Med Sea - Classy or Trashy?

Every “sea” of students on the ship has one night during the voyage where they get to party it up in the faculty staff lounge. We’re talkin’ karaoke, beer and wine, music, dancing, and best of all, they get to hang out in the oh so coveted lounge where typically prohibited students peer in through the windows at staff and faculty sipping cocktails and unwinding from the day. Last night was my “Sea Social” and we got off to a great start when my sea decided our theme would be “Classy or Trashy”. I was classy of course; did you really have to ask? Last night was a blast. Have I mentioned how much I looove my sea? (I actually miss them sometimes when I am away from them in port). I must have a lot of fraternity and sorority girls or something, because these people really know how to throw theme parties. Hopefully I can upload some of the photos. I can’t wait to share them all with you. We had guys with mullets, short cut-off shorts, half-shirts, trucker hats, girls with red pumps, pregnant bellies drinkin’ beer, and we actually had two girls come in dresses made of trash bags! They looked amazing! Then we had the very fashionable tall dark and handsome guys dressed in pin striped three-piece suits with dark shades, and ladies in elegant new dresses, high heeled shoes and pearl necklaces. And who could forget, Evan who came dressed in drag! Everyone got into the spirit and they looked fabulous! We even got a card the next day from one of the senior adult passengers who said she had the best time ever at our social. One of the great things about the sea socials being held up in the F&S Lounge is that faculty, staff and senior passengers are invited and have a chance to hang out with the students, if they wish. Everyone really seemed to rally around the theme, and my sea has so much spirit – we had a great time! I’m thinking I need to do more theme parties back at home. Classy or Trashy at the UCLA Career Center? Ha! Just kidding, Al. Maybe at USC…. Lol. J

So, these are some of the fun things I get to do on the ship. A lot of the time, we’re in meetings, or forming committees, or talking about conduct violations, or chaperoning the pub nights, and I can sometimes get stressed out or frustrated. But then I get to do things like have a party with my sea, strategize with them for the Sea Olympics (I am doing a swimming event, lol), or simply hang out with my students and get to know them a little better. I’ve really got a wonderful group of students in my sea, and great committees for Ambassadors Ball and Ambassadors of Goodwill. So, even though it can be a lot of work, I get to meet a lot of really amazing people. That’s one of the coolest parts of taking this journey with so many other people. In my ideal world, I don’t prefer to travel in large groups with a set itinerary, and very little time in each place. But, since I cannot have my closest friends or family members on this journey, it’s comforting to know I am traveling with some really great students, staff, faculty, kids and adult passengers on board. It also helps during those times when I really miss people back home.

Tomorrow we arrive in India. I have heard a lot about this place and I am really excited to see this country for myself. I will actually be staying with a family through the local Rotary chapter, and I am ecstatic for this. Will this place with almost one billion people be chaotic, noisy and crowded? Will the countryside be lush and green as it was in Vietnam and Myanmar? Will the people be as friendly? Will I like the food? Should I drink the water? As my colleague Jordan back at UCLA says, “more will be revealed”.