FALL 2017 DAVIS SCHOLARS Magali de Bruyn

Current email address: [email protected] Home country: Belgium College/university attending: Minerva Schools at KGI (Class of 2022) Courses taken during SAS: Global Environmental Politics, Issues in Hispanic Culture, Special Topics In Psychology: Intergroup Relations

To be able to around the world for four months on a ship that is both a university and a home with a full scholarship is an extraordinary opportunity. I am therefore, firstly, very grateful for this privilege.

Specifically, I have enjoyed discovering cities for which I have little expectations and leaving amazed, knowing I would like to come back. This was the case for Yangon; most of what I knew about the city was limited to the guide, Wikivoyage, and news about the Rohinga crisis. The intricate yet harmonious mix of cultures I encountered in Yangon therefore very pleasantly surprised me. I wish I could have captured my delight at seeing barfi, ladoo, and many other Indian sweets in a small store on my way to the Sule Pagoda!

Through this specific experience and countless other ones, supplemented by readings and many conversations, I have developed an understanding for the five countries visited so far that I would never have otherwise at this time. I am looking forward to sharing this new knowledge with peers after my voyage. While my in-country experiences have given me specific insights on places around the world, the days spent between ports have offered me needed space to reflect—on everything from my current experience and my time at MUWCI to my identity. Though many questions remain unanswered; I am grateful they have been raised.

Many of these questions and reflections root themselves in ideas put forward by members of our community. Specifically, I am inspired on a daily basis by our faculty and staff. I look forward each day to the evening seminars, meetings, and conversations (usually around the table) where they share some of their experiences and knowledge.

On the other hand, I have been disappointed by my classes. While the faculty heading them seem to have a very interesting background; I have not found the classes as engaging. For my Issues in Hispanic Culture class, I expected we would cover contemporary problems in Latin and South America and consequently have a hard time finding (personal) relevance when we only cover Spain’s history. Meanwhile, the monotonous lectures in Global Environmental Politics and Intergroup Relations pale in comparison to the experiential learning in the ports.

While I currently find the lectures in my classes to be disengaging, my Semester At Sea experience has definitely brought me great learning overall. Thanks to it, I continue to increase my comfort with the uncertainty of travel as well as minimalism. Moreover, I am realizing MUWCI (UWC Mahindra College) has allowed me to develop a diverse palate—in each port, I find myself in love with the food! I consequently find five days in each port to be far from enough time, not only to indulge in the flavors, but to immerse myself in the places. For these reasons, I wish we could spend more time each country.

This wish becomes accentuated when I reflect upon the environmental impact of this ship. As someone who cares about our planet, I struggle ethically with my participation in a voyage that sends 40 metric tons of heavy fuel into the atmosphere each day solely for transportation.

By confronting me to this and other dilemmas associated with travel and studying, Semester At Sea has been a thought-provoking experience. I very much appreciate how the voyage has encouraged me to think about my role in this world as I discover some bits of it. Joana Sophia Virág Zubor

Current email address: [email protected] Home country: Germany & Hungary College/University: UWC Robert Bosch Courses taken during SAS: Archaeology and the Public, Cultural Geography, Global Studies & World Interdependence Current Global Issues (Focus on the World’s Oceans and the Law of the Sea)

Semester at Sea so far has been more than just an eye-opening experience. Whether it is the realization that people who do decide to spend a whole semester on a ship on the open ocean do unfortunately get sea sick or how the first actual culture shock I experienced was not in country but the second I would step onto this ship.

Overall, I have made more memories and learned so many more lessons than I would have ever expected, which I am incredibly for, but I guess my favorite has been so far, the relationships I was able to build. At first it was hard for me to socialize with the American student body because often I would have the impression that they had a certain kind of superficial kindness that I did not know how to react to. However, over time I started to open up more, especially through my classes and now my closest friends are mostly from the American student body. Because of them, I learned that when I meet someone and they would say “Hi how are you?” or “Hi, what’s up?” it was not meant as a conversational starter, but rather a friendly acknowledgement of my present. On the counterpart, I was able to share a lot of my culture with them, for example that we kiss cheeks back home in Hungary and that it was not a weird, exotic thing to make fun of, when they would see it in Spain.

Generally, conversations like this were the ones, when I felt that I am in the right place. These conversations when I could share my knowledge with others and at the same time learn something myself. One main mission that I have put myself on so far has been the one to explain to people the impacts of exoticism. Till now for example I have been called five times exotic, both by professors and students, based on my cultural background, which is German and Hungarian. At first, I was shocked when they would use that kind of description for a, for me at least, not extremely different culture. Hence, I would start a conversation trying to get their reasoning, which turned to be completely harmless and was meant rather to point out the uncommonness of it than to insult it. From thereon I was able then to explain how the term was a harsh word to describe my background, as I do associate it with human zoos that were present till the mid-20th century, where especially people of black skin would be advertised as “exotic”. Also, the term creates a hierarchy between “us” and “them”, them in this case being the foreign, weird, not as valuable as “ours”. After explaining it the people I would talk to would then try to change their perspective and vocabulary around me and even around others. This was great to see, as one student who was asked to describe Ghana would only come up with the word “exotic”. The professor who called me before the same, would then come up to the student and ask her what would make the country exotic to her and what would be other, more detailed, terms for her to use to describe the country. When I overheard their conversation it made me incredibly happy how the people were willed to listen and actually even would start questioning concepts that seemed so normal to them before.

Another highlight of this voyage has been disconfirmed expectations concerning the countries we visited. As a UWC student, I had a roommate from Myanmar, who would always share a lot of the stories she experienced back home and create a certain image of the country in my head. From her stories Myanmar was an extremely religious, developed country with a lot of spicy and rather diverse food. However, after visiting Yangon and going from there to the South for the rest of the time I came to realize, that this was mainly applicable to the capital city. Not so much for the rest of the country. I came to see the scars of colonization of the British, as well as the Chinese influence on the local cuisine. Also, how littering was much more a problem, than I would have expected it to be. This was an incredibly valuable experience for me, as I started to realize, that having been a United World College student before, has opened up my mind to become a questioning, openly critiquing and more globally aware individual, but nevertheless still created certain single stories inside my head. Therefore, having now the amazing opportunity to visit the countries my friends grew up in and would tell me stories about, are now becoming real images, smells and emotions, that are not necessarily always confirm with the stories I had been told.

Despite all the positive experiences I have had on the ship, such as the friendliness of the people, great mind changing conversations, as well as eye opening experiences in the countries, the program does certainly have certain issues that should be addressed and dealt with. One of them would be the dominance of a certain group of people on the ship. The majority of the student body comes from a white and rather privileged background and till now often had not been exposed to issues such as poverty or violent conflicts. Consequently, they often do judge very quickly over things that are foreign to them. So even, if we as international students try to talk to individuals, we will not be able to reach everyone. For example, I tried to organize a talk with two of my fellow German students, about the implications of the German elections that took place during the beginning of our voyage. However, because of the lack of motivation of people to actually go to classes and them generally saying that they are not interested in the one class everyone has to take “Global Studies” only about 70 people out of 250 students who were supposed to be there, showed up. Because of that I sometimes feel that even our efforts to share certain things with the whole community are not as successful, as we would like them to be. Another thing is the commonality of underlying racism. My roommate for example is African American and she often is confronted with whispers and comments, which nobody would counter most of the times. This was very shocking to me, especially as I heard one time the comment “Oh what is that black girl think she is doing? Waiting someone to pick her up? As if…”, as she was waiting for me. As I heard that I immediately stopped and talked to the two girls, asking them why they would say something like that. Both of them seemed too ashamed and it seemed to me, as if they hadn’t been ever pointed out before. They day after they would even then approach my roommate and apologize to her. I also asked my roommate, why she did not say anything herself, but she explained to me that she would hear comments like that on a daily basis and was tired of reacting every single time to them. This was not only shocking but outraging me a lot.

Staff and Faculty are trying their best to make the student body more aware and address these issues in the student body during meetings, pre-port presentations, as well as classes, but obviously they can also only do as much. The same for us as UWC Shelby Davis Students, we are also students at the same time, therefore as much as we try to give our best to share our perspective and challenge common believes, we sometimes to need to rest and process all the different information we soak up during this program. Because of that I am very grateful that there are that many of us on the voyage, because like that we are able to reach a lot of people a and b we do not feel too bad, when we need a day for ourselves just to process before we can go out again and give our best to be members of this community

Nana (Nanka) Gogitidze

Current Email Address: [email protected] or [email protected] Home Country: Georgia College/University Attending: UWD Dilijan College graduate, currently enrolled at Ringling College of Art and Design. List of Courses at Semester at Sea: Knowing Across Cultures: Wildlife Conservation Around the World, Evaluating Contemporary Film, Meaning and Truth in Religion, Global Studies

Describe highlights of the SAS experience: Living one the ship and floating in the middle of the ocean with SAS is just as cool and exciting as it sounds. When talking about highlights I want to start with the life on the ship as all the on-land experiences become highlights thanks to the people who live with me in the sea. Ship community is very inclusive and friendly which helps me to feel like home in the middle of the ocean. Friendships that I’ve made on the ship will definitely continue after the program, because it does not matter what our lives were like before coming here, but rather what are we for each other now. Here we lived on the boat and we crossed the equator together, we kissed the fish and got blessed by the King Neptune, we laid on the Deck 9 and watched stargazing side by side, thanking whoever is up there, in the sky, for such a wonderful life.

I took my time thinking about this question… And I dare to say it took me more time than usual to come up with an answer. Not because I had nothing in my mind, but the opposite, there were so many things that popped up in my head while thinking about the highlights of my experience that I could not choose only one. I still cannot, so let me just talk about the country which made me re-think my future plans – South Africa. Great start with a 5AM hike straight up to the Table Mountain made my experience in this country unforgettable. As I walked up to the top of the mountain, from time to time I would glimpse back at the city and see how darkness silently ceased and the clouds and fog sneaked into the gaps in-between the mountains. Such a beautiful sight! This incredible encounter to Cape Town was outshined by the beauty and architecture of the city as much as by the warm welcome from the local people. I was pretty sure after the end of the voyage I would definitely want to go back to some of these countries that are in the itinerary but never actually expected to decide to move in one of those for a semester abroad or for studying in the university there.

Evaluate the SAS experience: I have talked about evaluating my experiences from all these countries with my mother. Probably she is the only person who is even more excited about what I am doing right now than I am, because she is very supportive. So, imagine how much I wanted to share all my experiences with her, but I simply could not. Then I thought about it and next time I called her I told her “I am unable to express how happy I am, right now, I am like the guy who came up with the word “happiness” at first, for sure he felt something more than that, something that he could not fit into the word and decided to just name it that way”. Also, I feel like I am very overwhelmed by the energy and vibes I get from each country (not in a bad way), I kept gathering all this energy and now it is trapped within me. It’s this whole process of taking and giving, which was stopped for an instant because it’s too much to take and not enough time for processing the raw material of thought and then giving it to someone else. I am still thinking about my experiences in Ghana, still trying to understand some details and analyze the conversations I’ve had. Probably it will take me some time to get through all the ports and then reflect on my experiences as a whole.

However, for now, I would want to make a point about sustainable traveling. We are often told before leaving the ship to remember that we are “travelers, voyagers, academic adventurers” but the moment we step on land, all of us still look like clueless tourists, with backpacks on their backs and Google maps opened in their phones. I don’t want to sound very hypocritical about this fact, because I see many people trying not being so; they actually try to remain adventurers. But I would like SAS to help those of us who try and those who do not, to keep us as travelers and not as tourists. For example, many of SAS programs are very touristic, that bring students to the luxurious on their way to worldwide famous tourist attractions. I would like to see more local programs in the Field Class journal, more wildlife conservation projects and volunteering. And I don’t think that it is only me who wants to participate in those as many of above mentioned programs were sold out within hours when the registration started. I guess what I am trying to say is that SAS might want to focus more on the and engage more with local investments in the countries that we are visiting. I do acknowledge that there are some safety issues and student concerns related to this topic that should be discussed before actualizing this suggestion, but I really think this discussion is worth it, as it will contribute more to the main goal and purpose of this program, showing us what the world has to offer…

Tapiwa Chikungwa

Email: [email protected] Home country: Zimbabwe College/University: Kalamazoo College SAS Courses: Global Studies, Special Topics in Psychology Seminar, Africa and the African Diaspora, Individual and Family Development

Highlights of the SAS experience. Some of the biggest highlights of the voyage so far have been visiting places of historical importance that I had learnt about but never thought I would visit. An example of this was the Cape Coast Slave Castle. The history of slavery is often talked about in statistics but visiting the slave castle humanized the discussion and being there with a local made this experience very eye-opening. Another example was visiting Robben Island. Prior to SAS I had taken a seminar on Nelson Mandela and the Anti-Apartheid movement and visiting the Robben Island Museum which was formerly the prison was another experience that brought to life what I had learnt and brought many things into perspective. On the other hand I have also had many experiences that were not necessarily educational but were fun and allowed me to learn about local histories and cultures. Whilst in Ghana, I spent the night in the Kakum National Park with some other students. Our guide told us about the local flora and fauna, gave us some local food to taste and told us a little about his family. This experience was interesting because though Ghana did not feel too different from places I had been before, I learnt about the similarities and differences between those places. During our stay in India I also travelled through India with a guide on a SAS field program and a field class and learnt things about the country that I had not learnt during my time in UWC. I visited Delhi and Agra Tapiwa Chikungwa which I had not visited before and noted the differences between these parts of the country and the places I had been. It was also an interesting experience to travel through India with a new group of people and not only experience it again for myself but also experience it through their eyes as well. Though some of my travel experiences have not been perfect, I believe SAS is an experience to learn a little about countries I hope to visit again and build on these experiences.

Evaluate the SAS experience. SAS has been a positive experience and I have enjoyed the travel opportunities I have taken. The experience of traveling to multiple countries is facilitated quite well, and though we do not get as immersive an experience in each country, there is a wide range of activities and programs available to learn more about the history and culture of the places we visit. However, the academics and life on the ship have not been what I expected. The shipboard community tends to take an American-centric point of view on the countries we visit, as well as in academics. This has made the experiences on the ship as an international student a little isolating and I often feel the perspectives of international students are not encouraged or appreciated. Throughout the voyage there are many seminars and reflection on the experiences we have had is verbally encouraged. However, I have found that little time is allocated to group reflection and outside of personal conversations there is not much in-depth reflection on our as a community and the program may be improved by making more integrated spaces for reflection in class as well as outside. The program seems to change its faculty with each voyage, and the students change too. As a result I feel we do not get to know anything about the reflections previous voyagers (faculty, students and staff) may have had and see if any changes had been made. I hope that as the voyage continues we will reflect more as a community on the impact this program has on the community, as well as our impact or relations with the communities we enter as we travel.

Nikola Boskovic

Current email address: [email protected] Home country: Bosnia and Herzegovina College/university attending: Northwestern University List of courses taken during their Semester at Sea: Specialized magazines writing, Feature writing, Digital photography, Global studies

Describe highlights of the SAS experience: The highlight of my SAS experience so far was my home stay in India. I stayed with a fellow Davis scholar Aaron, in Mumbai. We visited ancient ruins, national parks, temples, pagodas and slums. I remember the moment he took us by night to a Hindu temple on a rock in the middle of Mumbai. Above the humming city life the temple was quiet and serene. Once I looked down to the city it just didn't look the same. What I knew was one of the most vibrant cities I've ever been too seemed as peaceful as a ghost town. The view was awakening and gave me an idea of what it means to look at things from a different perspective. I would've never thought that the middle of Mumbai would give me such clarity of mind. The experience of the next day was diametrically different. it was our visit to the slums, and production gasses, noise and the amount of people were distracting. As if I was dumped into a totally different part of the world. However, only by walking the streets of the slums was I able to fully understand the culture happening around me. That short trip to Mumbai taught me that, while things might seem shiny and beautiful from afar, rejecting to see them up-close can only lead to ignorance and misunderstanding. Evaluate the SAS experience: I love so much about my SAS experience so far. The life on the ship is unbelievable. I never thought in my lifetime that I would have to worry about where I left my water bottle in order for it not to fall on my head in the middle of the night. I never knew how fun was it to shower, while the water under you keeps splashing from right to left. The sunsets I saw here were the most beautiful sunsets I've seen so far. On my birthday we were on 0 latitude and 0 longitude, so I'm sure that I'm the only one of my friends who can boast that for my birthday I was actually in the center of the world. People on the ship are interesting. I make sure to discuss with them as much as possible about the world issues, and present a new opinion they might have not been able to hear in their country. Once I interviewed some students for my journalism class, they told me how much they appreciate the presence of the international students on the ship, because for them it feels like they're visiting a new port, once they have a wholesome conversation with an international student about their country. For the ship magazine, which I will help create, I was asked to write about the Davis scholars and their experience on the ship, which I'll be exited to forward to you once it's done. I already heard requests from some lifelong learners for a presentation on Davis foundation, so they can understand it better. Classes here are a bit easier than I expected them to be. However, they don't count for my university so I like taking them for fun, and while I keep a good performance, I don't feel a stress and anxiety I sometimes do at my institution. Two downers of the trip are definitely the fact that we missed Mauritius, and the process of obtaining visas. I thought it was complicated and tiring, and I think future international voyagers would deal with it better with a bit more help from the people guiding us through the process.

Altogether, I'm having a blast so far. Aaron Salot

Email: [email protected] Home country: India College/University: UWC Costa Rica - Deferred enrollment at Macalester College Courses taken at Fall-Voyage 2017: Impacts, Cultural Geography, Climate Change: Science and International Policy, Global Studies, Comparative Asian Politics (Audit)

Describe highlights of the SAS experience My Semester at Sea experience thus far has been a compilation of memories, experiences and learning, all of which, I think, have marked some influence in me.

One of the highlights of my experience has been interacting with a Voodoo priest at my time in Ghana. I think the perception of Voodoo in the Occident and some of the Orient has resulted in ancient religious and spiritual practices, especially from West-Africa, to be looked down on. I had the privilege to interact with a Voodoo priest, and that marked the beginning of my understanding of Voodoo as spiritual practices instead of something bizarre and unusual, as often seen in other parts of the world.

It is not only the experiences in-port that has contributed to my experience; I think experiences even at sea have been a highlight of my experience. Interacting with the different people that are brought onto this Shipboard community has also added to my learnings from this voyage; the diversity on this ship isn’t that much of nationality, but it holds true to diversity in race, in life- experience and in thought, and that is what has allowed me to learn more about other people and to see myself with a newer lens.

The way I view Semester at Sea thus far is of an experience like any other. The classrooms on the ship are where I spend my time learning about the theory and information, whether be it about globalization or the impacts of climate-change on tourism, while it is in these countries that I can apply that information and learn more of that theory within the context of that specific country. In other words, I feel like knowledge from books is often one-dimensional, but being able to see and experience these realities across the world just adds depth to the knowledge and makes it multidimensional. In that logic, I feel like this experience is unique, and I don’t think any other study-abroad or gap-year program can be compared to Semester at Sea.

Evaluate the SAS experience I think the idea of using the ship as a classroom and the countries as respective labs to further conceptualize and apply information is the most profound way to learn. I think this has allowed me to add value to what I have learned so far, and that is what makes not only this experience, but also the learnings meaningful. Although this experience is invaluable and has brought me great learnings, I do see some aspects of semester at sea that I would change.

I have been told that the international student community at Semester at Sea has increased over the past years, but I think that the institution should yet continue to increase the spots they have for international students. I feel like this would increase the amount of intercultural interactions for the international and American students, and, speaking from experience, I think that adds a lot of value such an experience.

Another thing I would change is to have increased interactions between the Shipboard crew and students. We do interact on a daily basis, but it is mainly around the work environment of the crew, which creates a certain dynamic to the interaction that is not as normal as interacting with them would be if it were in another setting. That is why; creating spaces and organizing events for students and staff to interaction would be another change I would advocate for. I do think having the bridge tour is a way to understand more about the ship and the captains, however, I think more can be done about student-staff interactions.

Although there are multiple things I would do differently, I think all of my learnings and experiences are a part of my long journey to contribute to something that is larger than me. In the future, I do hope certain changes as mentioned above would be made for the betterment of the larger shipboard communities. Kleopas Matas Kvizikevičius

Current email address - [email protected] or [email protected] College/University: UWC Mostar Home country - Lithuania List of courses taken during their Semester at Sea. Global Environmental Politics, Global Studies, World Interdependence - Current Global Issues (Focus on Climate and Energy), Social-Ethical-Regulatory Issues in Business

Personally, I have two main highlights of the voyage so far, first one being trip to Kakum nation park in Ghana with some of UWCers. There we got to spend our night in the tree house. I believe that prolonged trip by the bus to the destination made the trip even better as all of us were bonding together by playing various games and music. The following early morning we also got to see the sunrise from the top of the forest.

Second highlight of mine was going to Delhi, India, and having a chance to meet up and hangout with two of my best friend from Kabul, Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir, India. All three of us got to explore the sights of India’s capital as well as have some great conversations about our future perspectives and etc.

My SAS experience has been only positive so far. Since the very first day I was amazed by the number of astonishing people present on the board. Diverse ship’s community, through numerous conversations, let me to get better insight in to the countries we are visiting and also have meaningful chats during the lunch or dinner times. The food on the ship, by the way, is also surprisingly good. Lastly, I love attending classes I chose as I find all of my teachers being extremely competent and kind people, always being eager to know each student better. The environment on the ship is impressively amazing and I’m not too sure if I would ask anything more.

Anna Louise Todsen

Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Home country: Denmark College/University: UWC USA Courses: Global studies, Women in art history, Modern literature, Intergroup Pyschology

I am writing his report about half way into my Semester at Sea voyage, and looking back at what I have experienced so far there are any moments that stand out to me, both on the ship and in port. I think that living on the ship has been as much of a culture shock as my experiences in port have been. Majority of the students are Americans, and I think this leads the social environment of American colleges to be brought onto the ship. Socially, this has been a bit challenging because I have not always been able to find what my role and place then is on the ship. Being an international student, and having attended UWC, means that you come with a different perspective on many things, which often contrast with the American-centered perspectives that are enforced in classes and generally in the social environment. However, in many ways, this does make sense to me. The majority of the students are American, and I also believe that in cultural encounters you need a cultural background to fall back on, and the American culture is here is shared and understood by most people. It highlights the value of our role in this community as Davis scholars, which is that we can contribute with offering a different cultural perspective on both academics and in-port experiences.

There are flaws with this program. Not all of the students are here to learn about other cultures and there are people not always behaving respectfully in port. But from the management of this program’s side, I feel like it is all done so professionally and they are giving us a lot of resources to make the best out of this experience. It is then up to us to use these resources and make the best out of it.

This experience has, so far, both challenged me and taught me a lot. I have been challenged in finding my role on the ship, in doing my best to interact with non-international students. It has been challenging being away from home in terms of not being able to communicate as much. But in these processes, I have also learnt a lot about myself and I have realized how much UWC has impacted me and my perspective on the world. One of the things that makes Semester at Sea really valuable to me is how it allows for a comparative experience of the countries. My classes are generally really good at introducing academic ideas that allow us to both understand and compare the countries we visit with more depth. I am incredibly grateful for that opportunity, and I am trying to the best of my ability to learn, teach and challenge myself to make the most out of this program. Desiree Daan Balmori

Email: [email protected] Home country: Philippines University: The University of Oklahoma List of courses taken during SAS: NR 300 - Biological Diversity IE 300 - Global Studies BUS 260 - Social, Ethical, Regulatory Issues in Business POLS 445 - Comparative Asian Politics 2.

Highlights of the SAS experience. One of the highlights of the SAS experience, that is perhaps the most memorable one so far, was when I went around Cochin alone. It was as wonderful as travelling with wonderful people whom I often travel with here at SAS. I have been wanting to take time and do something that I like without compromising what others wanted to do as well. Travelling with groups are often best when we have the same goal in mind, the same things that we all wanted to do and the same place that we wanted to see. Truly, I am fortunate to find people who I can travel with and learn aspects of the countries that we all are passionate about.

This experience I have in Cochin is somewhat different. I’ve always wanted to play chess with the local people in the countries I visit. I have been playing chess competitively since I was young. I thought this time I could learn more about people through this and build interaction like I’ve always had when I played chess at home, in the Philippines. I’ve never really traveled prior to UWC. I only got the chance to go around when I compete in tournaments that are held in different places back home.

Looking for someone to play with is as difficult as finding the right moment and place to do this. It is not as easy as just asking someone if they know how to play chess and then ask them if I could play them. Firstly, I do not really ask people if they could play. I often go around the town in places where I think there would be someone who would be willing to play. Secondly, it has to be done respectfully in such a way that I am aware of their space and time as playing can take several hours. I had the chance to do this in Cochin while I was visiting temples as well as popular places. I went to a shop where they sell chess board. I was talking to the owner and I was extremely delighted when he asked me if I could play chess with him. It took us almost an hour to finish a single game. I was talking to him while we were playing and he was asking me questions. I had the interaction that I’ve always wanted to have with other people.

I didn’t really think that a place so foreign to me would feel like home in just a few days. In Cochin, I walked to the shore where there are fishing boats. There, I bought a fish and two giant prawns. This reminds me so much about home. I live about 10 minutes away from shore, and my dad and I would wait for the boats early in the morning so we could buy fresh fish and any other kind of seafood. I walked a few meters from the shore, and there are shops where they could cook the seafood for 100 rupees. They even invited me inside the kitchen and showed me how they cooked it. They were telling me about their daily lives just as how as I shared mine as well. In every port we have been, I have had so many experiences that are really worth sharing and remembering. I could hardly remember some of the things that I really liked about the ports that we visited. This is perhaps because of so many things that happen from port to port, and I lost my journal halfway through the voyage. The experience I had in Cochin was the most recent one that is probably why I could remember it so vividly. Evaluate the SAS experience. I am really enjoying this experience for the most part. This has been one of the most memorable and one of a kind experience so far. I just wish that there are more diverse perspective in the discussions and lectures that we have here at Semester At Sea. Additionally, I have also been overwhelmed of the comments that I hear from other students about the countries that we visit, especially the “developing” ones. Although I understand that is their first time or at least they are not used to this kind of environment, some of the students should refrain from commenting on how “dirty” and polluted these countries are. I personally think that this is disrespectful and whatever comments they have should be kept to themselves or shared among their close groups. At least, they should not say their comments loudly in public as it can be insulting for some people. Other that these, I really appreciate the wide varieties of issues and topics that we discuss.

Mohnnad Alshalalda

Email: [email protected] Home Country: Palestine College/University: Methodist University Courses taken during SAS: Global Environmental Politics, Topics in Comparative Religions, Reading Without Boarders, and Global Studies It is probably hard to think about highlights of the SAS experience because the whole experience has been a highlight in my life. I have been enjoying the ship life a lot. There is no internet, which I think is great, so people can be forced to socialize. I am also enjoying being away from the world for some time. Also, there are very interesting people on the ship, including students and faculty, people from diverse backgrounds. I have been learning from these people, inspired, and making good connections. Above that, the ship has been a discovery of the world’s beauty. I always thought that I was open-minded and positive about people and places. Semester at Sea boomed that. In addition to that, the program is very responsive, supportive, and very organized. The organization of the program has always impressed me.

There is no perfect program, but for the first time perhaps I have nothing to complain about here at Semester at Sea, and I am full of appreciation to the program. However, things can always be improved. We’re already a diverse group of people, but I think that this could be even improved. One of the ways, for instance, I think it would be probably a good idea to advertise Semester at Sea in the countries that we visit by preparing some presentations to be given at local high school and universities, and maybe by printing some brochures too. Furthermore, many people complain about the Global Studies class. I agree with them on that. I even think that the class is a failure. Initially, I was excited about it the most. This class is meant to be the core of the program, but it is not doing the job properly. The class needs to be evaluated and enhanced.

Again, I am so thankful to both SAS and Mr. Davis for giving me such a wonderful opportunity. Christina Brook

Email: [email protected] Home Country: New Zealand University/College: Middlebury College SAS Courses: Global Studies, Photography, Meaning & Truth in Religion, Psychology: Intergroup Relations

The Semester at Sea voyage has been an experience like no other. Each country has brought with it new challenges, and highlights that I will never forget. I saw human towers at the Santa Tecla festival in a small town off the beaten path in Spain. I ate a picnic filled with locally grown olives, pastrami, and cheese on the shores of the Mediterranean. In Ghana I partook in a voodoo ceremony of blessing. I woke to the sunrise in a tree house in the West African jungle before traversing across a canopy 40m in the air. South Africa took me up close and personal with penguins, seals, lions, giraffes, zebras, and elephants. It took me up mountains, and through beautiful vineyards. India showed me full colors, smells, and vibrancy through every nook and cranny of the major cities across the nation. I saw the beauty of the Taj Mahal, rode rickshaws around forts, and bargained for a gorgeous saree. Myanmar invited me in with a welcoming warmth as I learned more about Buddhist thoughts and traditions. I explored the capital where a twenty-lane highway lay bare, and stunning infrastructure is kept pristine with no one to service. Those are just a few highlights of what has come before, and I have no doubt there are still many to come.

Needless to say, each country brings an overwhelming flood of new experiences which can all be categorized as highlights. But, overall I think the greatest highlight of all is the continuous feeling of curiosity which is met with new and exciting knowledge in every port. The Semester at Sea voyage gave me reason and opportunity to travel the world and encounter these things. But, I think it is safe to say that these experiences do not necessitate the voyage itself whereby traveling to these countries independently would have given light to similar possibilities. In saying that, I think the Semester at Sea voyage does offer a unique way to see the world. You are not bound by the limits of jetlag, you have five hundred different faces to join as travel companions, and you have time in between each country to reflect and learn. Of course, there is also the added generosity of the Davis scholarship which makes this whole experience possible and stress-free. At the same time, the experience is so structured and sheltered that it limits voyager’s opportunities for creativity, curiosity, worry, and anxiety, which I believe takes away from intrinsic feelings that one should have when traveling. I joined Semester at Sea thinking that I would be surrounded by likeminded travelers who were eager to learn about countries that were far from their understanding. Although I have seen people grow throughout this voyage, I still see their desire to engage cross-culturally lacking tenacity and drive. I think this could be further developed through the SAS program with appropriate programming, and more space for independent inquiry. Classes are focused on applications of material to in-country developments, but they do not expect students to truly engage with concepts and adequately apply them.

Semester at Sea will forever be an experience of a lifetime, and the understanding I have gained from the world can never go unnoticed. Thank you endlessly for this opportunity. Zohar Fiszman

My name is Zohar Fiszman. I am a 19 years old Belgian student who just graduated from UWC- USA (class of 2017) after two amazing years during which, I have to say, I heard your name more than the word often would suggest, and now I am travelling the world thanks to your kindness and your desire to give new perspectives to education, hence the world of tomorrow.

My semester at sea and around the world has started with a well-needed adaptation period to transition from the UWC bubble to another bubble yet, a very different one. Indeed, here I have had to become more familiar with the American cultures and how millennials behave in the United States. It has been challenging at times, especially as I expected to have a more international perspective through some classes and through my interactions with the other residents of this floating campus. I thought that there would be more international students and teachers. However, I quickly realized that I am a lot more part of the international experience of Americans on the ship than they are part of my own international experience. Once I realized that, I accepted the fact that I am in that situation and started sharing a lot more of my time with people outside of the UWC community on the ship. I am still convinced that the program needs a more international/non-American centered lens for its courses and the students it selects, but I also think that I am making the most out of these three months and will never forget moments such as my afternoon spent in Dharavi, the biggest slum of Mumbai. There, I was confronted to unexpected realizations (eg: the industries present in Dharavi, and its importance in Mumbai, the financial capital of the 6th economy on Earth) that I would love to further discuss with you if we ever meet. I am also very happy to have learnt about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the restorative justice process that was put in place after the Apartheid. I learnt a about it through my Sociology of Law class, and my Social-Ethical-Regulatory issues in business class, both given by professor Shauhin Talesh, who organised a discussion with the CEO of the Human Rights Commission of Cape Town. My learnings really made me question justice and the meaning of ethics and reparations, as well as the efficiency of revenge and its importance to victims. I also take a class called Africa and African diaspora (Focus in In Search of Diaspora Literacy) and follow the mandatory Global Studies lectures. I am still to figure out how I will implement these two classes into my sociology studies at the University College of Utrecht, starting in 2018, but I am also still to decide whether I will transfer my Colorado State credits after the voyage.

I am looking forward to starting my college years in the Netherlands, close to home where I will encourage youngster to apply for programs such as UWC and inspire them by introducing them to the opportunities it offers, for example semester at sea.

Norbert Oros

Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Home Country: Slovakia University/College: St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York Courses taken at SAS: Global studies, Principles of Natural Resource Tourism, World History 1500 – Present, Comparative Economic Systems

I have numerous highlights that I would like to share, but the one that stands out in my memory the most is my three days long trip in Ghana. It was a program organized by Semester at Sea that took me and 11 other SAS students to Cape Coast, Elmina castle as well as the Kakum national park. We also spent a day at a school for visually and hearing-impaired children near the town of Elmina.

This experience put me completely out of my comfort zone because I rarely have a chance to interact with people with disabilities. I was worried that I would not be able to communicate and would embarrass myself. The opposite turned out to be true! Children at the school were so accommodating that they prepared short word sheets to teach us basics of the sign language to make sure we can interact with each other. I have learnt how to spell words as well as ask for people’s names in the sign language. In addition, they put up several dance and music performances for us, which were so interactive and inclusive that at the end our whole group ended up dancing with the performers.

I was amazed by their talent and resilience to hardship. It is important to admit that this encounter also helped break down some prejudice I held about disability. Disability does not mean inability and what is one’s disadvantage can be someone else’s driving force. I will cherish this lesson and make sure that others with a similar prejudice open their eyes as well.

In my opinion, Semester at Sea is overall a good study abroad program, but I may not have been the right fit for it.

I have been having wonderful time in ports. The Field Office does a great job organizing meaningful and attractive trips and programs. I have seen so much in such a short period of time that I am sure I will only realize the full extent of this experience only after it is over. I enjoy being constantly on the go and experiencing the unfamiliar as well as talking to people, and that is exactly what in country travelling provides me with!

Time on the ship is different, though. I often feel as though and I was in a golden cage with all the luxuries the ship offers. As far as classes are concerned, I really enjoy World History, mainly because of my professor. He is well rounded and with great passion for what he does. His lessons always portray historical events from various perspectives and the professor makes sure that we are aware of potential bias in the way particular events are narrated. I’ve learnt of events especially in Asian and African history that I had never studied before. Other classes are alright, not too challenging.

Social life on the ship is exceptionally challenging. I have spent most of my time with a group I met within the first week on the ship despite numerous unsuccessful attempts to branch out. I can only hypothesize whether it is my personality, the environment, or a combination of both that has led to the current state of things. The faculty and staff do their best to create an inclusive environment by organizing plenty of smaller or larger events and initiatives, but there is only so much that they can do. In this case, it comes down to the student body. A significant portion of the ship community possesses limited awareness of racism and how subtle yet deeply rooted racism is in some people’s thinking. It saddens me to see the dining hall at lunch time where you can see how fragmented and segregated the community is. Other UWC students and I have been pointing it out and making it part of our daily conversations to raise awareness of it and make others talk about it, too. It takes time and effort, but it definitely needs to be addressed. I remain hopeful and believe that the situation within the community will improve and become more inclusive as the voyage progresses.

Alma Spahic

Email: [email protected], [email protected] Home country: Bosnia and Herzegovina University: University of Florida Courses taken: Biodiversity, Ecology, Introduction to Visual Arts, Global Studies

On my application essay, I wrote about one of my biggest drives to attend Semester at Sea. Being extremely passionate about astronomy for as long as I can remember and pursuing my education in this field, a great wish of mine was to see the Southern skies. I grew up in Bosnia and moved to the United States in 2015, but my whole life I spend learning and looking at the northern sky. Whenever I looked up I automatically could connect the dots into constellations, know all the names of bright stars and automatically orient myself in the celestial sphere. I’ve been looking at the night sky for so long that I wandered what it would be like to once again be able to look up and have no perception of what I see, no order or constellations just seemingly a random collection of twinkling lights. I was very excited for coming to South Africa, because I knew it was my opportunity to see this new world. After having a thrilling experience during a 13-hour in Kruger National Park, we finally made it back to the lodge in the evening. Unfortunately, the forecast was not good as the thick cover of cumulus clouds sneaked over the mountain tops. I was sad because I thought I will not be able to observe the skies that night. After having dinner, I headed to my room. I instinctively looked up not expecting to see anything, but the crisp cold air reveled the stars at last. I ran to a dark spot behind the building and looked up once again. I could not make sense of what I saw, I tried to identify the constellations but I have never seen them before and I was unable to name any of the celestial bodies. A strong and intense stream of emotions followed. I cried tears of joy in astonishment as I saw dwarf companion galaxies – Magellan clouds, visible exclusively from the southern hemisphere. I spent the hours observing the skies, taking pictures with my camera and while lying in disbelief of where I was, a quote rang in my mind:

“Not only are we in the Universe, the Universe is in us. I cannot think of nay deeper spiritual feeling than what that brings upon me”. - Neil de Grasse Tyson, astrophysicist

This truly was an extraordinary and personally very significant night for me as I felt the scientific curiosity and the thrill of discovery fire up in me again. I was again just a little girl looking up and pondering the secrets of our vast unexplored Universe.

Semester at Sea has truly been a transformative experience for me. I expanded my knowledge about the world, countries and cultures I have encountered. I expanded my knowledge in areas I usually don’t have time to explore because of the business of everyday life, but most importantly I learned a lot about myself. In these two months, I grew personally more than in past few years. I think that the combination of the experiences I have had in port as well as during the time spent on the ship with these people, new friends and great teachers shaped me and further enhanced the experience of this voyage. I am eternally grateful for this transformative opportunity that will, and already has, changed my life from its core and will continue to influence my actions and thoughts when I go back home. Belle McDougald

Email- [email protected] College- Chapman University Home Country- U.S.A Courses- Intermediate Creative Writing: Nonfiction, Global Studies, Spanish Language: Literature-Culture in Translation, Tourism Impacts

While experiencing S.A.S, it is difficult to identify every single highlight, because it feels like every moment on the voyage is a highlight in some way. However, I will try my best to share the most notable highlights. One highlight of the trip is the uncharted territory that you experience every single day. Whether I am in port or on the boat, I make sure to do something that scares me a bit each day. Whether that is talking to new people, or even skydiving, the voyage has a way of making you dive into experiences you never would have before. Another highlight of the trip is connecting with locals in each port. A memory that will stick with me from the trip is being shown around Jaipor in India by a few local kids. I was able to talk to them about their daily lives, hobbies, and take on America. I felt like I really was able to understand what life in that part of India was like from speaking to them, instead of just seeing the sights. I am endlessly grateful for the conversations I never would have gotten to have if I was not a part of Semester at Sea.

The S.A.S experience is truly unlike any other program. I have been pushed outside of my comfort zone every single day. I have experienced activities like skydiving, bungee jumping, and shark cage diving that I never before thought I would be able to do. Something about S.A.S pushes you to do things outside of your comfort zone, and I think a large part of that is the support system that you have in each port. For example, when I was sky diving and bungee jumping I was with a big group of other Semester at Sea Students. I have never felt as comforted and supported as I did when I was about to bungee or sky dive. I was surrounded with positive words of encouragement that I will never forget. As I watch the video of myself bungee jumping, the audio consists of friends yelling, “Go Belle!”, or “You got this!” As crazy as it sounds, I think I will remember the amazing people I was surrounded with as opposed to the actual act of bungee jumping when I look back on this experience. Additionally, I think something that is commonly overlooked when talking about the program is the amazing faculty on the boat. I have never had such passionate and interesting teachers in my entire life, and highly doubt that I will find professors like them again. Every teacher has made me want to learn more about the subject they teach, because of how passionate they are about it, and how excited they are to teach us. I am full with happiness and gratitude as I think about my experience on this voyage, and cannot thank Mr. Davis enough for allowing this all to happen for me. Thank you.

Jara Lastra Cagigas

Home country: Spain Current email address: [email protected] United World College attended: UWC Dilijan, Armenia University attending: College of the Atlantic (Class of 2022) Courses: Global Studies, Climate Change & Energy, Ecology, Issues in Hispanic Culture. One of the highlights of my Semester at Sea experience has been immersing myself in different countries exploring my way around their history and culture. Through entering into dialogues with the locals, I have been able to gain knowledge of their social problems, interests, and motivations and this is something I would not have had experienced in a conventional classroom. In addition, throughout the voyage, experts and professors have given seminars addressing diverse issues and ideas from the different countries we have travelled to. Hence, I would say that this journey has immensely expanded my awareness of current global issues and it has helped me enhance my understanding of the world and of my place in it. As a gap year student, I would like to mention that another highlight of this experience is that the voyage gives students a chance to reflect on who they are and who they would like to become. From my own experience, the academic program has allowed me to explore my career interests in depth as well as it has offered me a space to investigate new fields of study. I consider my Semester at Sea experience a portal for individual growth and an opportunity to be curious about the world we live in.

Evaluating my Semester at Sea experience, I would like to mention that the interdisciplinary academic program clearly offers an education that goes beyond the classroom. The multiple courses offered try to connect classroom learning to real-world applications and this can be seen throughout the field classes. From my experience, the knowledge I have gained by participating in Semester at Sea has cultivated in me the habit of asking questions and it has enriched my educational experience in many different ways.

In addition, the diverse shipboard community and the international atmosphere makes the voyage feel more unique and authentic. Nevertheless, I would like to mention that the percentage of international students is not very high and from my point of view, the experience could be more enriching if the community was more diverse. In the final analysis, Semester at Sea provides a unique education and experience which allows students to become citizens of the world. Yoni Veldhuis

Email address: [email protected] / [email protected] Home country: The Netherlands College: UWC Costa Rica Courses: Global studies, Biodiversity, Art, Leisure and Society Highlights of SAS:

Four countries down, six to go! And what an amazing four countries it has been. Overall all of the experiences I had so far have strengthen my cultural knowledge and have given me a broader horizon so picking out the highlights is extremely difficult but I will give it a try.

Being overwhelmed with art, architecture and romantic street views in Spain, I immediately felt at home. This gave me the freedom to fully engage in the culture, which resulted in many interesting interactions with the Catalonians. I believe that me feeling so familiar with the place resulted in one of the highlights of my trip; getting lost in the streets of Barcelona with an amazing bunch of people. We walked into many small cafés, ate loads of tapas and had many open hearted conversations leading to meaningful friendships. Spain for me was a highlight because I felt at home.

South Africa gave me a similar kind of feeling, a sense of belonging. In Cape Town, three friends and I independently travelled to Aquila game reserve were we reserved an overnight safari. The first safari was already more than I could ever hope for; we saw lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos and many more impressive animals. The most amazing aspect of this ship was wandering around the building at night, stargazing and hearing a lion roar all over the area. This was the point at which I knew I wanted to work with wildlife in the future and that traveling would be an essential part of this. This realization made me feel so incredibly happy that I definitely consider this the highlight of the trip.

Evaluating the SAS experience:

Looking back at my experience at SAS so far, I can truthfully say that traveling around the world in this manner is life changing.

First of all, I like to point out that the academics are very well set up. Every teacher has left their park on me, has given me advice and forced me think more critically about their subject matter. Global studies was a subject that I was really looking forward to but has proven itself to be for a less experienced traveller than I am. The global studies teacher on the other hand, has given the Davis scholars an opportunity to voice their experiences and their opinions. The teachers are truly inspiring and are willing to individually discuss matter with you, which I really like.

The shipboard community is growing more every day. Coming from an insanely diverse community, it is always hard to adept to a more unified group of people, but seeing the willingness to learn even from the adults on board has motivated me to see the good in every conversation. I still believe that, although attempts are made, intercultural understanding can still be improved. As it is represented in a more educational way instead of a way of living, intercultural understand is seen as yet another academic term that is inapplicable to daily live and is therefore unnecessary to fully emerge ourselves in. The misuse of culture is highly addressed in our shipboard community and I am very proud of that.

Overall, I am very grateful to be given this experience. I keep trying to improve myself in order to improve the community and this will be an ongoing experiment for me.

Tsz Kin (Kenny) Hui

Current email address: [email protected] Home country: Hong Kong College/university attending: Macalester College List of courses taken: Global Studies, Hospitality Management, Tourism Impacts, Biogeography Describe highlights of the SAS experience:

Traveling to different places and meeting local people is always the highlight of the SAS experience for me, not only because I can visit touristic attractions that I saw on the TV, but also the culture and people – their essence of living always broadens my horizon in many extents. For instance, I went on a solo independent travel in India, but most people do not recommend that for the safety reasons. Despite that, I did a lot of research and talked to my Indian friends before going for my adventure. I can possibly say that was the best travel experience I have ever had in my travel. I went to Bangalore on my own. Over there, I was on an Uber to my , and I had a nice conversation with the driver. He then offered me a day tour on the following day, but what happened was that he drove me around the whole city from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., and even at the end he did not even want money from me. We had such a good time together, learning the local culture and eating the local food for the whole day. India was amazing for me. The people were amazing. The SAS settings allow me to interact and develop a closer relationship with professors than elsewhere – we are all living and traveling together. This enables me to learn more about their lives and passions outside the classroom. Of course, I have developed a great deal of friendship with other SASers. Thus far, the SAS experience for me has been fruitful both voyeuristically and intellectually. I just wish we could have at least 5 days in each of the port that we go, so that we could have more time to understand the culture and current issues of all those countries thoroughly.

Nguyen Xuan Nhat Ha

Current email address: With Semester at Sea: [email protected] At university: [email protected] Home country: Vietnam Attending University of Florida

Courses taken in SAS: Social, Regulatory and Ethical Issues in Business; Health, Medicine and Society; Intro to

Highlights of SAS experience: Being able to help interport student from Vietnam to present about my country-Vietnam was one of the highlights. We had student panel in Global Studies as we are approaching Vietnam, when we were able to share my perspective as a Vietnamese about the impact of Vietnam War in the lives of different generations in Vietnam. It was also fascinating for me to hear the perspectives of American people who actually fought in the war and were against the idea of war in Vietnam.

Besides, in classes and reflection activities, I was glad to bring in my perspectives among American students, which I hope to challenge each of us to broaden our way of thinking when it comes to global issues.

Meeting other UWC and sharing our stories when being in different UWC strengthened my belief of the growing existence and relationship of the UWC community.

The best highlight is to be able to step on different continents that I have never been to, which are Europe and Africa. I have only met people in UWC who are from these countries but never get to enhance my knowledge of these countries as much as I was able to through Semester At Sea.

Overall, traveling with Semester At Sea, to some extent, reminds me of my years in UWC when I was able to live in an international environment through learning about different aspects of the countries in classes, in seminars and having meaningful conversations with the ship community.

Evaluate the experience: The experience is both challenging and cherishing to me. We all come on the ship with different perspectives and prejudices about all 11 countries that we visited. It was a challenge in a way that sometimes what I think and feel may clash with what other students, some of who may not have the same traveling experiences as others have. Thanks to this challenge, I know how to communicate my thoughts in an appropriate way without affecting people as well as how to not be negatively emotionally affected. I hope to see more international experience, by saying this, I mean more international students on the ship that may help to enhance overall experiences of everyone traveling with Semester At Sea. Sara Šepić

E-mail: [email protected] and/or [email protected] Home country: Bosnia and Herzegovina University attending: University of Florida List of courses taken during SAS: Introductory to Cultural Anthropology, Introduction to the Visual Arts, Ecology and Global Studies

Highlights of my experience:

I applied to SAS wanting to discover other cultures, see other countries and be aware of everyday lives that are so different from what I know. Expectations of my highlights were selfish, centered on a few places I was eager to see, because I spent so much time studying about them, and looking photographs of those places in numerous encyclopedias throughout the years. However, my greatest highlights were not places in the countries, but sense of personal development thanks to the closed community I had not have since I graduated from UWC. Being able to have long discussions on ongoing problems around the world, and especially countries we are visiting, the impact we are leaving in the port, and the way we can still leave a mark on a place, after we leave, highlights what I missed the most about UWC, and what I did not know that I miss as much, until I came here. Furthermore, personal questioning of my goals for the future, where I want to be, and what I want to do, are changing every day because I’m learning more every day. I’m trying to think of the way to keep learning for the rest of my life, but also teach others in even better way than I was thought.

Evaluate the experience:

From this day until disembarkation we still have 44 days left. My experience in the next 44 days will be definitely different, but my overall perception of SAS will stay more or less the same. From the day I stepped a foot on deck 5, I learned to appreciate uniqueness of my experience. My comfort zone was gone, and I loved people that I never met just because they belonged to the same movement as I did. I met people from different parts of the US and changed many opinions I had about Americans. I learned how to minimize my own ethnocentrism, but throughout many after-port discussions to widen aspects, and minimize ethnocentrism of other people as well. As a community, we managed to function without many addictions, fight our disorders, and be forced to feel optimistic, and realized that everything is possible. Thanks to the closed community, every single fight for every single person was easier. Having lack of impact from “the outside world” while on the sea really shows how much we are influenced by mundane material things, and our everyday to-do lists. My biggest experiences just showed me how I don’t need to feel empty, and how being stuck in a circle of your everyday obligations mitigates values that I fought for when I was a proud UWC student. Now, I am renewed, proud UWC alumna, and in 44 days I will be proud SAS alumna. It makes my heart ache when I think of how lucky I have to be, to be where I am. Thank you Mr. Davis and I promise that after I graduate from all schools I have been able to attend, I will bring more than I am able to foresee right now. I know I will. Narin Zekovski

Email: [email protected] Home Country: Prizren, KOSOVO College/University: Hood College Course taken at SAS: Religions of west, Introduction to visual arts, Global studies, Intergroup Relations

During this voyage I got to meet many people who became one of my closest friends and I am pretty sure it will be going on even after the voyage ends. I got to see many different cultures that shocked me at the beginning but then made me like it. All the good experiences aside I have also had bad experiences, which was expected, such as scamming and misunderstandings. I keep thinking what my favorite place was so far since I get that question a lot, from family, friends, but I had very different experiences in each country that they are amazing in their own ways. Other than ports I also really enjoy the ship life. Starting from the crew to the staff everybody is very warm and friendly, at least most of them. I also want to talk about the staff before coming on board. I had some small issues with visas since I had two different , and one of them was a coordinated which not everyone knows how it functions. Because of this there were some misunderstandings but overall, they were very helpful about it.

Semester at Sea has been much more educational for me than I thought it would be. We get to learn about different cultures firstly before going there, with seminars, with classes or the books in the library that are being offered. Once the information form all these above are gathered it makes it easier to travel in the country since we are already a little bit familiar with it. Once we are on port interaction with locals through independent travel or field programs help us to have different perspectives on different cultures. We get to meet a lot of incredible people from around the world and look at things in a different way than we have learned so far. I honestly can say that Semester at Sea is an amazing educational program that has a huge role in personal growth and I really want to thank for making this journey of life possible for me!