8.26.2010

the one with the last day on the trip...

Tomorrow I am headed back to Eugene! Wow what a summer it has been, it is still so hard to comprehend how much has happened this summer. The past week has been pretty great, just traveling around spending time with my family and Justin. But, let me tell you a secret, the one thing I miss most of all is going places by myself. In the next week at home I am definitely going to just spend a day going to bookstores and coffee shops all by myself! YAY!

Well after this blog entry there will be no more exciting travels to keep up on, so it might be a little silent on here for a wile until I decided what I am going to write about. Probably books, but it will probably include a little bit of average college life. 

Loves,
Cris

8.23.2010

the one with american history, a much newer subject than I have become accustomed to

The past two days my family and I have been touring Virginia and Washington DC. Yesterday we went to UVA, I figured I should see the school that I just finished attending. It was a really nice campus, but much different (read: less green aka worse) then the UO. I did go to Pi Phi there and that was fun, I just walked up and knocked on the front door, the house mom came and gave me a little tour. Only 18 of the 140 girls live in the house but it was pretty cute, very much like our house. Then we went to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's house. It was beautiful, and I really liked both the house and the grounds surrounding it. For lunch (at 5pm) we had taco bell! OMG I missed taco bell and its disgusting deliciousness. haha. We then drove up to DC and found our hotel. I was beat at this point, but the family wanted to go see the monuments. So we drove around DC until about midnight when we finally had dinner and came back to the hotel. 

Today we took the metro to downtown DC and spent most of the day in the American History museum. I loved it, there were so many things there and it was really nicely put together. We spent about 4 hours there finishing with a tour of Julia Child's Kitchen! Thats one thing I cant wait to get home to do, cook! As I told my grandma, I am having wisk with drawls! After that we went to the National Archives to see all the important documents in the world. :] That was cool, I think it would be so much fin to be a archivist and go through old documents! Justin then lead us with its cool phone app to a restaurant recommended to me called the Dubliner, well thank you Hanna! It was wonderful!!! I am still stuffed from my chicken pot pie that I only ate half of! Were back at our hotel now, and tomorrow were off to williamsburg, and I might even get to go shopping! Yay America!

8.21.2010

the one at the very end...

Well it was an eventful night for my parents and justin, it looked for a while like they were not going to be there when we came into port. But it all worked out, and they were here. We are now in Virginia, we spent the whole morning up on the top deck waving franticlly to specks holding signs. It was a fun morning, now we wait for like 2 hours until its time to get off.
See you all very soon!
-Cris

8.20.2010

the one with the sentimental musings of a SASer...


The drawers are empty
The flash cards thrown away
America is on the map… even in the close up
The last noon report is said
The deans have sang their final song

We'’ve traveled the Mediterranean, and still have trouble spelling it. We’ve met people who have changed our lives, and our perspectives are forever altered. God has blessed us with safety in our travels and we come into port in the morning.

I’ve said it before, but it really is bitter sweet. I have grown to love this ship that I once thought I would never be able to navigate. The community here is like no other, everyone, even those who you don’t have the slightest idea who they are, genuinely smile at you in passing. The staff that works day and night still go out of the way to bring you juice.

I have made one of the best friends of my life, and I am tearing up even thinking about leaving her. We have shared experiences that I will never have the opportunity to share with even my family. She was with me when I was told the family I had hoped and wished existed and dreamed of meeting was gone, and she was with me when we proved that statement false. We traveled together through every port, eating the best meals of our life together, not to mention drinking fabulous wine. We sat and talked for hours over delicious food, something I could do with no one else. We shared a cabin that is the size of some peoples closet never once arguing. We challenged each other to work harder (well more her challenging me). She sat patiently while I made 200 flashcards for one biology test. She played music through every evening, not to mention morning. We dined together at 7:30 every single morning. In return for the music she shared with me, I blessed her with night after night of star trek. I will never, ever, ever forget the memories that we shared and I will miss her so much when I go home.

Tomorrow we swipe our cards one more time, but I hope it will not be our last. Someday I will be back on Semester at Sea, maybe not until I am a professor but it will happen.

Until next time,
Cris

8.19.2010

the one with a great movie...


today, we watched star trek and packed. Then the movie on the loop was Rudy a fantastic football movie. In the end he sacks the quarterback and its fantastic.
I was really excited when this happened and I can not wait for football season.

Cris

ps

GO DUCKS!

8.18.2010

the one where she is done with classes...


Finally I am done with classes until the fall. I took my bio final this morning, and I don't know haw I did. Its so frustrating because yesterday I studied for this one test more than I normally study for all my finals combined. I made over 150 flash cards and studied like a maniac. Yet, I still know I got some questions wrong. Science= not my thing.

Other then studying we have just been hanging out on the ship, there is not a whole lot going on. Sabre and I tanned yesterday for a while, shes been reading a book a day. I am about halfway through her (yet to be published) book, I really like it and am excited to read the one that she already published.

Tonight is the alumni ball, I am very excited for it so I can dress up but most of my excitement stems from the prospect of good food! I am so so sick of the food on this ship, and we are running out of peanut butter so we cant even have pb&j any time of the day except breakfast.

We have just about two and a half days until virginia! I am SOOOOOOO excited!

Cris

8.13.2010

the one with the beginning of the end...


Today we got our first memo about disembarkation procedures! I cant believe that I will be back in the states so soon. It has been a long summer, amazing and fun filled, but I am ready to go home.
I miss cooking and sleeping in my own bed. I miss no time changes. I miss texting, and talking on the phone.
Okay back to drawing class.
Cris

8.12.2010

the one with me needing an email adress...

Kelly Pace?! If you are her or have her email please email it to me at cmcoven@semesteratsea.net
I want to talk to my big! Thanks :]

8.11.2010

the one with morocco...


Moroccan Life…

Well I don’t want to say anything to offend any one but I didn’t really like Morocco. It was dirty, busy, and has a interesting (by that I mean bad) government system.
The mosque in Casablanca was really pretty, but built recently for tourists, so that put a damper on it for me. We did see a beautiful catholic church with gourgous stained glass windows inside. It was comforting to be back in a church.

Marrakech was much of the same. I think I would have liked it more except for the 2 hour camel ride. That was not a good idea for me or my spine. The food was great though. So was the shopping, I bought bunches of cute stuff including good shoes for recruitment and a leather purse/bag.

Oh yes, the first night in Morocco Sabre and I went on a “Sabre Crista Dinner” but we also invited Sam. We had a great time at ….. Rick’s Café! For those of you oblivious to life, Rick’s Café is one of the main settings in Casablanca the movie. This one was only built about 6 years ago by an ex-american forign service worker, but it looks very similer to the movie set that it was filmed in back in Hollywood.  We had a wonderful bottle of wine and some great food.

I don’t really have a whole lot else to say about morocco. It was just a short stopover before heading stateside.

Today I bought myself a sweatshirt in the store that I thought was on sale, it turned out not to be… o well I wanted to get one so I did, the sale was very poorly marked though.

Today is also a no class day and the shipboard auction is today. I  wanted to get the two books that Gerry Bowler wrote, he is our global studies professor and a Christmas Expert. I think they are getting to be a bit too expensive though, so I problebly will just get them on amazon.

Tomorrow we are back to the grind of classes for 4 days, until exams start. Fun fun fun.

Sorry this is not a longer more detailed entry, I am just not much in the writing mood.

See you all soon! I will be in VA on the 21st!!!!

Loves,
Cris

8.06.2010

the one with the potential of flying toiletrys and snacks....


According to "the voice" we are going to hit very rough seas tonight, so rough that we were advised to put our rooms on "lockdown" and put practically everything we own on the floor. Sabre and I just completed this and our room looks quite bare and sad.

The only condolence we have to this is that we are once again gaining an hour tonight!!!! Whats even better is that we are gaining another hour tomorrow night why we are in port!!! I am going to be one well rested traveler.

Tomorrow we arrive in Morocco, and I am going on a traditional SAS city orientation. The following day I am going on a two night "Camel Trek and Merrakech" trip. Aside from the potential of me fainting when I see my first snake charmer I am quite excited.

14 days until Virginia!

See you all soon, I am off to drug myself so I do not spend the whole night puking.

Loves,
Cris

8.04.2010

the one with a life changing moment....


Sabre Died.... Just Kidding
She is all better, for the most part, she still has a bit of a man voice.

The life changing moment happened after a faculty- caribbian sea party in the faculty lounge. Sabre and I ventured on to the deck to look at the land we are passing. Which we determined was Africa. But we could not figure out which country it was ... we settled with the knowing it was a country in Northern Africa, in between Egypt and Morocco hahaha. -- Back to the story, we were standing there when out of no where came a bright light! A shooting star!!!!! Some of you might wonder why I chose to put 5 exclamation marks after that, the fact is it is the FIRST shooting star I have ever really seen! I have seen like the very end of one before but not one in all its glory. It was epic, and yes a life changing moment. Sabre was very excited she was there for this point in my life :]

Oh Sabre, we have gotten to the point that everyone we meet assumes that we have known each other for years, and are besties back home. Its great.

Bed time for me, 16 days to Virginia! It is starting to be bitter sweet. Once I see all of you though I think I will be very happy to be home.

One more thing, for those of you meeting me in VA, I have decided that my first meal in the states will be red robin (Hint hint, find one near by). A fatty burger with bacon, strawberry milkshake, onion ring tower, and a salad with ranch. Yes I will explode, but I miss real american food. && I am dieting on the way home, so I will be skinny enough to handle it. :]

LOVES,
Cris

8.03.2010

the one with sabre in a near death state.... (not really)

Well the past two days have been pretty boring hence the lack of blog posts. Sabre and I are both sick, although her near death state is nothing compared to my sore throught and headache. Not really but she is pretty sick. I have two midterms this week and one paper due on Friday (which I already have done!!). I am also trying to choose a drawing for the gallery our class is putting together to show the shipboard community. Right now we are watching the talent show going on in the union on our closed circuit TV. Its pretty … interesting hahaha. Some people are good, and some just haven’t been told that they are not that good. Ha
Loves, Cris

OH and tonight we are going back an hour for the first time!!! (that means we are on our way west!)

8.01.2010

the one with the worst bagel ever and GREAT news!!


Today = Sea Olympics
Donut on a string contest= Bagel on a string contest
Crista in bagel contest= better then the girl in front of me from my sea, but not as good as the bagel machine in line behind me (Richard)
Caribbean Sea in Bagel eating contest= Epic Fail
Caribbean Sea= WINNERS OF THE SEA OLYMPICS!
Me in Virginia= Getting off the ship first (with the rest of my sea)!!!!!!!

That made my week, and I will see you all in four weeks. Except my parents, Justin and Grandma... I will see you early on the 21st, Rather then waiting all day to get off the ship!

LOVES
Cris

the one with the worst bagel ever and GREAT news!!


Today = Sea Olympics
Donut on a string contest= Bagel on a string contest
Crista in bagel contest= better then the girl in front of me from my sea, but not as good as the bagel machine in line behind me (Richard)
Caribbean Sea in Bagel eating contest= Epic Fail
Caribbean Sea= WINNERS OF THE SEA OLYMPICS!
Me in Virginia= Getting off the ship first (with the rest of my sea)!!!!!!!

That made my week, and I will see you all in four weeks. Except my parents, Justin and Grandma... I will see you early on the 21st, Rather then waiting all day to get off the ship!

LOVES
Cris

the one with the epic quote of the day...


Today’s Quote
“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part”.
--Pierre de Coubertin

“Spoken like a true Frenchman.”
--The Voice

The one with ancient writing, giant statues, and of course Ramses II?



The past 5 days have been ridiculously busy to say the least. I don’t think I have the time to go threw and describe everything I did. So I will just hit the highlights.

Pyramids: just what you would expect, HUGE, sandy, with lots of camels and tourists. At the pyramids I rode a camel. It was a very weird experience, they were so much taller then I expected. The ride was also a bit bumpy; I took a priceless picture of Sam on her camel. It is HILARIOUS! Hahaha

Valley of the Kings: SO much more then anyone would expect, the Hieroglyphics were so incredible. I loved every moment even though it was over 110 degrees. The Tombs were so detailed and beautiful, with most of the color still intact it looked newer then the Roman Forum and the Acropolis but was actually a few thousand years older.

Karnak Temple: The one you see on the history channel all the time with all the columns. It was beautiful and huge. I thought it was interesting because of the way it was added on to by each pharaoh, and the Greeks over hundreds of years.

Abu Simbel Temples: WOW, it was incredibly hot, but the gigantic temples were well worth the heat. One of them is the one with the 4 colossal statues of Rameses II out front. The inside was just as incredible. The carvings inside were images that I have seen in my history books for years. I was in aw as I walked silently through the little chambers inside.

Cairo Museum: King Tuts gold and items found in his tomb were beautiful and fascinating to hear about, but the museum itself is a disgrace to the treasures inside. No air conditioning and bad layout. Luckily they are building a new one in Giza.

Overall, this trip was well worth the cost. I had an amazing time, and saw almost everything there is to see in Egypt as far as ancient stuff goes.

Today is the day of the 102nd semester at sea Olympics. Everyone cross their fingers, if the Caribbean Sea wins, we get to disembark first in Virginia! YAY! I am competing in the Donut- on- the –string competition! Yes, I volunteered to speed eat a donut off a string in front of all my peers on the 6th deck aft I will let you know how it goes, I have a friend video taping it so everyone can relish in my embarrassment.

Our 6 day journey to Morocco has begun… four days after making pot there we are off the states, a bitter sweet 10 days.

Loves, Cris