Gelato, 2 Euros; gondola ride in Venice, 70 Euros (divided among seven people); feeding a camel named Michael Jackson in Egypt, 2 Egyptian pounds; getting to watch the movie "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" in Turkey - absolutely priceless.
By the time the 2009 Semester at Sea Cruise ship, the MV Explorer, set sail June 16, just about everyone I had spoken to about the trip already told me I was about have the "experience of a lifetime." But with eight different countries on the agenda and a ship full of college students from around the world, all I expected was something different. I do not know if they were ultimately right - but I do know that I will not soon forget the trip.
Here is a need-to-know fact about Italy, specifically Rome: the Colosseum, as beautiful as it is during the day, is even more so after sunset. Why? The obvious answer would be the landmark itself - massive, historical and almost indescribable. As one of the greatest works of Roman architecture, this structure still stands today as an icon of Imperial Rome.
Yet, what stuck out more to me was how the landmark provides its visitors with an escape from a fast-paced, modern city into a seemingly timeless way of living.
It was as if an invisible force surrounded the Colosseum, allowing couples to walk together slowly, hand-in-hand and oblivious to the presence of others around them. Musicians and other artists needed little prodding to turn to their talents and celebrate the glory of the landmark and its setting.
Then there was me, just wondering how the Colosseum has faded into everyday life, how cars manage to drive by this sight without stopping, while trying to personally take in as much of the simple, romantic elegance of the weathered building as possible.
About six countries later, I had taken in as much "simple elegance" of every other historical landmark on the itinerary I could handle. From the Acropolis and Parthenon in Greece to the ancient ruins in Pompeii, each landmark was amazing and definitely worth visiting. But as the trip progressed, each additional landmark started to look like the last and "taking it all in" began to feel like work.\nIt was during a train ride from Marrakech to Casablanca when I realized that the landmarks were just landmarks - places and points in the world. Years from now, I do not think I will ever feel how I did about the mosques, churches and monuments while directly in front of them - but I always will remember the events in between.
The train ride we took in Morocco was miserable. There was no air conditioning, space was tight, and because we had to run to catch the train, we skipped lunch, so we were all starving. We talked to some of our fellow passengers and befriended a newlywed Moroccan couple named James and Lashita across from us. After overhearing my complaints about my hunger, James introduced himself and then offered to share the food he brought along. Three hours and countless stories, jokes - both American and Moroccan - and hazelnut chocolate wafers later, I had learned more about Moroccan culture than I had all summer in my Global Studies Class aboard the ship. What started out as a less than ideal situation became one of the most memorable parts of the trip, as it brought me a completely different awareness of the country.
Of course, food also added to my cultural experiences. After purchasing a second return ferry ticket from Mykonos to Piraeus because I lost my first ticket (40 Euros), I indulged in an authentic Greek gyro sandwich (only 2 Euros and available on every street corner in Greece), followed by a freshly made chocolate nutella crepe - and forgot that the original ticket was at the very bottom of my duffel bag all along.
Now, a little more than a month since arriving back to the States, I still do not know if I had the "time of my life." What I do know is that 10 years from now, I probably am not going to remember how scared I was before bungee jumping in Bulgaria or scuba-diving in the Red Sea - but instead will remember how I felt after the jump and then swimming with Nemo's relatives. Whether or not my trip was an "experience of a lifetime," it certainly was an unforgettable adventure.
Read More
SOCA lights up the night with second annual Carnival
By Ingrid Gay | YesterdayThe festivities served as a way to bring together the “small but mighty” Caribbean community at the University.
Why I walk barefoot in the woods
By Rosie Strickland | 2 days agoBracing myself, I took off my shoes, socks and headphones, for the first time finding myself barefoot in the middle of the woods as the sun went down
