A Profile View

It was a night of celebration as we all dressed up to attend the Ambassadors Ball. It is a dinner and a dance to celebrate the conclusion of this voyage of righteousness and diplomacy. It acknowledges the participants of the voyage as ambassadors of the sea and alumni of the Summer 2009 Voyage, more or less. At its simplest definition it was time to let loose and have some fun.

The evening began with a lovely five-course meal. Chicken and steak laid before us with a glass of champagne by our side. Pictures were of course a main part of our night as there was flash after flash after flash. But the squinty eyes and the endless spots are worth the end result of preserved memories. Everyone cleaned up well, for we dressed in our best attire for the evening as we dined in class. Erika and I rushed for the dessert as we indulged in several pieces of cheesecake before our second half of the evening: dancing.

We gathered round as we boogied down into the midnight hours. It was a glistening night in my eyes as A.B.A. had one last hoorah before the dreaded days of packing and goodbyes were to set in. As much as I attempt to put it all in prospective it becomes overwhelming and quite difficult at times. But one thing I seem to be able to hold grasp of is the friendships that I have accrued in the past months, that will in return last a lifetime. The phrase seems cliché and even forced, but in actuality and in all sincerity it holds so much truth. The amount of bonding and experience we have had as a group is immeasurable and cannot compare to any set of words. 

We have traveled the world together. We have sailed the Atlantic twice together. We have explored foreign countries all on our own, but together. We’ve partied together, drank together, laughed together, argued together, smiled together, slept together, ate together (a lot) and remained together. It is amazing to me how we all stuck it out. We became friends and stayed friends: through this voyage and hopefully beyond.

I know these people and am just beginning to know them a little bit more. It saddens me that just as time is running out, its seems you can go that much longer. But it must come to an end. Not definitively, but just for now. We must return to the normalcy of our lives, go back to our home institutions and continue where we left off. But this time with something to think of: that wonderful time that we sailed the Mediterranean Sea and explored the cultures of eight different countries together. That time we made awesome memories together and promised we’d meet again.

Below is a questionnaire that each A.B.A. member answered. A way to learn a little about them and the moments they remember about this voyage.


BOWEN MCDOUGAL

ROOM #………………4043

NICKNAME…………..Bo

BIRTHDAY……………October 3, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Denver, Colorado

COLLEGE……………..Colorado University

MAJOR………………..Chemistry

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Australia

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Canada

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Turns out the chocolate dolphin statue is made of styrophome

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Portabella Mushroom w/ Mozzarella at the Irish Pub in Greece

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Buying orange syrup instead of orange juice

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….Friends that became family




KEVIN LENZEN

ROOM #………………4043: Bottom Bunk

NICKNAME…………..Princess

BIRTHDAY……………September 29, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Cologne, Minnesota 

COLLEGE……………..University of St. Thomas

MAJOR…………Sarcasm with a minor in Business Administration: Operations Management

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….An impossible question to answer. I do not judge and evaluate things according to ranks.

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………DOLPHINS!!!

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Nino’s in Cadiz: Both times. Delicious pizza and wine. 

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not winning the map of the voyage signed by the captain at the shipboard drive auction.

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….”Good Morning Voyagers”- NOT! I will miss waking up to a new sight outside my window (The ocean, the seas, dolphins, islands, Spain, Italy, etc.) each and every day.

KEVIN QUOTES: “I wonder how long it takes to dust this place” - In regards to the Seville                               Cathedral

                       “Ufta” - a sigh of frustration.




KATE SCHNELKER-PARKS

ROOM #………………3148

NICKNAME………….Cameron (Diaz)

BIRTHDAY……………August 24, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Mcltenny, Illinois

COLLEGE……………..Illinois State University

MAJOR………………..Choral Music Education

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….What kind of question is this? Um. Santorini, Greece but country = Turkey

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………None, but I guess Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Banana Bandit fight with Rachel and running across the street in Seville

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Eel and Shrimp with Becca in Cadiz at Nino’s

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not buying everything I wanted to- you can’t get this stuff in the states!

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST………….Obviously my friends. They have been the best “family” for the past two months.




BECCA NEY (N-Y-E like eye: I’m not a horse, I don’t neigh)

ROOM #………………4015

NICKNAME…………..Dance Machine (I should be caged!)

BIRTHDAY……………January 25, 1989

HOMETOWN…………Plymouth, Minnesota

COLLEGE……………..University of St. Thomas

MAJOR………………..English and Secondary Education

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Spain and Greece (Santorini)

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Too many to count. Train ride to Sevilla gigging with Kate an Kevin about solar panel store, my sore hip, Kevin’s beautiful knees, money belt down my pants and this conversation:

Becca: Kate look! Look at the decorations ! Look at the flegs!

Kate: The what?

Becca: The flegs, the flegs, look at the flegs!

Kate: What flakes? What are you talking about?

Becca: The flegs of all the countries, Greece, Italy, Croatia…

Kate: Ohhhh. The flAgs, I couldn’t understand your Minnesota accent.

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Meal on the terrace at a restaurant in Santorini, the sauce on my pork tenderloin was so good I wanted to bathe in it.

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Getting Traveler’s Diarrhea. It isn’t gone yet!

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….I will miss all the members of A.B.A. We have all become such good friends that we fight like brothers and sisters! I love everyone and I will truly miss the time we’ve spent together.





ERIKA MORRISSETTE

ROOM #………………3148

NICKNAME…………..Food Liaison

BIRTHDAY……………June 26, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Albany, NY

COLLEGE……………..SUNY Oswego

MAJOR………………..Psychology

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Croatia, Spain, and Egypt

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Greece

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Running for the train in Rome 

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Italia’s Margerhita pizza and wine. 

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not participating in Extended family and not going to an island in Greece.

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….A.B.A. Living with and traveling the world with friends of a lifetime. Italy’s pizza and Gelato too!




Nina Zalone


ROOM #………………4015

BIRTHDAY……………September 20, 1989

HOMETOWN…………Salamanca, New York

COLLEGE……………..Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

MAJOR………………..Ultrasound technician

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Spain

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Not sure…

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Trying to learn the cup game in the dining hall and getting yelled at for it. “Drinks are for drinking”

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….of the day? Or…probably in Spain when Shannon and I ordered fried fish by mistake and I ended up eating 2 of the 6. They still had eyes. 

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Would have liked to have gone on an independent trip with A.B.A. Anyone up for more travels?

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST…………………Seeing all of you everyday! =(




MORGAN BROACHA

ROOM #………………3116

NICKNAME…………..Eww…its you. That girl.

BIRTHDAY……………June 27, 1989

HOMETOWN…………Castle Rock, Colorado 

COLLEGE……………..University of Pittsburgh 

MAJOR………………..Chinese, Politics-Philosophy

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Turkey

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Hanging out at the shipyard in Cadiz with Spanish Medical Students.

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Portabella Mushroom with mozzarella cheese at the Irish Pup in Athens.

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Skinny dipping in Bulgaria

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST…………………Waking up in a new country, breakfast by the ocean, getting lost in a foreign city.




SHANNON DEVRIEZE


ROOM #………………3148

BIRTHDAY……………August 14, 1989

HOMETOWN…………Parachute, Colorado 

COLLEGE……………..University of Northern Colorado

MAJOR………………..History and Secondary Education

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Turkey

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Greece

FUNNY MEMORY………………………CODE BLUE. I passed out on the 7th deck which is supposedly code blue to the medical team on the boat.  It was announced through the entire ship. Everyone was surprised to find it was me.

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Hotel Dinner in Troy

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not going to an island in Greece

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST………………My Friends. Only working 2 hours a day, Being away from real life problems and stress. Seeing new countries every week.




ERIK MALIN     

ROOM #………………4030

NICKNAME…………..Gorgeous

BIRTHDAY……………September 5 ,1989

HOMETOWN…………Portage, Michigan

COLLEGE……………..Michigan State

MAJOR………………..”Money can buy you happiness” A.K.A. Finance

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Cuba, Greece, Turkey

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Croatia

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Ben coming back to the ship at 8:30 am

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Savas in Greece 

BIGGEST REGRET………………………No regrets

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST………The people and memories. Crazy nights in Istanbul at Kafe Pi



BEN GOERING

ROOM #………………4030

NICKNAME…………..Cutie

BIRTHDAY……………August 11, 1990

HOMETOWN…………Topeka, Kansas

COLLEGE……………..Kansas City University

MAJOR………………..Computer Science

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Spain

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………..Mexico, Greece

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Anthony and Erik’s cake debacle 

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….The Ship’s Apple Cobbler 

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Varna and Not meeting more people

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….Boat Life




LAUREN ARMSTRONG

ROOM #………………3087

NICKNAME…………..Picture Whore

BIRTHDAY……………January 26, 1990

HOMETOWN…………San Diego, California 

COLLEGE……………..Michigan State 

MAJOR………………..Advertising

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Morocco

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Ben’s reaction when we told him they ran out of Strawberry Ice Cream when they really didn’t!

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Rooftop dinner in Turkey, Kabob extra in Croatia

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not spending more time on a Greek Island like Santorini or Mykonos

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….um Traveling the world with amazing people. Being lost, riding in taxis (not) and of course ship food!




LINDSAY MUNOZ

ROOM #………………3134

NICKNAME…………..Pretty Kitty

BIRTHDAY……………August 16, 1986

HOMETOWN…………Topeka, Kansas

COLLEGE……………..University of Missouri

MAJOR………………..Criminology

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Greece

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Kate and Rachel’s “fight” at the bowling alley

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Gyros

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not buying enough souvenirs

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….My favorite peeps!




NICOLE SALMAN

ROOM #………………3072

BIRTHDAY……………May 6, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Louisville, Kentucky

COLLEGE……………..Xavier University

MAJOR………………..Psychology and Sign Language

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….I cannot say because they all have very special aspects to them. I loved Croatia however very unexpected and amazing!

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Again cannot say because they are all special in a way!

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Night of Ambassador’s ball, staying up all night on deck 7.

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Tapas in Spain

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Nothing involving this experience could be considered a regret. Everything that has occurred has made this experience what it is!

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….Everything!  The people, the amazing countries, but most of all the great opportunity to  step completely outside of ourselves, our comfort zone and our typical repetitive cycles we call life or reality. I will miss the MV Explorer and the people of Summer 2000




NICHOLAS KEER

ROOM #………………2001

NICKNAME…………..NICO

BIRTHDAY……………December 16, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Santa Rose, California 

COLLEGE……………..University of California, Santa Cruz

MAJOR………………..Film and Politics

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Egypt

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………”What is Semester at Sea God or something?” In response to dock time. 

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….chilled banana soup, bread and butter.

BIGGEST REGRET………………………not bungee jumping in Bulgaria 

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….the new experiences, the people, the places, the friends, the knowledge etc.





RACHEL COHEN

ROOM #………………3072

NICKNAME…………..Rachel

BIRTHDAY……………April 25, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Potomac, Maryland

COLLEGE……………..University of Michigan

MAJOR………………..Education

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Greece and Spain

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Bulgaria

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Banana Frenzy at Lunch

FAVORITE MEAL……………………Hotel Sky Rise dinner in Turkey overlooking the city

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not going to a Turkish Bath

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST……………………….You!




ANTHONY SOUZA

ROOM #………………4043 Top Bunk

NICKNAME…………..Michael-Anthony (M.A.)

BIRTHDAY……………February 15, 1988

HOMETOWN…………Albany, NY

COLLEGE……………..New York University

MAJOR………………..Drama; Producing Minor

FAVORITE COUNTRY………………….Egypt

LEAST FAVORITE COUNTRY…………Greece

FUNNY MEMORY………………………Kevin screaming out the window at dolphins!

FAVORITE MEAL……………………….Duner in Turkey 

BIGGEST REGRET………………………Not going to Capri sooner, Not going to a Greek Island and walking alone in Turkey.

THINGS YOU WILL MISS THE MOST………………The ocean, The people, The laughs, The opportunity.

I will miss them.

Less than seven hours until we reach Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

I’m Almost home. Almost.


Explore. Dream. Discover.


~Michael-Anthony


P.S. A.B.A. All The Way!