My new blog can be found here. Of Life's Lemons is where I will be writing from here on out. Follow me there and on twitter at @OfLifesLemons!

Also if you would like to see photographs of Semester at Sea and other adventures, visit me at my website. sarahlemelin.smugmug.com

Until next time....

if All Of Your Friends Jumped Off of A Bridge Would You Jump Too?

I never realized how large the Pacific Ocean was until I spent nearly twenty days sailing across it. Miles and miles, of blue water and yet, I still haven’t seen any dolphins… Finally after all that sailing, when our stomachs were really getting tired of ship food, we arrived in Costa Rica.

Now, keep in mind that every port thus far has been either inside a major city or within walking distance to a substantial skyline. Walking off the gangway into Puntarenas we were met by one story buildings cracking at their foundations, the village market selling local crafts and men standing in front of old VW Buses they called “taxis.” We were three hours from the next largest city…

And yet, my time in Costa Rica was by far the most thrilling adventure yet! First off the ship we went on a Canopy tour full of 12 zip lines, which sent you flying thousands of feet off the ground.

Leaving the tour group behind at the canopy tour Jackie, Mark, Steph and I piled into the rickety VW Bus which our driver insisted would get us to the Arenal Volcano faster than any other taxi in town. Skeptical as I was at first, after winding around cliff side turns at sixty miles an hour, I was only worried about getting their alive, not quickly.

I wish I could write that I saw terrifying amounts of violent, spewing lava and that our lives were constantly in danger, but unfortunately I cannot claim any of that. In fact the Volcano was probably the least thrilling part of our trip, since a cloud was blocking the view almost entirely and we could barely see the outline of a cone-shaped mountain.

Our driver suggested a late night trip to a hot spring spa, and even though it was nearly 1AM, we decided to take his advice, not really expecting to be thrilled, just looking for something resembling a shower. Much to our delight, we soon learned that hot springs are like water parks! There were so many cool pools and the craziest scariest, probably really unsafe, waterslides I have ever been on. We all lost our tops…(but got them back pretty fast) We ran around like screaming children for two hours before the Spa finally closed at 3am.

The title of this entry you ask? Well, my answer is a vehement, No. I wouldn’t jump, but I would let someone push me. Yes, bungee-jumping, the one thing I promised my mother I would not do and the one thing that I actually was terrified doing. Skydiving, meh, Shark cage diving… whatever. Bungee is scary!

Mark, (the boy who is terrified of heights), jumped of his own accord, he even made it look easy. Jackie, fidgeted on the plat form but, “Three…Two… One…Jump!” and she did. And Stephanie, I don’t think she hesitated for millisecond.

However, when it was my turn, I stood at the end of the platform. Completely frozen. They counted down probably ten times, and even the public humiliation of Costa Rican laughter would not make me budge. Finally, they pushed me. And as I plunged toward certain death, I couldn’t scream, or shake, or think. I just fell.

Thankfully, I lived and was risen to the applause of about forty tourists and on-lookers. After purchasing our 1^st (and in my case last) bungee t-shirts, we headed back towards the ship to conclude our time in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica was sadly our last port. My next entry will come following our trip through the Panama Canal and I will be seeing you all in about a week and a half!

Aloha!

Aloha! (Kai your Home is GREAT!)

Wow, I only had twelve hours in Hawaii, which is such a tease.
Basically we were at sea for eight days and couldn't have made it all
the way to Costa Rica without refueling and picking up some food. So
they gave us one day in Hawaii to stretch our legs before another ten
days at sea.

Being at sea has been really nice after moving non-stop through Asia.
It's giving us all time to catch up on work and journals. We've gotten
back into our routine of going to school during the day and then
playing games and hanging out at night. I have to say it's so
wonderful not having TV and Internet all the time. We play so many
games and they have a ton of nighttime activities, which everyone gets
really into. I am definitely cutting back on the TV and Internet when
I get home.

Time changes between Japan and Hawaii were brutal. One everyday for
six days. We were going to class at three AM at one point and none of
us could fall asleep because we were going to bed around 6PM. One day,
three of us pulled an all nighter and stayed up for breakfast and
class then slept all day because we couldn't fall asleep at night.
It's really challenging to adjust when we loose hours night after
night. Now I think I'm six hours behind the East Coast, or something.

Hawaii was beautiful. I thought it would be over rated, but its really
not. It was so strange to be back in the US. Even though it's so
different from the mainland, it was so weird! There were so many
things I have forgotten about completely, like mini-vans and Home
Depot! Everyone was white and spoke English, cars stopped for people
who crossed the road instead of just speeding up and the exchange rate
was 1 to 1! No one told us about the new five-dollar bills and when we
got one in change we all crowded around it amazed. Crazy how much we
felt like tourists in our own country.

I went to Pearl Harbor in the morning, which was interesting having
just come from Hiroshima. The two memorials are extremely different.
Then we spent most of the of the day surfing on Waikiki. I love
surfing and I wish the Atlantic Ocean wasn't so cold! Once the sun
went down we got some dinner and pushed "On-ship" time to the limit,
but we made it.

So I promised answers in this e-mail and here we go…

In Tokyo Sarah…
A. Became a movie star on giant HDTV's at the Sony building
B. Decided to use a "Safety-self Piercer" to pierce her eyebrow in
Harijuku, the trendiest section of Tokyo.
C. Joined a Sumo wrestling team because she has gotten so fat from the
delicious Asian food she has been eating for the past month.
D. Decided that Anime is the coolest thing ever and bought clothes so
she could dress like her favorite character

Everyone got this one right! (A) I guess you all know me and know
I'm to afraid to needles to self-pierce myself or think Anime is cool
enough to dress like.

After arriving at the base of MT. Fuji, Sarah spent the day…
A. Taking a public bath at a luxurious hot spring
B. Screaming not because its fun, but because she was scared for her
life on two world record breaking roller coasters
C. Not being able to hike the mountain, but getting another stamp in
her passport
D. All of the above
E. Create your own answer

I did all of those things! THE BEST ROLLER COASTERS EVER! Public baths
ROCK, Why don't we have those?!?! And the mountain was closed to
hiking cause its winter and well, the stamp in my passport… is a whole
other story. I got some great create your own answers for this one…
Thanks everyone!

On the last day in Japan…
A. Sara lost her voice singing Karaoke at ten in the morning while
devouring ice-cream sundaes made with cereal.
B. Sara was almost one of four people left behind as the ship pulled
away because she left her passport on the bullet train
C. Sara took over one hundred photos of a man shaving his beard
D. Create your own Answer
E. Both A and C, but not B because we all know that Sara never looses anything…

The answer is E! Of course I didn't loose my passport on the train!
Shame on you who thought I did! That happened to my neighbor who was
left behind and we might not see till Miami. I feel really bad for the
four people left behind in Japan. Karaoke is cool; we need that in the
US too! And the man shaving his beard was Mark who grew it out through
Africa and Asia. Shout-out to his parents who read my blog- See you in
Miami!

Well everyone I will be seeing you in about three weeks. Probably
only one more update till I get home. I miss everyone and I'm excited
to see you all : )

The last e-mail for a long time!

Japan!

Sadly, Japan marks the end of the Asian Explosion Tour. I can't
believe that I spent the past month in Asia with only a few days of
school. Teachers gave up during those days and we pretty much just
watched movies and talked about where we had been or where we were
going. Everyone is in the same boat (haha, pun intended), always tired
yet excited for the next port and not willing to think about school
work.

What a delightful country Japan is, I never expected to enjoy it so
much. One of my "favorites" I think! The people are the kindest and
most willing to be of service that we have encountered throughout the
world. Though few of them speak English, they are willing to
personally walk you three blocks to make sure you arrive at your
destination, or will make phone calls arranging hotels and
transportation for you with a proud smile on their face.

We bought the Japan railpass, which allowed us to take the bullet
train to any part of the country. Bullet trains are exhilaratingly
fast and allow you to city hop back and forth in no time at all. We
started out in Hiroshima, which was very enlightening. Forgive my lack
of literary embellishment but, all I can say is I hope no country,
especially the USA, is ever that stupid again. While there we saw a
baseball game. The Japanese LOVE baseball and the games rival the
intensity of Brazilian football games. So it was my second big
sporting event on this trip and I enjoyed it a lot.

Over the next two days we went to Mt. Fuji, Tokyo and explored the
port city of Kobe…

For the rest of my e-mail I decided to spice it up a bit. Since I'm
sure your all getting bored of me divulging my adventures, lets see if
you know me well enough by now to pick out what happened. Take a stab
at the questions below and (if you want) e-mail me your answers. I'll
attach the answers to my next e-mail/blog.

In Tokyo Sarah…
A. Became a movie star on giant HDTV's at the Sony building
B. Decided to use a "Safety-self Piercer" to pierce her eyebrow in
Harijuku, the trendiest section of Tokyo.
C. Joined a Sumo wrestling team because she has gotten so fat from the
delicious Asian food she has been eating for the past month.
D. Decided that Anime is the coolest thing ever and bought clothes so
she could dress like her favorite character

After arriving at the base of MT. Fuji, Sarah spent the day…
A. Taking a public bath at a luxurious hot spring
B. Screaming not because its fun, but because she was scared for her
life on two world record breaking roller coasters
C. Not being able to hike the mountain, but getting another stamp in
her passport
D. All of the above
E. Create your own answer

On the last day in Japan…
A. Sara lost her voice singing Karaoke at ten in the morning while
devouring ice-cream sundaes made with cereal.
B. Sara was almost one of four people left behind as the ship pulled
away because she left her passport on the bullet train
C. Sara took over one hundred photos of a man shaving his beard
D. Create your own Answer
E. Both A and C, but not B because we all know that Sara never looses anything…

Love you All!
Sara

India! For once the internet works!

Namaste!

            The first country of our "Asian Explosion Tour," as one of my friends calls it, has sadly come and gone. Over the next five weeks we only have nine days of class and the rest of the time we are exploring, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and Japan. Woo!

            Writing about India seems like such an arduous task. The five days I spent traveling through Chennai, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur were probably the most intense days I have had throughout the semester. We traveled non-stop with nights ending at midnight and days starting at 4AM.

            They told us that the only way to understand India was to see it, feel it, and smell it. This statement was certainly true, which we all realized when about a mile away from port the smell of pollution began to sink through our ventilation system. The crew began wrapping our outdoor decks in plastic to protect them from the dust and grime and they tapped cardboard on top of all the carpets throughout the ship.

            After the most intense customs check we have had since Puerto Rico, I had to run with two other girls to make our flight to Delhi. Taxi's are scarce in India and we were told they aren't very fast. So, we opted for a ride on an Auto Rickshaw. These so-called "vehicles" are like three wheeled motorcycles with thin tin roofs and small seats to carry passengers. As your driver weaves literally within inches of buses, trucks and cars you get the feeling you are on a roller coaster ride, only, without the seat belts, safety precautions and shoulder bars. I thought it was loads of fun and we arrived at the airport with plenty of time.

            In Delhi we stayed at the "Hotel Perfect" and were conveniently close to the downtown markets. The next day, after the rest of our group had arrived, the 9 of us headed to the train station at 4AM, in order to get to Agra. I was downright shocked at how non-touristy the Taj Mahal was. I expected paved streets, western gift shops, oversized tour buses and crowds of American and Asian tourists. Happily I can report that none of these things were present to taint the most beautiful building in the world. It was for lack of better words amazing and I would implore you all to go there before the western world invades.

            My group, in case you were wondering, traveled independently without anyone from SAS baby-sitting us and I must say this is the only way to do it. We had a tour guide who educated us about the Taj Mahal and other sites, but was under our hire and therefore did not herd us around like the cattle of the SAS groups. We also managed to travel to more cities and see more for about one thousand dollars less than what they charged. My traveling skills have greatly improved and I know they will only continue to enhance.

            After seeing the Taj Mahal we visited the Agra Fort and other places before making our way to Jaipur. Jaipur, known as the "Pink City" was wonderful and our time there was extra special since we were the only SAS students who made it to that city. After another day in Delhi, visiting the Gandhi memorial, Birla Temple, and an outdoor market we flew back to Chennai.

            They call India the "Land of contrasts" which I have learned is certainly true. One minute I would see something that me laugh until my stomach hurt and then the next I would be wiping away tears. The poverty and social problems are overwhelming and though we were warned nothing could prepare us for experiencing such contrasts. As we met children and their parents it was hard not to think about the fact that the contents of my handbag were worth more than what they make in three months.

            In India I felt more like an outsider than in any other country and yet, I felt so welcomed! Everyone thought we were from England or Australia and upon correction were even more delighted to shake our hands, take photos of us and show us around. On the plane I met the most delightful man who knew where Portsmouth, NH was because he has visited Boston twice. We talked about American politics, our families, and of course the ship and then he asked me what I thought about the food. I told him how I don't like spicy food so for the past few days all I had eaten was white rice and naan. He told me to get the vegetarian meal on the plane, because it would be bland. So I followed his advice and when it arrived he pointed to a green thing on the top and said, "try this its really good." So of course, I pick up what looks like a long green bean and take a nice big crunchy bite. Instantly my mouth, tongue, lips, and throat, erupted in flames and tears slid town my cheeks. I was gasping for air as my Indian friend looked at me in horror and exclaimed, "I told you not to eat that! Not good!" Apparently I misunderstood the accent. Through tears and wheezes I cried, "I thought it was a green bean!" I could barely breath for a good ten minutes and literally thought I was going to die on an Indian plane at 40,000 feet. The man was very kind, ran off to the stewardess and got me extra yogurt, pudding and three bottles of water. After eating all of that and drinking all the water I felt better and my taste buds started to come back. It was by far, the worst thing I have ever put into my mouth. For the rest of the trip whenever I made a jesting comment to one of my friends they would just say, "Hey Sara, I got a green bean here! You want it?"

            It's certainly hard to pick a favorite port. Carnival was amazing. Cape Town was by far the most 'fun.' But India certainly affected me unlike any country has so far. I would encourage anyone to go there and experience it for yourself. You will learn about another culture, but more importantly, you will learn about your own, and it will make you rethink everything.

            "Live simply, so others may simply live." ~Gandhi

Mauritius

Bonjour from Mauritius!

 

Mauritius is a beautiful little country. I'm sure some of you have never even heard of it, or hadn't until I told you I was going there. Personally, I knew nothing about it, but how exciting to visit a country that isn't even on some world maps!

 

We did spend the first day at the beach. Swimming in the Indian Ocean was so fun and warm, we stayed in for hours without getting sick of it. Some of our friends decided to rent a villa for the three nights we were in port and said that we were welcome to stay there for one night. The town was quiet and they had their own private beach, and most importantly they were about half a mile away from 24 hour bumper cars, so we decided to stay. We did the bumper cars and I think it's safe to say that Mauritian people don't do bumper cars the same way Americans do. Slamming into each other at full speed while having no mercy, we eventually attracted a crowd that seemed to be fascinated with our barbaric ways. We also made a little boy cry… Ooops.

 

I finally found Nemo, when we went snorkeling the next day. This was probably my favorite part of Mauritius, you know me and fishies!

 

The third day was completely reserved for hiking in the south of the island. The national park was full of waterfalls, gorges and high mountains that made for beautiful jungle hikes.

 

On the last day, my friends, Jackie, Steph and I were invited to go out with John, the photographer on the ship, and his wife Sue. Hanging out with John and Sue is like hanging out with, John Lennon and Yoko, (If Yoko was the coolest person ever). So we were pretty stoked. We woke up at 4:30 AM to go to a sacred Hindu lake in the south where all week long Hindu's have been making a pilgrimage in order to celebrate, Maha Shivatree. This pilgrimage is the second largest gathering of Hindu's in the world, outside of India. It was extremely interesting and we were welcomed into the whole ceremony by a very friendly man who took us around and showed us every step of the worshiping process. All he wanted in return for the tour was a copy of a photo taken with John's "big camera." It was a very long but amazing day full of meeting people, learning about the Hindu religion.

 

Life is good on ship, we dock in India in five days and then we only have seven days of classes over the course of a month while we travel through Asia. Oh boy!

 

Love you all!

Sara

Cape Town

Cape Town is officially my favorite city ever. It is so beautiful and full of things to do. 97% of SAS students spend their time in SA on an overpriced safari where they might get to see some cool animals. That's sweet but I don't regret deciding to hang out in the city and forgo the safari. Six days in Capetown is barely long enough.

I will give you the laundry list of things I have done so far. Everyday has been packed to the max and this is the first port where we haven't had any time to "just walk around and explore"

I went out to Cape Point with my friend Jackie to see where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean and to see the African Penguin reserve. We got an awesome taxi driver for the whole day who was really good to us and played lots his favorite African music. The Penguins are ADORABLE. (Christy I thought of you!) And Cape Point was really cool as well.
That night we hiked Lion's Head mountain with a bunch of friends for sunset and for the full moon. Hiking is my new favorite thing to do, tomorrow we are going up Table Mountain.

The next day was the big day, Mark and I went SHARK CAGE DIVING!!! We were startled when one rammed into the cage. We screamed underwater but then we were all really excited that it happened. It took the whole day and there were only ten people on our boat which normally takes 25 so we got to dive with the sharks as much as we wanted! At night we saw the Cape Town Philharmonic Symphony because we read about it in the newspaper. They were accompanied by a choir which was awesome and we were the only Semester At Sea students there so that was a nice change.

Yesterday I took the train to the Winelands to explore and take some beautiful countryside photos. The whole day only cost me about 5-6 American dollars because we took the train which was quite enjoyable and really cheap. Last night it was our friend Connor's birthday so we went out to dinner at an authentic South African Restaurant where a live band was playing. I ate Crocodile and Wart-hog! Crocodile is Delicious! I highly recommend trying it. And the Wart-hog was pretty tasty as well.

Well thats all for now. I wrote this really fast so please forgive the typos. Hope Everyone is doing well!