Working at Sea

This life is terrible! (I hope you guys get the sarcastic tone in that sentence) I have never felt so productive without the influence of television and internet. To do work, I just go out on the sunny deck with my friends and read all day between classes. I never have to worry about food because that is cooked and paid for, I never have to worry about cleaning my room. All I have to worry about is getting all my homework done (which no lie, is allot for people that think I am not actually studying), getting into work and doing all of my responsibilities that my work requires of me, and doing all my other activities that I am in charge of. This is allot of work, but being able to do that work out in the sunny deck without any worry of food and cleaning and being almost completely disconnected form the world is just paradise in my mind.

Speaking of work, I don't think I have ever had a job that required me to be so flexible! I think I finally get what my job entails as the programming assistant of academic success, and it encompasses a whole lot! I am required for setting up and organizing the tutoring program, the language tables (teaching people common terms before we get to port), and I am the main man for the news that is broadcasted to the ship. I am also in charge of advertising for these events and recruiting people to come to these events. I am constantly running around the ship running errands and organizing meetings and distributing the work to the people in my committees I am in charge of. I am in no way complain about the work because I am a work-a-holic, I just didn't realize that my job would entail so much and entail areas that I have little expertise in.

We also picked up 2 Japanese students in Hawaii that will accompany us to Japan. One of the students, named Rina, I have become pretty good friends with. She has taught me so much about her culture, I am just so fascinated by everything that consists of the Japanese culture. I learned about what she thinks of the United States, which is surprisingly positive! She told be that she thinks Americans are positive people and are always happy and friendly, while the Japanese are opposite. I have always thought the opposite, I feel like the Japanese people are positive, but I really don't think the American people are negative. I did get to explain to her the American dream and how hard work can get you anywhere. She said that Japan is similar and that from a very young age they are concentrated on their careers. She also explained to me the differences in our culture. She did not understand why everyone was trying to tan out on the deck, apparently everyone in Japan tries to be as white as possible. She also taught me origami which was pretty cool. I can't wait to get to Japan and see this culture first hand. I am completely and utterly fascinated with it.