A Long Overdue Update from the Pacific Ocean

Ensenada, Mexico 8-27-06
My first night’s rest on the ship was surprisingly peaceful. I met with the student check-in team (sans breakfast) at 0900. As a work study student, I was charged with the task of greeting the students as they enter the union and crowd control. It seemed easy at first, until I had to help regulate 20 buses of students. Even then, it was moderately pleasant, but the ISE and SAS staff had a little surprise for me…luggage tagging. Even that seems relatively harmless. However, if you can imagine 2-3 body sized bags and musical cases for at least 550 students-you get the picture. Also, we had to carry the bags to loading carts for transport to the trip.
At this point, I must digress to acknowledge our ship crew and port crew. Countless Hispanic, Jamaican, and Haitian men worked tirelessly in the heat, without much water, to transport the students’ bags from the “big trucks” to the ship. I have so much respect for our crew because they work around the clock to keep our ship sparkling clean and safe. I’ve been talking with a few crew members, and they have such unique stories. Many of them are working on the Explorer as timed, contracted worker. After they complete their terms of service, they often return to their home countries.
Back to check-in…I met my roommate after two hours of luggage tagging. Bethann is a 19-year old farm girl from South Dakota. She has a large, close knit family that lives within a 10 mile radius. Also, all of the children in her family attend the same schools and colleges. How sweet! I am sure we won’t have any problems.


Sleepless at Sea 8-28-06
Last night was terrible. Bethann got very seasick (and those of you who really know me understand the fact that I nearly freaked out). I went down to the hospital on deck 2 and picked up some free Mezicline (over the counter sea sick meds.) After taking meds, we went to bed. I tossed and turned with every wave. As the ship rocked, so did my stomach. It was a very restless night. This morning, I thought some breakfast would help. That was not the case. Instead of being engaged in our first orientation, I was hovered in the bathroom or in the hallway with my “little baggy”. Ironically, I never regurgitated. Instead, I went to my room, popped a pill, and slept through lunch. Needless to say, I was very cranky, and one resident director told me that the seas were “calm” last night. NOOOOOOOOOO! The Executive Dean says we’ll get our sea legs eventually. I want them NOW.
On a brighter note, I had a great chat with Mike, the director of admissions yesterday. He, Craig, and Kasmine are amazing people, and I can’t wait to chat with them as the voyage progresses.
More Highlights
*I had my 2nd lifeboat drill yesterday evening. We lined up at our muster stations with women and children in the front of the line and men in the back. I was a bit remniscent of the Titanic movie, but that turned out “all bad”. We stood silently (or almost silently) as the safety officer and executive dean examined each muster station. Good times.

Blackness at Sea 8-29-06
680 passengers
60% women
24 faculty - 18 men, 6 women
5 black women
1 black male
*disclaimer- These numbers are a bit problematic because some people identify with more than one ethnicity. However, these numbers represent the people whom I’ve encountered and discussed following “issue”. My ideas do not represent the policies of ISE or Semester at Sea. ;)
“Fun” Quotes from the shipboard majority …
“YOU went to Phillips Exeter Academy?!?!?!” (from a faculty member who was nearly appalled by the sight of my Exeter boarding school summer alum. T-shirt)
“You all represent the neediest people on this ship”-to a group of work study students-including myself
“I can’t believe you’re taking a full load of classes! You may want to drop a class unless you plan on staying up every night and never getting sick…” (Who says I can’t multitask?)
“I like your little ‘get-up’. (said to me in a manner that made my jeans and shirt look like a costume.
In addition, I must take into account the nonverbal issues that can be offensive to the shipboard minority. This includes staring, gawking, and what I like to call the “Petting Complex” in which some people act like we are pets that have done a good job for ourselves (since we’re on the ship) and we definitely deserve a doggy treat. The subtleties also pervade our course dynamics. For example, we watched one segment of a documentary that was designed to debunk the idea of “race”. Although I agree that race is a social construct, its repercussions are very real. The segment of the documentary that we were shown emphasized the ideas that black people are human beings-without tails and without an extra calf muscle that makes us big and strong. We can play sports and be a validictorian. Wow. Oh-and it’s not polite to call us negroids or colored people any more. My question to our professor is, “Out of all the documentary segments, why did you show this to our community? What were you actually trying to teach us about diversity?” It doesn’t help that the film Amistad was shown on the closed circuit t.v. the next day. They could have very easily shown Pirates of the Caribbean or Titanic for that matter.

Some of you may wonder, “Why did she even write that?” Shipboard life can be tough. This is the first time that I’ve actually felt displaced by being one of a few minorities in a situation. (I must admit that I probably have greater sensitivity to other’s idiosyncrasies because of the intimate and occasionally crowded environment. I feel like I’m under a microscope every time I leave my cabin.) However, I must say, that these challenges reflect “the real world”. Thus, I am only being refined and equipped to handle additional prejudices in my upcoming professional pursuits. The drama on the ship does not invalidate the amazing opportunity that we share in our journey around the world. I’ve met many open-mined people, and I am developing relationships. However, a few “bad apple experiences” do taint the bunch. For now, I am adjusting to being the face and voice of the black woman’s perspective. In the words of my grandfather, “Everybody knows you’re black. It’s obvious, so just stay involved and active. You’re different but don’t be snobbish. You still have to represent.” I sincerely hope that more minority students will have the opportunity to participate in a global voyage of discovery such as the Semester at Sea program. This voyage has already changed my life. From the application process and coordination with my home school professors to my embarkation and orientation; this has been an experience that I will NEVER forget. I want more people from my ethnic background to experience the world-regardless of socioeconomic status.
Always,
Rhonda

Aloha!!! 9-9-06
I know it’s been a while since I’ve written. Life on the ship has been “jumpin”! First, let me recap Hawaii. We arrived in port at about 6:00 a.m. pacific time on Labor Day. The view of volcanoes, glitzy hotels and beaches was spectacular! I took the early morning opportunity to call my family and friends because I knew that I would not be able to talk to them for at least two weeks. After going through U.S. customs, we debarked and my roommate and I began our search for some free wireless and good shopping! Needless to say, we were on a 45 minute time crunch-so we only found some cute postcards. We returned to the dock and boarded the Coach bus en route to the Polynesian Cultural Center. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS PLACE!! For some reason I was under the impression that I was going to witness authentic representations of the traditions, food, culture, and experiences of the inhabitants of Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Tonga, Aoterea, Tahiti, and Samoa. Sounds really educational and fun, right?-Wrong. This place was a hoaky misrepresentation of Polynesian culture. Run by the Church of Latter Day Saints, this Disney-esque tourist trap was staffed by local BYU students and locals who were primarily not Polynesian. If the park was themed around the black experience-it may have slogans like “Come see the black people eat watermelon and chicken in the South! Then stroll over to the West Side to learn the authentic C-walk! Great fun for the Kids!” LOL. Did I mention that one of the missionaries tried to convert me to Mormonism-even after I told her my dad is a Christian pastor. Sidenote for all future voyagers-don’t wear shorts around the Mormons. I hope I’m not being offensive, but when I went to the University (which looked like a middle school) to use the dated internet, the girls at the reception desk whispered about me as if I was a ‘heathen’. Then I stumbled upon the dress code…Just great. One highlight of this 10 hour day was that found U.S outlets to use my cell phone to talk to my peeps. Also, I witnessed a marriage proposal! I thought it was part of the show, but one of the Fijan dancers got down on one knee and professed his undying love for a lady in the audience. Too precious. All in all, it was an EXTREMELY long day in Hawaii. I found some cute postcards and my first souvenir for my best friend. Although I spent the whole day at the Polynesian Cultural Center, it was a beautiful day on the island. Now I can say, I love Hawaii, and I’m definitely going back for a little R and R.
In two days, I will be arriving in Kobe, Japan for our first extended in-country experience. We’ve been on the Pacific Ocean with no land in sight for over a week, and I’m getting cabin fever! Plus the food is getting ridiculously nasty. The brown students have agreed that we should have a soul food potluck when we return to Ft. Lauderdale, and everybody’s mom should bring two dishes! LOL-too bad that none of our parents are meeting us at the ship, so we’re going to eat a Haitian Feast at Jihane’s house and live it up in South Beach and Miami…(Party in the city where the heat is on…)
Back to the subject, I can’t wait until we get to Japan. Here’s my basic itinerary.
Tuesday- Independent trip to Mt. Rokko and Arima Hot Springs with Erin, her dad, and a few other SAS students.
Wednesday and Thursday- Konan University Women’s Homestay (Maybe I’ll try sushi for the first time-I mean I am in Japan… )
Friday-Kyoto independently with my peeps
Saturday- Kobe City independently with peeps again.
I’m excited. Never fear, Japan is the second safest country in the world. If any one is deviant and tries to harm us on our independent travel-they’ll surely be captured and put in jail for a really long time. The Japanese don’t play…
A word about academic life on the ship. I love my classes. At first I was having a hard time dealing with the intense workload that actually requires my hard work and dedication! LOL. I’m a bit more adjusted now and I’m taking great classes in Ethnonationalism, Social Deviance, Sex and Gender Diversity, and Global Studies. My favorite class is Reflecting on Ourselves to See Others: The Intercultural Group Dialogue. Basically, it’s like group therapy. Seriously! Here’s a piece I wrote after a VERY, VERY, VERY intense discussion of race and diversity aboard the ship and on the mainland.
Everyday I am black. Not just in Intercultural Dialogue or when it’s time to be intellectual, but every second of the day. Now more than ever, I understand the tenets of the old negro sprituals. I understand the moanings and groanings and cries out to God because it’s real to me. In the stares- everywhere I go I have to deal with this reality of something I can’t change. I am proud to be me. There is no one like us. It’s just so hard. People pretend to understand “blackness”. They try to get close to us. They befriend us, even marry us. But they can never be us. Now, at this moment, in a room full of white people, I CRY.
I cry for the black people who will never get to travel the world,or worse, who never even contemplated it as a possibility.
I cry for the young black man who has been marginalized, neglected by the system, and thus, as a product of Cooley’s “Looking Glass Self” embodies the self-fulfilling prophecy of “nigga”
I cry for the forgetful black people who have succumbed to tokenism and are puppets of the man, who-yes-still exists, All the while forgetting the Giants whose shoulders they stand on. Forgetting our children who need to her their testimony of success.
I cry for ignorance.
I cry for me.
I cry for I know that the yolk is heavy, but the burden is light.
I cry for I know that I am one woman with one story that just happens to be shaped by the black experience.
I cry because I must educate you about what it means to be me.
I cry because I have the ultimate necessity and privilege to live the dreams that my ancestors couldn’t even fathom.
I cry because I am the new black woman
I cry, not because I want you to see me, embrace me, or even agree with me.
I cry because I am black, and I know what that means.





I just wanted to share that with you. On a FAVOR NOTE~*~*~*~*~ One of my classmates is cousins with the OWNERS of Click Model Management in New York City. It’s the #4 agency in the city, and he’s booking me an interview when I get to the city! How fabulous is that?~*~*~**~~**~
More from Japan,
Rhonda