the prime meridian...

I really wasn't expecting to be so excited to cross the prime meridian
at the 0º'0º mark, but I must admit - it was one of the coolest moments!
Everyone was out on the back decks together and the captain blared the
horn as we crossed. An experience I will likely never get again, but am
extremely happy about.

albatross...

Last night, about 800 miles off the coast of Argentina, I was with a few
people on the back deck and we had the pleasure of seeing about 5 adult
albatross flying around us. We stood out there for nearly 45 minutes
while these huge and magnificent birds sailed in the air right around
the ship. They were checking us out as much as we were checking them out
and they flew within a few feet of the ship. Not once, in the entire
time we watched, did we see a wing flap. These birds are huge and
unreal. Did you know that they can live off land for nearly 10 years at
a time? We tried, without success, to get one to land on the ship.

I think the most fun part of the whole experience was watching Don G.
watch the birds. He is the Global Studies professor on board, a hoot and
a half, and was just giddy about seeing them. It was hard to not be
enthralled watching his excitement about the albatross!

wow...

I know you're surprised that I'm SO FAR BEHIND on this blog. The good
news is that I've got a few days to catch up, a personal goal of
catching up before porting in Buenos Aires and a copious amount of notes
& journal entries that will help me remember everything I want to tell you.

miss and love,
kate

back at sea.

ahhh... it is SO nice to be back at sea - especially when the sun is out, the weather and water are warm and the seas are smooth. There is really nothing as relaxing as this. As much as I love visiting new places and exploring the ports, I am always grateful for the multiple day stretches at sea.

We have had a number of one day crossings on this voyage, which has been difficult on the community. It's been a bit difficult to get to know one another and really build the ties that make this program what it is. During this six day stretch folks really seem to be taking time out to reflect, study and truly enjoy one another. Last night we had our first dance party in the faculty/staff lounge and it was so fun to see the staff/faculty group continue to form and just be in the moment.

One of my favorite things to do on the ship is to stare out at the moon, the night sky and the water. Last night we took advantage of the cloudless night to go outside and embrace the amazing star-filled sky. The dusting of the milky way added to the beauty and it was a chance to really embrace the natural wonders around us.

We have a wonderful astronomy professor on board and on exceptionally clear nights the ship turns off the lights so he can teach and so we can allow ourselves to get swallowed up into the darkness of the water and sky.

navigating the emerald isle... part 1

Dear mom and dad,
Thank you for teaching me how to read a map. Boy, did that come in handy in Ireland...
Love, Kate

I have been eager to visit Ireland for many, many years. In 2005 I worked for a lovely Irish woman named Angela at Webster University Geneva and I've always enjoyed hearing her talk of her homeland. She has made me eager to experience the people, sight, sounds and tastes of this beautiful country.

We ported in Galway (on the western side of Ireland), poked around a bit and then picked up a rental car. Lisa lost the rock paper scissors game and was elected to drive. Thus began the start of our adventures. For those of you who don't know, in Ireland, driving happens on the left hand side of the road. To make it even more fun (& to save significant euro) we opted for a stickshift in the car instead of an automatic transmission. Lisa handled it like a champ, although navigating and helping to remember the correct side of the road was a team effort. Another challenge was that the lanes felt like small bike paths - oh so narrow! Good thing the cars are mostly of the small variety. There were many moments I thought we were going to hit the bushes/rock walls that lined many of the streets, but Lisa kept us all safe and sound.

After a consultation with my favorite travel guide (Rick Steves via his book) we had decided to head South to drive around the Ring of Kerry before heading to the Dingle Peninsula. The drive took much longer than we anticipated and one of the reasons that it took so long is that I, along with Lisa and Emily, really like taking photos. Needless to say, there were many photo and art breaks in our day.

We stayed at a quaint B&B just outside of Dingle. We had initially hoped to stay in Dingle, but had trouble booking a room...came to find out it was because the Dingle Marathon was happening that weekend - this added some fun challenges to our driving and parking efforts. =) The B&B was lovely and was run by a very kind woman, Didre. Didre made us a wonderful breakfast and then we were off to explore a bit of Dingle before heading up the coast to the Cliffs of Moher. Didre suggested an alternate, and definitely more scenic, route which unfortunately took us much longer than the highways likely would have.

This route also took us over Connor's  Pass which was quite nerve wracking, but we decided to brave it. I'm guessing it would have been lovely, but by the time we got there it was foggy and drizzling, so we really couldn't see anything - probably a good thing or we would have tried to stop for many more photos!
By the time we made it to the Cliffs of Moher it was (unfortunately) still very foggy, getting late and we couldn't see a darn thing. Needless to say, this was disappointing to the camera happy folk.

We eventually made our way back to Galway, retuned the car the next day and hopped a train to Dublin to explore the city and meet up with the ship. We saw a lot of the Irish countryside, but I'm thinking another trip to Ieland will need to be in my future... I'm determined to see these cliffs.

This is what we should have seen...

borrowed from Patty Brdar Photo

But this is what we actually saw... 

More photos coming soon...

Miss and love,

k

the Atlantic crossing...

Well, I made it from the emerald city to the emerald isle in one piece. As you know, it was a crazy month of travel all over the US and not enough time with the family, but I did get to see mom, dad and both of the brothers! 

The Atlantic crossing was (not gonna lie) R.O.U.G.H. The people on the ship have been great, but we were all pretty ready for some solid ground - even if the solid ground feels like it's swaying. There were multiple days where we faced 14-16 foot swells. Doesn't sound like much, but it will send you from one side of the ship to the other quickly. 

Needless to say, the port of Galway was a welcome sight. 

ever grateful.

As I sit in the faculty staff space on the seventh deck, I am watching
the rough Atlantic churn itself and my stomach. There have been moments
in the last two days that I've wished (for brief seconds) that I was on
land. More so, I'm ever grateful that I get the opportunity to
experience the vastness and mightiness of this ocean - even if it is
showing off it's power a bit more than I'd like. Four more days until
land...

the beginning...

Lat 43º 15.92N
Long 064º 21.03W
Speed: 11.6 knots

Hello! We are currently sailing along the eastern coast of Canada and
are scheduled to port tomorrow morning at 0800. We have had two full
days of training since sailing away from the Boston port on Sunday
evening. It has been such a joy to be back at sea and back on the MV
Explorer. This is truly a unique opportunity and I struggle to
communicate just how lucky I feel.

It is very odd to be here with a whole new group of staff and faculty,
but we are quickly getting to know one another and are beginning to
build some wonderful relationships. The past two days have flown by
quickly and tomorrow we will get to wander around Halifax for a bit
before the first of our students (work-study) arrive on the ship. I will
be supervising nine work-study students and am eager to meet them
tomorrow. We will host a reception in the evening for the families who
were able to bring their students to meet the ship. It is always a blast
to see the parents and, not unlike the parents of first-year students,
they bring an amazing excitement, nervousness and energy to the ship.

Thursday morning we will board the rest of the students and then we are
officially off for a voyage of a lifetime. I'm very excited about the
role I will be serving in on the ship, but I must admit that it's been
an odd shift away from the student life work that I'm so accustomed to
doing. I think this work in Alumni and Development will be good
experience and an engaging challenge for me.

miss and love,
kate

and.... we're off!

Well, the months of planning, getting vaccinations, obtaining visas, moving, packing, unpacking, repacking, repacking, repacking (ad infinitum) is all going to pay off today! 

I will board the MV Explorer for this next adventure in a couple of hours and I am beyond giddy with excitement. Returning to the MV Explorer feels like I'm returning to a home I so desperately love. One of the reasons I love it so much is the amazing family that I joined when stepping on board. The students and staff of F06 really made the voyage what it was and I carry them in my heart as I set sail again. I am confident that the F12 students and staff will be just as amazing, but I'm feeling nostalgic for the F06ers now. 

I'm usually a "carry-on only" type of traveller, but I will admit that I have definitely overpacked this time (oy). Here's hoping my fellow staff members don't judge me too much (and that I'll actually be able to lug it all to the ship). More later. For now... time to pack up again and get ready to head to the port. Below is a map outlining our voyage (image courtesy of www.semesteratsea.org). 

my life on a napkin

I think this is the first time in my entire life that I've ever been packed for a trip a month in advance. I'd like to say that it is because I'm highly organized and plan my personal life that well, but let's be real - those of you who know me would never believe that in a million years. 

This summer has been a tad hectic as I moved into temporary housing, worked my final month, sold my car, put the last of my belongings in storage and then left the beautiful Pacific Northwest (in the best time of year AND in the height of berry season) for the sauna that is the mid-west right now. It's a good thing there are a LOT of people in the mid-west that I love dearly...worth it.

It was difficult packing for storage, a month of work and Semester at Sea all at the same time and it definitely brought out my "J." Yes, there are spreadsheets indicating what is packed in each suitcase...don't judge. I don't want to forget if I remembered to pack enough [fill in the blank] for the next 140+ days. 

I decided to practice living out of a suitcase for my final month in the states and will be doing a significant amount of travel here in the states - some for personal reasons, some for professional reasons. I'll be shakin things up in Cape Girardeau & Columbia (Missouri) emceeing two leadership conferences; Orlando (Florida) for a TPE planning meeting; Rochester (Minnesota) to see the Toney family, meet the newest toneybabies, and let my friend M have a nap; Jefferson City (Missouri) to see the wonderful parentals; road trip to Tulsa (Oklahoma) and Houston (Texas) to see my favorite siblings; back to Jefferson City and then off to Boston (Massachusetts) to board my second home, the MV Explorer. Whew. 

I may have been a bit board on the first leg of my flight from Seattle... and yes, I travel with colorful sharpies - who doesn't? Thank goodness bags fly free on the one airline I'm using for this.  

this is for real. 

I'm still somewhat in shock that this voyage is really happening in what is now a few short weeks, but here I am with my passport and visas (whew) and packing my apartment for yet another move. For those of you who have known me awhile you know that moving is something I've done many, many times...and something that I'm not usually too excited about. This time I'm trying to pack 1) for the voyage, 2) for some things to go in storage and 3) for residence in a temporary apartment. Aughhh.... 

This move is bringing many more unknowns and I'm finding myself nervous, excited and trying hard to keep my mind open to embracing it all, living in the moment and not worrying too much about what will come after. To be honest, I'm very concerned about coming back as this time I don't have work lined up already. I know that it's going to be worth it and that I'll figure something out eventually (right?). 

Not gonna lie, all of the news reports reminding me that it's not exactly a employment-friendly economy aren't helping. Right now, I'm just trusting that the right thing will work itself out. If not, I may be couch surfing to a sofa near you as my place of residence is currently tied to my (ending) job. 

The other big unknown is my relationship. I met a great man at a baptism nearly a year ago and the thought of doing this without him isn't pleasant. However, the thought of coming back and moving a bit closer together is definitely making me happy - this 3 hour commute business is not ideal. Three months apart is totally do-able, but I've not quite given up the thought that maybe we can work it out for him to join the voyage with me. We shall see. 

Ok. Back to packing... anybody want to help? 

113 days.

I'm bursting to tell you that in a mere 113 days I will be rejoining the MV Explorer for another voyage of discovery!  This time we will be sailing around the Atlantic Ocean while living and learning on the ship. As many of you know, my time on Semester at Sea in 2006 was what started this blog in the first place. You can tell by the gap in posts that I've not been great about keeping it updated, but I'm stretching out the blogging fingers once again and recommitting to keeping up with it again.

Once again I am rejoining the blogosphere to document and share my experiences with you virtually. I sure hope you'll join me for this life-altering one-of-a-kind experience.

<3 kate

seriously? seriously.

I was flying to Philly a couple of weeks ago and flipped through Skymall (as I tend to do on long flights) and happened upon this new shoe.

The logo? Really? Now, I know what it looks like to me... what's it look like to you?

How may layers of approval do you think a shoe and a company logo have to go through before making the pages of a mass-produced magazine? I'm guessing quite a few.... sigh.

winter in washingon

Well, if this is winter in Washington.... I'll take it.

magellan is back in action.

So, I got to thinking about the past month while flying home last week. It was a great travel month for me - made it to NYC, MO, FL, The Bahamas and Puerto Rico - and so I started adding it up. It was not so great for the environment, but what a fun month and I'll tell ya - I was a balla on a budget while doin it.

days counted: 30

miles traveled: 18,969 +/- a few

transportation used: plane, subway, cab, ship, bus, car, ferry

states/territories visited: 6; countries: 2

plane tickets purchased: 2

travel vouchers used: 2

hotel rooms purchased: 1 night (+2 more with travel points)

days out of office: 16 (yay private school winter breaks)

days in office: 7

vacation days used: 7

old friends seen: 30+

new cool people met: um... a lot.

Loves it.

things i may have failed to mention...

Ummm... so this past month it has been brought to my attention that I may not have shared that I have recently relocated! I accepted a new position at a university in Tacoma, WA and moved north mid-summer. I'm enjoying more of the Pacific Northwest, living 45 minutes from Mt. Rainer, 15 minutes from the Puget Sound and super close to Seattle. Adventures galore!

thank you facebook.

I think there's a reason (in my subconscious) that I don't check facebook very often. I was browsing tonight and realized that some folks I used to BABYSIT are now married and some have children. Thank you, dear facebook, for making me feel SO old.

for the love.

When did televisions become so freakin' difficult to turn on and use? What happened to the day when all you had to press was on/off, channel up or down, and volume or mute?

I'm house/dog sitting this week and the big flat screen with cable is one of the perks (I don't have a tv in my house). Now if only I could get a picture AND sound when I turn it on... seriously.

love.

Love comes in many forms and from many places. Each day, I give thanks for bounty of love that exists in my world. It is amazing just how deeply one can love another and I am grateful to have experienced deep, unexplainable, unwavering love in my life.

To all those I love and who love me, I wish you a very happy Valentines Day. I'm so glad you're in my world.

it's all in the name...

About 2 weeks ago my colleague, Bryan. asked if I'd play on staff co-ed recreational basketball team for the campus intramural league. We'd had a team a couple of years ago (the Globesquatters), had a blast & somehow we actually made it to the championship game.

Bryan decided that we should do it again and put a team together. He gave us the team name "Vicious and Delicious". All was fine and good until he sent out a team e-mail about our next game and decided to abbreviate the name. He sent a lovely e-mail addressed to the VDers. Yes, the VDers. Needless to say, I walked into his office after reading that laughed and just shook my head. He claims he didn't even think about what that looked like. I'm not quite sure I believe him...his sense of humor is a little warped at times.

I'm just glad he hasn't made the t-shirts yet, I'd much rather have a shirt that says Vicious and Delicious instead of one that says VD - even if the extra letters do cost more!