It is only the beginning..

I guess the time has come – to begin to tell this wonderful story of mine.

 

See ya Hawaii – hang loose !

Now I am once again in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – 29C both in air and the sea! And I know it would be cooler if it was December; but I guess I’ll deal with tanning in January!

Sailing away from Hawaii.

 

I don’t even know where to begin – everyone knows my manic pursuit of this voyage and the passionate desire that didn’t let me give up. In addition to my dear friends who motivated and I cheered me on, even when I thought it is not going to happen and that Semester at Sea will be a dream I’d have to pack away. But no – I am in reality here, and I have to admit it’s hard to believe that I actually need to go to classes, do readings and assignments… With my personality it’s really hard to actually stay away from that sunny deck and not socialize IN THE SUN with the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean right in front of my nose. I practice though – self control! I am trying to stay focused..most of the time. But I am so happy, and I feel so in place – exactly where I am supposed to be. I imagined that it is going to be magnificent standing on that highest deck – but it is even better than that. The wind, the waves, the changing colors of the ocean, whales and dolphins peaking out to say Hi occasionally and the energy people! Everyone are from around and about eager to experience the world. It is a dream indeed. Now I just need a Prince (haha). I would be okay with a scene adaptation from the little mermaid … J

 

Yes, Hawaii did inspire me, incredibly – it is just a different rhythm of life over here. People make and invent new ways of making jewelry, hair pins, paintings, and food – oh soooo much amazing food! Macadamia nut – butter, something like peanut butter but BETTER! Fruits, blew my mind. Imagine tasting all those fruits people talk about eating while “under a palm tree” somewhere in Bali.  This was Hawaii, and it wasn’t a palm tree but good enough place to eat Mango, Papaya, Avocado, Apple-bananas, White pineapple and drink fresh Coconut just chopped by a Filipino dude. That is also one of the most amazing things which fascinated me in Hawaii – everyone come from somewhere, there is not so many ‘native’ Hawaiians people but everyone together are such a strong community! They express their own culture and traditions in any way they seem fit and they learn from each other, exchange talents and grow both spiritually and mentally. It is just fascinating to me how in such a small place people learned to embrace their similarities and simply enjoy instead of stressing out about deadlines, meetings, racial differences, prejudices and stereotypes. Those do not exist.

 

The Farmers Market fruits – definitely, the local market is the best way to connect with the culture and get a feel of what are their daily lives about.

 

 

To do in Hawaii:

·         Find a firsthand Hula dance performance – its like watching a story, even though I didn’t understand a word they were singing.

·         Hitchhike (Flag) a hot local (amazing smile, professor of agriculture) with a huge black pick-up-truck to drive you and 6 your other friends back to the port.

·         Long live the samples on the market: free home-made, once-in-a-life time fruits, shakes, peppers, honeys, jams, butters… All organic and home grown and with a story behind it.

·         Coffee and ICE CREAM

·         Snorkeling –whales – mama, baby and a pretender, parrot fish, Dori from Nemo, some yellow fishes, prettiest waters and the coral reef, tanning and cute and funny tour guides. I am a sucker for water and sun, it makes my life – and I could not live in a place without it.

·         Go to a Hostel instead a Hotel. Pick: a tent or a room. And socialize with bunch of INTERNATIONALS. 

This is Meike, my roommate for this semester. She’s a German studying in Vancouver.

 

This voyage is not even a quarter in, and I am already full of stories about the stuff world has to offer. It was worth it, all those papers and emails and meetings. The investment like no other. The world is my Campus. It is everything, all these people on board want to do something, change and improve. And everyone are so incredibly creative and passionate about their ideas – I see their faces light up when they try to explain the purpose of their pursuit.

 

 

Next stop Japan.

 

p.s. since very limited internet access – my mean of communication is EMAIL : maja.dimitrijevic.sp13@semesteratsea.org
Send me updates from that hemisphere and I am going to share blogs as often as I can ! Next one will be before Japan: Jan.27^th we dock in Yokohama.

 

Question: What would YOU want to see most in TOKYO or KOBE? …and… What would you say was a stereotype for Tokyo ?