Life on the MV Explorer

Things I have learned so far from my stint on the MV explorer:

1. BEWARE of treadmills. I have had three near-death experiences on these machines due to unexpected sways on the boat. Not only is it a hit to your ego when you fall in front of 30 people, but it could lead to very painful injuries.
2. Peanut butter and jelly is crucial to survival. The Semester at Sea cooking staff is tricky. They lure you in with delicious dinners in the first couple days at sea, and then once we are stuck in the middle of the Pacific, hit you with the back of the pantry food. I can only eat potatoes and cream of celery soup at each meal for so long.
3. Semester at Sea quickly turns you into an 85 yr old with back problems. I am now drooling by 8:30pm and wake up every morning with back pain, due to the 2X4-esqe beds.


Okay so I have decided to start a new feature on Anne’s Voyage Around the World. It will be a daily quip on an experience, fact, or anything I’ve learned on the boat that day. It is called:

ANNEcdotes

1/21/2010: Yesterday I had my first session in my Human Sexuality class. The teacher asked everyone to go around the room and introduce him or herself and tell the class an interesting fact. I, of course, informed the class that I am a former used car salesman and if anyone is in need of my expertise to come talk to me. After about 12 people or so a girl stood up and shocked the class with this:

“My name is Christine*. Until I was 16 years old I was an only child. In June of that year, I found out that I was going to have a little brother. My Mom, Dad, and I found out the day my mom went into labor. Have you seen those TLC shows that are called ‘I didn’t know I was pregnant’? Well, that’s my mom.”

As you can imagine, the class was speechless, and I’m pretty sure the same thought was on everyone’s mind…. How fat do you have to be to not know you are pregnant??

I personally, would like to meet this woman.

*names have been changed, not to protect identity, but merely because I forgot the person’s name.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s!