But we have to pause first to celebrate the arrival of Austin Anthony Kerner, our first grandchild! Krista and Chad had him in Raleigh, NC, on 10-01-10 (a very binary date indeed) and we are thrilled to report that all are doing well. We'll meet him in December when we get back.The Global Studies exam went exceedingly well -- everyone showed up on time, the overwhelming majority of the students pass it (did very well indeed), and all thought it was "fair" (which is, after all, the most important criterion a professor can strive for). Here are a few of the things we've been doing.
The Captain made a slight detour as we neared the Equator in order to cross the 0-0 line (0 Prime Meridian and 0 Equator), that is, the exact center of the Earth at the North-South hemisphere and the East-West hemisphere come together. Not important, probably, but waaaaaay cool. (The baby in Janna's arms is Griffin, the gorgeous "ship kid" -- she's practicing for Austin!).
The arrival at the Equator initiates Neptune Day, a carnival of activity that celebrates an old tradition (some say culled from Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle) in which "polywogs" are initiated to "shellback" status if they have gone through a series of steps (get covered with "fish guts," purified in the pool, kiss a fish, and bow to King Neptune and Queen Minerva, who, if satisfied, allow them to gain shellback status. Then they get their heads shaved bald (if they choose to do it, and many do). It's a silly morning, but it's enormous fun and it lets everyone blow off a little steam before settling down to studying again.
Cathy Rodgers, the Vice President for Global Initiatives at IBM, has continued her whirlwind of activity by participating in classes, clubs, individual meetings, group sessions, and evening Explorer Seminars; she is a treasure, and the students have adored her. And most of all: she has important messages to convey about sustainability, and the students really listen to her. Come back again soon, Cathy!
Students who come on Semester at Sea are already primed to help others, move into exotic climes, and seek adventure. A well-attended ES panel brought together Traci doherty, Janna Gies, Hieu Dovan, Greg Paulson, and George McLemore -- all Peace Corps Volunteers -- to talk about their experiences and facilitate information for students interested in the PC.
Louis Patler, our Interport Lecturer, is president of the BIT Group, an international consulting agency. Louis is a three-time Semester at Sea professor, and does a lot of business in South Africa. His presentation on "Myths About South Africa" was engaging and informative.
A panel discussion with Louis Patler and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, moderated by David T. Gies, grappled with issues such as apartheid, democracy, and poverty in South Africa. Needless to say, the crowd was awed, inspired, and informed.
One of the events at Cultural Preport was a singing of the South African National Anthem, which is written in four languages. Donna Plasket's choral class performed it as a surprise to the group, and the Archbishop came in to join them!
And the crowning moment -- Global Studies the day before we reach Cape Town -- was the Archbishop's 90-minute address to the community about racism, stereotyping, Apartheid, and the history of South Africa. As the students keep saying, "Amazing....".Cape Town tomorrow.
Fabulous, David!
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