Now that we are halfway (and a half hour*) around the world, Semester at Sea participants take a moment to look back at that for which we are most grateful:
1. The wonderful crew and officers of the MV Explorer who keep us safe, fed and running smoothly.
2. The experience of waking up in a different country every week.
3. The new friends we have made with whom to share these experiences.
4. The power of sign language and the ultimate universal language: smiling.
5. Sunshine and clear skies to appreciate the awesome views of the horizon from the outer decks.
6. The sight of the MV Explorer lit up and welcoming us “home” after a long day of adventures in country.
7. Journals to document our travels and record what we see and do.
8. Clean water. Something so taken for granted in our home countries, clean water is a precious resource both on a ship and in the countries we visit.
9. Our respective homes – the farther we get, the more we realize how wonderful home really is.
10. Our role as global citizens and how that is changing with each new interaction, each new sight, sound and taste, and each new experience.
* Eastern India is GMT +4:30, so we are actually on the half hour.
