Manaus, Brazil

I have had another great adventure in another wonderful country called Brazil. For the past week, the MV Explorer has been traveling slowly down the Amazon first reaching Manaus, where we stopped for five days, then doubling back to exit the Amazon and out to the Atlantic ocean. This stop was very different then our first stop, Dominica. It was very much a city. It was dangerous. It was big. It was a lot of fun.

For this port I had the first day free to walk around the port. We found a street market where there were venders, clothing booths, and souvenir places. My friends and I walked through the market and up to the Teatro Amazonas, which is an opera house. We did not get to go in, unfortunately, but there were some outside performances, which were pretty amazing.

After a long day of getting lost we headed back to the ship and ate dinner. During dinner we found out that the owner of a school of samba had invited all of SAS to his school. So, all 600 of us piled into taxis and made our way over to the school of samba. Here a band of students played drums and other percussion instruments while we all danced and learned the samba. Now, I don't know if you know what the samba dance looks like but I had not idea. So I was surprised to find out that it was essentially just jumping back and forth very quickly from one foot to the other and using spirit fingers at about mid waist level. But you are also doing this with a partner so while you are jumping and using spirit figures you are leaning forward and backwards in unison with your partner. It really was a lot of fun to dance to. And the locals were very friendly. They all wanted to dance with everyone. 


Manaus, Brazil was a lot of fun. I really did enjoy it. But my absolute favorite was the time I spent floating down the Amazon on a riverboat and sleeping on hammocks. When all 36 of us stepped on the boat we received locally made necklaces and a warm welcome from our two guides, Fabio and Alan. During their welcome speech, we found out that there were two bathrooms, a girls and a guys; a shower that was out in the open on the top deck; and running water that we were pulling from the Amazon River it's self. So needless to say, we were seriously roughing it. After we dowsed our self in sunscreen and bug spray we got into little boats where we fished for piranha which we would later eat that day. Between me and two of my friends we caught about 20 and there were 36 of us so you can image how many fish were flopping around our feet in the canoes. It really was a lot of fun. Then we went cayman hunting. Caymans are a type of crocodile, and after Fabio caught on with his hand I decided I wanted to try. I succeeded! It was amazing. It was such a rush! Fabio was impressed because when I first asked him he laughed at me. He was like, “no Melissa, It is too dangerous.” But he was going to let some boys do it so I told him I was serious and if the boys got to then I should too. So Fabio finally gave in and when I actually caught one he was like, “wow, Melissa, that was awesome.” So I had a great time!

The next day, we rode for 3 hours in our boat to a small village of Acajatuba. The people who lived in the village were known as cabloclos. This refers to the race of people who are part Indigenous and part Portuguese. The people were very nice. We toured their homes and saw their super market. One of the most interesting things I found was when I interacted with the kids. One child was trying to teach me a hand game. Now I am sure you have all heard of "double double this this" it's a really common patty cake type of game that I learned growing up. And these children in a small village in the middle of the forest were trying to teach it to me. It amazed me to see something that is so simple and minute be so universal. It really showed me how connected our world really is. 


After we left that village we went to a small beach where we actually swam in the Amazon River! Fabio told us that is was a safe part and as long as we did not pee in the river we would be fine. Apparently, there is a fish that is attracted to urine and will swim upstream, if you catch my drift, and it’s really painful later. There is also a microscopic thing that can be soaked into you skin. But I’m still alive so I think I am okay at this point.

After swim, we went back to the boat then out to fish some more. We didn’t catch as many this time but it was still fun. We also saw some dolphins. They have two types. One is pink! Then we headed back for super and went to bed after a few vigorous games of mafia.

We rose the next day very early. Remember we are sleeping outside on hammocks in the boat so we basically rose with the sun. Those were some of the most beautiful sunrises ever! After a short breakfast we went for a hike through the jungle. Fabio told us to wear long sleeves, pants and closed toed shoes, but when we met our guide through the jungle he was in shorts and a t-shirt and BARE FOOT carrying a machete. We learned lots about the trees and what sap cures what bacteria and what bug juice repelled mosquitoes. It was very interesting. The people in these villages literally survive off the forest but they also take care of the forest. When we were finished with our hike we came back to the boat, ate lunch, and went to another village called the Terra Preta village. The people in this village were Indians. Their president’s name was Raphael and he was 26 years old!!! This was a village of 36 families. Each family had roughly 10 kids which means there village was about 360 people and 40% of that was children. We played soccer with them and visited their school as well. They go to school during the dry season which is November December January. In this village there are three different languages. But everyone is expected to learn Portuguese on top of that. They only teach up to about 8th grade then if they want to further their education they have to take a boat either to another village or Manaus. Everyone in the village works together and pitches in. It was so cool to see that kind of cooperation between people. We also played soccer against them. I played some 8 and 9 year olds and they beat me. The rest of our trip with filled with more fishing and a last night party where we played musical chairs and limbo and ate our piranha we caught. Over the entire trip was such a wonderful experience and I learned so much. 

Roseau, Dominica

So, like I said before my first port was in Dominica. Which is actually pronounced Dom- i- nee- ca, with the accent over the "nee" part. So basically, we could not have stopped at a better first port. It was so amazing. There was so much to do and so much to see. We were there on Sunday and Monday and set sail again Monday night. Sunday was so amazing. I was so excited to get off the boat that I got up at 7 am and was ready to go by 8 Unfortunately I did not get off the boat till about 9 But it wasn't too bad. When we got off the boat the town was dead. I mean no one was out except the taxi drivers. So Sarah, a guy named Dillon, and I walked about for a bit before heading back so Sarah could catch her planned trip. But while we walked around we found a little church and watched the service for a while. It was really neat. Every one was dancing and singing. The whole place was packed. that must have been where every one was. The whole island is not that big. It only takes like 3 hours to get across the whole island. Lucky for us though the tourist attractions where still open. After Sarah met up with her group Dillon and I and Somme other people set out to a place called Trafalgar falls. It was a place with a twin waterfalls. It was the most beautiful thing ever. It was also really cool because the water fall water was about 65 degrees but there was a spring running right next to it that was 85 to 90 degrees. See the island was an active volcano so there were certain springs that were naturally heated by the lava running under the earth. It was so cool to be able to go back and forth between cold and hot water that was naturally occurring right next to each other. I have to say that Trafalgar falls was my favorite trip on that island. When we reached the bottom of the waterfalls we could actually swim right under neither and through it. It was so cool. After we headed back to the doc so i could meet up with another group of people that I was to go kayaking this. Kayaking was okay. It was a lot of work but it was fun too. We started out in a river and kayaked down into the ocean then back up stream some to an end place. Along the way we saw people fishing and cleaning the fish they caught. We also got to try fresh coconut, oranges, grapefruit, and sugar cane. I had never had sugar cane before and it was pretty good. You chewed on the cane and sucked out the sugar water. Then other took us back to the ship where I was very exhausted. I took a nap, ate dinner and showered. Now what happened next was so fun. Remember that it is Sunday and nothing was opened. But the locals were so excited that we were staying the night that they opened some bars up just for us. It was so cool because the bar was so authentic. We went to a place called JR's first then to a place called crazy coconut. Jr's had an opened roof so when it started raining on us we all just danced harder and had more fun. Then we made our way over to the crazy coconut which was all black lighted. This place was pretty cool!  At one point Sarah and I were dancing and we looked up and there were about five locals surrounding us. At this point we were like, "ooo, got to go..." so we moved to a different spot and it was fine. We headed home about 1130 because, A. We had been out since about 8 and B. We had to get up at 730 the next morning.
        So, the pent day was pretty amazing too. Sarah, Lauren, Dillon, some other people, and me all met up to go canyoning. Essentially, this is repelling down canyons. It was really cool because there were waterfalls and rivers flowing all around us. Unfortunately, it was raining so the water high and dangerous to canyon in the starting place. But they took us to another spot where were able to repel down into some water a couple of times. It was rally scary at first. I almost cried. Lowering yourself down over a 90 degree angle of a cliff and then down 80 feet made me a little nervous. But after the first time, I had no trouble and wanted to do it over and over again.
        After we were done canyoning, we walked around town a bit and did some shopping. Then we got back on the boat showered up, ate dinner, and went to bed. All in all, Dominica was an amazing place and  I highly recommend you traveling there. My room mate made fun of me for saying ts but i have no other way of explaining the island so here goes, I call it a hidden treasure. No one knows about it, but it is so amazing!

Finally on the ship

Well, after a year and a half of planning and talking and thinking, semester at sea is finally here. And let me tell you, it was so rough getting here. 
So, right now it is about midnight, it is my first night on the ship. I have met my room mate. Her name is Lauren and so far we are getting along really well. It is nice to have something go right after everything going wrong trying to get here. Let me start from the beginning. We were supped to leave on Monday, January 10. But Dallas had SNOW! What Dallas never has snow. So my mom cancelled our first flight, which was good cause the air like ended up canceling it any way. So mom moved our flight for the 11th. Mind you this only gives us one day to get everything together if anything went wrong. Well, everything went wrong. We get on the first flight which was delayed, start to pull way from the gate then end up having to turn around because of "engine trouble." when. Get back to the gate, they ended up letting some one else on the plane. So I think it was some one important of famous or something and there was no engine trouble to begin with. So not our flight is 1 hour late, but that's all the time we have between this flight and our next flight. But luckily that flight was delayed an hour as well. So we got there in time. At this point we are ready for things to start going right. However, our second flight wasn't just delayed an hour. It was delayed 2 1/2 hours. One of those hours we spent on a bus crammed full of other people. When we finally did get on the plane, there was too much weight so they had to defuel. Now everyone is just frustrated. But it doesn't stop here. When we landed, they lost our luggage. So I'm thinking great, I'm not going to have clothes for three months! I was at the airport for so long trying to get a claim on my bag, but their Internet wasn't working so I couldn't even do that. I ended up giving the baggage number which they wrote down and finally got to the hotel around 10 pm. I was supposed to be there around 3 pm... 
Any way, my bags finally arrived at the hotel around midnight and after a good night sleep I was ready to get on the ship. Now I am here, about to go to bed, and can't wait for what is to come. my mom saw us leave the port and waved good bye. I have a good room mate. And tomorrow is full of orientations and getting to know our professors. Get ready for some interesting stories, this is going to be quite a semester! 

Let the planning stop and the adventure begin

In 8 days I will be on my way to Nassau, Bahamas, where I will them embark on my great adventure you all have been hearing about for the past year. I am so excited. I cannot believe it is finally here! Vie been planning and making packing lists and such for about two months now. This this next week will be filled with actually buying the stuff I need and packing. Apparently I am only allowed to bring two bags. But what i think I will do is pack for maybe 10 to 14 days and just reassure and stuff. Then I will bring two nice dresses and maybe 5 nice tops with my good jeans. I am so excited to just finally get there. I think i am most nervous about the first week. You know learning the ship, meeting friends, learning the rules, and of course how it is kind of nerve wrecking to think about the fact that i will just not be in the US for about 4 months. But again I just can't wait. I have signed up for about 8 pre sail trips. That just refers to the certain trips I can sign up for before i even get on the boat. So for example my first trip that i have signed up for is in the Dominica. I will be staying on a river boat for three nights and four days. Upon arrival I get a hammock and a fishing pole. We will float down the river, catching our own fish and doing all sorts of other adventure. Another trip that i will be doing is in India. I will be living in a village for three days where I will learn the art of living. I will be leaning things like yoga and  breathing excersizes. It came highly recommended by SAS and plus it is supposed to help anxiety which is something I definitely struggle with. 
there are also trips that i sign up for once I get on the boat. These are things like FDPs or other last minute excursions. And FDP is a faculty direct practica. They are trips that I have to take for my classes specifically in order to pass the class. I'm not so excited for those because a lot of time i have to right papers and stuff. But it shouldn't be too bad. I'm excited for my classes too. See while I am sailing and at sea we have to go to class. That means I will be in class for a total of 11 days straight at one point. But then while we are at port classes are paused and we get out and do our trips and field experiences. 
So over all, it is safe to say that i am mostly excited and a little nervous. It will be a nice break from actual school. And some of my classes will transfer. Then when I get back it will be a summer full of catching up and studying for the rest of my classes. I feel that it will be super worth it though. Next time you will hear from me, I WILL BE ON A BOAT!!! :)