Journals from the week ending March 14, 1997
Ten Days at Sea!
Amelie Pelletier, 3/11/97, aboard ship...Living, sleeping, working and studying at sea is a new experience for me. We have been at sea for ten days since we left the Maldives and we have ten more days until Jeddah. The first week was great because I was really happy to leave. I couldn't wait to be at sea for 20 days. I brought some provisions: cookies, drinks, chocolate bars and other kinds of food. I was ready to go. As I said, the first week seemed very short, we did deck work, watches and homework as usual. But, after those few days, I started getting tired and felt more bored. The routine began. Wake up at 7:30 each morning, go to classes and do the same thing as the day before and the day after. When I think about that, I realize that it is the same thing at home except at home, there's always something new to see everyday and I can go wherever I want. After 10 days of seeing water, water and water, I'm looking for land where I can walk, run and see new people. For the moment, I think about my family and my friends that I miss a lot. The next 10 days will probably, I guess, be a bit longer, but that is part of the experience of living on a boat for five months and I really enjoy it.
Trying New Things
Mindi Goodwin, 3/11/97, aboard ship...
Maldivian food is quite different than what I am used to. Their main food supply is the tuna that is caught in the sea nearby. The Maldivian people use tuna for every meal and prepare it in many differentways.
The first real Maldivian meal I ate was while I was with my homestay. We had rice with curried tuna. The Maldivian people do not normally use forks, knives, or spoons to eat. They mix everything in their bowls and eat it with their hands. The traditional food tends to be quite spicy . If you are not used to eating spicy food, you might not enjoy it very much. For me, eating the fresh tuna was very different. I chose to eat the fish because I thought it would be rude not to eat something which was prepared especially for me.
My Time in Maldives
Charlotte Redway, 3/10/97, aboard ship...
Immediately after setting foot on Male, I was greeted by a man who offered to give me and my friends a free tour of the island. This was only the beginning of my experiences with the kind and inviting Maldivian people. I found that later, as I walked the streets, many people stopped to say 'hi.' and offer directions. One young woman invited me into her house to sit as she went out of her way to get directions from her neighbor. Her house had many comfortable hammock-like chairs that I enjoyed resting in as I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich with her younger brothers and sisters. I doubt that they had ever tasted anything like it because the local food consisted primarily of fish and rice, but no peanut butter and jelly.
While visiting Maldives, each Class Afloat student was paired up with a similarly-aged Maldivian student and stayed with their families in their homes. This was particularly fun because I got to see what life is like for someone my age in their own society. At dusk, I sat on her bed as she dressed in the Muslim traditional garmets, placed her prayer rug on the floor, pointed her compass to Mecca, and recited a five minute prayer in a language completely foreign to me. She was very willing to tell me about parts of her culture that I did not fully understand. I met many of my hostess's friends and felt accepted by all of them. As we sailed away from Male, my pockets were stuffed full of names and addresses so I could write to my new friends. The maldivian students’ pockets were full as well.