Journals from the week ending May 30, 1997
Reminders of Home
Kendra Schmidt, 5/21/97, aboard ship...Arriving in Gibraltar was an amazing experience. The Rock of Gibraltar seemed to stand out like a lily in a field of dandelions. Everything was so full of life in Gibraltar: the birds swooped up and down along the base of the rock under the penetrating sun, the flowers were in full bloom, and spring was in the air. During the early morning as I stepped outside, I smelled a strange familiarity in the aroma of my surroundings. It reminded me of camping in a grassy field, surrounded by a crystal blue lake in the rocky mountains. Even while I was in the city, walking down a street full of souvenir shops and cafes, I still felt like I was back in the country gazing at the view from my home. I was completely ignorant of the abundance of tourists or the fact that the language that is native to me was finally being spoken all around. On looking at the enormous, colorful rock, with its green shrubs and small houses nestled into it, I imagined the plane ride back to Calgary. I thought of watching the farmers fields go by, colorful trees, crops, and small forests which border the city. I pictured myself glimpsing out the airplane window, and thinking about the other sights and sounds I had seen on this incredible journey. Whether it be the hike up Penang Hill, snorkeling under the sun in the Maldives, or walking through a maze of well-kept bushes and rose trees at Alhambra, every time I smell spring or look at another amazing sight, I will always think of the Concordia, my home away from home on the shimmering water.
A Room with a View
Josh Rogan, 5/22/97, aboard ship...Our English class gathers once again in the small room at the stern for another lesson in what we call our classroom. While the majority of classes demand total attention towards the small chalk board situated at the front of this room, I can’t help give my undivided attention to the marvelous view out the window. It is easy to convince yourself that you’re still learning when out the window we can admire the coast of Spain and out the other window you can get lost in the beautiful symphony of moving blue. The ocean never sleeps, she’s always dancing to the wind and moon. Often the view can be no different out one window or the other, but the imagination can run wild with different images of oceans we’ve sailed in and soil we’ve ventured over . Not just a ‘classroom’, but a room with a view.