Shipboard Culture.

Looking out my window from the top bunk, I have the most gorgeous view of the Atlantic Ocean. Being on this ship has reminded me of how much I love the sea. I could never get tired of watching the waves as they steadily rock and spill over beautiful, blue water. I am captivated by the way the sun's reflection glimmers on the surface.

I've finally got my sea legs, and I didn't experience motion sickness-- knock on wood. Two mornings ago we woke up to very rough waters. Our dresser drawers were opening and closing on their own and walking down the staircase was a challenge. But the waters have since calmed, and today I noticed signs of life that I hadn't seen in a while-- sea gulls, seaweed, and about 6 dolphins jumping right outside of our window! We've lost an hour of sleep each night, slowly passing through time zones. This paired with my 8 a.m. class and my distaste for the dining hall coffee makes for a sleepy morning.

The culture onboard a floating campus is unlike any other I have ever encountered. Everything is within walking distance and I see my professors and their families everywhere I go.  I am enjoying my Entrepreneurship and International Marketing classes a lot, and have learned so much already from the first three sessions. Going to class on Saturdays and Sundays is a weird feeling, but I have begun to lose track of time altogether. In fact, we are on military time, so that was something new I had to get used to also. Finding the motivation to study is difficult when I'm surrounded by numerous distractions including the top deck, fun social events, and windows everywhere I look.  I didn't include boys on this list because the student population is 75% female. Our meals are basically a carbohydrates feast. Every lunch and dinner we are served bread, pasta, and potatoes of some form or another. Not to mention the trays of desserts they bring out at 10:00 p.m. every night-- what are they trying to do to me? Well I'm off to read, study for tomorrow's Mediterranean map quiz, and help Katie celebrate her birthday.