Dear Readers,
We are already beginning to gear up for our next port, Dublin. It seems like yesterday we were arriving in Belgium. Time really does fly by. Simultaneously, it seems that it has been years since London, when in reality it has only been about four weeks. I have already been to five countries! Crazy! This voyage has taken me by surprise.
This past weekend was really amazing and I had such a great time! It has taken me a few days to recover, understandably, from the culture onslaught I had that included lessons about history, walking, biking, running, tours, interacting with locals and eating. Today the sea has been really rough and for the first time I have inklings of seasickness. Going outside for dinner helped a lot. Luckily the weather has improved so we could eat on deck. It has been raining in every place I have gone to since Friday. We left for Ireland from Le Havre at 5 AM this morning. I think the hardest thing is having a class day and looking out the window, seeing the city, and not being able to go out and explore.
I have continued to meet all different kinds of people. Everyone is nice and oftentimes you are sitting at a table and some people come up to join you. I think it is one of the great things about being technology-free. We are forced to interact and form relationships. It seems like America has been taken over by technology and the desire to constantly be plugged in. While I do think of home and my friends and how much I miss being able to hear about their lives or call them on Skype, I think it is good for my focus to be here, on the people around me, my new family. The major con to being Internet- free is that you are very isolated out here. I don't know anything about current events or news. The dean's update us if something major is going on in regards to ship life, but nothing about the United States or the world. I learned in Paris about the flooding in Colorado. My heart goes out to the families affected by it. I recently heard about the shootings in DC as well. It is hard not to know what is going on. Thankfully, my family has agreed to update me on current events so I won't be totally oblivious.
Anyway, there isn't much news about ship life. It has all become pretty routine. The food continues to be good and I love the Peanut Butter and Jelly section. My classes are also going well. I am still getting used to the block scheduling. I have a few papers coming up and continue to read textbooks and articles. Most of the time, the readings are really interesting and relevant to upcoming ports. That makes sea classes unique. What you learn you actually see in the countries you visit. It makes it all very real. In a classroom it is hard to experience that. You also form a more complete understanding and connections with people you wouldn't have otherwise. I can't imagine what my life will be like after this journey, but I already know it will be a lot different than what I had planned before this adventure. I have learned that in life, you have to be flexible, and it is okay to have no clue where you are going. Something unexpected will oftentimes appear, and that unexpected is worth the wait. Also, I found out more about dock time- if you are late between 0 and 15 minutes you get two hours of dock time! Ouch! Hope I never have to deal with that. The same type of severe penalty goes if you are placed in the VIP room. I know you may be confused by this acronym. It actually means Very Intoxicated Person. If you are placed in there, you are automatically fined $100, you get dock time, and you get points (which are bad! If they add up to a certain number you have to go home!) This should not be a problem for me though. I decided before this voyage to focus on the culture. I want to remember every moment!
I just wanted to say, before I go on about my recent adventures, that if you have any questions or want to know more about my experiences, you can E-mail me. It is better to do it soon after that port while the memories are fresh, but if not, I don't mind filling you in later on highlights, or whatever you may ask. As many of you know, I like to share stories :)
While I haven't had a super profound experience yet, I still have had some really cool moments. I am starting to think that the culmination may be more important for me than one single experience. Some students have really been adventurous, and I am working towards that. I am sad to say I did not try any crazy foods in France, but I hope to go back someday soon to change that. Other students have had intense experiences, such as a group who decided to hitchhike from Antwerp to Le Havre to meet the ship. I don't think you will catch me doing that. Ha ha. After writing this, I have realized that it is okay to not have those crazy stories. Not all good ones are crazy, after all. Normal life is not always riddled with enlightenment or danger. Normal life is something I should embrace in these cultures we are visiting. I want to go beyond tourism and to become a blend of a traveler and a tourist, because I think both have their important benefits, as well as cons. A traveler will probably see more local things and have a traditional experience more so than a tourist, but a tourist gets to see things that they have always dreamed of seeing, such as the Eiffel Tower. On SAS trips we travel in a group sometimes, but there is time to explore on our own. I think it gives us the chance to experience both. Okay, time to get off the soapbox and talk about my top five picks from Belgium and France. (It was hard to choose because I had an amazing experience!!!!)
1) The WHO
I got the chance to visit the World Health Organization office in Brussels. It was part of a field lab, and I will be writing a six-page paper about the experience. We took a bus to Brussels from Antwerp, which only took about an hour. Since we were ahead of schedule we got to visit the Atonium, which was cool to see. I saw some men on the very top cleaning the glass… I would not want that job! We spent a few minutes there taking some fun pictures. Once we got to Brussels we walked to the office, where we were presented with coffee, tea, and small cookies. Then we listened to Cristina, an epidemiologist, talk for two hours about WHO and its role in the world. It was interesting to learn all that we did because I honestly had no real idea about what the WHO did prior to the voyage. I only had a limited understanding. After this experience, I feel much more informed. We had the bonus of hearing about the UN and the EU as well. One cool thing I learned about WHO is that it is not the organization that implements the health reforms. They are not the ones giving vaccinations or educating the people. That responsibility is on the local governments and health workers. So often, the WHO is blamed, when in reality it is not their fault. The WHO is a body that guides and teaches. If offers information and works with local governments to form a plan to attack the problem. They also coordinate with health providers and monitor those implementing the policy to make sure they are following the set guidelines.
Another thing that stood out to me was the WHO's definition of health, which is key to understanding it. Health is not merely the absence of disease, which is a definition most people adopt. In reality, it is a state of mental, physical and social well-being. This ties directly to my Stress Psychology class because most diseases result from a variety of factors and it is usually a complicated story. Stress has many effects on health, but it is not the whole story. WHO watches and monitors world health, but they aren't the whole story either.
We briefly went over the WHO's accomplishments with smallpox and polio eradication in North America. Back in 2000, WHO developed the Millenium Development Goals, which focused primarily on fighting world poverty. So far, it has been the most successful global anti-poverty push and it is the first time big powers in the world such as the United States, France and China have decided to fight poverty.
I believe that this presentation gave me a lot more insight into world health and the differences that exist cross culturally. This trip will continue to mean a lot as we travel to Africa and South America.
After the presentation we walked around Brussels and saw St. Michel's Church, the victory arch and city center where Karl Marx stayed as he wrote the Communist Manifesto and where Victor Hugo lived as he composed the story, Les Miserables. We were lucky enough to get some free time, so on my one day in Belgium, I was able to enjoy chocolate and a Belgian waffle. The field lab was a mix of education and fun. It was great and I felt it was thereby necessary to include.
One other quick thing that I think is important to mention. Before arriving in Belgium I had no idea about the country or its history. I was very surprised to learn that it is a very complicated country that is in danger of collapsing. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future. This surprise demonstrates that it is important to know about the world we live in. Americans are stereotyped as knowing nothing of the World. I think we need to change that.
2) Bike Tour in Paris
On the second day in Paris we had the exciting opportunity to participate on a bike tour of the city. This was one of the items on the itinerary I was most looking forward to. However, not everything went according to plan. The major reason for this was that it was pouring rain! All of us were a little skeptical of leaving the dry hotel to go bike in the cold rain, and I must admit that I honestly reconsidered going on the tour. Several students had opted out and on the way I thought I maybe had made the wrong decision. How far was I from the truth! I ended up having a really great and fun time! We got our bikes, split into two groups and headed off. I had a raincoat on, which helped a little. When we first started, the drops were giant and everyone got really soaked. The good news was that after that initial hard rainfall, it subsided and the rest of the tour had light misting rather than hard rain.
The rain allowed us to have more freedom on our bikes, because there were less people outside. It was fairly early in the morning, and I got to watch as the city began to wake up, with shop owners beginning to open their doors. Even though it was gray outside, the city was just as beautiful, if not more, than it was when it was sunny (which was not until the day we left, of course J). The green trees that lined the boulevards stood out, as did the beautiful French architecture. The bike tour was very leisurely, which calmed my nerves because I was nervous about being left behind and I worried about keeping up with the group. The relaxed pace enhanced the experience because I could look around a little and it was stress free. The tour lasted until 12 or so, and we got to see some major landmarks like the Louvre, Notre Dame, the New Bridge and several parks. We also had some time to stop at Paul Bakery. I had an amazing snack there, which I will discuss more later on in this post. We really got a good orientation of the city. It made me realize how giant Paris is. I had no idea! Anyway, it was a good time, and definitely worth it. I got some exercise and I feel I got a true European experience, biking around. It was great!
3) Cliffs of Etretat
I know I am writing these out of order in time but I hope that is okay. I write them as I think of them. I visited Etretat on the last day in port, so Monday. It was a half-day excursion, but I really wanted to see something beautiful and to see more of the countryside of France. We took a bus over and had a wonderful and hilarious tour guide talk about the history of Le Havre, Normady and Etretat. She had some great insights. I have noticed that about SAS trips as well. All the trips I have been on so far have had fantastic tour guides. My favorites have been Olga from Moscow, Anna Marie from Etretat, and Johan from Paris. This is not where they are from, but this is where I spent time with them.
Anyway, we got to Etretat after a short ride through the countryside. It was a beautiful village and there were a ton of little shops and restaurants. There were also a lot of flowers in pots scattered throughout the town and great architecture to look at. It was very different from Paris, which I appreciated. We spent about 40 minutes walking around the village, seeing the different houses and learning about the village. Then, we walked up some stairs and I smelled the salty beachy odor I am so familiar with! Etretat is a very windy area so I could actually taste the salt in the air. All of a sudden, there were the alabaster cliffs. They were stunning! I took a ton of photos and even walked up this hill near a small stone church to get a better view. It was quite a hike but worth it!
I also spent some time on the beach, which was actually a pebble beach. It was fun walking along as my feet sunk down in these pebbles. I ended up grabbing a smooth white one. Probably not the best thing for the beach, but I really wanted it. Haha. There is the tourist side of me. The ocean was beautiful too! The water was different shades of blue and green. It was breathtaking.
Luckily, I got to see the cliffs before the sky decided to really open up. It had been sprinkling intermittently but about 20 minutes after leaving, it began to pour. I got soaked from running down two streets. After a while, that rain went away and the sun came back out. It would then cloud over and rain again. Very silly weather patterns, for sure. I spent the remaining few hours I had to explore, eat and shop. I had a really great time and I was glad I got to see something beautiful, and an area that was not crawling with tourists! I noticed further the manners that are present in this community. Every time you enter a store it is customary to say Bonjour every time. That was cool to observe. One thing I have noticed in every country is that they have something to teach us. Ethnocentrists would argue that America is the best and that we have more to teach the world. In reality, this is completely off base. The French could teach us things like manners and something I will talk more about later, food attitudes. All in all, this was a very relaxing and perfect ending to a jam-packed weekend.
4) Monet's Garden
Another great thing we got to do on the itinerary was visit Claude Monet's garden in Giverny as we headed back to Le Havre. I mentioned that Sunday was the one day we had sunshine, and we left Paris that day. We took a bus to Giverny, which is a one street village tucked away in the countryside. As we rode on the bus, Johan talked about history and pointed out various landmarks. I loved seeing the cows on open pasture, happily grazing away. This is something else we can learn- open spaces make happy cows. Feedlots are an unfortunate part of America, and I hope someday that this will change. France never smelled bad in the countryside. It seemed like it would not be bad to be a cow in France.
Giverny was beautiful and I loved how quaint it was. Most of the houses were made out of stone and they all had so much character. First we walked through the Water Lily Pond garden, where the famous bridge is in Monet's painting. It isn't spring, but there were still plenty of flowers blooming. The pond area was shaded by bamboo forests and by weeping willows. The pond was gorgeous and it was fun to see the lily pads. After this, we walked towards the house where we were assaulted by the amazing aroma of flowers. It smelled so good! There were thousands of flowers! Walking through Monet's house was also really cool. I love old houses. We were not allowed to take photos but we did get to see a room with some of his paintings. It was awesome.
After eating lunch in a small café, I went up to see Monet's gravestone. It was cool to see that as well. The sun had just came out, and was highlighting the flowers. There was also the sound of the choir singing in the small stone church. It was a great moment.
I chose this experience because it was an unexpected joy. I liked relaxing and seeing a really rural area. It was a nice change from busy Paris. And it was stunning. The people in the village were also very different from Parisians. They were humble, kind and less rushed. Everything moved slower. Sometimes you need those moments. I would recommend a visit here for a more unique experience.
5) Food!
I cannot talk about Paris without mentioning the food. Wow. That is all I can say about it. I ate very well in Paris. I also quickly understood how important the food attitude is in Paris. Parisians live to eat. Eating is a completely different experience than it is in America. The goal in Paris is to enjoy your food. More commonly, in America, the goal is to eat quickly and get the meal done with so you can do other things. Another difference is that French focus on the enjoyableness of food and Americans tend to think more about the composition of food (such as calorie content, fat content, etc.). It was cool to eat somewhere that had such a different ideology and value system. I ate at several cafes and got to enjoy some delicious coffees and cappuccinos. I also tasted some yummy crepes and of course, baguettes. Almost every meal I ate at a restaurant was served with a fresh baguette. It was so delicious with its crunchy, flavorful crust and its soft, warm inside. Wow. Just thinking about it now makes me want to go back!
As I mentioned earlier, I visited a bakery while on the bike tour. I ordered cheese bread that was out of this world. It reminded me of a cheese bagel, but ten times better! It was fantastic. The bakery had so many different kinds of bread too. Laura, my roommate, got a chocolate chip bread.
I also had French Onion Soup. The version I had consisted of a really savory and rich broth, a few onions, tons of cheese and chunks of bread in it. Wow. It was so amazing. One funny thing I noticed was that my steak came with French fries. Normally, one would not associate French fries with steak, because they are usually paired with burgers. I also had a cheeseburger at a restaurant and it was very different than what I was expecting. It had meat, cheese, bun and 3 sauces! One was a relish, the other a vinegar-based mayo and the third was a BBQ sauce. It was actually really good.
Another cool experience I had with food was the breakfast buffet at the hotel. It was extensive! They had some American items, like pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon but they also had baskets of pastries and bread, meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables and jams. I ate a ton and enjoyed every moment.
One night before we went on an evening cruise along the Seine I asked Johan about whether or not I would be able to find somewhere open to eat afterwards. He smiled and said you never have to worry about eating in Paris. There is always good food to eat. That is so true. If you ever go to Paris, expect to eat very well :)
Despite the amount of food I noticed the French paradox, which is that even though their foods are rich, most French individuals do not have obesity. Many say this is because of the exercise they have. Others say it is because of the red wine. Still others say it is because they use un-adultured foods. Who knows? Eating in Paris caused me to reform my food attitudes a little.
I won't keep you in the dark though! Paris is quite expensive, especially if you are staying in a hotel near the Louvre or Eiffel Tower. We were on the outskirts which saved a lot of money when it came to dining. Another quick thing is that in Paris you usually have to motion the waiter when you want the check. They will not be in a rush to bring it most of the time. Another reinforcer of the differences in food attitudes.
Well, that is a summary of what I experienced in Paris. It is highly condensed and there is so much I left out because of the interest of time, and I don't want to bore anyone. If you have questions, I am happy to answer them or tell more stories, like I mentioned previously : I have some great ones!
One thing I have encountered recently is the fact that in the future I may be asked to defend my choice to participate in Semester at Sea. I have thought about it a lot. The truth is that even though we only spend a few days in port, we learn a lot about how to be culturally sensitive. The short amount of time allows us to take in more and to experience as much as we can. Some would argue that visiting a country for three days is hardly enough to truly know a culture, and they are right. It is not enough time. However, this experience is unique and special because it challenges me. Instead of remaining in one place, forming a comfort zone and a sense of permanency, I decided to push the limits and explore the world. I am constantly bombarded with change, uncertainty and new things. If you knew me before this, you would understand what this trip means for me. I was never very flexible, especially in the face of change. New things terrified me and I was happy staying where I was, in my bubble. But everything I see and do is new. It is threatening by nature but I am embracing it. Sure, there are days that are harder than others, but I am proud to say that I had enough courage to try. By the end I hope to have become even more adventurous. Baby steps! :) I feel now that I want to see more of the world and to return someday to these countries, as an independent traveler. This experience has already impacted my life, and I am so thankful for it and for the support I have received and been given by close friends and family.
Okay, enough of that! I hope you enjoyed! Sending Hugs! :)
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