Day 107
I don't think I will ever be able to do another voyage.
Not because I don't want to travel more and not because I wouldn’t be able to take classes on a ship again. No, the reason that I think I won't be able to do another voyage is because it would be really weird to be on this ship without these exact people on it. Not even just the people I have made friends with. The students that stand out and lead everything or the professors that have taught my classes and lead seminars. I am talking about the Dean's and the voice and Dr. Dave. It would be weird to be on this ship and not hear Dean Rita's voice and weird sense of humor twice a day and for all announcement. It would be weird to not have Dean Eddie time for getting back on the ship. It would be weird to not be able to say that my Academic Dean is an Astronaut. And it would be especially weird to not have Dr. Dave be the one to tell us about in country safety during logistical pre-port.
Today was our second to last logistical pre-port. It technically was our last but because they added the bahamas we will have a mini one for that. This one was definitely the best Dr. Dave pre-port yet. He just let it all loose because none of the dependent children were on the ship. So get ready, some of these are not all that appropriate:
"You have collectively pissed off camels, fallen off horses, petted mammals, and most recently touched sea urchins."
"There is rule prohibiting you from being within three feet of any living animal. That means each other."
"It's been a while since we have talked about sex and alcohol. I forget…which comes first?"
"This guy is a smart SASer, if one exists."
After showing us a picture of a mixed drink called the multiple orgasm. (which he did say out loud):
"Take a good look guys of semester at sea, you have probably never seen one before."
"If you try one of these then you can email your parents, 'mom and dad guess what I had today! and Dr. Dave was there, and all the Deans'."
The entire Union was dying of laughter. It was a complete uproar.
Then at the end he got all serious again and started to talk about how we should get tested for STIs when we get home just to be safe so that we do not ruin our ability to reproduce so that our kids can one day be on the 75th or 80th voyage and his daughter could be the doctor up there telling them to be safe and have fun. It was really meaningful and sentimental to think about. I started getting a little teary.
I think Dr. Dave is my favorite person on the ship. He tells it like it is and he gets down to business. But he also knows how to have fun doing it.
Now, I bet you guys are still back on when I said that non of the dependent children are on board.
This was not a lie, the dependent children are not on the ship. They are in Freeport, Bahamas. Remember how I told you a while ago that the dependent children and the lifelong learners are not included in the educational visa that is allowing us to enter Cuba. So this morning we were in Freeport, which is about 65 miles from Florida. So close to home! All of the lifelong learners and dependent children got off the ship there. There will be having a lovely time in a beach side resort for the next four days while we are in Cuba.
We will be in Cuba tomorrow morning and there will be no internet the entire time we are there so I will not be able to send or receive emails. The good news is that after Cuba there will only be 5 days until I am home!
Tomorrow we all have to do the same thing. 17 busses will be bringing every single one of us to the University of Havana for a whole bunch of welcome presentations. Then we all have go back to the ship on the busses for a late lunch at 2. We won't officially be released until after the diplomatic briefing at 4. After that I am going to a cultural experience at the amphitheater. On the second day I am doing a tour where I learn how they make rum and tobacco products. On the third day I am doing a tour to Hemingway's house.
Should be a lot of fun and really interesting. I am exciting to just see Cuba. They are stuck in the 50s when it comes to cars so there are just old, cool cars everywhere.
I'm excited. Mostly I am just exciting to be able to say that I have been to Cuba.
Other things that happened to day:
I painted a picture
I turned in my portfolio for travel writing
Chris tried to feed me peanut butter. It was weird. And then tried to feed me water, which would have been a disaster.
I did a considerable amount of packing
The turkey sandwiches at lunch were life changing
I wrote things for Bio
I watched The Jungle Book
I would call day 107 a success!
