Shemar Blakeney
Semester at Sea
Fall 2017

o So far on my voyage, my favorite food would be Naan, bread from India. I have also eaten squid, octopus, and eel while on the voyage.
o I was a member of a South African Musical, which was really fun and amazing.
o I spend my free time talking to my friends about anything in the world. All the way from politics to last names. It is a little different from the US because everyone on the ship truly has a different perspective, instead of in the US where it’s just a “different” version of the same ideal.
o Even though I am not taking any language courses, I have been practicing my Spanish with friends and crew members on the ship. Also, I was taught how to say hello and thank you in Hindi, Burmese, and one language in Ghana.
o In my global studies course, I have become aware of my “American Way” of thinking. I noticed some of my thoughts and actions are completely different in other cultures.
o Outside of class, I have learned interesting ideals and beliefs. Our ship as a whole, is a different country.
o I have discovered tons of new music. For example, I have listened to music from Puerto Rico and then turned around and listened to music from Ghana, and one more time to India. The shipboard community is full of different music and aspects. I have also learned how to dance the salsa, bachata, and merengue.
I have spent time just enjoying and embracing the Sunset and Sunrise. I have also participated in yoga for the first time.
o I spend my time with other students, including students from other countries. I have met people from Puerto Rico, China, Ukraine, Columbia, Iceland, and many other places, and they are ALL wonderful! I have met new people in all of the different countries that I have visited, and we have exchanged contact information, so we can stay in touch when I return home. I have only met one person from HSC, and he is on the ship with me. However, I have met the President for Shipboard Education, and he has visited Hampden-Sydney College.
o My school is a ship, and my campus is the globe. My classrooms are a movie theater, a dining hall, a pool, and an auditorium.