Decisions, Decisions

About a week or so ago, everyone going on the voyage received a booklet in the mail that lists all of the finalized field trips being offered by the Semester at Sea program (these are trips that Semester at Sea has organized and are operated through local travel operators in the areas being visited).  Many times in a port, people choose to go off on their own and that is perfectly fine too - especially beause there are only so many spots open on each trip...so it is inevitable that independent travel be done by many people.  There are something like 600 - 650 students onboard and then another 30 - 35 faculty members and probably 20 - 30 staff members (ie. residence life staff, student activities staff, an AV coordinator, an IT person, etc.)...there are also family members and travel companions of people working on the trip as well.  For instance, the Academic Dean for the voyage is bringing his wife and two children along (apparently, you just have to pay an added supplemental fee for these accompanying family members and there is a limit to two minor children, I believe...if you bring a college-age child along, he/she has to take classes and receive academic credit...I think it's something like $2,000 per extra person that accompanies someone working on the trip).

At any rate, along with the booklet, I also received a form for trips that I had to pre-sign up for.  Most of the trips for the first destinations (Puerto Rico and Brazil) were listed on the form as well as some of the bigger trips in South Africa, India and Vietnam (and Cambodia).  I had to circle which trips I wanted to be considered for and indicate if I had any second choices.  From my understanding, anyone who gets in his/her form by the deadline of December 30 will be put in a lottery to be considered for each trip...so it's really a matter of luck in terms of what organized trips you get selected to go on.

Being the planner I am, I took a lot of time to try to map out what my first and second choices were...the booklet was overwhelming because there were so many interesting choices!

I made the following decisions/choices about the "bigger" trips in each country...

Brazil:  There is a chance to go on a trip to Rio de Janeiro.  However, it will be Carneval in Brazil during that time and I just think it will be way too hectic for my taste.  There is a higher crime rate in Brazil (especially during Carneval) so I decided to not do a trip to Rio on this voyage.  I'm sure I will try to get back to Rio at another time in the future when it's not so crazy there.  For this trip, though, I decided to try to do trips that were closer to where the ship is docked in Salvador, Brazil.

South Africa:  I signed up to be considered for a safari that requires participants to fly from Cape Town to Durban.  The safari is a 3-day safari to Kwazulu Natal.  It lists accommodations at the Ubizane Tree Lodge which seemed neat after looking at it online.  They also offer 4-day safaris through Semester at Sea, but I've read some people think the 3-day safaris are just about the right length of time.  The cost of that 3-day safari is $1073.00 and a maximum of 39 people can go on it.  Apparently a lot of people make independent safari arrangements because it is sometimes cheaper to do it that way...if I don't get selected for the safari trip I want, I guess I can also make arrangements once I'm in the country.

India:  I signed up to be considered for a trip up to northern India that includes a flight from Chennai (where the ship will be docked) up to Delhi.  From Delhi, you take a 2-hour train ride to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.  Also on the particular trip I want to be considered for, it will stop in the towns of Jaipur and New Delhi as well.  The cost of that trip is $1222.00 for 4 days and 3 nights - I could have gotten the reduced rate of $1042.00 for the trip if I were 29 or younger!...missed the Indian airline discount it by 2 years!!!).  I hope that I'll get chosen for that trip too...a maximum of 70 people will be chosen for that.

Vietnam/Cambodia:  When in Vietnam, there are some side trips to Cambodia.  I really would love to go on the one that goes to Phnom Penh and then to Siem Reap (where the Angkor Wat temples are).  I've heard people have liked this trip a lot when it was done in the past.  I'm sure there will be a lot of people who want this trip though...a maximum of 60 people get chosen to go on it.  The cost is $847 for three days and two nights.

So those are the "big" trips I put in my requests for.  If a person gets chosen for a given trip, payment is made in advance so that hotels and flights can be booked by the Semester at Sea people.  A credit card number or check was to be included with the form for all of the trips you wanted.  I think we will find out what we definitely "got" about two weeks after the deadline of December 30.

There are smaller trips in Puerto Rico and Brazil that I signed up for too, but if I don't get selected for them, I'll just come up with alternate plans...I'm not as worried about getting them as I am for the trips mentioned above.

I also will eventually have to select a trip that takes me up from Hong Kong to Beijing once in China.  I won't have to sign up for that until I'm on the ship though.

I think that's all I have to report for now...I'll post more once I find out what trips I'm "definitely" signed up for.

Recommendations of what to do prior to the trip

I have been reading the MSN message board regarding the Semester at Sea Spring 2007 voyage and there are many helpful recommendations on there as to what to do prior to leaving for the trip.

I'm going to try to do the following in the next few weeks:

• get some currency for each of the countries (the trick is deciding how much to bring though...still trying to decide that).  I received the a packet from the Institute for Shipboard Education recently that included information and an order form for a service through Foreign Currency Exchange Corp. where you can buy "packets" of foreign currency from them for the countries on the trip (currencies for Brazil, South Africa, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Japan at least) and they will buy back the unused currency (with the exception of coins) once the trip is over.  I will likely do this since it is convenient and easy to do to cash in the unused money once the trip is over.
• get a Japanese rail pass (you can only purchase these outside of Japan and one pass allows for unlimited travel for 7 days - I believe it costs around $240 or so - depending on the exchange rate - for the second-class pass.  This will likely come in handy if I want to get up to Tokyo...apparently this rail pass is well worth the money...this is one site I found that sells Japanese rail passes: http://www.kintetsu.com/jrpass)  Note: If you order a Japanese rail pass through this site, you will be asked the dates you will be in Japan.  The pass needs to be "redeemed" within 90 days of the issue date...I am ordering a pass through this site and need to have it sent via FedEx overnight delivery because 90 days prior to April 25 would be in late January...so I need to make sure I get the pass delivered to me before I leave home.  When you order a pass through this site, just make sure you put in the "Comments/Notes" section what your travel situation is so they can make sure it arrives to your home prior to your departure date.
• get a one-day "Go Oahu" card for $59 which allows for access to a number of attractions on Oahu. (I'm sure can probably buy this once I get to Hawai'i though...more about buying the card can be viewed at www.gooahucard.com)
• Get an international SIM card for my cell phone at a place like http://www.telestial.com/ (Cost:  $49 for the Explorer SIM card that is offered on the Telestial site)
• Pre-order the 2-hour professional video that is being produced on the voyage.  I recently received a mailing from International Film and Video regarding pre-sale of the DVD.  (Cost:  $89 for the regular 2-hour version of the DVD, $129 for the personalized version - which is essentially the exact same thing as the regular version with an additional 5-minute interview with you at the very end of the voyage)

V is for Visas and Vaccinations

I sent my passport off on October 23 to Pinnacle Travel Services that the Institute for Shipboard Education recommended for visa processing...visas were needed for China, India and Brazil...total cost:  $395.  Luckily, this cost will be offset by the stipend I get as a faculty member (in addition to our salary of $8,000 for the three courses we teach, faculty also get a $900 stipend to cover travel to and from the ship and the fees for the visas)...definitely another perk of doing this trip as a faculty member as opposed to a student!  My own cabin, fees covered for visas & travel to/from the ship, and I'm getting paid to travel around the world!   

The only real expenses I'll have are the costs of the trips we sign up for once in port...by my estimation, that will be a total of $6,000-$9,000...so I need to somehow find that money or go into more debt (incidentally, any donations to my travel fund are welcome!  I'm barely making ends meet on my regular salary so any munificent souls with a desire to make a donation, feel free!) At any rate, I got my passport back last week with the required visas completed...we were told to allow for up to 50 days to get it back from the time it was FedExed to Pinnacle Travel Services...so it's really only been about a month or so for turn around time.  One less thing to think about. For Vietnam, they do a "group visa" - I had to submit two photocopies of my passport to the Institute for Shipboard Education so they can do the group visa once onboard the ship.

Regarding medical stuff, I already had my physical and a tetanus shot a few weeks ago at my primary care physician (I needed to send back a simple "physical examination" form to the Semester at Sea office by December 1).

I got the rest of my shots today at a travel clinic today...the clinic told me to come in about 6 weeks prior to the trip. I would highly recommend going to a travel clinic for these shots and pills (instead of relying on your primary care physican) because often primary care physicians aren't as up-to-speed with what is needed for various countries.  Since travel clinics deal with this type of global travel all the time, they are more knowledgable than your primary physician.  Here is a list of travel clinics as provided on the CDC website:  http://www.cdc.gov/travel/travel_clinics.htm).  I was able to get a referral from my primary care physician to go to the travel clinic at Metrowest Medical Center in Framingham, Massachusetts.

I got:

• a yellow fever shot (this was really only needed for Brazil - northern areas of Brazil are yellow fever areas so since there is a chance I'll go on one of the trips to the Amazon, I got this shot to be on the safe side - otherwise, if you stay near the coastline, they said you don't have to get it...the Semester at Sea people though said that we definitely DO need the yellow fever shot or else we might not be allowed off of the ship).
• a hepatitis A shot (a booster shot is needed six months later too to extend the length of the immunization)
• Since I had already had a three-part hepatitis B vaccination when I entered college I didn't need that, but if you go on this trip and haven't had the hepatitis B vaccination yet, you should.
• a polio shot
• a flu shot (this wasn't absolutely mandatory, but since so many people will be living in close quarters on the ship, I figured I might as well get it)
• typhoid pills (It's a series of four pills.  You take one every other day on an empty stomach at least a week prior to leaving.  The pills need to be refrigerated or they lose their efficacy.  You could also opt for a typhoid shot, instead of the pills, but I think the shot only covers you for 2 years whereas the pills cover you for 5 years.)
• malaria pills (I got a medication called malarone - you take the pills one day before you enter a malaria zone and then throughout the time you are there.  You continue taking the pills seven days after you leave the malaria zone.  With those guidelines, I'll be taking this medication one day prior to getting to Mauritius and then a pill everyday until seven days after leaving Vietnam...so that's March 14 through April 21.  There is also another malaria medication called larium that used to be prescribed a lot more in the past before malarone was made available a few years ago...larium apparently has side effects like weird dreams, so it sounds like a lot of doctors tend to prescribe malarone now since that's the newest medication.  Doctors also apparently avoid prescribing larium for those with a history of anxiety and/or depressive disorders.)

I was also told to bring Imodium on the trip in case of diarrhea...and in the event that doesn't work after a few days, I was also prescribed an antibiotic...so I'll take that along too to be on the safe side.  Now I just have to fill those prescriptions...

I was also told that I should bring insect repellant that is 23-50% DEET.

YouTube group for our Semester at Sea voyage

I just started a YouTube group for our voyage so we can share videos too.

The URL is: http://www.youtube.com/group/sasspring2007

Click on the link and follow the instructions on the page on how to join the group.

Flickr group for Semester at Sea voyage

I just started a Flickr group called "Semester at Sea - Spring 2007" where people will hopefully post photos they are willing to share with everyone once the semester is underway.  I'm sure we will all end up with photos of various random people in them, so posting them to the Flickr group might be a good way to share those photos with everyone so we can snag other people's photos that have us in them!

The group "photo pool" URL is:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/semesteratseaspring2007/pool/

To add your photos, you just need to:

• register for a Flickr account
• join the "SEMESTER AT SEA - SPRING 2007" group
• upload your photos to your Flickr account
• go to each photo you want to share with the group and click the icon at the top of the page that says "SEND TO GROUP"

The Ship Layout

Click images for larger view.

Faculty Directed Practica

I will be doing the following "Faculty Directed Practica" on the trip:

Cachoeira, Brazil

Description:
This trip to Cachoeira is an opportunity to gain insight into the lives of a majority of Brazilians who live in small rural communities, far from the hustle and bustle of the cities. Your destination is the 16th-century colonial town of Cachoeira, built on the banks of the Paraguacu River. Set in the heart of the oldest farm land in Brazil, it was the center of the sugar and tobacco boom which were sources of the early wealth of the colony. The inhabitants used their immense wealth to build splendid homes and churches, and Cachoeira has some of the finest examples of baroque and rococco architecture in Brazil. In fact, UNESCO declared it a World Monument. In light of this status, Cachoeira was by-passed during expansion of the road network at the beginning of this century. Thus the town retained its charm, untouched by the 20th century.

Leave the city and travel through the oldest farmlands in Brazil. This is the land of plantations, peaceful colonial towns and busy country markets. Stop at an experimental cacao farm. Until recently, this farm was in private hands but was appropriated and handed over to the national popular movement for agrarian reform, one fo Brazil's most pressing social problems. Continue to Cachoeira for a late lunch at the Pousada Convento do Carmo, a 17th century monastery converted into a pousada (guest house). Enjoy a walking tour of this charming riverside town as it relaxes for the Carnival period, getting a feel for country town life. Return to Salvador. (PRICE: $65.00)

Making Movie Art

Description:
India has one of the largest film production industries in the world, and Chennai is India's second largest film-making center (after Mumbai's "Bollywood"). Here, movies are made in several languages. At one of the major film studios of Chennai, we shall tour the studio lots and, depending on the studio's schedule, visit various departments, including sound dubbing facilities, mixing rooms and editing facilities. If a film is being shot on the studio sets at the time of our visit, there is a possibility of observing some of the actors. (PRICE: $20.00)

Ho Chi Minh City Orientation

Description:
This orientation will introduce you to the contrasts of bustling Ho Chi Minh City, still commonly referred to as Saigon. Amongst the grand old buildings, you will see colorful markets selling everything from lemon grass to French bread and, of course, an endless stream of bicycles, cyclos (trishaws) and motorbikes. You will visit the History Museum, which documents the evolution of Vietnam's various cultures from the Dong Son Bronze Age civilization to the Chams and the Khmers. The History Museum also features a water puppet performance. Water puppetry is a traditional Vietnamese performing art that dates back to the 11th century. The stage is a pool of water upon which puppet masters who are hidden behind the set, maneuver brightly colored wooden puppets. You will also visit hte former Presidential Palace, where everything has been left much as it was on April 30, 1975 when North Vietnamese military tanks crashed through the front gates and overthrew the South Vietnamese government. In addition to touring the former palace rooms, you can view a video about the French and American Wars. If time permits, your orientation will include a brief stop at the ornate Thien Hau Pagoda which is known for its profusion of incense coils which burn for as long as one month. Photo stops will be made at Notre Dame Cathedral and City Hall (PRICE: $37.00)

Hong Kong Historic City Orientation

Description:
Although under British influence for the last several decades, Hong Kong still retains many traditional Chinese images. This practicum visits the gazetted monuments in Hong Kong as well as heritage and historical buildings with an interesting background. Visit the Museum of Tea War, St. John's Cathedral, Old French Mission Building, Legislative Council Building. Then take a tram ride to Victoria Peak for a spectacular view of the city. Also visit Cat Street, Man Mo Temple and Aberdeen, home of hundreds of people living on fishing junkets and juxtaposed against a modern high-rise community. (Box lunches from the ship will be provided) (PRICE: $29.00)

Kyoto, Japan

Description:
As an imperial capital for nearly 1000 years, some of the finest temples, palaces, villas and gardens are found in Kyoto. Culture and lifestyle are refined in this city, which is dotted with oases of tranquility and beauty exemplifying the best of Japan. You will first visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), which was constructed in the 1390s as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and features a three-story pavilion covered in gold leaf and topped with a bronze phoenix on its roof. Next, you will visit Nijo Castle. Built in 1603, this castle was the residence of the Tokugawa Shogun and is known for its contrast of solemn appearance and gorgeous interiors as well as its perfectly manicured garden. After lunch at Maruyama Park, you will visit Heian Shrine honoring the peaceful period from 794-1192. Your last stop will be Kiyomizu Temple where you will enjoy a sweeping view of the entire city from its terrace. The trip includes round trip transportation by motorcoach, admission fees to sites and an English-speaking guide. (Box lunches from the ship will be provided.) (PRICE: $60.00)