul, Turkey

We had been walking the streets for all of five minutes and we had already been given stares, glares, smiles and a few winks along our first walk in the biggest city in Europe: Istanbul, Turkey. Well half Europe and half Asia. It is supposedly divided into two sides. Kate, Becca and others were serving their 12 hours of dock time as Bo, Kevin, Erika and I crossed the bridge to get to the Europe side.  During our walk we saw many restaurants, men and their young boys fishing over the side of the bridge, and in the distance we could see all the Mosques. The city is definitely a different sight from the others and it is already quite interesting.

Sell! Sell! Sell! It is an epidemic. The Turks are either persuading you to eat at their restaurants, come into their stores or buy their products. Coffee, Turkish Delights, Apples, and anything else you can imagine is constantly thrown in your face with the expectation to make a purchase. This has been a norm throughout all the cities, especially amongst children, but it is very dominant here in Turkey. I really felt the heat when we made a visit to the Grand Bazaar. This crowded shopping center reminded me of a cleaner, more varied china town, only inside. It had everything from swords, to lamps to jewelry, to spices. It is a playground for women and a savior for all our wallets. Not only are the prices substantially lower, they EXPECT you to bargain with them and consider it rude if you don’t. Could you imagine lowering your shirt price from 10.00 dollars to 5.00 dollars as Erika did today? It can become stressful but at the end of the day you save a lot! I was in there for all of twenty minutes and already routing my escape. I like to have many things: clothes, gadgets, accessories etc. but shopping for them is not necessarily my forte. I detest malls and always have since I was a child. I become claustrophobic, my throat starts closing up and I plead for an ejection from this crazy zoo of bartering, selling and an insane amount of merchandise where you can’t tell one corner from the next.

“Oh my God! Michael Jackson!” One of the sellers screams as I walk by! I have no idea why he yelled this absurd statement but he continued to ask me if I could do the moon walk. I think he just wanted me to buy something, but it was a funny part of our day. So was looking out our window. Kevin and I just sat and watched as locals fished from the water right outside our boat. Also there sat a large over-weight man sitting on a yellow moped half asleep. It was hysterical as he woke up and saw us staring at him. Oops.

Our day was more than just shopping and crazy people watching; we also experienced some Turkish culture and accomplished some site seeing. We visited the Blue Mosque which is the largest Mosque in the city. A Mosque is an Islamic place of prayer where Muslims pray toward Mecca. Before entering these holy buildings you must remove your shoes and refrain from speaking. We followed the rules, but still disturbed the room by taking pictures. Don’t worry prayer time had concluded by this time. The architecture is beautiful but the prayer space seems like an open space in which a fair may take place. It wasn’t as sacred as a Christian church may be, but that may have to do with the herd of tourists flocking through the entry ways at all hours. The area outside the Mosque was beautiful with gardens, a fountain and just a nice and clean central area. 

In my opinion the most delightful time of the afternoon was our visit to the Basilica Cisterns. It was so unexpected. We came up to a building that was no bigger than a post office. “Uh Kevin? Are you sure this is it?” I asked as he was elected to lead our travels for the day. And low and behold, underneath this building was a cool sight of 336 lit columns in a large room that once was filled with water. This well-type room was cool, damp and just what we needed after baking in the 90 degree sun. It reminded me of a cave, or Howe Caverns in Upstate New York. This site used to be the city’s water supply. Now I believe it functions as a conservation of history. Also unexpectedly there were two sculptures of Medusa’s head. One upside down and one sideways that sat at the bottom of two columns. We are still not sure as to why they were in Turkey and in this Cistern but there they sat.

Food was a big part of the day. The first thing we received when we went though customs was a Turkish Delight. I enjoyed the small piece that I had. There are many various flavors and creations of a Turkish delight but so far I’m only fond of that initial one I tried. I need to find it again. While waiting in line to enter the Cistern we saw a stand with a man with a cart of apples. He used this awesome tool that not only peals the apple, but also slices it into a weaved set of slices. “I have to have one,” I announced the group. And after I did I wasn’t so impressed. This apple was beyond sour and extremely tough. Yuck! After the overwhelming visit to the Bazaar Bo and I were in a need of a snack. We stopped at a corner store and ordered, quite blindly, a barbeque chicken creation in a wrap with peppers, lettuce and tomato. It was absolutely to die for and we can’t wait to have another one. We also made a visit to the Spice Bazaar which is basically a mall of food. Kevin and Bo shopped around for tea, while I sampled Turkish delights and took in all the different types of food that were crammed into one space.

We had been walking around for 7 hours now and so we decided to sit down in this nice shaded park. This park was spacious, beautiful and complimented with fountains, children playing in the distance and people relaxing on their blankets. It made me miss Central Park in New York. How I wish that I could pack such things in my pocket and take them out whenever I missed them. It was nice to sit back and watch for a bit.

At around 6:00pm we decided to head back to the boat for dinner, yet the city was still hustling and bustling with work. People were still selling, still bargaining and still fishing. When does it stop? Well it needed to stop for me, so I took a little nap after dinner to rest up for the evening, which unfortunately not many wanted to participate in. Becca, Kate and Lindsay who had been boat ridden for the entire day still decided to stay on the boat even after their dock time had been served. It didn’t make much sense seeing as they had already lost so much valuable time in this gigantic city of Istanbul. Erika and Bo have an early hike in morning and had also been walking the city all day long, yet they still made it a priority to explore the city at night and to have a good time on the town.

Rachel, Erika and I set off to find the main street of Istanbul where a lot of  the stores, bars and restaurants are. It was so much fun! The street was really bright, really loud and extremely packed with people. I’ve never seen so many people on one street. This volume stretched as far as the eye could see. We walked the entire length of street with stops along the way. Rachel tried that same wrap creation that I had earlier. (I should really find out what its called) Erika’s eye was latching on to Starbucks, Burger King and a Mcflurry. The three of us made a stop at a Karaoke bar. Yup another one. Erika loves them. Her and Rachel contended for the worst singer and I have to say that Rachel is a good match for Ms. Morrissette and that’s a hard defeat! On our way back to the boat we bumped into our friends Eric and Lauren who we see quite consistently in each country. We chatted a bit. Erika and Rachel headed back, while I decided to chill with them some more. I don’t have a trip in the morning and I had a great night.

The morn awaits.

Today’s Expenses

……………………….....Lira………..Dollars
Cistern……………….10.00.……..6.67
Apple…………………..2.00.……..1.34
Lunch…………………..4.00.……..2.67
Drinks………………..12.00.……..8.00

Total…………………..28.00.……..18.67

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S.  I don’t look like Michael Jackson.

A Rough Day!

“This has been a rough day man,” Erika says. And yes it truly has. Besides a day of classes a lot of has happened in this short day at sea.

As usual the student body joined in the union to be prepped for our arrival in Istanbul. This time it was a bit more extensive considering the heightened cultural difference and the necessary awareness of Terrorism in Turkey. In the past few years there have been attacks in the city of Istanbul and last summer Semester at Sea even diverted their voyage from docking in the city and instead reset their itinerary for Egypt. The notification of these happenings is certainly of importance but the faculty made it seem like there was something we could do to prevent any sort of attack from occurring. They discussed high alert places as well as our dress. The high alert places are tourist attractions: the exact places that we will be visiting and I don’t see what effect our clothing has on a terrorist’s intentions. So again I emphasize what is the reason in frightening us and paralyzing our travels in this city for the next five days.

“I don’t want to die,” Erika in a worried state announces to the group. She is one of the paralyzed that I was fearful of. She doesn’t even want to venture out into Istanbul because of the paranoid talk during our Pre-Port meeting. There were tears in her eyes as she vocalized her fear. Me? I’m not so worried about terrorist attacks. I live in New York City which is probably the number one target of such incidents and I live freely each and everyday. Erika however, this entire trip has been in a state of panic. She is always anticipating the next part of the trip so she can envision her ultimately safe back at home. People living their lives in fear is the exact goal of a terrorists and I refuse to give in. We also have no control of when and where it is going to take place. We leave our safety up to our governments who we don’t even know we can fully trust. So all and all we are on our own. Especially when traveling to a foreign country. This discussion isn’t to induce fear but instead to highlight vulnerability where ever we may go. We are never guaranteed safety so what is the point in worrying? I feel bad for Erika and only wish that she too could relax, as I can.  I understand her fear but I just handle it in a different way. She has expressed to me that the fear doesn’t stem from her but from her family. We just don’t want any devastation brought upon to our families back home. We pray for safe travel and a safe return.

“I’m afraid to lay down,” Erika confesses. Her fear doesn’t end with just Turkey. Us on this secluded boat aren’t even safe. This evening Erika had quite the meeting with a bug. Becca, Kevin, Erika and I went back to my room to watch a movie. Erika went on my bed to lay down. She was cold and needed the comfort of the blankets. She was laying down for about five minutes when all of sudden she screamed. “A bug just went in my ear.” But it didn’t just go in and fly out. No. The bug literally crawled into her ear. I have goose bumps as I’m writing this. She could her the buzzing of the insect and she explains it is as high-pitched screaming as she could here the wings inside her head. Once again their were waterworks as we tried to asses this odd situation. Kevin was brave enough to examine her ear. “Oh I see it,” he says as he caught a glimpse of this small centipede sort bug.  I myself didn’t see the creature. I’m working off of others descriptions. We were all in a flux of either laughter or screaming over the thought of this bizarre situation. I kept asking Erika if she wanted to go to the doctors but she kept dismissing me saying that she’d feel stupid going with such a strange reason of a bug crawling inside her head. She still could hear the buzzing.

“I think its out.” Kevin did one last inspection with a flashlight and a tissue and supposedly got rid of the pesty thing. I was in awe of the last ten minutes and in laughter over the drama-filled life of Erika Morrissette.

Now I sit, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Turkey. I’m always in either a state of boredom or excitement and don’t know how to balance the two. We have put on a movie to try to relax the mood. But tonight should be an early night. It is a 6:30 sunrise.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. I hate things that crawl.

A.B.A. Emergency!

It was a pretty uneventful last day in Greece. We usually take the last day to relax, call our families and update our computer sites such as Facebook, Photobucket and Blogger. It all seemed like a normal day until around 5:50 when we realized the three girls, Kate, Becca and Rachel, along with other friends: Nico, Mercedes, and Lindsay were not yet back from Santorini. There expected arrival time was 4:00 pm. Something was wrong.

On-Ship time on every last port day is always 6:00 pm. For every five minutes that you are late you are docked an hour at the next port. Meaning for every 5 minutes that the girls are late in returning back to the ship they will lose an hour in Turkey. Being empathetic I was worried for them. I was worried for their safety as well as their time in Turkey. If they didn’t make it back by departure time, which is 8:00pm, they would have to fly to Turkey by themselves due to high immigration policies in Greece. This was serious. Getting back to the ship on time is impertinent and not a joke!

“Why are you taking the 11:40 back? Aren’t you nervous?” I asked Rachel before she left for Santorini on Tuesday. Ironically enough she was nervous. We were both nervous of any delays or any chance of missing that important ferry. Nonetheless the Ferry was delayed. And them along with 20 other students were late in returning to the boat.

Kevin, Bo, Erika and I waited anxiously for our fellow A.B.A. members who were inevitably already facing 12 hours in dock time, which is consequently almost an entire day in Turkey. As 7:00 pm rolls around (almost an hour late) the taxis start rolling in and students start running towards the gangplank. It wasn’t until 7:30 that those familiar faces of Becca, Kate and Rachel looked up at us. It was a funny situation but we also felt bad. We also had to make the best of this unfortunate situation, so we congratulated them on their return. At least they weren’t heading to Turkey solo. And plus they made it back in time for Dinner, which was good by the way.

“How was Santorini?” we hesitantly asked. They replied that it was well worth any hassle that dock time placed upon them. And there we knew that Santorini must have been one good time. I’m glad, but they will be missed on our first day in Turkey. Thank goodness we have five days there.

As we come in to our 5th country I am beginning to miss home and the people I love so much. I have many dreams while out here that I don’t while at home. My subconscious is full of anxiety that I’m glad I don’t have to confront constantly, but nonetheless hearing the voice of my grandmother and my mom just makes me want to be there with them. It isn’t bad to miss home, but it is bad to wish you WERE home. I don’t necessarily wish that but I do wish they were here with me.

A.B.A. will sit down to watch another movie as we set sail once again, this time to Asia. I can’t believe it. Greece flew by!

Spain: A Surprising A
Italy: A Disappointing B+
Croatia: An Awesome A+
Greece: A Delightful B

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. Expect the Unexpected!

American Day in Athens

**Note: Post Date is July 15, 2009**

Kate, Rachel and Becca went to explore the Greek Island of Santorini. While the rest of A.B.A. due to economical reasons decided to kick it back at the Greece mainland. Erika and I, with a disappointing stay decided to kick it American style. Starbucks, Grocery shopping and Haagen-Dazs ice cream (well that’s German but you get the idea) were all included in our adventurous day through Athens. Starbucks was already glistening in Erika’s eyes from the first sight of it on Monday. I too succumbed to the Seattle Washington staple of coffee. It was no different than the United States besides being in Greece. Lame. The grocery store was the first normal grocery store we have encountered in our travels through Europe. It was also the largest. Yet, Erika wasn’t able to find her cherished protein bars that she recently ate through this past week, but I however surprisingly found an item that I’m very fond of in New York. It is called Happy Hippo. These delicious cream-filled biscuit cookies are very pricey in the states but here a package of five was only around three dollars. I grabbed two boxes for the road! Hopefully I won’t eat them all before my return. Another justified reason for our visit to the store was homework. For our European Union class we are to price goods throughout Europe and compare them. Thus far the prices haven’t varied drastically but I think its safe to say that Greece is so far the most expensive.

Our time at the Haagen-Dazs Café wasn’t too expensive but it was extremely delicious. We all (Kevin, Bo, Shannon, Nina, Erika and I) sat on lounge chairs right across from the harbor enjoying our luxurious desserts. I ordered a crepe creation of nutella, banana and caramel crunch ice cream. It was heaven. Kevin was also close to nirvana. On top of two juice boxes that he bought at the grocery store he ordered a  frozen cappuccino drink. His energy level was sky rocketing on many levels. “I would need two weeks to be happy,” Erika whines as she browses through the menu for her choice. She ended up making an unsatisfying choice of a  brownie sundae which she regretted making in the end. I wish she would just relax sometimes. 

And that’s why we went to the beach. The water was of course blue beautiful water as always. The beach not so equal in beauty. It was, in my opinion, crummy. I even found glass in the sand: not cool! And we didn’t find any friends from home as we did in Croatia, only men who couldn’t take their eyes off of Erika. She is a pretty one, but c’mon give it a rest!

Ok so Spain was the country of cats. Greece is the country of dogs. I guess Europe wouldn’t be the same without stray animals. These dogs are weird. They are stray but trained. One tried to follow me home again on my return from Athens. I signaled it to stop with my hand and it did just that. As we walked to our evening activities a dog followed by our side. We lost him midway through but then as me and Erika were eating dinner at Pizza Hut we saw him pass by the window.

Yes! That’s correct! I said Pizza Hut. But this wasn’t any normal Pizza Hut. This was an upscale, fancy and relaxing Pizza Hut, one that just doesn’t exist in the United States. Instead we like our dim jives with worn our carpets and torn booths to serve our pizza in. Erika and I used to enjoy many evenings together at Pizza Hut. Then she started to monitor her calorie intake and those days were gone. I have missed them for years and today those times were revived and even better than before with this new revamped atmosphere. It was the highlight of our American day in Athens.

 We asked our waitress whether we should tip or not. She had zeroed out the tip option on the credit card slip so we were confused. When we asked she said that all tips go to the men. We asked again more slowly because we thought she misunderstood us, but again she explained that any tips that she is given go directly to the man. This was not only a shock to us but a disappointment to think that relations amongst men and women could be so unbalanced. It was actually quite frustrating, but that’s probably why she zeroed out the tip option, she’s smart and we support her.

All the people supported me in the Karaoke bar as I busted out some tunes during the midnight hours. Erika and I were even given martinis on the house. She mooched off of my talent per say. I sang songs such as “I Who Have Nothing,” “Baby Love,” “I Believe I Can Fly,” “I Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “When A Man Loves A Woman” and that was plenty. With a drink in me and the late hours my voice was pretty angry with me by the time we left, but nevertheless it was a lot of fun and a great conclusion to our night!

Today’s Expenses

………………….........Euros………..Dollars
Starbucks………....7.00.………..10.15
Grocery Store…..7.00.………..10.15
Pizza Hut………....5.00.………..7.25
Haagen-Dazs……...7.00.………..10.15
Drinks…………......7.50.………..10.88

Total……………......33.50.……..48.58


Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. I miss my cell-phone.

"Wanna Play a Game?"

**Note: Post Date is July 14, 2009**

“Hey you wanna play a game? It is called your wasting 87 dollars,” Bo says.  And I would have won that game too if it weren’t for my two lovely roommates waking me up. It was 7:30 and our tour bus was leaving at 7:45. I leaped out of bed, brushed my teeth, washed my face, dressed and jetted out the door to head for the gang plank. It was a close call. Well not that close seeing as we didn’t get on the road till about 8:15. We were headed for Delphi.

I’m glad it was a 3 hour ride to this mythical site, for I needed more sleep.  I even resorted to coffee at a rest stop along the way. I ordered a frappe, about one of the only things I can read on a menu. If there is one language that I cannot comprehend or even attempt to decode is Greek! Anyway the ride was a restful one and a scenic one too.  We were riding right in the center of these gorgeous mountains that engulfed our tour bus and my nerves. Once again I was riding on a narrow road in between a mountain side and a cliff! When is it going to stop!?

Well it finally did stop; once we arrived. All I had to worry about was the treacherous return. I was so excited to be there though. I took a Theater in Ancient Greece course a few semesters back and now I am actually seeing some of the historic sites. Our tour guide was stylish, humble and precise with her information and she seemed to love her job. And we loved her! She told us numerous myths through the sculptures we saw in the museum. She also discussed the progression of sculpture and the destruction of Delphi. Delphi is said to have been the home of God Apollo and the Oracle who served as the connection between mortals and the Gods themselves. Today only remains the ruins of this mythical place but you can still see the columns that hold strong. These everlasting monuments, such as the Parthenon, Delphi and the Olympic stadium, are what come across as impressive. They are our connection to the ancient times of this complex nation.

You would think that by taking these tours the amount of walking would decrease. We thought wrong. We walk absolutely everywhere. And not leisurely walking, but hiking up hills in the beaming sun, by mid afternoon we are already beat and ready for a nap! We not only had a three hour nap on the way home (I use this term loosely) but we also stopped for a Greek lunch. It was quite tasty and very filling. We were served a sort of spinach kiesh, cheese curd, a falafel ball, some sort of veal (which I didn’t like) and that was only the appetizers. For the main meal we were served a beef patty with some sort of cheese in the center, fries and a Greek Salad.  Dessert was a choice and I chose fruit which was absolutely the best watermelon I’ve ever had! No joke! All of this wonderful dining was with a overlooking view of those gorgeous mountains. It was a wonderful afternoon.

And it wasn’t over. We made one last stop at a Greek Monastery. I was actually quite interested in them. One of the churches are dedicated to St. Paul and within the church is said to be some remains of his body. The inside of the churches were quaint and calm. Why do churches always have the same smell? Anyways the girls had to put on skirts before we entered the Monastery. I understand the tradition and respect their wishes but it was pretty funny. I am once again satisfied with our choice in tours. With the numerous stops, the lovely tour guide and the huge lunch it was definitely worth the cost.

The day had sucked a lot out of us. So most of us decided to relax with an evening in or a night at a close bar. I, however, with the determination to get everything I could out of this trip decided to venture into Athens to get a look of the Parthenon and other sites at night. I took the metro, which again is ironically more affordable and more luxurious than New York’s public transportation, and headed to the great city of Athens. It was a simple and satisfying task that I’m glad I accomplished.

Today officially marks the half way mark on this extraordinary voyage (O0o0o I don’t think I’ve ever used that adjective yet)  and it also marks the fourth week. Recap.

Fooling Yourself by Styx

Your fooling yourself, you don’t believe it
Your kidding yourself, you don’t believe it
Why must you be such an angry young man?
When your future looks quite bright to me?

In the stream of our discussion of money and the negativity that can come along with it, the attitude that some generations have on their life and their future is quite upsetting as well. It scares me that some of the people in this program simply look at it as a party boat and a chance to get drunk all the time. I don’t know if everyone sees this as enriching experience, nevertheless they have done something right to be here. They have showed perseverance, passion and dedication into the extensive process it takes to be prepared for such a journey. Certain young people in my life have demonstrated more than less of those qualities. They have put school on the backburner and without recognizing its extreme consequences. I believe in youth immensely and want nothing more for people than happy lives. So it scares me when I see young students dismiss an education or push it to the side all together. I’m not a fan of summer school, but I am a fan of living. Life comes with many hardships such as money, health, relationships and labor that can only be eased by the will power to remain focused, educated and motivated. In my younger friends and family members I see a lack of motivation that is consequently stifling their indefinite futures. If there is one thing that has made all things possible including Semester at Sea is my undying motivation to create a fulfilling life. I hope this for them too and I only hope that my behavior can instill their desire.

O What a Day by Ingrid Michaelson

O what a day is today
Nothing can stand in my way!

I don’t think I will ever stop talking about the day we kayaked through the Adriatic Sea. It was a day to never forget. Enough Said.

Class from Chicago

What ever happen to fair dealing?
And pure ethics?
And nice manners?
Why is it everyone now is a pain in the ass?
What ever happen to class?

What ever happen to please may I?
And Yes thank you?
And “How charming?”
Now every son-of-a-bitch is a snake in the grass
What ever happen to class?

There ain’t gentleman to open up the doors
There ain’t no ladies now, there’s only pigs and whores
And even kids will knock you down so they can pass
Nobody’s got no class.

I’m high maintenance but by no means am I classy. But still nonetheless have some respect.  Since coming into your Europe people’s manners have just flown to the way side amongst both Americans and Europeans. Semester at Sea students have been not only rude to the hard working staff on the boat but also completely disrespectful to places such as restaurants, clubs and beaches in the nations we‘ve been visiting. There is a rumor that they trashed a club one night in Croatia and in result were banned from visiting the next nights. Also some guy spilled beer all over a public bus. They just totally disregard that they aren’t in their home town and that they need to remain dignified not only for themselves, but for this institution and for the name of our country. I can’t say the locals are any better. On countless occasions I have been literally pushed out of the way to get to the front of a line or just to give them more space. Service here is less than exemplary, they barely have eye contact and if they do it is for a brief second. People say New Yorkers are ruthless but my time in New York as been ideal compared to my relations here. Of course this is a overview. Not all my encounters have been negative but still what gives people the nerve?

Some People from Gypsy

Anybody that stays home is dead.
If I die it won’t be from sitting
It will be from fighting to get up and get out!

Some people can get a thrill
Knitting sweater and staying still
That’s ok for some people who don’t they’re alive

Some People can thrive and bloom
Living life in a living room
That’s perfect for some people of 105

But I at least got to try
When I think of all the sights that I’ve got see
And all the places that I’ve got to play
All the things that I’ve got to be
C’mon people what ya say!?

Say Yes! Some people who shall remain nameless just don’t get the point sometimes. A lot of the time they will head back to the boat at an early hour because they are tired or miss out on an entire trip due to minimal reasons. I understand it is their decision, their trip and completely their prerogative but in the nicest terms, “Are you nuts!?” You need to get out and explore! That is what this trip is about. Yes it may be tiring, yes it may be expensive but what were you expecting?  For someone who is extremely high maintenance I am roughing and toughing it out there in each port getting the most out of it that I can! This is why I took my adventure to Athens at night and this is why I will continue to maximize my time on the rest of this long, compact journey!

Good Night Athens.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S.  It’s really hot here!

Athens, Greece

**Note: Post Date is July 13, 2009**

The sparkling city of Athens is so much larger than I expected. It isn’t large in height but rather in area. Standing atop the acropolis, which is the highest spot in the city at 230 feet, I could overlook the entire white and spacious city on both the right and left of this historic monument. It was especially hot today and the sweat was rolling down my back as we took countless pictures and climb many steps to reach the ever popular site of the Parthenon. Some say that the restoration of the site took away from experience. But construction and all I was in awe of this unreal moment. I was standing in Athens, Greece admiring the Parthenon. I couldn’t believe it.

I also can’t believe European drivers. They are plain fearless. In all the countries we’ve been in so far, every street is congested to the max and yet mini-mopeds will zoom the streets, zigzagging in and out of large buses and trucks without a care in the world. Taxi drivers are dangerous and should be taken off the road. And so should I, I plan on taking the metro from now on: which is not only more safe, but extremely more affordable.

Before our Athens tour this morning, Erika and I finalized our plans to travel to a Greek Island. We chose Poros. It is cheap, close and just what we need to get away from the Semester at Sea noise. After securing those plans we had time to spare so we walked around our port city: Piraeus. We luckily bumped into a fast food joint called Goodys: Erika’s new found love. She had to get her iced coffee and with it came these chocolate sticks with frosting in them. She wouldn’t stop raving about them. Every person we came into contact with, those chocolate sensations would be the opening topic. I ordered a delicious burger but Mcdonalds is always in my heart. I can’t wait to get back to the states to have some. Erika is determined to make it back to Goodys in the next four days. Good Luck.

Our tour was a guided bus tour with stops along the way. At first I was extremely skeptical of booking this trip because I thought it was over priced and would have simply skimmed the sites, but with the unexpected size of the city, the raging heat and my unwillingness to search for all these places, this tour was a godsend. It was air conditioned, relaxing and we saw a lot of sites with time to peruse and take pictures. I saw the original Olympic stadium which was so neat. To think that this city is where the Olympics began, where the theories of democracy take root and where the mythical gods and goddesses were birthed.  You could see the 5 rings from a far. It is a goal of mine to see an opening or closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. They are in London in 2012 and since I already have a huge desire to go to London I might as well kill two birds with one stone. Maybe my grandmother will go. If not, I’m sure Kevin is in!

Kevin and Bo weren’t in for our tour though. They sold the trip and decided to see the sights on their own. I didn’t see them all day. Kate, Rachel, Erika, Lindsay and I, after a long sunny day in Athens, came back to the ship to rest for the night. At around 9 we all took a taxi (God bless me) to a beautiful strip of bars and restaurants called the Gazi strip. The area was lively, clean and just what we were looking for. Erika, being our food liaison, tried Gyro along with the girls. I wasn’t hungry, but have intentions on trying one before I leave. It is funny: they are all over the city and I have yet to try one. I’m in Greece and it has now  become a goal to try one. What makes us willing to do things we wouldn’t do otherwise? Is it travel? Is it the excitement that you are somewhere new, so you have to try something new? Well I was sure surprised that Erika was. She has been on a roll and She approves of the gyro.

While at the gyro place, I saw some students reading a script together at a table. I went over to talk to them and found out that they were studying acting. We chatted for a bit about New York, their studies and their future plans. It is so interesting that people all over the world, who don’t even know each other, share common interests, have similar goals and can get along. It was pretty cool talking to them, but not all that cool that they were still in school in the middle of July.

After eating, we  at down at a nice bar called “Why Sleep?” which was pretty ironic because we all had early trips the next morning at about 7am. We fooled around about pulling an all nighter. Our waitress was from Canada and had moved to Greece when she was about six. She was so friendly and suggested places to go afterward. One cultural shock is their lack of credit card use. We attempted to pay for our bill with a credit card but was denied. I don’t understand how these people function, buying multiple drinks at 10 dollars (or Euros in their case) a pop and being able to pull out cash for that seems unreasonable. These are young people and unless they are all wealthy I don’t see the possibility in this. I know I sure couldn’t do it. It is interesting to see how some cultures rely on loans and others simply do not.

I’m enjoying the atmosphere of Greece so far. It was a fun night, but a long one. At 4:30 it is time to sleep.

Today’s Expenses:

……………….....Euros…………Dollars
Goodys………..4.90.………..7.11
Drinks………….15.00.………21.75
Taxi……………..14.00.………20.30

Total…………..33.90.……….49.16

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. We are now 7 hours ahead.

Olympics at Sea

In spirit of a Greek Themed ship, each voyage Semester at Sea holds the Sea Olympics. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it, but the cabins are separated into sections and each section is named a sea. The Baltic, The Bering, The Yellow, The Red, The Caribbean, The Mediterranean, The Aegean, The Arabian and our very own, The Adriatic all participated in a variety of activities to compete for the grand prize of getting off the ship first when we arrive in Norfolk, VA. This may seem like a lame prize but some students have an early flight to catch or a long drive ahead of them and with an expected disembarkment time of 2:00 pm  that could present itself as quite an inconvenience. As much as I do miss home, I’m positive that it will be bittersweet the day I disembark the ship for the last time, so this prize wasn’t really at the forefront of my horizon, but boy was I still pumped and ready to go!

The night before the Adriatic Sea had a pep rally in the hallway to prepare for the day’s activities. I was surprisingly and unknowingly elected Captain of the pink team (that was our color) and assigned with all its duties such as organizing the teams, running the torch and getting everyone else on the same level of excitement. No problem! I’m a high spirited guy with a lot of energy and I always want to have fun so bring it on! I also signed up for quite a few competitions. Throughout the day I was involved in Pictonary, The Relay Race, The Lip Synching Competition, The Academic Bowl, which can be equated to Jeopardy, and I also choreographed our team’s Synchronized swimming routine, which only consisted of Becca and this nice girl named Janae, but it turned out ok. All in all, our team was quite limp compared to the others. My co-captain Devon and I were high-spirited and kept the engines going for as long as we could but they would quickly die down after that.

The morning kicked-off with another lifeboat drill at 10:00am. Semester at Sea was so kind to give us a day off from classes, but then forcibly wake us in the morning to put on life jackets and hats to stand outside for 30 minutes. Not cool! I was grumpy. I’m glad we had the Olympics to look forward to.

Pictionary was relaxing and The relay race was anti-climatic. My favorite was the Academic Bowl. It was hosted by our Global Studies teacher, Alex, which was perfect because we could call him Alex just like Alex Trebech. The Categories were Social Justice, Human Rights, Business and Science, Global Studies (duh!) and Michael Jackson.

Do you know all the members of the Jackson Five? We didn’t!

How bout Michael Jackson’s children’s names? We got this one. Do you know them?

Can you tell me where the United States gets most of their oil from? Most thought Saudi Arabia but think again. We knew the answer! We tied for third and it was the best part of the day!

The worst part of the day was when I was basically forced into the lip-synching competition. It really ticked me off that because I’m a performer and a singer that people automatically think that’s what I want to participate in. It couldn’t be any further from what I wanted to do. Sometimes I don’t want to perform or be noted as that guy, sometimes I just want to sit back and relax but nope, I got suckered into a partner routine with Devon lip-synching to the 90’s song “Baby Got Back”. Only Devon being the girl and knowing the words decided to dress up like the guy and me being the guy and not knowing the words dressed up as the girl with a big butt. I’m not going to lie, we thought it was going to be funny, but in the end I didn’t find it very amusing no matter what other’s thought and it was a tragically embarrassing part of my day.

I thought it would all be resolved with Barbeque Day: The Sequel, however I was disappointed with that too. Who advertises a Barbeque and then doesn’t have the essentials such as Burgers and Hot Dogs? Instead they had chicken and some sort of steak. C’mon!  Thank goodness there was still ice cream, French fries and my favorite: macaroni salad, but someone should give Semester at Sea a  solid definition of a barbeque.

Finally my day came to a halt with a relaxing and soothing haircut. I want upstairs to the Spa for my 6:45 hair appointment. The music was playing, the lighting was soft and it all started with an amazing scalp massage that I wasn’t even expecting. It was just what I needed after the hectic day of competition and cheering.

I mentioned how much I enjoy having kids on the boat, but today truly made that statement valid. The kids had their own separate team called Team America and they were all dressed up and just the sweetest things to be around. No tantrums, no crying, no complaining just plain joy. The cutest is Ryder and hopefully I will get a picture with him so you all can see what a beaming joy he is! Working in a daycare and doing many things involving kids makes me want to keep pursuing such work. I don’t know how to incorporate it into my plans yet but I hope to be affluent enough to create establishments that will support children in areas such as education, theater and travel. I believe in children. I believe in their individuality and their right to be who they want to be. Some of them need a lot of help to do that and I want to be that help some day.

Tomorrow we arrive in Greece. In spirit of our arrival A.B.A. sat down and watched Mamma Mia, that takes place on one of the Greek Islands which we have all intentions on visiting. Some of us have already booked our travels such as Kate, Rachel and Becca but due to other previous plans, the remaining won’t finalize travel to these islands until tomorrow, so stay tuned. With all the fun activity of today and being at sea for the past couple of days you sometimes forget that you are still traveling the world. It is so exciting to know that tomorrow morning we will be waking up in the city of Athens. A place of infinite history. History of theater, politics and architecture that I’m so thrilled to be exploring. It’s going to be wonderful.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. We lost.

Holy Ship!

Special Edition: The MV Explorer

This Special Edition post is to introduce you to the MV Explorer: our home, our school, and our everything else for the next two months. As stated before, with no disrespect to the prestigious institution of New York University, shipboard life on the MV Explorer with the faculty and staff comprised of various institutions surpasses any expectations I  may have had for my home institution or this one!

This 25,000 ton vessel was built in 2002 and is one of the fastest passenger ships of its kind in the world. (which is quite ironic seeing as it is taking longer than a week to get to Spain. However, supposedly, they are monitoring our time at sea simply to make time for classes. Meaning we could have made it to Spain in a matter of 3 or 4 days) But no worries! The ship is fully equipped with everything to make sure our academic and social lives are supported.

You walk up the steps, swipe your ID and enter the 600 foot ship, with beautiful mauve carpet throughout, except in the rooms and dining areas which are a royal blue.  On the walls located along the staircases is golden engraved text, in both English and Greek, of poems. They are back lit and make beautiful statements of travel. The entire ship is of a Greek Theme. Each floor is named after a Greek god or goddess.

There are Eight decks.

2nd Deck Neptune

Mostly a staff area and operations with inside double cabins. The counseling office and Health Clinic are also on this floor and the morgue is most likely here as well. (Creepy!)  It is upsetting to think that the ship has had to use the morgue at least once a year. Death during travel is quite frequent and unfortunate.

3rd Deck Dionysus

Student outside cabins, economy cabins, staff cabins, and this floor also has a video editing room, which I have yet to see. I love editing, I learned the summer before my freshmen year in college and have stuck with it since. This year they are having the 1st annual film festival aboard ship. I don’t think I have time to devote myself to such a project but it sounds cool.

4th Deck Venus

Faculty and staff Cabins, student Junior Suites, student inside cabins. My cabin is on this floor.

The Cabins

Most cabins come with two beds (Mine has three. I’m on the bunk bed, but how cool…it folds into the wall) Each room has 2 closets,: one large one with hangers, a top shelf and a pull out shoe rack beneath. The smaller one with 4 shelves, a safe and some pull out baskets below. There is a built in desk with a drawer and a large mirror. There are is a night stand  and a built in nook with three drawers each. In the nook is the television which plays movies at night and shows the boats positioning. The nook also has a built in frig, similar to a hotel and a shelving unit where we keep our food. The stand is simply in between our beds and has a table lamp upon it. There is one small glass table. Two chairs: one for the desk and the other for the table. There is a phone which we can use to call other cabins and areas of the ship for free and outside calls for a hefty price. The walls are all magnetic so we use magnets to post notices, pictures, decorations and our map of the voyage. There are curtains and a ventilation system, seeing as we can’t open our window. And lastly, my favorite, our own private bathroom. It is nice and clean. It comes with a removable shower head and a holder for all our shower supplies. It also has a clothes line to dry any clothes we may wash on our own, seeing as we only get the luxury of laundry every few weeks and I did not bring enough clothes!) The bathroom has cabinets and shelves to hold our other toiletries and the best part about our room is we don’t have to clean it.

Staff

The staff is amazing. They are constantly cheerful, kind and always punctual in cleaning our rooms. There are many times in which we get a knock at the door and who do we find but Edwin ready to clean our room. They even do the neat folding of the toilet paper that they do at hotels and fold and situate our belongings into neat piles. Our rooms aren’t the only thing they clean. The staff is constantly cleaning the boat; scrubbing the decks down early in the morning, wiping the railings down and washing the walls at all hours of the day. It is so bizarre. Its bizarre that we don’t have to clear our plates or dispose our trays after a meal. They serve us our drinks, our dessert and not without giving a warm smile. The staff and faculty are so genuinely friendly, with a “good morning”, or “hello” each time we pass, they definitely reassure us that we aren’t in Kansas anymore (or Albany or whatever).

Faculty

As I said, they are all so friendly, but my teachers and some known faculty come with some great personalities. The assistant Dean rides a motorcycle, some use terminology such as “my peeps,” Our Global Studies professor has some entertaining power points and is full of such exciting energy. My Global Music teacher is always so goofy and willing to make voices and just be an entertaining force in the room. He definitely wants us to get involved and enjoy ourselves in this interesting course. Lastly my favorite, my European Union teacher, Bill Wilkerson has such a monotone voice yet one of the most humorous and interesting personalities. He has spurts of loud exclamations and some erroneous examples that just make you giggle and think about things you never thought you would.  I have yet to get to really know these people, but can already tell that I will enjoy them. I definitely enjoy their children. At first I thought having families aboard with young children would be an interference or annoying but in fact it is a breath of fun! The kids are adorable, lively and say the darn-est things! 

Fun Fact: The number one singly sold product in the US is the Banana.

Bridge

The captain is quite a character. He is from Croatia (one of our port calls) and is so relaxed. It’s  quite a juxtaposition: a person with such power having such a lackadaisical personality. But no worries, we trust him. He is really funny. On our Bridge tour he made many references to Titanic and was just a fun presence in the room. What a view from there too! Looking out a window that gives you an expansive view of the deep blue ocean on a sunny clear day was just so beautiful and relaxing. We were grateful for that. It is there that we had our first sight of dolphins. It was also there that we sat in the Captain’s chair and looked out on the open sea with his large binoculars. The ship is supposedly on cruise control….ha ha ha get it? CRUISE control.

5th Deck Selene

Bedroom Suites with balconies and faulty bedrooms. On this floor is the Purser’s Desk and across from there is the Student Affairs Desk/Dean’s Office. In the middle is Tymitz Sqaure (the center of the ship). It is here that a lot of daily activity takes place whether amongst faculty, students or across the two groups. A lot of questions are asked here and a lot of answers returned. Paper work and sign up sheets and updates are flying around in this central area and this is also where the free trip box is that Kevin checks multiple times in one day.  The Main Dining Hall is on this floor. It is quite fancy with large lighting fixtures, big bright windows and multi levels. We eat here mostly because it has less traffic and larger tables to accommodate the expansive A.B.A. group.

6th Deck Apollon

This deck is probably the most compact.  This floor consist of a computer lab to do all our printing and accessing to academic folders, a library to enhance our learning and to do research on upcoming ports and support our travels, Classrooms of a good size, a school store where I have bought a shirt and sweatshirt from, they have everything though from white-out to conditioner, there is a piano lounge with a bar and it is here that Kevin, Becca and I laid down some tunes, the smaller dining hall is here: I usually eat breakfast here and outside this dining hall is an outside deck where you can eat while overlooking the ocean, on the other end of this deck is the Union. Here the entire body takes Global studies, gathers for debriefings, dances and anything else of a large matter. The union is equipped with video and sound equipment which makes for a very established area. The smoker’s deck is also here, but they can get rid of that if they wanted to, I wouldn’t miss it. The 6th deck is also where we have the luxury of boarding lifeboats if anything should happen to this glorious vessel.

7th Deck Helios

Ahh the 7th deck. Pub Nights are held here. We go swimming here and we lounge on the deck chairs soaking up the sun. Here we can order soda and burgers which can’t be found any where else on board. Here is where we have our cookouts. We had one for the fourth of July and we have another one coming up tomorrow for our Sea Olympics. The basketball court is along the sides of this deck, along with the work-out machinery. Inside is the gym and spa. Here I run daily. I’m getting my haircut at the spa tomorrow. Bo got one and he looks great and even more like Kevin Bacon than before.  The spa offers multiple massages and a sauna, but I think A.B.A. are going to a Turkish bath while in Istanbul, even though Rachel already had a massage here and said it was great. The Faculty lounge is on this deck and this is where they grade papers, relax and party in seclusion from the student body.

8th Deck

The 8th deck  is where you get a greater look at the world around you. It is relaxing to go up there on a warm night, sit down and chat or reminisce of your time aboard. Kevin and I do this some nights.

I hope this special post has given some insight of my home for the summer. I’m glad I can call it that.

Sea Olympics are tomorrow. Stay Tuned.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. It’s a ship not a boat.

Germans, Australians and a Friend from Home.

It is quite amazing how many people you meet while traveling. And from all over the world too. Last night we met four young men from Germany who had been hiking the mountains of old Yugoslavia, including Croatia, for the last couple of days. They had large hiking boots on, scruffy faces and thick German accents.  We spent almost two hours in the grocery store parking lot talking with them. We talked about college, traveling, music, and politics. Erika and I even managed to spark a discussion, in light of our European Union class,  about their personal views on the effectiveness of the EU. They had nothing but positive things to say and wants all European nations to join. Erika and I also had an opportunity to sing for the four fellas. That was quite interesting. Kate got it on camera. Erika as a kayaking partner: tolerable. Erika as a singing partner: a challenge. All in all these Germans were great company and Kate, Shannon and Becca actually spent the rest of the evening with them.

This afternoon Erika, Bo and I (Kevin wasn’t there again) went swimming at the gorgeous Croatian beach which was conjoined with an outside restaurant and bar with fancy seating and delicious food. There were beach beds that you could rent for $30.00. It was basically a luxury beach.  As we were swimming we bumped into an Australian who was making a stop in Europe before making his way to Penn State for a semester abroad. Erika and him of course made conversation because she herself spent a semester in Australia. As we were talking to him, another guy heard that we were from Upstate New York. He asked where from. We told him Albany. Get this! He too is from Albany and he too went and graduated from Colonie High. I can’t express how surreal this meeting was. He was born in Croatia. His family moved to the U.S. in the 1990’s when Croatia was at war. His grandmother stayed in Croatia and that is who is visiting here. We couldn’t believe the coincidence of our day. He knew all our teachers and even Erika’s sister. Who knew that Croatia was such a hotspot for travelers and who knew Albany was the place to migrate to?

While at the club, Bo met Dahani Jones from the Travel Channel. Again, Croatia is the place to be! “This guy goes around the world playing weird sports trying to kick the crap out of people,” explains Bo. He is a large black man, who travels with swarms of ditsy women at his side. I wasn’t at the club that night Bo saw him, but last night he came into the bar that I was at with Rachel and it was a funny sight to see. All these Semester at Sea students just crowding around him. I don’t even know who he is!

Stupid me, didn’t think that I would have to spend any money today. I also didn’t want to leave Croatia with any extra Kuna in hand so I didn’t plan on taking out any more money from the bank. Therefore I decided to leave all other sources of money (i.e. credit cards).on the boat and stick with what I already had. Unfortunately things presented themselves such as souvenirs, internet, grocery shopping, drinks on the ocean, and maybe a nice lunch at that restaurant, all of which I didn’t do. It was quite depressing and a bit frustrating. Once again I made a mistake that effected my time. I need to be a little more prepared. No matter what, bring the money!

I did manage to buy some chocolate at the Grocery store. I haven’t tried it yet but hopefully it will be of worth. It is their native chocolate and it’s called Mikado. Keep reading if you want to see how it tastes. I also got the soap that I needed. It was all of a dollar!

Today we leave, and today starts Croatia’s Summer Festival. Good timing Semester at Sea! Ughh! Well there is supposed to be fireworks at 9:00. For some screwed up reason we don’t leave till early tomorrow morn. Meaning we will be sitting in Croatia on a boat instead of having another night on the town. This sucks! 

Croatia was definitely a relaxing port. It has been a highlight or the trip thus far and was well needed after our exhausting days in Spain and Italy. I felt a real taste of summer being here and for the first time ever in my life, I didn’t want to leave the beach. I actually wanted to stay! I never thought I’d see the crystal clear blue waters that they advertise on those commercials, but take my word, they exist and I swam in them. One thing I regret not doing (yes I said the dreaded “R” word) is trying Croatian food. There isn’t a predominant sense of native food in Dubrovnik but we should have tried a bit harder to experience the culture. I’m a bit sad as we wave goodbye to this summer resort of a nation, but am content with the time we spent here.

A couple of the students on the boat are quite wealthy and have the luxury of experiencing this trip without having to worry about any financial burden it may cause. Through conversation with Bo and a recent email with my grandmother it can be concluded that money is quite insignificant compared to the larger scheme of things. It is unfortunate when people deny their desire of doing something because they “can’t” afford it. I have a very fortunate situation but I too have many loans that I will have to repay in the many years to come. We, as people, want to spend as little as we can and save as much as we can. This process seems quite backwards seeing as we have one life and one only. We might as well spend the money we have while we can. Security is always desirable but living life is so much more. Life isn’t measured in how much money you have or how well you handle your finances but how you live your life. People sometimes put there life on the backburner and money at the forefront. Instead, Live a lot, buy a little and love often!

Movie time with A.B.A. Have a Good One! 

Today’s Expenses:

……………….....Kuna………..Dollars
Gelato………….12.00.……….2.40
Pizza…………..14.00.……….2.80
Bus……………...10.00.……….2.00
Chocolate………8.00.……….1.60
Soap……………...5.00.……….1.00

Total…………..49.00.……….9.80

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. Who on earth would leave Croatia for Albany?