“All good people agree, And all good people say, All nice people, like us, are We And everyone else is They: But if you cross over the sea, Instead of over the way, You may end by looking on We, As only a sort of They!”

-- Rudyard Kipling

Nine days, 216 hours, and 12,960 minutes; that is how much time I have before I am forced to close this chapter in my book of adventures. Instead of focusing on packing, cleaning, and finals I find my mind rewinding to the unbelievable experiences that I have had this semester. As I sit in my cabin staring at the huge map covering our wall with our route traced on it, a mental video keeps replaying in my mind as to constantly remind me of the small details that made this voyage unforgettable. A simple smile from a person on the street, the good morning hello from my cabin steward on deck four, the nightly story time that somehow magically congregates in my room around 11:00 p.m. no matter how tired I am. It is the simplicity of life that I have really learned to appreciate in the past three and a half months. Wow, I can’t believe that that was my biggest lesson learned, but looking back it is probably the most important one.

With finals, the Ambassadors’ Ball, packing, and nine more late night story times coming up, I have a lot to do before I disembark the ship in Miami on December 7^th. I have been looking around my room at all of the “stuff” I have accumulated over the semester and I am faced with another packing dilemma. This time I am so concerned with how I am going to get all of the physical goods in my suitcase; the packing issue is the thousands of memories and lessons that I have gained throughout the past semester. I pray that my mind will be able to retain all that I have gathered for decades to come; like a time capsule that can be reopened on the drop of a hat.

My adventures in Spain were wonderful, and it was an excellent country to end the trip on. Of all of the differences seen from country to country one aspect of humanity that I have noticed is peoples’ overall kindness. It didn't matter what color my skin was or what language I spoke, people for the most part were very welcoming. This has made me take a look at myself; am I that open of a person? How do I treat people who aren’t typically from my area? I know that after this experience I will be more consciously aware of the outsiders around me and I would hope that I go out of my way to teach them about our culture.

On the topic of culture, I think that it is difficult to notice the depths of your own when you are submersed in it. It is only when you are an outsider looking in that you notice the true workings of your society. In Spain, as I do in every country, I searched out a USA Today. On the front cover it read, “North Dakota’s Aging Face; Can it Resist Change?” Number one I was stunned to be in Seville, Spain and find an article on Cooperstown, ND as the feature cover story for one of the largest newspapers in America. Number two I was unbelievably sad when I read the article. I know that family farms are starting to die out, and I realize that the farming tradition is a main staple of our heritage, but times are changing and globalization is one tiger that cannot be put back in its cage. With that said, why are we still resisting change? Isn’t change inevitable? Part of the article focused on the younger generations moving away and I began to think about why we are moving out of the state. Overall, North Dakota is great: low crime rate, low levels of pollution, lower cost of living, and overall higher values. Honestly, (and I can just see my parents faces as they are reading this – shocked) if North Dakota can offer me what I want, I would stay in a heart beat, no questions asked. Now the question turns to, “What do the young people want?” I don’t have an answer for this; I don’t even have a definite answer for myself. I guess that my point is, why don’t we open our state up a bit and welcome (welcome being the key word) some outsiders in. We just may be surprised by what other cultures have to offer.

Ok, enough of my rambling and on to the ten highlights of my Fall 2007 Semester at Sea Voyage!

· Japan – being able to see my former host family was one of the best parts of this voyage. I had dreamt about reconnecting with them ever since I left in 2003, but I never once believed that I would get to see them again so soon!

· China – Climbing the Great Wall of China was breathtaking (the view and the hike)!

· Hong Kong – I felt like this was American Imperialism at its peak. It was here, in this division of communist China that made me feel like the ship made a detour back to the US.

· Vietnam – This was one of my favorite countries for reasons that I can’t even figure out. I think it was the simplicity of life, or the unbelievable happiness in a whirlpool of poverty. I’m not exactly sure what, but something about this country made me fall in love with it.

· Thailand – Being attacked by wild monkeys (slight exaggeration) and having two of my best friends laughing at me as I was trying to escape was, in retrospect, a hysterical moment that I will never forget. This country, filled with tears and laughter, really bonded the fresh friendship we had formed.

· India – Wow! The Taj Mahal was gorgeous, and the poverty was hideous. This country filled me with mixed emotions. The most memorable part of India was finding the adorable child that I would have adopted in a heart beat if I was prepared for that much responsibility.

· Egypt – Clearly the pyramids were the highlight of this country. How could people who lived that long ago, with none of today’s advanced technology build such gigantic structures? The pure genius of the ancient Egyptians was, and is, fascinating!

· Turkey – This was another country that was like a magnet for me. There was some aspect of Turkish life that I was captured by. Here I was able to go to the city of Troy and the church in Nicea where the Nicene Creed was written.

· Croatia – HOSPITALITY!!! This was a value that was seen continuously during my stay in Croatia. I loved having people stop me in the street to ask me how I was, or just say good morning! Having tea with some new found, local friends is something that I will never forget!

· Spain – Walking around the town’s old cobblestone streets with some of the best friends a girl could ask for and living up our last big hurrah to its fullest!

Thank you all for enduring these lengthy blogs and I hope that you have enjoyed traveling around the world with me in 103 days! I will see you back in beautiful North Dakota very, very soon!

Late last night we made an unscheduled stop for a medical emergency that we had on board. As the small medical boat came out to meet our ship a few miles off of the coast of Spain, everyone gathered outside to cheer on the person who had to be rushed to shore. It was at this moment that I realized just how much of a family we have become on this voyage, and it is that that I am thankful for.

I spent last week in Croatia. The weather was cold and rainy, but it felt great. I am very grateful that I made the choice to spend the week in Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is a small charming town in the south of Croatia where family restaurants and coffee shops line the streets of the old city. Each morning you are greeted with a warm smile and a cup of excellent tea. In each country that I have traveled it has been clear that the value of hospitality is an important one, but the importance of hospitality was most evident in Dubrovnik. The most memorable aspects of Croatia that I will treasure forever are the conversations that I had with local people. One man that I met in the streets of old town sat with me over several cups of tea, and openly told me about anything that I wanted to know. His life story took me outside of Croatia and on a tour to the rest of what use to be Yugoslavia. This man is my lasting image of Croatia that will bring a smile to my face each time I think of this beautiful country.

The most beneficial part of Croatia was the abundance of time that I had to reflect and focus on what I have done and where I am going. One question that my new found friend asked me was, “What’s next?” To my surprise, I didn’t have a specific answer for this question. There are so many items on my agenda that I hope to accomplish in my lifetime, but I don’t know exactly what is next. Not only did his question make me look to the future, it made me focus on my past. I believe that it is very important for us to focus on the past, present, and future as one big melting pot when analyzing where we have been, where we are, and where we are heading. With that, I will ask you, “What’s next?”

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

-- Mark Twain

I am going to leave you with a list of a few pieces of my life that I am thankful for.
I am thankful for:

• My family, because they are always there for me whether they agree with my choices or not. It is the element of unconditional love that makes the gift of a family so special.
• My friends, because they keep my spirits up when the world tries to drag me down.
• My education, because it is through knowledge and understanding that the problems of the world have the potential to be solved.
• My FAITH, because it is an unwavering power that keeps pushing my forward when I feel like nothing is going my way. I am thankful for my faith because it helps me find the good in the evil of the world. I am thankful for my faith because without it, none of the things above would matter at all.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!
~ Molly Sullivan

11/15/07 Turkey
At the University of Mary leadership is a key element of our education and career development. As an HSL student I find it only natural to be watching for leadership styles in those that I meet. One concept that has really struck me is how leadership appears to change significantly throughout the various parts of the world. In the United States it seems as though leaders are defined by people who show us instant change. They are the movers and the shakers of our society. Although this leadership style is effective, it is not always “right” or “ideal.” In other parts of the world I have seen that a leader is often the person who makes the biggest impact on the country’s history, and many times these leaders aren’t viewed as important figures until they are dead. In Eastern Asia (Japan, China, Thailand, and Vietnam) I felt as though the most influential leaders were those that understood the power of thought and how to gently convey this concept to others. For the past week I have been really puzzled by what the leadership style used in Egypt and Turkey is. As I was sitting in a bookshop in Istanbul I found a children’s book entitled One Hundred Greatest Leaders. There were a few elements of this book that struck me, but the most mind boggling was that some of the most “evil” minds of the past century were portrayed on the same page as the most positively influential people of our time. It took me a long time to process why these “leaders” with such different styles were all depicted as leadership role models. What is the connection between Ramses II, Hitler, Carter, and Lenin? They all possessed an amazing power to reach people on an incredibly deep level that I can’t even express. For a single person’s concepts to be able to cause such Earth changing movements is incredibly impressive. Even Hitler and Lenin, whose principles have arguably been detrimental to society as a whole, managed to drastically impact the world in a very short span of time. How is that possible? What do the best leaders possess that sets them so far apart from everyone else? It isn’t always just their ability to think, act, or communicate. Is it sheer charisma or is it all the people behind the scenes? As witnessed in my journey one style of leader will ever be able to fit the needs of every country.The world needs and always will need a mixture of leadership styles to strike a balance in our global community.

My time spent in Turkey was far greater than I every imagined. When I first found out where my Semester at Sea journey was going to take me, Turkey was an initial point of interest. This was the country that I have most closely followed since leaving the US, because its policies and current conflicts are very interesting to me. As our shipboard community prepared to disembark in Istanbul we were flooded with presentations and speeches designed to spark some fear in all of us. Semester at Sea was not attempting to give us negative feelings toward the Turkish people, the administration just wanted to create awareness about the current disputes in the country. In retrospect I am thankful that they presented the worst case scenarios to us, because everything that happened then surpassed the expectations that I had set.

Istanbul is an amazing city. It is located on the boarder of Europe and Asia. Our ship docked at the bridge that connected the two continents and for the first time we were able to stand in the middle of the bridge and actually be on two continents at once! Among the various sites that I visited in Turkey, the most meaningful of them were in the rural part of the country. I went to see the ruins of the city of Troy and was able to go inside the replica of the Trojan Horse. My favorite city that I went to was the city of Iznik, formerly known as Nicea. This is the city where the Nicene Creed was written during the first century A.D. I actually had the opportunity to go to the actual church where the Creed was written. It felt so good to see the countryside of Turkey rather than just the city. It seems like the most life changing moments that I have had during this semester have taken place outside of the city. I guess it goes to show that in my heart, no matter how much I may fight it, I am still a small town North Dakota girl. One part of Turkey that I didn’t expect to find was the old English feel of the country’s society. The streets are made of cobblestone and every morning small baker stands come rolling down the back alleys to the main streets. I truly felt as though I was living in a movie set in the 1900’s. The people were so kind, hospitality was still a key virtue, and German and French were much more useful than English in this country. On my last day in Turkey I went to the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia which are both located in Istanbul. Of the two religious institutions I found the Hagia Sophia to be the most fascinating. This building was originally built in 400 AD as a church, and one thousand years later it was converted into a mosque when the Islamic culture swept through Turkey. In last hundred years archeologists have been uncovering beautiful mosaic Christian artwork that the Muslims plastered over when the church was converted into a mosque. Crosses that had been carved into the marble pillars were filled in with plaster, not sanded away. To me the best lesson to be gained from this building is one of acceptance and tolerance. I am so impressed that the Muslims did not destroy the previous religious culture, they simply incorporated it and made it their own.

Overall Turkey was an amazing country and I am grateful that I was able to experience this lifestyle. Even though our countries may not be seeing eye to eye politically, at least the people of the two cultures are able to put aside the political blades and actually learn from and enjoy each other. Perhaps that mindset is the type of leadership that we need to have today; one that isn’t focused on perfection and complete concurrence, rather on acceptance and tolerance of other cultures and societies. A single leadership style will ever be able to satisfy every requirement that our world has. That is why God has given each of us our own set of talents and abilities, so we can fulfill the countless needs of humanity.

“There are two kinds of people in this life;

Those who walk into a room and say,

‘Well, here I am!’

And those who walk in and say,

‘Ahh, there you are.’”

--Leil Lowndes

What skills/qualities does someone need to be a leader?

• Communication
• Listening
• Public speaking
• Organization
• Delegation
• Responsibility
• Respect
• Conviction of their personal and group beliefs

The list above is composed of the top responses that I received from students on the ship when I asked them, “What does it take to be a leader?” We are all from various backgrounds, countries, and cultures yet everyone had very similar answers. Even though the needs of the people in each country or area are similar, the style in which those skills are presented makes a world of difference when it comes to the success of the leader.
~Molly Sullivan

11/12/2007 Egypt - Legacy
Legacy is such a small word heavily loaded with importance. For years I have been told to make my choices wisely because what I do today affects how people will perceive me tomorrow. Throughout my journey with Semester at Sea I have realized the importance of focusing on how others perceive us and how our actions assist in the creation or destruction of the American stereotype. In many countries I have expected to be looked down on for being American, but of all the countries thus far, I thought that Egypt would have the most animosity toward Americans. In reality, the people of Egypt (who identify themselves as being from the Middle East) like Americans, but despise American foreign policy.

I spent half of my time in Alexandria, and the other three days in Cairo. The two cities are both well developed, but completely different. Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, is a Roman city through and through. From the catacombs with Roman carvings, to the beautiful Library of Alexandria, to the Alexandria Coliseum Roman is everywhere you look, and it is beautiful! The people in Alexandria are open to talking about any topic you want to learn about. They especially enjoy teaching people about their Muslim faith. The aspect of faith in Egypt was a very intriguing one for me to learn about. The beliefs that the Egyptian people play an important role in their personal lives as well as their careers and governmental policies. By taking the time to try to understand (but not necessarily agree with) the peoples’ beliefs and culture we are better equipped to help them.

Cairo was anything but Roman. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Sphinx, and the Zoser Pyramid are phenomenal displays of the ancient Egyptians’ genius. How was it possible for the Egyptians to build such massive structures without the use of modern (sophisticated) equipment? Inside these pyramids are detailed carvings and intricate paintings that are all original and have not been restored. The most impressive piece of information that I learned while at the Great Pyramid sight was that if you do a mathematical equation that uses the height, width, incline, and circumference of the pyramid it will calculate the exact circumference of the Earth. How unreal is it that the Egyptians at 2000 B.C. were able to figure out the circumference of the Earth! Or is it a mere coincidence?

I also had an opportunity to visit the Egyptian Museum where the treasures of the Ancient World and of King Tut’s tomb are located. King Tut, although the most famous Pharaoh around the world, was the least significant for Egyptian society. The most remarkable display that I saw was the mummy section of the museum. The mummies in the museum are around 3500-4000 years old. The bodies are still fully covered in skin, the nails are well manicured, and the hair and eyelashes are intact! The legacy that the Ancient Egyptians left behind was one of sophistication, unprecedented knowledge, and deep respect for elders and rulers.

After seeing the different elements and time periods of the societies throughout Egyptian history it is clear to see why such an amazing legacy about Egyptian culture has spread around the world. This country has really made me wonder what people will remember about our society in 4000 years. Will what we do today really matter in 4 or 5 millennia? What can I do today that will positively impact the world for the unforeseeable future? These are the kinds of questions that we need to be asking ourselves as we make our day to day choices.

This ‘n’ That

• A majority of Egyptians want an American wife, and they are willing to pay your family in millions of camels.
• In Egypt there is virtually no middle class (as the Egyptian people will tell you).
• Women who are fully covered do it by choice, not because they are forced to by their religion.
• The English language is denoted by the British flag rather than by the American flag at various historical sites with multilingual signs. Egypt was the first country where I noticed this.

As of today I am at the midpoint of my journey with Semester at Sea, which means it is time for a midterm evaluation. For the whole week prior to arriving in India I was studying so much that I didn’t think I was going to retain a thing! I had midterms, papers, reading, reading, and more reading to catch up on. After reading a couple of chapters in my International Trade textbook I sat back and asked myself, “What have I learned?”

I have compiled a list of the top ten lessons learned during the first half of my adventure.

10. Sea sickness is 99% mental and 1% physical. By thinking positively you can turn any situation around. (Read or watch The Secret).

9. Being organized and on task is essential when taking part in a rigorous schedule like the one presented by Semester at Sea, but it is more important to learn to sit back and soak in the environment around you (whether it is on the ship or in port).

8. Tip your cabin stewards and leave them thank you notes. These people work so hard to make our life onboard the MV Explorer so enjoyable. They are ordinary people with extraordinary personalities! Companies should be hiring them to do customer service training because they know what it is all about.

7. Don’t drink the water in foreign countries. Due to people’s choices in Vietnam, the infectious diarrhea rate onboard was at 5% and in order to dock in Thailand the rate needed to be below 2%. Thankfully people decided that they felt better so we were able to get our percentage down. The lesson learned here was that we can’t eat and drink whatever we please; our stomachs truly cannot handle it!

6. This trip isn’t just about us as individuals. It is about us as a living, breathing, and functioning community. The choices that we make on the ship and in port greatly affect us personally and as a whole “ship board family.”

5. When you go to a market you shouldn’t be focusing on “how cheap can I get this,” but rather we need to be asking ourselves “who is more affected by an extra dollar or two; me or the peasant peddling their goods?”

4. When faced with extreme poverty, you cannot simply look at the surface of the situation and assume that you automatically understand it. Poverty is like an onion (yes I realize I sound like I am in the movie Shrek); it has many layers and various elements that have caused today’s intense economic crises. Those in poverty stricken areas are not looking for a hand out, they want a hand up.

3. Being the minority in many of the countries is a necessary experience, and it has really altered the way I look at the minorities in the US. It is a bizarre and often threatening feeling to be stared at constantly and to have people always wanting to take pictures with you because you look so different. For the most part, the people don’t mean you any harm they just aren’t use to seeing tall white people randomly walking their streets.

2. Home isn’t a location; it is the people you are with. I have been blessed with an amazing group of friends that have turned this ship that we live on into a floating home. The strong community spirit on this ship is priceless. Thanks to the wonderful people that I am surrounded by (and the amazing support that I have back in the states), I haven’t experienced the feeling of being “homesick.”

1. Having money doesn’t make you happy. Dignity, love, religion, and family are the components in life that seem to constitute happiness. I say this because in the worst of conditions I have found some of the happiest people in the world.
________________________________________________________________________

The flavor of the week this week was India. The tastes of India are bittersweet. The poverty is the first and last part of the country that is noticed and talked about, but it isn’t what the country is all about. India has over 1,500 spoken languages, countless religious beliefs, and an enormous population. Despite the wide differences that span across the country, everyone seems to come together and work effectively as one unit. The most important lesson that I learned from the Indian people was the idea and practice of tolerance. They follow the belief that everyone truly has the right to practice whatever religion or speak any language they would like as long as it isn’t physically harming anyone. Don’t misunderstand me, India has huge problems, but they still understand the importance of unity.

I know that many of you are wondering about the poverty level in India. Indescribable! My words and pictures cannot accurately depict the economic situation that the people in this country are facing. This is a tough country for me to get people to visualize, but I will do my best. Please clear your mind of everything, and prepare for a journey into a life so foreign to us in the states that it is unreal for us to imagine this extreme poverty as a reality.

The land lining the railroad tracks for miles, from city to city, is covered in trash. There is so much garbage, that the grass is nearly invisible. In the piles of garbage people are frequently seen defecating, and children a few feet away are rummaging through the same piles of garbage looking for their morning breakfast or bottles that they can fill with water and sell to help their family survive. No wonder such a large volume of people die each day of disease.

As you walk though the slums you see the starving cows and camels along with the mothers surrounded by three or more starving children. In America we often would look at this scene and ask, “Why would you choose to bring children into this unbearable lifestyle.” There are a few answers to this question that I have been able to understand. First of all, many of these women have not had children by choice. They are victims of repetitive rape and a majority of the women do not believe in abortion for any reason. The second explanation deals with the caste system. Most government officials and upper class citizens like to pretend that the caste system isn’t in effect. That is most far fetched statement that they could ever make. The people living in the grass huts are believed to be there because of the caste they were born into. Due to the fact that you cannot move up a class, you and your decedents are chained to this life of poverty. The third reasoning for this lifestyle that I have come up with is closely related to the second. Since these people are forever placed in the “untouchable” zone, they have decided that in order to carry on tradition and not to let their bloodline fade away, they are required by tradition to have children.

The stenches of the city will make you want to vomit, but you know you can’t or it is the ultimate insult. You want to give them everything that you have, including the clothes on your back, but that would strip them of their dignity. When you see their homes and how they use cow and camel manure to heat their straw teepees you will want to buy them a $20 propane heater, but that will just make them dependent on you for more since they will not be able to afford to refill the propane tank (less than $2). You will want to pick up the tiny children on the street and give them a hug, or hold the babies that women are physically shoving into your arms, but what are you supposed to do with the children when the mothers run away and abandon their children with you.

These were some of the realities that I had thrown at me during my stay in India. I am heartbroken for the people that are forced to live in these ungodly conditions, but I have a great deal of respect for their ability to carry on in the worst of situations. The people throughout India have the strongest sense of faith that I have ever witnessed. It honestly doesn’t make a difference what religion they follow, as long as that religion gives them something to believe in and a reason to go on.

I hope that you now better understand and can envision what a small portion of Indian life is like. Again, please remember that India is not all poverty. It is a country of extreme dynamics, wonderful people, and an abundance of faith!

Random Facts

• The various modes of transportation on a single street range from the newest BMW models, to wooden carts pulled by camels or cows.
• The food is much less spicy than I had anticipated.
• Within a one mile radius, homes go from costing over $20 million US dollars to being constructed of whatever material is readily available.
• I traveled on a bunker train that was filled with cockroaches and mice. As the Americans were freaking out and spraying hand sanitizer on the thin plastic mattresses, I noticed how insulted the Indian people were (and rightly so). No matter what the circumstances are we always need to be aware of our surroundings and remember to remain culturally sensitive.

A couple of my friends and I decided to escape the city, the ship, and the familiar Semester at Sea faces that we have seen everyday for the past month. As soon as the ship was cleared by the Thai Immigration team we jumped on a bus to get to Bangkok, found our way to the regional bus station, and grabbed a bus that took us into the Khanchanaburi Province. As we stepped off of the bus we looked around and realized that we truly were in the middle of the jungle. The village we stayed in was beautiful. You could tell that it was geared toward tourists, but no one was really around. We went to look at some guesthouses along the river and found one that allowed us to stay in a tree-house style bungalow. It was incredible!!! We walked around the village, talked with a lot of locals, and met a small group of Australians that come to this village because it is safe, secluded, and not many foreigners are ever around this time of year. That night as Meghan, Kait, and I sat out on the porch of our tree-house I realized that I was traveling with two girls that not only had the same names as two of my cousins, but their personalities were also very similar. How bizarre is that!

We spent the next day in the Erawan National Park. There we climbed a 2200 meter, seven-tiered waterfall only to be attacked by wild monkeys at the top. After the third tier the organized trail pretty much stopped, and we just had to stay close to the waterfall and guess where the best spot was to try to climb higher. The hike was incredible! I had never been in a situation where everything around me was unhampered with; true nature. The smells and sounds of the jungle gave us all a new outlook on how we live. We spent the day swimming and sliding down the waterfall. The monkeys were grabbing and growling at us, and they kept trying to steal our cameras. I really did feel like Moglie from the Jungle Book. I could have stayed in this untouched habitat for days!

We also took a private tour to an elephant camp, where people actually lived year round. After bathing with the elephants we took a river raft ride and then went to the Death Railway followed by the bridge over the River Kwai. Our tour guide was great! She was a young Thai girl and her family owned a tour agency in the village where we were staying. Upon the conclusion of our tour, our tour guide took us back to the village where we were staying and gave us some tips on where to go for supper.

At supper we met a man and his son who were originally from the Netherlands. They have been living in Thailand for the past twenty years and say they will never leave because they are in love with the country! I can totally understand why someone would want to move to rural Thailand. The man that we were visiting with brought out a map to show us exactly where we were, because apparently the map that we were given was skewed. It turns out that we were a heck of a lot closer to Myanmar than we ever planned to be. We were within a twenty minute drive from the border! We initially thought that we were about an hour from the border; man, were we off! It was amazing how all of the fighting and conflict just ceased at the border. The man said that he had been camping about three kilometers from the border a week ago, and if he hadn’t known where he was he never would have believed that he was that close to the dangers/conflicts of Myanmar.

After our relaxing stay in a welcoming village of Thailand we returned to Bangkok and did a walking tour which allowed us to see the highlights of the city. Bangkok was nice, but after awhile you realize that no matter where you are, a city is a city, period! I have learned that to get the most out of a culture I have to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and learn to embrace the small-town lifestyle that I have been longing to escape in North Dakota.

I had an amazing time in Thailand. Yes, I learned a lot about the culture and lifestyle of the Thai people, but most importantly I had a shocking reminder of just how important family and real friends are. Our first day in Thailand, we ate at a restaurant in Bangkok before leaving for Khanchanaburi and then stopped at an internet café after dinner. As we were all reading our emails, Kait began screaming and sobbing. Meghan and I had no idea what was going on. As we stood there hugging Kait, I was trying to scan the email to figure out what was going on. It turned out that Kait’s grandma had died earlier that day. I was heartbroken for the girl. What a terrible feeling to be on the other side of the world, and a person who has played a huge role in your life is suddenly ripped away! We sat in the middle of the internet café silent for what felt like hours. What do you say at a moment like this? All you want to say is, “Let’s get you to the airport,” but that just wasn’t a realistic solution for our current situation. You can't just pick up and leave. Kait decided that we needed to get out of the city (she is a nature girl), so we hopped on the bus and ended up making the best of a horrible situation.

I never thought that I would enjoy roughing it for so many consecutive days, but I actually loved it! No hot water, toilet paper, or make-up turned out to feel amazing! The girls were so proud of me for not being “Mollified” for three days in a row; yes, I did get a sticker! What I left Thailand with was way more than I had expected. I left with two of the best friends a girl could ever ask for, a mind full of new experiences, and new appreciation for the bare necessities. I love Thailand!!! It is my new favorite country!

~Molly Sullivan

10/09/2007 Vietnam

How long does it take you to decide what you will wear each morning? How much did you pay for that Abercrombie sweatshirt or pair of Hollister jeans? Whatever you paid, I could have purchased it in Vietnam for 1/10^th the price! In Vietnam, a poverty stricken and developing nation, everywhere you look people are wearing the latest fashion lines of the popular brand names in the US. A beggar on the street, who had been affected by Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, was wearing a filthy, tattered, and torn Ralph Lauren sweatshirt. He looked like he had just been to hell and back, but nonetheless he was dressing high class! He really wasn’t wearing it because it had a brand name on it; he was probably wearing it because that is what had been the cheapest to buy at the time. My point is, that in the US we get so wrapped up in what brand will make us “cool” or “fashionable,” that we forget about who we are as individuals. We fall victim to the power of “The Brand!” Don’t get me wrong, I am anything but exempt from this! Hello! I am the lady that whined in the first blog because I wasn’t going to be able to bring twelve pairs of high heels on this trip; how much more materialistic can you get!?

My time spent in Vietnam was the most delightful and eye opening experience thus far. I spent most of my stay in a rural village in the Mekong Delta where the homes were made of sticks and dried coconut tree leaves. These people had nothing; no running water, no toilet, and little food to eat. Every morning a government official would come over a loud speaker in the village and his voice could be heard for miles. He would give the village people news on what was happening outside of their village. If it weren’t for the loud speaker the village people (who rarely left their community) would have no idea what was happening in the outside world, because they do not own radios, TVs, or get daily newspapers. Despite their poor living conditions, the Vietnamese people were some of the happiest people I have ever met. They don’t focus on the fact that they are poor; it doesn’t matter because everyone else is poor too. Their lifestyle reminded me a lot of the Boxcar Children book series; you live off of whatever you can find at the moment. The village people, although not use to seeing foreigners, were so excited and eager to share their culture with us.

After returning from my visit to the delta, I spent the last two days of my time in Vietnam in Ho Chi Mihn City (formerly Saigon). I attended a bilingual mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was very interesting. I had four friends with me, three of which had never experienced a Catholic mass. They wanted me to explain everything as it was happening, but as we all know, you don’t talk during a Catholic service. So, being the prepared lady that I am, I gave them a notebook and pen, and made them write down their questions so I could answer them after mass. Big mistake! I have never seen such a long list of questions!

I also went to the War Remnants Museum, which is the museum for the Vietnam/American War. The photo gallery in the main building was one of the most disturbing series of art work that I had ever seen. The walls were covered with photos of the Vietnamese Agent Orange victims. The most horrific picture in the hall was one of an American soldier carrying a bloody, mangled body by what use to be the person’s ankle, from a field after an American attack. Looking at this photo, I had to try my best not to throw-up in the middle of the museum. All I could think was that it looked like a German soldier in the holocaust; the only difference was the US Army uniform. I realize that this museum is greatly skewed in favor of the Vietnamese, but none the less, what was shown in the pictures should have never happened.

Lastly, I went through the Cu Chi Tunnels. These tunnels were used by the Vietnamese during the war. As we started our walk into what used to be the jungle before US bombing, our tour guide pointed out a small hole that was cut into the ground. This was an entrance to the tunnels that had been made 40% bigger for tourists. The hole was about 6X10 inches. We had a tiny Japanese lady on our tour and she could barely squeeze through the small opening! I can’t even imagine how small the Vietnamese soldiers had to be in order to use these holes. At the end of our tour we were able to go into the tunnels which had been made 40% bigger as well. There was a total of 100 meters of tunnel that we could crawl through, divided into three different levels. As I entered the tunnel I immediately wanted to crawl because the tunnel was so short, the only thing that stopped me from doing so was the fact that we were warned about the rats and lizards that now call the tunnels home. There were no lights in the tunnels and none of us thought to bring a flashlight so we were wondering around, five meters underground, in the pitch dark, and not knowing where the next turn was. What an eerie experience.

When we returned to the ship one professor who was drafted into the Vietnam War talked to us about what it was like to return thirty-eight years later. His story was very interesting and heartbreaking at the same time. Although I don’t agree with everything that happened during the Vietnam War or with what is happening today in the Middle East, I have a great deal of respect for our military personnel and am thankful everyday that they are willing to put their lives on the line, so the rest of us can live under our blanket of security.

Once again, I apologize about the lengthy blog, but I just have so much to say! I will feel bad for you all when I return home and make you sit and listen to me talk non-stop about my wonderful adventures! Have a great week and I will write again soon!

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***P.S. In regards to my high heels, I brought two pairs. The first pair I tried to wear on the ship; way to rocky to be prancing around in heels. The second pair gave me blisters! I don’t think I have ever gotten blisters from heels before (I am clearly out of practice)!

Interesting Facts and Observations

• The Vietnamese love to wear US military apparel: Jackets, shirts, hats, etc.
• The average income in a Vietnamese village is $50-$70 USD per month.
• A high paying job in Saigon, would earn about $300 USD/month.
• Motorbikes are the main form of transportation. The streets are completely filled with thousands of motorbikes at all times of the day. Thirty-five traffic related deaths occur in Vietnam each day.

~Molly Sullivan


            
      Great Wall of China         Forbidden City, Beijing China      

10/1/2007 One Country, Two Systems 
How does a country that is openly and acceptingly divided manage to successfully function as one unit? I find it a sheer phenomenon that China and Hong Kong are able to work together so productively. As I prepared to depart Hong Kong last night I went to the Union to listen to Mr. C.C. Tung, who played a key role in the unification of China and Hong Kong. He spoke about the challenges and struggles of joining a poverty stricken China and booming Hong Kong which was in an economic bubble that was near bursting. As I listened to him I began to seriously reflect on what I had just seen/experiences, and I realized how amazing it truly is.

My ship landed in Qingdao, China. We arrived in the midst of two colliding typhoons, so the weather outside was ugly and intimidating in itself. As I stepped off of the ship I landed in a puddle of inch deep water, in the middle of an industrial stock yard. As I continued on an orientation of the city I saw a very diverse but somehow connected community. In the first and outer portion of Qingdao I found myself in the ghetto, surrounded by 2x4 huts with tarps for roofs and crumbling buildings that served as homes for thousands. In the middle of the pouring rain tons of people were out and about the flooded streets. As I got off the sheltered bus to move around I couldn’t find a single smiling face. That was until I looked down an alley way toward one of the hut rows and there I saw the cutest and most touching scene. There was a dad and his daughter dancing in the rain. He was singing a Chinese song to her, and twirling and dipping her. She looked like she was on top of the world. At that moment I was forced to realize that in the worst of conditions happiness and love prevail. I moved from feeling sorry for the people around me and feeling guilty for the excess in which I live, to admiring these people for being content and happy with the little that they do have. I received a moving email just before we docked in Qingdao that encouraged me to watch for love and peace in each and every place I visit. When I saw the father and his daughter this email made complete and utter sense to me. I was and am so thankful that I received this email, or I fear I easily would have overlooked the good that was right before my eyes.

As I moved into the main portion of Qingdao, the “city,” the living and working conditions made a one hundred and eighty degree turn. I went to a pearl and shell market, Relaxation Island (which was beautiful despite the heavy pollution), Tsingdao Brewery, and an old German fort. The German influence was easily visible throughout the entire city. The brewery was originally a German brewery that has grown into a very famous brand of beer throughout Asia and the world. The typical architecture of older buildings in the city is clearly German, most notably a beautiful German Cathedral that looked like a completely fake backdrop for the rain covered city. Not to jump to a new subject, but a random thought just entered my mind. The Chinese government would not allow me to bring my rosary into their country because it was somehow disruptive to their society, but at every other market I went to what did I see? Yes, that is right; rosaries! Ok, I am sorry about that. I just needed to share that with you. Back to the German influence, the German fort was incredible! We hiked up this huge hill only to be told to walk down the other side as we reached the top. Everyone was so confused because we saw no fort. As we walked down to the first checkpoint we saw a small door off to the side. That was the fort. It was an underground German fort from the pre-WWII era. Since no one was around and no one led my group in there, we wandered off into the “restricted” areas. What an interesting adventure! The walls were covered in what looked like bullet holes, but since we didn’t have a guide with us we had to develop our own explanations for this creepy scene. Although I found Qingdao to be an extremely varied city, one element that remained constant no matter where I went was the poor drainage system. There was standing water everywhere you looked, which probably is a main factor for the mosquito problem the city has.

The following day I proceeded to Beijing on a University trip, hosted by the University of International Business and Economics. The campus is about the size of the University of Mary, and the students are incredibly dedicated to their studies. On a Sunday several classrooms were filled with students studying for their exams and memorizing their English speeches. I was so impressed! While I was in Beijing I visited Tian’anmen Square (where I was able to view the late Chairman Mao’s body), the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple to Heaven, and a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. The highlight of my Beijing adventure was climbing the Great Wall. It was absolutely breathtaking: the climb and the view! After walking along the wall and waving at the satellites (because the wall can be seen from spaceJ) I rode a toboggan down the side of the mountain. It was a blast!

China, Beijing especially, was a strong mix of a third world country’s culture trapped in a modern city of the 21^st Century. It is highly common to see people riding rickety bikes with long wooden carts with people on the back – this would be a taxi for those who cannot afford the $2.00 cab ride across the city. It was sad, and at the same time the Chinese people’s use of bikes is brilliant! Beijing is beautiful and has a lot to offer, but the pollution is unreal! I don’t understand how the athletes are going to be able to function during the 2008 Olympics. Supposedly, the government is going to restrict traffic for a couple of weeks before the games to clear out the city; I am skeptical as to whether this will work or not.

My last stop in China didn’t feel like China at all. It felt like I was in a gorgeous version of New York City. Hong Kong is a city that anyone could fall in love with in a heartbeat! The port where we docked was a tourist’s dream. We literally pulled into a shopping mall. I couldn’t believe it. Even more impressive, everyone around spoke English, near perfect English. Even though I thought that Hong Kong was a wonderful place, I couldn’t figure out just how it fit in with the China. Hong Kong is nothing like the rest of the country. Although I question the dynamics of the two systems, (even a different monetary system) they somehow make the “One Country, Two Systems” actually work and I am very impressed.

Interesting Facts

• All of China, except for Hong Kong, drives on the right side of the road (like the USA)
• There are yellow markers with raised bumps on them to guide the blind. I am wondering why the markers are bright yellow?
• In Japan a majority of people walk with their feet turned inward, “pigeon-toed,” but in China they walk with their feet turned outward.

~Molly Sullivan


        
    Mt Fuji                                    Molly's Ship Family

9/22/07

Pride, do we have it? How do we demonstrate pride for our country and culture? I have just finished my five day stay in Japan and the amount of pride that the Japanese have for their country and culture is incredible. The most obvious ways that the Japanese respect their country is through their cleanliness and well ordered society. In the past few days in Japan as well as the previous trip that I took to Japan in 2003, I have seen virtually no litter in any of the diverse regions and neighborhoods that I have visited. The Japanese are so clean and care so much for their country that smokers carry small pouches to tap their cigarette ashes into, rather than just putting them on the ground. Furthermore, in Japan you will see very few public trash cans and when you do find one it is an entire recycling center with at least four separate bins.

Besides their clean environment, the transportation system is incredibly organized. Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world, and still remains one of the most courteous. The streets are constantly packed with cars, buses, and semis, but very rarely do you ever hear a horn honk or see an obscene hand gesture. Also, pedestrians consistently follow the walk/don’t walk signs which improve the flow of traffic. In the train and subway stations people are eager to make room for you on the crowded trains and seats are quickly given up to the elderly. In Japan it is essential to respect your elders and to take care of your aging family members.

In five days I experienced more of Japan than I thought was ever possible. I was able to visit Yokohama, Tokyo, Asakusa (traditional region of Tokyo), Mt. Fuji, Hakone (famous for their hot springs), Kobe, and Kyoto (traditional city south of Tokyo). Most importantly I had a welcoming party waiting for me as I pulled into the pier at Yokohama. My old host family was waiting for me with a huge sign that read “MOLLY.” I could not believe that they were there for me. Everything felt so surreal; like a dream you never want to wake up from. As I was sitting at my family’s house in Tokyo I realized just how fortunate I truly am. My host family is absolutely amazing! I could not have asked for a better family to experience Japan with.

In Kyoto I went to a University for two days to observe college life in Japan. Although, the Japanese university students are on summer vacation until the 26^th of September, they are already at the university preparing for their upcoming classes. Everything is silent. There are over 40,000 students on the campus and yet it remains a quiet, studious environment. The university has security guards with signs reading “please be quiet” and their main job is to keep silence throughout the campus. Students are found sitting on blankets in the center of the campus reading their textbooks. The amount of dedication that these students have is unreal! One interesting observation that I made was that the university did not have dorms; the students must commute everyday. Most students travel two hours a day (one way) to get to the university. It is much cheaper to live at home and commute to school rather than renting an apartment near the campus. The students that showed us (the Semester at Sea students) around were very knowledgeable not only about their campus, but about their ancient culture in general. The students were also English speakers and many had studied at British Columbia University in Vancouver.

One main difference that I noticed about the Japanese that I missed in my last visit to Japan was the way the Japanese carry themselves when they walk. In America we walk with our heads held high and make it a point to look at those we pass on the street. In Japan you very rarely make eye contact with the person you are passing. The Japanese culture is not an invasive one and everyone respects each others’ personal space.

As I sit on the upper deck waiting for our ship to leave port, I find myself starring out over the pier with tears rolling down my face. It is at this moment that I realize that my dream of returning to Japan has come true and yet it is still the beginning of my journey of a lifetime.

~Molly Sullivan


 
Interesting box-lunch

9/10/07

Aloha! Greetings from the MV Explorer! Today we have experienced a variety of weather conditions. We woke up encased in fog, which later developed into heavy rains, and now the sun is shinning and the skies are mostly clear. It was brought to everyone’s attention that between Hawaii and Yokohama we should be prepared to experience the roughest part of our journey. Reportedly there was a tsunami near or forming near Japan and the effects are expected to be felt by our ship. Today the Hawaiian students (three of them) have been sitting out on deck staring at the sky. I really didn’t want to know what they were looking at, but one of them really felt the need to tell me. They said that the sky looks like a hurricane sky, and we are in the middle of hurricane season. I quickly told them that in some cases I feel that ignorance is the best policy (not really, but I didn’t want to think about a hurricane near us) and to please keep their weather speculations to themselves until I ask for more information. One of the professors on board said that when he went in 2005 they hit a huge storm. At some point there was a fifty foot wave and all it did to our ship was break a few windows on the captains deck … yeah, I really didn’t need to know that either! We have gone through the lifeboat drill and the staff is always having safety drills to keep us all on our toes. Since we do have the world’s fasted cruise ship (top speed of 32 knots) some staff says that when we hit rough weather, we increase the speed to outrun the storm … if that is possible I am not sure, so I chose to simply smile and nod.

I will be landing in Yokohama, Japan on September 12^th at 0800. I am so excited to see my host family! It feels like a lifetime since I was in Japan, when in reality it has only been four years. My host family is picking me up at the train station in Yokohama which is right next to the pier that we are docking at so I should be able to find them quite easily.

Have a great week and God Bless!

Sincerely,
~Molly Sullivan

P.S. I just had to let every one know that I have seen the most beautiful rainbow ever! It was so bright and the colors were more vibrant than I have ever imagined. It was so close to the ship that I thought I should be able to reach out and touch it.

Also, I got my hair cut on the ship the other day…not the smartest choice I have ever made. The beautician is a sweet lady from the Philippians, but her English is sketchy. To be prepared I went early and looked through the books and found a picture of a forward angle (like a bob only a longer). To make a long story short I came out of the salon with a tail. Yes, a tail! Thank goodness I packed a new (sharp) scissor.

After spending a night in San Diego my international journey officially began as I crossed the border from the US to Mexico. This was already a major point of realization for me. Of course I knew that Mexico was more poverty stricken, but the change in lifestyles just crossing the border was so drastic. I went from a five star hotel to the ghetto of Mexico in less than twenty minutes. I, for some reason, thought that at the border the cultures would mix a little more in that short of a distance, but apparently I was wrong. The colors in Mexico are so energizing. The pinks, yellows, blues, and greens used everywhere make you want to go out explore, dance, and actually take time to enjoy life.

Surprisingly, the security process at the ship wasn’t too bad to get through. Our luggage on the other hand was searched with a fine tooth comb! After everyone had been cleared from security the ship finally set sail! We screamed, cheered, and cried as we pulled out of the harbor in Ensenada! Everyone was overtaken with excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead of us in the next one hundred days!

Now onboard the MV Explorer I sit with my new found friends in the Garden Lounge and cannot help but watch each person who passes by, wondering and guessing what their life story may be. The Semester at Sea (SAS) environment is so diverse. People from around the world have come together to form a new nation; a nation of exploration, culture, and love of life. Our first lesson of the semester was learned our second day on the ship and that lesson was to distinguish the difference between a country and nation. The term country refers to a physical piece of land. A nation is a body of people with common interests, goals, and a passion for pursuing the future together. I would dare to say that the nation here at SAS is the most diverse, open-minded, and motivated population of people on the planet. Even though we are all still settling in, you can already see the different forms of leaders beginning to emerge. Some more quickly than others, it really depends on how rapidly they adjust to this new lifestyle. It truly is like living freshman year all over again (with more difficult classes of course). Personally I love being a freshman! Being thrown into a sea of awkwardness strangely feels somewhat comforting to me; I think I was just born to live out side of my box.

I am a strong believer in the idea that what you put into something is what you get out of it. No one or nothing besides yourself can make you happy. Each morning you wake up, you choose your attitude; within the time it takes you to shower you have already decided what kind of day you are going to have (either consciously or subconsciously). In the close quarters of the ship, where you are constantly around the same 650 people, your attitude plays an enormous role in your success as a participant in the SAS program.

I do realize that I am a self-defined “extracurricular nerd,” and I am darn proud of it! I am not afraid to get involved or take a risk. I firmly believe that in order to grow with the SAS program (or any organization) it is essential to get involved right away. I will be an ambassador for the ship in each port. Some of my duties for this position include welcoming and hosting various guests that are scheduled to meet the ship in each port. Many of the scheduled guests are US diplomats or professors from upstanding universities in the countries we visit. I will also be working on a team to plan the Ambassadors’ ball, which will take place later in our journey. In addition to serving as an ambassador, I will be taking part in the Extended Family program. I prefer to call it “Adopt a Grandparent.” There are several “Life Long Learners” (LLL) that are welcomed to accompany us in our voyage of discovery. The “Adopt a Grandparent” program allows students to pair up with the LLL group and learn from one another.

Along with my extracurricular activities, I should fill you in on which classes I am taking this semester. Each morning I have Global Studies, and every other day I have Languages of the World, International Trade, and Comparative Politics. I will also be adding a Leadership Development course if a seat opens up in the next two days (Add/Drop starts tomorrow 8/31/07). I feel so privileged to be learning from some of the most qualified professors from both the US and around the world. My politics professor is from Palestine, the professor for the leadership class is the US Diplomat in Barbados, and my language instructor has lived in various places around the world for the past thirty years.

Each person has a unique story and view on life. I have already learned so much in the past few days that I am exploding with excitement to discover what lies ahead of me.

Facts from the Ship
· On Sunday (9/2/07) I will be landing in Hawaii.
· I am traveling on the world’s fastest cruise ship; our average speed is about 20 knots.
· I have not been truly sea sick (yet).
· I am working on shorting up my blogs so you don’t have to read for hours.
~Molly Sullivan


08/06/2007
Three weeks, 21 days, 504 hours; that is how long I have left in the United States before I depart for my Semester at Sea adventure.  It feels like just yesterday that I was writing my application essays and rounding up some high quality references!  Everything is finally falling in to place.  I have one suitcase packed full of gifts to give away and my personal suitcase is already half full (*note:  not half packed, half full).  I thought it was going to be easy for me to pack light, but clearly I am struggling with that.  My closet is overflowing with clothes, shoes, purses, etc. and I am expected to take a 10th of what I have.  Please keep in mind that as I look through my closet I realize that "Oh my gosh this is my favorite shirt!"  So I throw it in the pack pile, and then fifteen minutes later I glance at my "pack pile" and notice that it half of my closet!  For any of you that know me, there isn't a day that I don't wear high heels...I love them!  I even wore heels to Medora for our family vacation (ridiculous, I know).  With that said, I was advised to only pack 2-3 pairs of shoes and all of them should be comfy walking/hiking shoes.  This means that I am going to have to abandon my heels for a semester!