Lions, and tigers, and giraffes ... oh, my!

Cape Town's exquisite Waterfront Harbor came into view as we sailed into South Africa early last Sunday morning. From the ship we could see Table Mountain (object of many hikes by students during the week) and we spent the day exploring the town -- the fort, the Company Garden, the natural history museum.The object of many of our side trips, however, were the multiple safaris offered throughout the country. Janna and I did an independent trip up to the luxurious Ivory Tree Lodge in Pilanesburg (2+ hour up to Johannesburg, where we stayed the night, then a 3-hour drive to the game reserve).My expectations were relatively low; after all, we've been to the zoo, we've seen animals, no big deal. WRONG!! It's a VERY BIG DEAL to see these gorgeous creatures in their natural habitats, to see them close up, and to learn from the expert guides of their life in the wild. We were both thrilled and impressed. Here are just a few of the pix I snapped during the four game rides we enjoyed.It took two days of searching in the bushes and trees and mountains and crevices, but FINALLY we spotted the rare and shy African Leopard!The Archbishop celebrated his 79th birthday while here, and he invited some staff, faculty, and students to his home for lunch on Tuesday; then, on Thursday, the ship hosted a fabulous party for his many friends from Cape Town.
We spent our final day shopping, clearing up some ship details, and then going on a tour of two lovely wineries nestled in the hills outside of Cape Town, where we learned about wine production, distribution and marketing. Nice way to end a very enjoyable visit to a welcoming country.We sail now toward the island of Mauritius (a five-day trip), where we will be for two days docked in the capital, Port Louis.

On the water...and an appearance by Austin

It's a seven-day stretch from Takoradi, Ghana, to Cape Town, South Africa, time for us to get our sea legs again, get back to class and to studying, take the Global Studies exam, and enjoy the plethora of seminars and activities that fill up the day.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.

Two Tutus

Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the 2010 African Lifetime Achievement Award from the Millennium Excellence Awards Foundation, a prize normally confered in December (it is given every five years), but because he is with us on Semester at Sea and unable to attend the ceremony, Ghana organized a series of ceremonies in his honor while we were docked here. One of the major sponsors is H.R.M. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King of the Ashanti.The Foundation invited a delegation to accompany the Archbishop, so the Academic Dean (me!), five studentsand two members of the Communication Team spent two days in the company of some rather extraordinary people. I will recount these two days briefly, or otherwise I'll slip into a Tolstoy novel; the rich details, the experience, the people -- all out of the "not to be believed" category. The condensed version: the trip included one Nobel-prize winning Archbishop (and a Mrs.), one king, numerous chieftens, one Vice President, one daughter of a former president, various Captains of Industry, five wonderful students, one Ambassador (called "High Commissioner" in local parlance), and 8 siren-blaring motorcades.

First, the stars: Desmond and Leah Tutu. What elegance, what charm, what inclusiveness, what love. Two extraordinary people who are revered in Africa; he is a rock star and to witness the people's reaction to seeing him, hearing him, and touching him, is inspiring. We flew from Takoradi (southwest coast) to Kumasi (capital of the Ashanti nation, in the central region) to Accra (the political capital, southeast coast) and back again to Takoradi. At each stop, a welcoming committee of celebrities, dancers, drummers, horns [horns, king of the guards]and local dignitaries received the delegation; the Archbishop spoke; and we moved on to the next event. The highlight (without a doubt) was the durbara local drum ceremony that pays homage to the King and any distinguished guests. It was two hours of drumming and spectacle; color and praise; noise and excitement; beauty and pagentry. I was overwhelmed, and could have sat there for another two hours taking the whole thing in.

We met the King, were introduced formally to the chiefs, received gifts (kinte cloths)and shook a thousand hands. A luncheon at the palace lasted well into the late afternoon
and we repaired to the Golden Tulip Hotel (the owners of which are one of the Millennium sponsors, a very elegant couple trained at Wharton) for a late (and very delicious) dinner. The Archbishop and I were interviewed on Ghanaian TV (!).An early flight to Accra to meet the Vice President of the country (the president is in China on a state visit, 54]), then to the offices of the Anglo Gold Ashanti mining corporation (another sponsor), which has created a notable malaria-eradication program. Lunch at the hotel with more local dignitaries (including another former president of the country as well as Samia Nkruma, the daughter -- and Member of Parliament -- of the first president of Ghana, the admirable Kwame Nkruma).Back to Takoradi, exhausted and elated. Thank you, Archbishop and Mrs. Tutu, for a memorable experience.

Ghana

Ghana is going to need two blog entries. We have seen from the very top of the pile (kings, chiefs, hyper-educated businessmen and politicians) to the very bottom (individuals seemingly stuck in abject poverty). But throughout we have all been struck by the overwhelming kindness of the people, and the warm, generous reception we have received everywhere. I'll save the king for the next entry.Takoradi is an industrial port (major exporter of cocoa beans) with a vibrant street life, but we took off east along the coast past fishing villages until we reached the two major castles, Cape Coast and Elmina, from which several million people were dispatched to the New World, as part of the notorious Transatlantic Slave Trade.Ghana is a country in need, and I think that this visit has opened many students' eyes to the disparities of world economics. They have done a lot of service projects (Habitat, orphanages, home stays, schools, a water-purification project) and I hear them talking animatedly of figuring out ways to sustain the contacts they have made. Let's hope they do; the Archbishop believes they will, and I'm betting he's right.