Looking Forward to the Memories of Right Now

Since it's my last blog from the Maymester 2011 M11 Ship, I felt it appropriate to begin this post with a powerful verse retrieved from the song "Fireworks" by Drake featuring Alicia Keys.

"Opportunity just changed everything
I wonder how life without it would go
From the concrete who knew that a flower would grow
Looking down from the top and it's crowded below
My fifteen minutes started an hour ago
Truth over fame, you know I respect the blatant grit
When I hear talking, I just don't know what to make of it
Hate is so familiar to me, I'm slowly embracing it
Doesn't come natural, bear with me it could take a bit
Yeah and my dreams who I'm racing with
You can see I'm pacing it so that I'm always chasing it”

The aforementioned lyrical content, context, oratorical prose, and juxtaposition of metaphors sprinkled throughout “Fireworks” highlights my Maymester Voyage with Semester at Sea. The past 23 days have been rewarding, breathtaking, memorable, challenging, and life-changing. The last three countries (Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala) wet my appetite for future activism work in Central America. The systemic problems that plague Central America are so pervasive that they require more than a 2-day excursion and perusal of facilities; however, I authentically believe that the 2-day interactions we (students, faculty, and staff) had in each respective country will be forever remembered.

Semester at Sea participants entered each country not as tourist seeking souvenirs, but as innovative change-agents eager to learn, adapt, broaden, and assist in the educational, sustainable, and cultural expansion of knowledge. With two days left, and my room and camera filled with cultural artifacts -I end my first half of the summer with a renewed dedication to global civility. Until next time…Semester at Sea, Maymester Voyage, Institute for Shipboard Education, and all of the wonderful friends and incredible relationships I’ve built on this voyage…Ciao!

No Country for "Young Men": Costa Rica!

Our longest disembarkation took place in Costa Rica. For me, it included an extensive horseback riding session along the mountains, an exciting driving adventure across the eastern shore of Costa Rica, and a relaxing evening on the beach gazing at the stars. Arguably, the most exciting of which had to be the horseback riding adventure (since it was my first time on a horse). For two hours, I wrestled with the apprehension and nervous feelings of riding an animal 3 times my size.

However, after repetitive reassurance by the tour guides, I felt more comfortable as the adventure progressed. Interestingly enough, I learned that the Western horses are trained differently than those in Costa Rica. Apparently, different hand gestures and sounds ignite incongruent reactions among the horses in Costa Rica, when comparing them to horses in the United States. Fortunately, everyone (Staff, Faculty, and Students) on the tour marginalized their learning curve and successfully maneuvered their respective horse.

Our day long horseback riding trip ended with a special cuisine prepared by the locals. In fact, we were able to prepare our own hand-made tortillas! We concluded our dinner with fresh squeezed pineapple juice, a unique salsa blend, and steamed rice and vegetables. Although we were only in Costa Rica for three days, I enjoyed the authentic food, engaging locals, and picturesque countryside! Next stop, Honduras!

Service through Leadership, Social Change, and Humility: Trinidad y Tobago

My trip to Trinidad was awesome! We started the day with a historic city tour of Trinidad, toured the exciting Savannah Park, and ended the day with a powerful interactive learning experience at the St. Joseph’s Convent School. During our time at the school, Semester at Sea students exchanged oral narratives about U.S. culture, ethnography, and Trinidad’s global relevance.

Immediately following the cultural exchange, the St. Joseph’s students gave a 30-minute presentation surrounding their culture, history, and environmental sensitivity to the current issues outlined in the Millennium Development Goals (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/).

The next day in Trinidad marked an important spiritual milestone for me –as I visited the monastery and saw one of the monks on site. The serene, peaceful, and spiritually invigorating feeling I felt at the monastery was refreshing to say the least. The two days spent in Trinidad were well worth enduring the humidity, overwhelming temperatures, and revolving threat of violence in unpopular neighborhoods. Next stop, Panama!

Setting Sail on a New Adventure

It’s difficult to conceptualize the past 2 days –as they have been some of the most energetic, exhausting, and refreshing experiences yet. I am eager to meet the new students who arrive tomorrow (5/20/2011). Rumors suggest that we are expecting a very large class of students, roughly 450+. As a result, we (the phenomenal Living Learning Coordinating team) are charged with providing a safe, collaborative, and engaging co-curricular environment for students through programming. Although this is my first Semester at Sea Voyage, I expect it to be rather interesting in how “we” (as a staff) engage students and create attractive co-curricular programs.

Beyond my positive apprehension about tomorrow, I am anticipating what “ship life" will be like. The only memories and superficial narratives I have regarding “ship life” are those of the Navy and subsequent cinematic classics that highlighted what it was like to live on the ocean. In terms of the itinerary, today’s sessions were covered with various leadership training modules, orientation planning, and a wonderful talk by Dr. Rosalyn Berne (in a Socratic fashion), regarding ethics, morals, and how we judge what’s right and wrong.

Dr. Berne’s concluding remarks interpreted morals and ethics as very complex and nuanced ideas. However, for me, one thing I can be assure of is that so far, I have made the right decision in deciding to attend Semester at Sea. Until next time, ciao!

P.S. the photographic images are forthcoming. Since we're still sailing and have not docked as of yet, I have to wait until I can access reliable bandwidth for my uploading capability.

A Farewell Letter: Goodbye and Hello

With less than 24-hours away from check-in, I am a bit nervous, anxious, excited, and overwhelmed (in a good way). My summer 2011 plans will mark another consecutive summer of international travel, exploration, and substantial inquiry. I am approaching my trip this summer in a different manner, whereby, I'm entering unexplored space and undiscovered territory as a rising scholar (i.e. Graduate Student), social justice advocate, cultural consumer, and critical observer.

It's amazing to think about my personal prayers that spoke to an experience as such, where I could affect positive change through proactive engagement on the international stage. 2-years later, I am able to do just that! Wow, "incredible" is the most appropriate foreshadowing term for what's to come in the next few months.

My journey this summer will not be in vain. I will use my lens to extrapolate useful rhetoric, strategies, skills, and tools from other countries in order to help advance my egalitarian mission of contributing to the elimination of the social ills that plague many U.S. communities. With that said, I end my first post with a compelling quote I discovered prior to the creation of this blog. It's only appropriate that I share the textual gem..."The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" (Marcel Proust).

Friends, colleagues, family, and those who I may not formally know, I invite you to vicariously explore, appreciate, and embrace the concept of new ideas that influence our conventional ways of thinking. To that end, stay blessed and look forward to a refreshing perspective and unique interpretation from yours truly.

-T. Range