Happy Thanksgiving!!

So here I am in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, knowing that all my friends and family back at home will soon be celebrating Thanksgiving. It feels a little strange. Tonight we had a Thanksgiving Dinner on the ship, which was actually pretty good. I was worried because the food on the ship has been steadily deteriorating. They do a great job, however when it is a special occasion. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes - only thing missing was the green bean casserole! I love that stuff. But hey, I can’t complain. I will say, however, that it did feel a little like I was in the military, going through a buffet line with my dinner tray and sitting down with my coworkers at a table so far away from home. I thought about how the soldiers away from their families must feel on holidays... I guess being on this voyage has made me think a lot about war, military, foreign policy. They could have taught entire courses on war and how it has affected each and every place we have visited. There is so much that I wish would change. But I want to focus on what I am thankful for, and this year I have a lot on that list. A few days ago, it was International Day of the Child, and it was by far my favorite Global Studies lecture on the ship. I was reminded of children in my life, grateful for the new little ones who are on their way, and those who’ve been born since I left the US. I was inspired again to work harder for children’s issues abroad. There are so many children in the world who live in poverty and poor health or under oppressive governments. We have visited some of those places. There are far worse conditions out there than much of what we saw. I want to do something to help change that, and the professors who spoke that day offered so much hope, at least to me. Surprisingly, the professor I found the most intriguing was the Professor of Economics (I have never been interested in economics before). But, she talked about ways in which we can help poorer nations raise their economy, how we can encourage both private citizens and corporations as well as government to give to organizations whose missions are to eradicate or alleviate such problems as poverty, homelessness, AIDS, hunger, lack of education and health care. I was so inspired hearing her speak, and believed that with enough people out there like her, we can make a difference. I hope that the students on this voyage were struck by some of the people we’ve met, the sights we’ve seen, and the messages particularly from the lecture on that day as much as I was, and I hope they are moved to do something to help. We had an auction the other night that raised thousands of dollars that we will donate to one or more charities of our choice (I hope we select organizations that will feed and educate children, empower women, and fight oppression). I have to say though it was really strange for me to be in a room full of students who could spend $600 to impersonate a staff member, $300 to take a bubble bath, $900 on a plastic globe, or $150 to play a game of RISK with one of the faculty’s kids. And these weren’t even the high ticket items! Some students spent thousands. It is always amazing for me to see the disparity between the rich and the poor. I have certainly seen that on this trip, traveling around with mostly affluent students, but visiting countries where poverty is the norm. Still, I have met many great people. Rich, poor, old, young, American, Asian, European, African. Each has touched me in some way. There are so many things that I am thankful for. This trip is one of them. Here are a few more. 1. My family – everyone is in good health, happy, employed, loved. They are supportive and encouraging and have followed me along this journey. I miss them.2. My friends back home, who are like family to me. I’m thankful for all the emails, blog comments, letters (those really did mean a lot!). I’ve thought about you all often, and am lucky to have you in my life. 3. My job, my boss and coworkers at UCLA, and SMC, for being so supportive of my journey and for picking up any loose ends I may have left behind. 4. The opportunities I’ve had in my life to travel, to become educated, to make many of my own choices, to grow up in a safe place, to never have gone hungry, and to have lived in a society, that while flawed, affords many freedoms that do not exist for women in many other societies. 5. The friends I have made on this voyage, both on and off the ship, those who I know I’ll see again, and those I hope I will not forget. I may not have been able to outbid the student who spent $2700 for a week in Sun Valley, Idaho (even if it was for charity), but I have been given more than I could have hoped for and am fortunate in more ways than I can adequately express. I am so grateful. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.