Day 6: Atlantic Ocean. Still.

Today, we lost yet ANOTHER hour of sleep. Everyone was dragging to get themselves to our early morning classes. Did I mention that my second class (Global Studies) is required for the entire shipboard community? Staff, students, and life-long learners alike. The union – which is really just a large stage and seating area, is where most students attend class. The others who don’t fit in the union fill up the other classrooms on the ship and watch the lecture that is streamed into the “satellite rooms”. The weird thing about the satellite rooms is that you see the power point slides with the professor’s head pasted into a corner on the screen. It’s a little weird to watch in the over-flow classrooms because class is happening just a few feet away. On the other hand, no one will notice if you dose off a bit…hehe

Because my eyesight is back (yay!), I did my class readings and then I treated myself to a nice nap this afternoon, which was fantastic. I am still taking sea-sickness meds, but just twice a day now – and no patches! As long as I don’t move too quickly, take the stairs slowly, and sit outside on the deck most of the afternoon/evening, I feel fine. I spent too much time this morning on my computer while going up-and-down and paid for it later with a killer headache. : ( Feel better now, though.

Tonight, I was on deck patrol – I had to guard a staircase to make sure no one took alcohol down to the lower decks. Fun. : / Since barely anyone was using my stairs, I got to watch the beautiful sunset off the seventh deck and then see the darkness creep into the sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful. It is still crazy to me that in every direction that you look, there is NO land. It’s unbelievably pure and refreshing. Every once in a while, I forget that I am on a ship. I know that sounds silly, but when you are inside the ship, I feel like I am a part of a sound community. Even though our time together has been extremely brief, I already find myself recognizing people in the hallway and saying hello to the crew members that I see every morning at breakfast or at lunch. The community is growing smaller by the minute.

And then you step outside to one of the decks. All you can see in all directions is wrinkles of blue water and you feel so small, so insignificant! I felt tonight, for the millionth time since this trip began, just how fortunate I am to be experiencing this!