Thanks for Your Comments! - with a couple of additions on May 3rd

Greetings All!

I was able to respond to some comments and questions before, and I will do so again. One thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t necessarily post their comments in the most recent blog, so I am going back and reviewing all the entries periodically to make sure I don’t miss anyone.

I neglected to respond to an early question of Mrs. BG about my cabin and the food. First, the food is quite good, far above what I remember residence hall food to be, but of course below cruise ship food (though they do have their moments). The only problem is the repetitive nature of the food, as what they can get in each port is somewhat limited. Two examples: one, the lettuce is now yellow. We joke that it has been genetically modified since we left. Another is that all the milk is boxed. Now, I’ve never seen milk routinely sold like that (absent the little juice-box sizes of chocolate milk, which I would kill for now, incidentally….) and it just don’t taste right. So I’m off cereal which was a huge loss. Actually, I miss a lot of breakfasts, so it wasn’t really that huge. I have replaced cereal with yogurt, to help out probiotically with the large varieties of port food.

We run off ship to eat in port. Or maybe that’s just me. I didn’t eat on ship a single time while we were in Japan, again mostly to get more variety. (Maybe that’s why I spent so much money there). We also buy snacks and some grocery items since we have fridges in the room. That all said, during the sail from Hong Kong to Qingdao, we had spectacular dinners, all resembling the Captain’s Dinners to which faculty and staff get at least one invitation. There was a small shipboard population during that time; most folks were traveling within China, through Beijing, and joined the ship in Qingdao, so we only served about 85 folks. The first night was prime rib with cherries jubilee for dessert, and the second night was grilled sirloin with crème brulee, all served to the tables rather than through the buffet line (the mysterious “table service” that I have referred to).

My cabin is small and among student cabins, compared with the fairly luxurious suites some faculty and staff have. Not complaining!! The bathroom is larger and nicer than we had on our Alaska cruise. There are two small beds, one of which I use for storage and filing. Ample storage, and a table I use as a desk for the laptop, speakers, and phone. TV. All very nice! I do have some pictures. There are also pictures on the SAS website, which actually gives quite a bit of info about what we are doing.

Hello, Donna Devious! I certainly did not wish to miss or overlook YOUR comments! I’m so glad you are tuning in, as I sail with Beth Hellwig-Olson and Merna Jacobsen from the University of Northern Colorado. Did you ever encounter either of them? Merna in particular was very memorable – big red/orange hair, big presence. I am not much of a blogger, and I’m hoping Sheilagh has saved my emails and (email and regular) postcards as a record of my voyage. The picture thing (thang) is limited by our technology on-ship; I even had to get an emergency e-mail account in yahoo because our technology could not support hotmail. So I will have pictures available when I return, and I will either slide them into the blog later or do photo albums on-line. One of my excellent colleagues here hails from your state, though she is in Los Alamos. Maybe I’ll have to pass by NM soon.

And Jean S&M, it all goes back to you. You introduced us all to SAS during our collective time at UNC. I even interviewed at that time; obviously I was not selected, but all things come around when the time is right. I’m sure many things are the same about our voyages, as well as many things being different (the ship, for one – very luxurious!). Thanks for giving us all our first exposure to SAS. FYI Larry Singell is our Exec. Dean and Ron Wisner is our Asst. Dean.

Hello Kristen Happy! I will think of you when I arrive in Honolulu. Thanks for your kind words, particularly about class. I will actually do a couple of classes for faculty members while I’m here, so I’m never that far from the role. Congrats on your new job as well!! It’s great to work with smart folks, and news flash, you are one of those, as are all “my people.” I won’t be driving back through SF after all, so I won’t get a chance to see you (unless you are planning to be in San Diego around May 14). Darn. Have fun! (Hey to Gary – hope he isn’t still afraid of me…..)

Hi Aunt Gloria – you are one of the few family member I still claim (I think Ginger and Joe in Seattle are in that group too) – yes, world, I have family. I hope you can make it up our way soon this summer! I’ll be in touch when I get back.

Hello, Sarah (or Kris, I’m unclear) – I thought it fairly hilarious that you found my blog to see what was happening on your son’s voyage. Of course, if he and I had spoken “officially,” that would be our little secret; but I have interaction with lots of students through trips, clubs, meals, etc. whom I would never dream that I would see officially. And I even know another number by sight, so I may well know Marcus, and I’m sure he is as you describe. Perhaps he is keeping a written journal and you will get a full story later.

Hi Shon. Actually, sunburn is the least of my problems – some days at sea I never actually get out the door! It’s pretty scandalous, but we ARE working…..I tried for a little color in Vietnam, and perhaps between Japan and San Diego, though it’s a little brisk for the last couple of days. We are probably moving back in your direction, though probably not all the way to New York. I’ll keep you posted – did you start school at Brockport yet? My friend still chairs the English Dept. there. Get on it!

Hello Erin. Did you ever find an exclamation point that you didn’t like? Or three!!! We’ll catch up when I get back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Megan, what a good question. There’s a lot of laudatory research about the current crop of “Millennial Generation” students. I read some initially, and I’ll read more, but this experience is giving me more of a balanced view – no group is unreservedly positive. Very different from the experiences I had with students at UNC in the 90’s, especially as you all were so special, to a person. I miss you all! These students are very concerned to be perceived as good people. It’s hard for me to make general comments as my role here as judicial person skews my perception.

As far as campus life, we have all the ingredients - about 100 different classes offered from 8-5 by about 35 faculty, a library and computer lab, plus a res life component, activities, counseling, health services, a good number of clubs and organizations, a judicial function, even a "cop," plus unique bits like the program for the elders and for the dependent children who are going to school while on board. There are classes every day at sea with stuff every night, with extensive lists of trips and activities in each port. So there are lots of similarities, but the differences would have to be first in the self-contained nature of the community in which faculty are in the environment with student's 24/7, which is usually a brand new and challenging experience for them. For us Student Life people, we are used to having such close contact with students, so it's nothing unique. There are some faculty who have no idea what students are like outside a classroom. Here they are getting a crash course. Also, we move very quickly here. Time is condensed; programs are planned and executed in days if not hours, appointments made no more than a day or two ahead, we all work on the fly and respond quickly to anything and everything. Lastly, there is a single course that everyone on ship participates in, as a way to unify the community; another difference would be that every course has an international dimension to it.

This topic does give me the excuse to blow our collective horn a bit – the administrators who have sailed multiple times, as well as the ship’s crew who have dealt with student behavior, have said REPEATEDLY AND EMPHATICALLY that this voyage is by far the best they have experienced in terms of student behavior, with the fewest and least serious incidents, etc. Our Student Life staff set a tone and created a system which held folks accountable and stressed how serious we were about behavior issues, in a caring way. I think we have been highly successful, and I’m pleased about my role in that.

And hi to Ginger and Joe! Thanks for reading about my adventure. I’ll have another gathering at the house to showcase my souvenirs and pictures. And if Gloria visits we can have our own reunion.

Well OK! I must run to dinner, having said that I want to have every remaining dinner out on the deck. More programs and activities this evening, as every evening, and I have deck duty during bar service, so it will be a long night particularly after you figure in another clock change ( with more to come, then the Dateline…) I will be back on the mainland in less than two weeks! Amazing. More to come, as fast as my little fingers can type. Bye, and thanks for visiting my THANG.