Happy ASIA DAY

Finally finally finally…. It’s hard to believe we’re going to be in Yokohama TOMORROW! Even though I’ve been so busy I’m realizing how sick I am of being on this boat. Eleven days is just a little much.. I think it’s the food and the no movement though. I literally feel like I’ve been sitting for 10 days straight.
So last night we all took our first global studies exam. It was our last day of this long stretch of classes and the feeling after was like finally being done with my finals and getting ready for summer vacation…. Except it’s Japan! It’s funny how instead of “have a great weekend” my professors say “hope you have a great time in Japan!”
So today is Asia Day where there are tons of activities and information sessions going on and then we apparently get a big Asian feast prepared for us…. we’ll see how much of a feast it really is though. This morning they showed the Superbowl in the union… which they played through the internet so it was pretty blurry. It was soo weird to walk in there and hear such familiar sounds that I feel like I haven’t heard in forever! To watch football (even though I hate football) and see the commercials, and just the sounds of the crowd and the music….. it just seems so strange to me now! I mean technically we haven’t even been to another country yet but I just feel so isolated and apart from America. It’s nice that we all feel the same way… we’re all in the same boat (literally) and it’s almost like we’re one huge family now. They say the biggest culture shock is going back home, and I already can’t imagine going back to life in the U.S. I know that’s dumb because we haven’t even been anywhere different yet, but being so isolated and being with people who all feel the same way, and just anticipating the experiences we’re about to have…… I just already can’t imagine going back to “normal” life.
Unfortunately we’re going to be delayed a few hours arriving in Yokohama…. because just our luck, we had to go around another huge storm. Apparently it’s from a volcano that just erupted in Japan?.. I might be wrong but that’s what I heard. The ocean is even more rough than it was on the way to Hawaii. The swells are ginormous and sometimes the whole porthole in our room goes underwater! The maintenance guys had to come close and bolt down our porthole yesterday… soo it must be pretty bad. This time however instead of the boat rolling side to side, we’re hitting these huge waves head on so every so often there’s a huge bump and then it feels like an earthquake. I woke up the other night thinking we must have hit a whale! Before the global studies test last night we hit a big one and Allyn completely flipped off her chair… it was hilarious. It’s so funny how adjusted we are to zig-zagging down the halls and not even thinking about it.
Well I am so ready for Asia…. between Japan, China, and Vietnam we only have 4 more days of classes in February! crazy. Wish me luck- we don’t have very detailed plans/ no idea how we’ll find our way around with no English…. but I guess the goal is just to make it back to the ship on time. I have faith in us :)
Sayonara!!

-Michele