Stephanie Desmeules
December 11, 1995 aboard Concordia
TANZANIA !!
We arrived safe and sound at Dar es Salaam on the second of December, after seventeen days of non-stop sailing. We had our first sight of the city when we sailed into the river mouth that led us to the port. To starboard (the right side), we could see a big fish market where buyers and sellers swarmed -- people were yelling, children were playing, women were wearing bright colors and were carrying big packages on their heads, and some men were playing checkers on a board drawn on the ground, with coke and sprite bottle caps as the different colored pieces. To port (the left side) there was a huge line of people waiting for a boat that was crossing the river, bringing people to and from the market. I did not understand the ferry system; ten or twenty meters before the shore, half of the sailors on the boat jumped off the deck into the water and swam to the bank. They then helped the other half to berth and to coil the lines, etc... Although Dar es Salaam seems like a cool city, we did not see much of it because we stayed only for the weekend, and all the shops and restaurants were closed.
We then sailed to Zanzibar, a Tanzanian island just off the coast, and found it to be an active place. During the five days we stayed there, some of us visited a wide market that spread all over the city in narrow streets that looked like the Medinas of Morocco, some of us had the chance to see the giant turtles on Prison Island, and some others visited the coral reefs of other islands nearby. Everywhere we went, the locals were greeting us with a smile and a ‘jambo’ (‘hi’ in Swahili) or a ‘karibu’ (‘welcome’), politely answering our questions, or leading us to the nearest postoffice or anywhere else we wanted to go.
We left Tanzania with heavy hearts on December 7th, but ready to continue on our path, knowing that soon enough (in two weeks, in fact), we would be separated from each other.
Geoff Kendrick
December 11, 1995 aboard Concordia
Mixed Emotions
Well, I can't believe our first term of Class Afloat is almost over. It seems like only yesterday we were crossing the Atlantic and getting use to life on a tall ship. This term was full of ups and downs, but there were a lot more positive aspects than negatives (managing work, no sleep, and other such things). I’m not really sure if I am looking forward to reaching Durban because we will have to say good-bye to all the people not coming on for second term. On the other hand, the land safari is something I've been looking forward to since we left Boston. I am also excited to go home for Christmas to see my family and friends. I hope it will not be stressful. I have had a great first term on the ship and am very excited to see what the Pacific has to offer us. I am really happy I participated in Class Afloat. I hope next term will be just as fun and exciting.
Phil Holysh
December 11, 1995 aboard Concordia
Faculty Journal: Learning and Teaching
Having taught onboard the Concordia for some time now, it is fascinating to look back upon my experiences and realize what a unique teaching opportunity it is. Indeed, some of the experiences onboard this ship are unbelievable in many ways, be it teaching about the Suez Crisis of 1956 - while you sail through the canal, or just relaxing on the ship at the end of the day talking with students and admiring the sunset.
Over the course of five or six months the students (and undoubtedly the staff) undergo a number of changes that many might have thought impossible. It is revealing to once again become familiar with what being a teenager is all about. I'm not all that old, but it is amazing to realize that in so many ways I have forgotten what it is like to be a student in high school. Living with forty odd students aboard a rather small (and after five months even smaller) ship brings it all back. But, that's a good thing, because I think as a teacher it is important to remember that (dare I say it) there is more to life than just school. Often students that do not do as well as we would like in the classroom have all sorts of other skills and talents, and here I get to see that when the formal teaching day is done. Back home it is easy to just forget about that student and lament that they aren't scoring as well as they ought to.
I guess that's what I like best about the Concordia - you get to know students as people, not just as students. Armed with this little piece of wisdom, I hope I'm a better teacher.
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