Thoughts from class 2/12/11

My philosophy professor today opened up our class with a discussion about how he hopes that we are not taking Semester at Sea for granted. This has been something I had been contemplating myself since we left Brazil a few weeks ago. He spoke about how if he was home and someone was talking to him about their experiences on SAS how would they react?
He went on to discuss the real power and point for studying abroad. My reason for semester at sea was the fact that I had the chance to see what I have already learned about throughout my education and to see the things I have always known as well as have fun traveling the world.

If I told you there was poverty in India what would you say to me? Yeah, we know. And if I told you the slaves came from Africa what would you say? Yeah we know. If I were to tell you about the horrific events of apartheid that occurred in South Africa what would you know? Maybe the basics and that it still a sensitive subject even today but would you really get it?  You might ‘get it’ but would you really feel it and have an understanding of what these people experienced? Probably not, unless you witnessed it yourself. To see it in front of your face, to feel where these people came from is completely different than learning about it in a textbook.

And that’s why everyone needs to travel and see  the world and meet people and have these experiences for themselves!
I have heard from many that have visited the concentration camps of WWII that it was one of the most profound experiences they have ever had because they were able to really feel what the victims of the Nazi’s experienced.

The value of this trip is what it is doing for us and for me it is what I am going to after this trip that will be the real value. How many people can say they studied abroad and went to different countries and did charity work while they were gone? SO Many! But how many people are doing something when they get home about what they have seen and learned? Not as many. Our trip’s motto is “Think Globally, act locally” or as Jake Fitz likes to say “GLOCAL!”. That motto is all to perfect for study abroad and especially Semester at Sea.

I don’t want to go home and re enter my life where I left off. I want to go home and be a changed person. I want to be someone with a purpose. All these experiences I have had will be great stories to share at the dinner table but if that is this trip succumbs to I will be doing a great injustice to my not only my parents for helping me do this, my friends for their support leading up to the trip and throughout it, but mostly myself.

Next blog post: experiences in Ghana!!!