King Neptune, Apartheid Day, and so much more!

Now I can fill you in on this past week at sea. There never seems to be a free moment to sit down, collect my thoughts and then type them up in any coherent way. But lucky for me, the big guy upstairs decided to intercede on my behalf and provide me with the time. You see, I did a stupid thing during my last meal in Cape Town. I sat down for dinner, popped a couple of Pepto, and then ordered a Coke. It was served with a glass of ice. I poured my Coke over the ice and took a couple of sips before I realized what I was doing. Drinking the water in Salvador is a very bad idea, and that includes the ice. I poured my Coke into an empty glass and hoped that there would be no ill effect, but I was wrong. Two days later, Dr. Matt proudly informed the ship that for the first time ever, S@S left Brazil without any reportable cases of diarrhea from the Amazon. He extolled the virtues of Pepto Bismol and we were all proud of ourselves. By that point I was already having some tummy rumbling, and was already suffering a bit of Montezuma’s Revenge, but I chalked it up to the lack of fiber in our ship diets. But two more days passed, and I developed flu-like symptoms, and though I tried to push through and be a productive little RD, I knew something was amiss. I stopped into the Medical Clinic to chat with my friends who work there and just ask what I should take for the poopie problem. They suggested I actually start a course of Cipro and continue with Tylenol for the flu stuff. 10 minutes later, Emily, the nurse, found me in Purser’s Square to deliver the news that the two doctor’s on board had discussed it, and decided I needed to be quarantined. I went back down to the Med Clinic to fill out paperwork to send off to the CDC and officially became the first CDC reportable case of persistent diarrhea for the Spring 07 trip. So as a result, I have been shut in my cabin for the last 22 ½ hours, ad will likely be here at least 8 or so more. Now if I was at home, this would be OK. But on the ship, it drives one crazy. There are only 2 real TV channels, and they only run in the evenings. I can quote every line from The Constant Gardener and Harry Potter: Prizoner of Azkaban having now seen them no less than 4 times each (I’m not exaggerating). Also, they deliver meals to my cabin b/c I can’t leave. However, they deliver normal sized portions of food and I’m a big guy who needs more, especially since most of the food is passing through me pretty quick (catch my drift?). The other downer is that it cost me the first lecture by Archbishop Desmond Tutu this morning. I was going to sneak out and watch from the back of the classroom, but they take this quarantine stuff seriously. He’s lecturing tomorrow as well, so I am praying they let me out by then. But… at least it’s letting me catch up on my electronic correspondence, and my sleep. See, there’s always a silver lining if you look hard enough. So far, my journey seems to be full of fecal-focused stories. Sorry for any readers who are offended, but hey…. Shit happens (and in my case, all too often!).
So let’s back up and relate some of the fun shipboard happenings as of late. In the 8 days we are at sea between Brazil and South Africa we have lost 5 hours. There was a stretch for 3 days in a row where we lost an hour every day. It’s strange how one little hour can throw things off, but when that is compounded day after day and over a week it can be brutal. I am sure it didn’t help my health issues any. Ugh (again!). Quickly after we got back on board from Salvador, talk moved to Neptune Day. Committees formed, and veiled threats were issued from “The Voice” about how we had angered Mighty King Neptune since we did not pause when passing the Equator to pay homage and proper respect. He would be exacting his revenge on Neptune Day. Knowing that shaving heads was a part of the celebration I allowed my head to be raffled off so that some lucky student could shave it as part of the day’s activities. I was a self-proclaimed “hair whore” and begged/pleaded/demanded students buy raffle tickets to cut my hair and did pretty good at raising money for our Students of Service. I think there were about 30 tickets in my bag by the end. One of the guys upstairs, Perry, was the big winner. He was upset about his own haircut, and took his frustrations out on my head. I’ll try to upload a picture of my new S@S haircut and my barber.

You’ll note I am covered with hair in the picture. I now remember why I decided to grow out my hair. Ugh, what a strangely shaped head. Neptune Day was a lot of fun. But before I can get to it, I have to start two nights prior. One of our female students, Zeona, organized an event called “Rock the Hawk” in anticipation of Neptune Day. The idea is that women who had long hair could cut it and donate it to Locks of Love, a charity that takes hair donations and creates wigs for children with Cancer. I am familiar with the charity since the Mesa Court Council works with them back at UCI. Well, this small event became HUGE. Almost 30 women cut their hair to donate, and then shaved Mohawks. And in a display of solidarity, many of the men did as well. One of our lifelong learners had the students shave her a Mohawk as well, and it was one of the biggest moments of the night. Everyone was chanting Donna’s name, and spiking her Mohawk and taking pictures with her. For the night Grandma Mohawk was the coolest 78 year old around. We actually had students asking if we could suspend the alcohol service, or even cancel it in order to extend the event since it was being held on the Pool Deck. I was beaming on the inside at the big success. RD Lesley deserved a lot of credit for making the event happen. So for one day there were about 60 or so Mohawks walking around the ship.
On the morning of Neptune Day, the crew paraded through all of the decks at 7am dressed in Grecian robes with painted faces and shields. They drummed on pots and pans, and banged on doors to rouse the students from the slumber. The parade wandered around the ship for a good 45 minutes. They must have hit every hallway and deck 3 times. I was anticipating the parade and was able to snap a few pictures as they passed my door. Then I followed them around the ship for awhile, along with a few others. Many of the students who hadn’t been expecting it, answered their doors with the most quizzical looks on their faces. I wish I had snapped some pictures of them as well. A little while later “The Voice” told us all to meet out by the pool for the Neptune festivities. We gathered around the pool and awaited the arrival of the royal court. I’d say about 1/3 of the shipboard community was present, and another 1/3 wandered out to the deck during the show. The crew paraded in and were followed by King Neptune, Queen Minerva, and their court. King Neptune was played by our esteemed Captain Jeremy. He was wearing what looked like a grass skirt, a wig of braided rope and some kind of headdress. That’s all he had on. Every other part of him was covered with green body paint (face and all). Now, mind you… Captain Jeremy is a big man, both tall and portly, so he was both imposing and humorous. He looked to me like The Hulk’s befuddled English uncle. Does that make sense? However, when he spoke, his British accent made it all work, and he seemed regal despite the green body paint. Queen Minerva was played superbly by our Executive Dean Larry. He was in a similar wig, and Grecian gown with ample bosom. Our Academic Dean Mike played Master of Ceremonies and had us all recite our oath to the sea. King Neptune made some threats and then decided we needed to prove our worth before he would allow us to continue sailing into his southern realm. One by one we walked into pool area where the crew poured a filthy briny brew over our heads. I am not sure what was in the milky white substance, but it smelled like turned milk & fish guts and it stunk to high heaven (and so did we after getting it on us). After getting the gunk on the head you were “baptized” by jumping into the pool. Then each pollywog had to walk out of the pool and kiss two fish on the lips. These were huge yellowtail fish with big toothy mouths. I did my duty and gave them each a smootch. Then you had to kneel and pay your respects to King Neptune and kiss his ring. If he you counted you worthy, then you were allowed to be “knighted” and thus evolved from a scurrilous pollywog to a mighty shellback. Now, King Neptune is a finicky God. Not everyone who kissed his ring was deemed worthy. He regularly would throw people back into the pool if they did not sufficiently prostrate themselves, or did a poor job fish-kissing. Thankfully, I needed but one attempt. Hundreds and hundreds of people went through the initiation ceremony that day. It was so much fun. After the ceremony, the shaving of heads took place. That’s when Perry stole my curly locks from me. But I was able to grab some scissors and shears and exacted my own revenge on many a willing head. I don’t know what the end count was on shaven heads, but I think we set a new record between the Neptune Day shaves and the Rock the Hawk shaves. A lot of the Mohawks were shorn off, but many of the women (and men) decided they liked the Mohawk look and kept them rather thank losing it all. There are a few pictures of all the “baldies” but I think it only shows about 2/3 of the people who actually got Neptune haircuts. I think about 10-15 more people donated their hair for Locks of Love on Neptune Day. I know that many of the donations were not long enough to use for wigs, but the charity can sell the hair and use the money for their cause as well. Either way, our students helped out which is what really matters. Neptune Day ended with a big outdoor BBQ by the pool on 7th deck. It’s fun to see the whole community come together and realize how quickly everyone seems to have bonded.

My other big pet project for this part of our voyage was a shipboard Apartheid Day Simulation. All the pieces came together in a great way. I initially proposed the idea to our Diversity Programming Committee and to Beth, the DSL and the Executive & Academic Deans. They all liked the idea, and once it got the blessing, I put it into action. I worked with Dan Christie, the Global Studies Professor, to make sure that the GS curriculum discussed Apartheid before the simulation and then yesterday, immediately following Global Studies, I got to be “The Voice” for a brief moment and explain the rules to the shipboard community. All the Baldies & Mohawk folks became the privileged class and were able to use the entire ship as they saw fit. Everyone who still had hair became the Non-privileged class. They were restricted from using the pool deck & bistro, the Garden Lounge Dining Room (which is the more popular dining room), all elevators, and all public restrooms. They were also expected to give up their computer in the lab or gym equipment if one of the privileged class came around and wanted their space. What’s more, the hairy folks were not allowed to sun by the pool, get the 10 o’clock snack, or attend the AFTer Hours beverage Service. There were monitors from the Diversity Programming Committee who made sure people understood the rules, and they were stationed around the ship to do so. Signs were posted all over the ship indicating “Shaved Heads Have Priority.” Immediately following the announcement, there was an uproar! I loved it, and so did many of the administrators and folks around the ship. There were silent protests, and one professor and a few students even organized a sit in outside the reserved dining room. They created protest banners and chanted and sang protest songs. I stopped by to see their protest and they began chanting “Down with Drew.” I let them know I loved their protest, and reminded them that I did not invent the concept of Apartheid (which garnered some laughs). I also reminded them that had they actually been protesting Apartheid in South Africa decades ago, their protest would have ended in their arrest and likely in bloodshed. The simulation was off to a great start. The monitors were furious. They felt like people weren’t taking the simulation seriously, and that the protestors were changing the whole scenario. They wanted to add rules and throw up more barriers for the non-privilege class. It was so fascinating to see how quickly their attitudes shifted from monitoring and observing the event to becoming the police/enforcers/”the Man” (these are the names they gave themselves). Dr. Matt (the ship’s doctor) and a couple students decided, almost immediately, that the Faculty/Staff Lounge should be a part of the simulation as well. Dr. Matt went to Dean Larry & Mike and they agreed, so signs were posted and the bald students moved themselves into the 7th deck. This infuriated some of the faculty. Two of them cornered me and yelled at me for a full 5 minutes (in front of some students) about how this was an awful idea and that the whole simulation would rip apart the community. They went on to say that Faculty needed their lounge in order to communicate with one another and grade papers. Just where were they expected to do their work now that there were students in their lounge? I have to admit, I wasn’t quite prepared for their anger. I later learned that another professor (who I generally think is pretty nice) stormed into the lounge about an hour later and tore down all the signs and rudely kicked the students out of the lounge. I guess some of the faculty felt that this simulation was not a lesson they needed to learn. There were some awesome exceptions though. Toni Zimmerman, a faculty member I adore, worked it into her lesson plans. Her husband shaved his head, so she and her young daughters spent the entire day apart from him and she had some great conversations with them about Apartheid. So many folks were so supportive of the whole thing. And then… right in the middle of it all…. I was quarantined. Yes, the timing could not have been worse. I had to leave the simulation I created, the mess I made, and drop it into the laps of my colleagues and peers b/c I had the runs. I’ve heard some reports that the rest of the simulation went really well, and Beth stopped by a little while ago to say that the Student Life Team and the Executive Team all had great conversations today about how well it had gone. I just feel so bad that I started the ball rolling and then was sidelined. Boo! I’m still licking my wounds. This morning, just as global studies was ending, Ron (“The Voice”) came over the intercom announcing the end of the Apartheid Day Simulation. All I want to do is get out of my cabin and find out just what was ending. I’m hopeful I’ll be released tonight in time to facilitate the debrief/open mic where people can come and share their feeling about the whole experience.

Other Diversity & Spiritual Happenings… The Jew Crew had a great seder dinner. They all dressed up and had a nice evening with one another. They’ll be repeating it every Friday at sea, and I’ve made sure that they will have a loaf of challah to break from now on. We’ve also made some good headway on our big Passover celebration. Sadly, Passover falls during the time we are in port. Normally, this would be a good thing, b/c it would allow our observant students the chance to find a local synagogue to celebrate, but we will be in Malaysia which is a 100% Islamic nation. We have heard that there is a sizable ex-pat community in Panang, so we’re hoping that the student’s rabbis back at home can make some connections so the students can observe in port. Once we leave Penang, we will be holding a Passover seder on the ship for anyone who would like to celebrate and learn more about the Jewish holiday. I’ve been working with the hotel staff on the ship and they seem to be willing to move heaven and earth to make things possible for our students. I really appreciate that about them. We’re also going to try and have a Purim Dance on the ship as well. Purim will officially be next week while we’re in Cape Town, but it will make for a fun night on the ship where everyone can go in costume and live out a personality totally opposite of who they are. I think people will get a real kick out of it.

Our Christian students have developed some terrific Bible Study small groups. I’ve walked past them a few times and paused to hear some great conversations taking place. This past Sunday was our first Non-Denominational Christian Worship Service. A group of our women students put it together, and I am so proud of what they accomplished. It was full of music, with lyrics on powerpoint for everyone to sing along. They made sure that the service was truly inclusive and non-denominational so that all would feel welcome. I think it ended up being something foreign for everyone present, but it seemed to be very well received. I’m excited to see how it evolves in the coming weeks. Plans are still in the works for our Easter service. I’m still hopeful that the Archbishop will offer to conduct a service for our shipboard community. We’ll see. He continues to hold his Sunday morning Eucharist services, and I’ve been tapped to find folks to attend. The students I invite are always SO grateful. It’s like I have presented a great gift to them. How lucky am I to be able to bestow such a present. Huh? Now finding faculty to attend is not so easy. This past week, I was turned down by 3 different faculty members for the service. They were very polite in declining (mostly) and had good reasons for doing so, but I was still surprised. Ah well, such is life.

The People of Color are becoming a strong and cohesive group and being very proactive at addressing their concerns in the community. They are also a group full of fun personalities. I really enjoy them individually and collectively. Interestingly, there is still not a single Asian student in their midst. I know that research says that many Asian students do not choose to identify in that way, but I figured that at least 1 of the 33 on board would have done so. But as I type this and reflect, there are a couple of students who are involved who are biracial and/or Indian. That’s a good reminder that I need to keep my own misconceptions in check. Our LGBTA/Gay-Straight Alliance is also doing well. They are big on ideas and energy. I’m hoping that Ryan and Aya (the student leaders) will be able to translate that into action. They had their third meeting last night while I was in quarantine. I sincerely hope they finally decided on a name b/c the brainstorming went on forever. As I say that it sounds like this frustrated me, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I love their energy. I wouldn’t want to stifle that creativity one iota. Our women’s group has now dubbed themselves the WAVES. It’s an acronym that I can’t remember. I know the W is for Women, the A for Achieving, and the V is for Victory. I don’t want to foul it up and guess the rest. They are doing really well also thanks to leaders RD Melanie, and Emily, RD Tom’s partner. The Diversity Programming Committee is starting to plan some great programs as well. There are programs on Food Waste, and understanding that English isn’t predominant in the world, and a program on the plight of women in many of the nations we will visit. There are also programs like a day of silence for oppressed people, a hunger banquet, and one highlighting the positive impact of the rainbow culture in Mauritius where many cultures have blended peacefully. The next program they’ll be doing is on the Middle Passage, or the route that slave traders used to bring enslaved Africans to the new world. The students are going to do a dock side ceremony to honor the lives lost. I’m impressed by the reverence with which they are approaching the topic.

Finally, today the student life staff had our bridge tour. It’s literally on the other side of the wall from the Student Life Office, but behind locked doors, so you’d almost never know it was there. It was really cool to see the front of the ship from the Captain’s seat. He came up and chatted with us a bit. It seems that he doesn’t actually spend much time on the bridge. His officers are the ones who do most of the real engineering work. The instrumentation panels looked so complicated, but it was interesting to see that there is always an officer on the bridge just scanning the horizon with a pair of binoculars in case something pops up. (I’m not 100% sure they weren’t pulling our leg about that, but there was an offer doing it while we were there). The ship was Built in 1999 in Germany and commissioned in 2000 to a Greek company. It was originally called the Olympia Explorer and has a sister ship named the Olympia Voyager. There are plaques of St. Nicholas on the walls of the bridge and throughout the ship. St. Nick is the patron saint of sailors and the seas in the Greek Orthodox church. Even though the ship is now registered in Nassau, they leave the plaques so as not to invite any negative karma. Cool stuff, huh?

Well, that brings my blog up to date. (I think). There’s always stuff going on, so I know I am leaving out a ton. But now I am going to turn my attention to Africa. Tonight is the Cultural Pre-port (assuming I am out of quarantine), and a trip leader meeting for my safari. I can’t believe in another day I will be on the African continent. I never expected to do an African safari, and sure enough I am less than a week away. Sheesh, I say. Sheesh!

I’ll take tons of pictures so you all can suffer through them with me later. Much love to all at home. XOXO –me.