The highs and lows of life at sea.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

I came across this quote, looking through my English resources, preparing for mid-term exams, on what was one of the most difficult days spent at sea thus far. Though I’ve dreamed and hoped for this experience for years now, the reward of this opportunity does not come without its challenges. On this specific occasion, the test at hand presents itself as another squall at sea. On most of our sails, we have encountered fairly severe storms, with winds sometimes nearing hurricane strength. The rolling of the ship, and the general lethargic-ness that it induces can be a morale downer for those of us who dislike the motion of the ocean.

Rough weather makes up most of our 11-day sail – and when seas are rough, life on the ship comes to a standstill. In fact, the seas were so choppy that we had to cancel Halloween. Phil, a fellow teacher, had gotten up early in the AM to prep his costume. He managed to get his face and neck covered with fake blood, and glue on faux-but-authentic-looking scars, too. Sadly, the fake cicatrices did not make it past breakfast. After a violent retreat to the vomit funnels, Phil’s props disappear into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. He returns to the breakfast table with only remnants of a red corn-syruped face. The next day, Phil still had a bloodied visage: “It’s too crazy out there to do something dangerous like wash my face”, he says. And I sympathize. I think I’ve been wearing the same sweatpants for 3 days/2 nights at this point….and I may or may not be homesick.

There. I’ve said it. Sometimes, this lifestyle is tough…and in those moments, being away from the safety blanket of familiarity and loved ones is hard-hitting. If I have a bad day on land, I’d go for a run, call a friend, or go the “emotional eater” route and order 2 pizzas for myself. However: when you’re on Atlantic Ocean, 4 days away from land, and you want to call someone, or order multiple pizzas… well, it’s just not gonna happen... I can’t tell you how many times we’ve put together, at the staff dinner table, a business plan for pizza delivery at sea… realizing that no cheese-filled-crust Pizza Hut pizza is in my proximity then leads to a guilt trip for being upset about it … it’s a wrenching thought-process, my friends.

Speaking of thoughts, being at sea leaves you alone with them for extended periods of time…that in itself is an opportune learning experience. Being virtually incommunicado also means that I have no idea what the latest news headlines are, what has been on the cover of gossip magazine for the past few months, or if Justin Bieber’s voice has cracked yet. This kind of disconnection is freeing, and I find myself mostly welcoming the lack of distractions that it brings.

And though I’m acknowledging that this experience comes with its difficulties, for every “I wish I had a bed that didn’t feel like a roller coaster ride from hell”, there are dozens of “Ohhhh WOW this is AMAZING!”.


Exhibit A: The bowsprit.
Harnessing myself to the bowsprit of the ship to watch the sunset is my new favorite thing. It’s an unreal place to watch the sun go down – I’m hoping to be lucky enough to see dolphins or whales swim below me when I’m up there. I’m still mustering the courage to go aloft to set sails… it’ll happen.

Exhibit B: The freshest sushi you’ll ever have:
One of my students rigged a fishing line at the back of the ship… on our sail to Morocco, he catches a 3-foot long tuna. Our cook promptly gets some soya sauce and wasabi prepared, and we enjoy bluefin on the boat deck. Simply amazing.

Exhibit C: Games night with the kids
Playing Pictionnary during the calm part of our sail to Agadir quickly becomes a ridiculous showdown of our teams coming up with completely senseless categories for the opposing team to draw on the whiteboard. A few highlights include: “A nervous reindeer”, “Evil frog on fire”, “Little girl with shark teeth”, and “Regis Philbin as a Pirate”. We laugh, we call each other names (or was that just me? I play dirty), but mostly, we bond. It is lovely.

Exhibit D: Getting mail (with no junk mail!)
Getting letters and care packages from people at home is more exciting than Christmas morning. When we get close to a port where we are expecting postage, it’s hard to say which one I’m most eager for: getting mail, or getting to walk on land. I tack all my letters, cards and postcards on the wall by my bed…I know they’ll be nice to read on my next trying day at sea.

Exhibit E: Ports of call.
Arriving into a new port is always incredible, and Sardinia, Italy was no exception. The beaches here are breathtaking. This place also has many fixes for my carbohydrate addiction– I’m in love. On our shore leave day, a few of us take the bus to one of the recommended beaches on the island, Villasimius. We take in the Mediterranean and enjoy the sights and tranquility, away from the busier town of Cagliari, where we are docked. After having some gelato, we head back just in time to enjoy sunset views from the cliffed highway that we are driving on. I am in awe of the beauty of it all, and of how truly lucky I am to be here.

Traveling and teaching make my soul happy. Despite the difficult days, I am constantly reminded and aware of how fortunate I am to be doing what I love while seeing the world... the past few days in Morocco have definitely cemented that belief… I’ll tell you all about it next time. Until then, I will be sailing to Senegal, trying to nonchalantly ask the pro-crew what the weather’s going to be like, so that I know if I have to try on those anti-seasickness ear patches I just received (Thanks Mom and Dad ☺). We will be spending 10-days in and surrounding Dakar, working with Class Aflloat’s West Africa Initiative…it will undoubtedly be one of the most significant experiences I will live this year.

Xo
Chant.