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Wednesday, December 10 ("Ambassador's Ball"/ sailing to Miami): Tonight the entire shipboard community dressed up and had a fancy smanchy dinner; I sat with Curtis, Becca, Shalina, & Nikki. After dinner we danced in the faculty/staff lounge.
Thursday, December 11 ("Panama Canal & Academic Gallery"/ sailing to Miami): It was great to go through the Panama Canal! The concept of the canal is pretty amazing. Basically Panama Canal consists of three locks (really man-made lakes) that assist in elevating ships back up to the Atlantic Ocean; without the Panama Canal shortcut, ships would have to go out a considerable way to get to the Atlantic, then back up to the U.S. The U.S. owns property on each side of the canal.
Anyway, the MV Explorer entered the first lock, then men filled the lock with water and the ship rose up to the next lock. This happened three times during the course of the day. I only stayed to see the first lock because I was hosting the Academic Gallery. The event began a few years ago as a way to highlight creative, excellent student work. I was told ISE wants to keep the Academic Gallery alive, so I coordinated faculty nominations of students, then met with nominated students, etc.
Honestly, for the past few weeks of coordinating this event, I felt like I was herding cats; it was such a challenge to get faculty and students to jump on board. Well, in fairness, I had the support three committed faculty members, but others had energy elsewhere. Although coordinating was a pain, the event came together nicely with a mini social justice conference (sessions hosted by students) AND student papers, artwork, digital stories were displayed in multiple classrooms; students who read their poetry and showed digital stories attracted the largest audience. Overall, I wish more students would have attended the Academic Gallery, but they were either watching the Panama transit or tanning by the pool…most are "finished" with school.
Sunday, December 14 ("360 degrees"/ MIAMI!): I came full circle. Over the course of the past four months, I circumnavigated the globe. I sailed around the world. What an accomplishment! Now, in hindsight, I can be in awe of the experience. For 108 days a community of people floated on the Atlantic, Indian, & Pacific Oceans AND felt soil in twelve countries. I had the privilege to witness humility in India, reconciliation in South Africa, forgiveness in Cambodia & Vietnam, and kindness in Japan.
During the journey, I met inspiring people and interacted with a few jerks. I danced. I laughed. I encouraged. I cried. I climbed. I walked. I hugged. I nurtured. I reflected. I appreciated. I shared. I lead. I opened.
And like a flying fish that jumps out of the ocean, glides across the top, then dives back into the ocean…I lived outside of my comfort zone (out of water), even when I really did not want to do so. Without a doubt, I know that I am extremely fortunate and privileged. I can say, without a doubt, that SAS has changed me; at the moment I cannot fully articulate each change, but I know I have grown new ears, new eyes, new taste buds, a new voice, new perspectives and each one probably sits just beneath the surface.
This afternoon I kissed the MV Explorer, my floating home, one last time. I flew from Miami to Washington, DC and when I exited the plane, I realized that I literally exited the same airport gate I entered four months ago. On August 25 Ranetta dropped me off at gate B6 and on December 14 she picked me up at gate B6. Indeed, I had come full circle.
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