Class, a balance act, literally!

I had my first two days of classes! Let me say, it is really difficult taking notes when the boat rocks so much! The swells outside are so big, 15-20ft! We actually had to divert out course 300 miles because of a major storm in the Pacific. If you want to track the progress of this voyage you can go to www.semesteratsea.org and go to current voyage. Last night was difficult to sleep because our nightstand detached from the wall and fell, drawers kept opening and closing, stuff even fell in the bathroom. These swells are huge! I forgot to secure my mouthwash in the bathroom and it fell of the counter, breaking the cap and spilling everywhere! During class, a girl fell out of her chair, after I found out she was alright everyone laughed, I think she was quite embarrassed. I almost fell in one of my classes, I had to catch myself on the table. We always hang on deck after class and play cards, while sliding on our chairs from one side of the ship to another. These waves are crazy! Every little chore you think is difficult, suddenly becomes a difficult task. Try balancing food on a plate while the boat rocks, try running on a treadmill when the boat moves from under you even simply walking upstairs become difficult! I have a work study on the boat that pays for part of my tuition, and the office I work at is high up on the boat and in the front of the boat, basically the worst place to be in a boat rocks this much. Everything is always falling in that office, I had to make signs today and couldn't even cut the paper straight because the boats intense rocking.

I find myself liking the limited internet a little. I realized how much free time I have without the distraction of the internet. All I can do is email people, which by the way if you want to email me it is vemccormack@semesteratsea.net. I will respond.

Well I had my first two days of classes so I decided to write a little about each:

Global Studies- This is the class every Semester at Sea student is required to take. This class is located in the front of the boat and is a really bad place to be. This is also the class that the girl fell out of her chair. The professor probably has the funniest one liners ever. He is extremely enthusiastic about his work. Our final project is also very interesting, we have to make a teaching itinerary for high school seniors on the subject of our choice that has to do with sustainability. If your group gets top ten, you get a grant from the University of Virginia, I really want to win this.

Biology of Sharks- The professor is a premier shark biologist. I am actually quite surprised at the level of expertise and the prestige of all the professors here. The class probably has the best view, I always find myself gazing outside the window into the miles and miles of ocean. I can't wait to do a field directed practica with this professor to get hands-on with a shark.

The Sea and Human Imagination- I haven't taken a english class in the longest time! I have to read a book by Herman Melville called Typee. The book so far is pretty interesting. This class has given me something to do on what seems like so much free time, I just read the book out on the deck. I actually got pretty sunburn doing that. The professor is really down to earth as well.

Dating, Marriage, and Family- This is the class I almost fell in.  I don't know if I have an opinion on this class yet, it definately seems like allot of work and is a class I am not used to taking as an engineer. The professor seems nice though and her husband is an engineer so we do have something in common. The field directed practica also seem very interesting, they involve getting to know families of other cultures and doing community service. I would love doing something like that. I feel like out of all the classes, this one is going to open my mind the most.

Well thats my update for the past 2 days. I probably will not update again untill I leave Hawaii unless something significant happens.