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.