Roseau, Dominica: A Port of Both Joy and Sorrow.

As most of you know, we experienced a tragic loss while in Dominica. Casey Schulman, a fourth year at UVA, was one of the most brilliant and kind-hearted and sweet human beings you could find in this universe. There is no one that could light up a room with her smile and personality quite like Casey, and she'll be greatly missed by everyone she knew on Semester at Sea, at UVA, and everywhere else in this world of ours. May she rest in peace and may her memory fuel more kindness and love in the world.

Onto the port itself.

Day one was spent with a huge group of us going canyoning with a company called Extreme Dominica! What that entails is rappelling down large canyons, waterfalls, and other things along with jumping off rocks into large pools of water. It was one of the most incredible experiences I had the entire trip and I got to do it with some of my closest and best friends! I couldn't have asked for a better day. The night came with the tragic news of Casey, but also a beautiful dinner with Max, Jack, Katie, Kaelyn, Tucker, Josie, Jace, Patrick, and Gaby. We sat around a huge table in a small cafe and talked about life and times and all sorts of things. We toasted multiple times in honor of Casey and wonderful lives. 

Coming into port!

Max welcomes you to Dominica!

Jace, Tucker, me, and Max in our wetsuits!

Josie and me with our gear on!

Me, Max, and Katie - the Three Musketeers!

Before the first rappel!

Kaelyn, Gaby, Katie, and me in the canyon!

The whole gang! Gaby, Tucker, Katie, Josie, Max, and Kaelyn and then Jace and me!

The second day, Katie and I wandered for miles all throughout the city of Roseau and through the Botanical Gardens. We then hiked up a trail to the top of the mountain in the garden! (Called Jack's Walking Trail, oddly enough!) The view from the top was stunning. We sat up there and talked and sat in silence for a couple hours. After heading back to the ship, I met up with Jack and my friend Yan. The three of us proceeded to do what Katie and I had done in the morning! It was just as gorgeous the second time, and the view from the top was still gorgeous in the afternoon. An impending storm brought some cooler weather for us up there. We then went to a local bar called Ruins and hung out with dozens of other students and professors and staff from the ship. 

Jack and me at the top of the mountain.

Jack's photography of an old church.

Yan and me at the top!

View of the forests.

Large tree from India in the garden with Katie resting on the roots.

The tree fell on the bus in a hurricane, but it continues to grow!

My home for the last few months.

Jack and me in front of the ship.

The ship at sunset in the last port. A very fitting last picture.

Thanksgiving in the Amazon with Sloths: Manaus, Brazil

Traveling down the Amazon River on the ship was a whole different experience! It took us two whole days, but we did it. Every night they had to lock any and all electric doors because there are bugs big enough TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE SENSOR. It's crazy! And yes, they're actually that big. And the mosquitos! Ugh. But doing yoga at sunset while going down the Amazon River was a cool experience!

Day one was spent wandering around the huge city that is Manaus! Surprising, but true. The city holds over a middle people and is the capital of the Amazonas portion of Brazil. Bronwyn, Quinn, Katie, and I walked both ends of the city and saw just about all you can see. We ate more acai with leche and granola, and ended up eating our Thanksgiving lunch with our Professor, Don Gogniat (the man Katie and I ran with). While it was just a big combination of different types of juices and a grilled cheese, it was great to be surrounded by such wonderful company! After more wandering and a little bit of market shopping, we headed back to the ship for some (much needed) showers and dinner. We then went to the Amazonian Opera House/Theatre for the evening with almost all of the S@S community that didn't go on a river boat excursion! It was an AWESOME way to spend our Thanksgiving evening, and the Amazonian Symphony was incredible and talented.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Thanksgiving lunch.

Acai!

Signing the wall of the Ecoshop.

The Opera House/Theatre

Inside the theatre.

A view of the main part of the city and the theatre.

Katie and I at the theatre.

Day two was spent in the Amazon Rainforest! Katie and I went on a S@S day-long river boat trip alongside all three of the deans and the American Ambassador of Brazil. And many others too, but mainly them! We went into the area in which the River Negro and the Amazon River meet. This place is cool because the two rivers are unable to mix! The River Negro is too acidic, the rivers run at different paces, and the amount of tannic is different. After we went into a relatively remote village in the middle of the forrest, talked to the locals, watched as they heat up rubber to make it into more of what we use today. After, we went to eat at a little floating restaurant! The food was alright, but the concept was brilliant. We then got to trek into the forest itself to see the HUGE lily pads. We also got to HOLD A SLOTH. It was a little baby sloth! Too cute for words. After all that was over, we went back to the ship and Katie and I spent the evening resting.

View of the city from the water.

The ship!

The village.

Making rubber.

Floating restaurant.

Homes on stilts.

Floating gas stations.

Welcome to Manaus

Meeting of the rivers!

Meeting of the rivers again.

The Ambassador!

Meeting of the rivers!

SLOTH.

HELD ONE.

Katie and me at the meeting of the waters.

Katie and me in the village.

Dean John and me.

Day three, Katie and I just wandered around the city and and saw the sights. We ate and talked and got some little knick-knacks and sat to get wi-fi for a little while when it got too hot.

Forever Young: A 21st Birthday at Sea.

I had an absolutely amazing birthday! I definitely missed my friends and family back home, but everyone here was incredibly warm and welcoming and made me feel loved. Also, a very happy belated birthday to Grandmother, who has a birthday the day before mine.

I came back to my room late on the night of the 13th to find my bed covered in balloons that Katie blew up. Definitely a good way to begin the festivities. Jack, Katie, and I managed to stay up until midnight to cheer in the birthday, but I must say that if was short-lived and we soon all hit the hay. She also decorated the door with post-it notes in the middle of the night so that I would find it the next morning! Ain't she the best.

When I actually woke up for the day, I began with opening the present that my mother wrapped back in June or July that had been patiently waiting in my suitcase ever since. On it was a Birthday Girl pin and inside the book-shaped box was all sorts of birthday goodies! It had balloons, a banner, cupcake napkins, candles, and a gorgeous set of earrings.

Jack, Katie, and I proceeded to breakfast where I opened all the incredible cards sent to me from wonderful people. Many, many thanks to Mom, Dad, Aunt Betsy, Holli, Jan and Rodney, Allison, Namma and Pappy, and the Current Events Sunday school class. Also, thanks to Auntie Ann for the package filled with not one, not two, but three singing birthday cards! Let's just say the chicken dance, light-up candles, and a shimmying martini shaker were involved. 

I also lucked out in that my morning class was cancelled, so all I had was one 1:00 class that day! I got to relax and hang out for most of the day.

That afternoon, I got one of my favorite presents. A man named Paul Liebhardt is currently on the ship, and he's a world-renowned photographer. He  is also becoming one of my friends and my good friends on the ship. For my birthday, I was allowed to choose one of his pictures as a present and he gave me some of the smaller prints of 4 other pictures, too. I love looking up at the picture I choose in the end! I would definitely recommend looking him up on the internet and finding some of his photos. (http://www.semesteratsea.org/faculty-and-staff/paul-liebhardt/) I also got a gorgeous necklace from Cape Town from Katie and chocolates and music from Jack.

But the best part of the day was doing Special Occasion dining with 4 of my closest friends on the ship! Katie, Bronwyn, Josie, and I all dolled up and listened to music for about an hour. It was good fun to just hang out with the girls. Jack picked us up and we did the stereotypical, prom-esque photo shoot. After some lovely pictures inside and in front of a gorgeous sunset, we went in to eat. And eat we did! Multiple appetizers, soup, salad, entrees, and desserts. And then a cake was served! Mom ordered me a delicious chocolate ice cream cake. (Thanks, Mom!)

All in all, it was a fantastic night and I love my friends and family!

Photo 1: Katie's birthday balloon surprise along with the many wonderful cards sent to me in Rio de Janeiro! Thank you everyone who sent them.

Photos 2 and 3: Katie's post-it decorations on the door!

Photo 4: Bronwyn, Jack, Katie, Josie, and me before my Special Occasion Dining dinner.

Photo 5: Stair picture of the 5 of us.

Photo 6: Katie and me before dinner.

Photo 7: Katie, Josie, and me before dinner.

Photo 8: The girls before dinner.

Photo 9: The girl out on the deck enjoying the sunset before dinner.

Photo 10: All five of us in front of the sunset.

Photo 11: Jack and me before dinner out in front of the sunset.