Cal Poly at Sea

The way you think, the way you view the world and those around you, your beliefs, morals - so many experiences will challenge and enhance all these aspects of your life, and you will come out the other side a little bit different. Cal Poly at Sea is one of the most wonderful and unique experiences you could ever hope for. for instance, who goes to school on a ship floating around in the middle of the ocean? Who gets to do homework while tanning on the equator with all your friends/ classmates/ fellow adventurers? Who gets to see a whole different southern hemisphere sky and all the stars and constellations with no obstructions? And not only that, but have your astronomy professor himself point everything out and help you learn it right there! There are sooo many amazing opportunities on this cruise, scholastically and personally. I have learned SO much in so many aspects of my life, it's hard to explain it all, but I'll try my best to reflect back on this trip in an attempt to sort things out for myself and in the hope that it might help someone else decide to do this.

I've already touched on the awesomeness of learning on this trip. We got to experience the trade winds we had just learned about in class, learn about the waves we saw when we went outside, have quizzes on the stars we looked at every night, and so much more. It was so much fun to see land for the first time in a while, or a huge pod of dolphins dancing by. It was fun being in so many of the same classes as every one else so everyone had to study at the same time and learn the same things, and it was easier to study and quiz each other and motivate each other. These were all amazing things that I will remember the rest of my life, but also very important was what happened to each of us as a person.

When I left SLO for Vallejo, I was extremely sad to leave behind my friends and the good life I was leading. I had serious questions and doubts. Often times I thought, what the crap am I doing?? I didn't know anyone going on this trip, and I was having so much fun in SLO with my friends and going to school. One of the scariest aspects of this trip was being away from my solid little group from school. That has been hard the whole trip, becasue I had to meet people all over again and start friendships from scratch. However, I got to meet some amazing people that I don't think I would have met if I already had my own group of friends. I think some of the most interesting and adventurous people in SLO come on this trip, and I got to be friends with so many of them! I think the fact that you would actually go on a Cal Poly at Sea program says something about a person. I remember sitting around the dinner table one night, and we were all talking about how we love to drive with the windows down, and all our friends from home didn't understand - but everyone at the table liked windows down! That never happens. I think some very important friendships and relationships have formed on this ship that will last a long time. People that I normally wouldn't have hung out with or talked to I've come to love, and fully plan on spending time with back in SLO.

Another amazing feature, and reason probably a lot of people signed up (including myself), are the ports we got to stop in. I saw some awesome parts of this world, and all we had to do was walk off the boat and there we were! No flight plans or hotel reservations. I've often longed to go to a tropical island, and finally my dreams were realized. I absolutely loved hiking through the jungle and swimming in warm waterfalls on Fiji. Even riding the bus was awesome because there were no windows, everyone waved at you, and we passed through the most gorgeous scenery ever. I got to snorkel for the first time in my life, and I was utterly astounded at what lived under the water I had been swimming in the whole time! My eyes were opened to a whole new world of underwater. I loved going snorkeling and seeing the variety and uniqueness of the fish in New Caledonia and Fiji. In all the places we went to, it was interesting to see how people lived, and their political issues and cultural problems. We saw the effects of colonization, and many times the natives were more economically oppressed, while Europeans or americans benefited from the island. In Australia also, even though they were mostly friendly to the idea of America, they wanted to be Australian and didn't like American music playing in their clubs or when Americans acted obnoxiously in their towns.

With so many experiences to offer, going on this trip is just asking for an amazing life-changing adventure.