A Way of Life

Culture. This voyage is all about culture. In Student Affairs, we often talk about the importance of multiculturalism, diversity, competence, and difference. This trip has it all. Culture. Its ambiguity and complexity hide its importance. Anthropologists, psychologists, sociologists, philosophers and even geographers have their hands in the pot with their own definitions. Our Global Studies instructor Dr. Sam Sheldon has his own definition: a way of life shared in common by a group of people. It’s simple yet deceivingly complicated. Culture entails everything that is shared and taught by a people such as language, music, food, worldview and values; culture is dynamic, influential and powerful. And with over 1000 people on board, the M.V. Explorer has its own sub-culture, unique when compared to any other living learning environment in Student Affairs.

First some demographic information to share about our voyage. There are 262 different colleges and universities represented on this voyage. 1000 total participants, a new SAS record, including 684 students, 27 faculty, 33 staff, and over 200 crew with Master or Captain, Housekeeping, and Hotel staff. 73 courses are offered in addition to Global Studies, a class that includes the entire 800 people living learning community participants broadcasted to all rooms on the ship. To match this demographic information, there is even language: “You are on a voyage, not a cruise. You are on a ship, not a boat. You are a sight-thinker, not a sight-seer.”

Do you ever remember why you went into Student Affairs or another helping profession like teaching? How often do we see the results of our long hours, the powerful relationships and mentoring and advising times and commitments? Here we see it everyday and all day long. Since the start of this voyage, I can’t contain my excitement. I remembered why I love this field and the potential, not only of students, but of the rewards of living and working with students in a unique, special living learning community, Semester at Sea. These students, knowledgeable, bright, informed and humble, can’t hold back their enthusiasm either. Since the first night, when our gangway was pulled up, and slowly, almost unnoticeably (like our Executive Dean Dick Sapp predicted), our ship left the port of Nassau, and we had only begun to realize that we are embarking on a voyage that very few people have ever done. Orientation began that first two days and the students discussed how surprisingly satisfying the food was and how they would share the small safe in their room. Students were alive with energy and anxiety, anticipation and worry. I stepped back, watching the sun set for the first of 100 nights with some faculty and staff friends on Deck 7, and the students mingled, already sharing stories. We are traveling around the world, not only a once in a lifetime travel experience, but also an unbelievable professional development opportunity. It’s all part of the culture of this ship and program.

The informality, and yet influence, of the living learning culture and environment is apparent in the language. Some instructors are on a first name basis with their students, and all participants share tables at dinner, lunch, and breakfast. At one table, we discuss globalization versus localization with such examples as Wal-Mart, McDonalds and global corporation. Close-by, another table talks about the history and politics of South Africa. One of the several engaging and fascinating faculty members, Dr. Scott Sherman, talks about how to change the world, how to make a difference and find your passions through his non-for-profit organization at UCLA. Each table has its own spontaneous theme and curiosity. The ship is so small, not in size but in community, that I visited the Doctor one afternoon about something minor, and she asked me how was I doing several times while passing in the gangways and hallways throughout the day. That’s what I call “shipside” manner.

All in all, it’s a small, tight-knit community. When we talk about collectivistic versus individualistic cultures, our ship community defies the logic that most Americans and students are individualistic, a sail-or-fail-by-your-own-wings type of society. In Puerto Rico, I saw many reminders of the collectivist, family-oriented and group focus cultura. While I was taking a couple mile run in San Juan (I would be a marathon runner if I lived in such a beautiful place, running along the beach each day), I noticed a small child fall down on the street. He was young, 2 or 3 years old, and immediately, 5 women ran over. They picked him up, brushed off his knees, and quickly sent him on his way while giving him reassurances that he was alright. Mom waited, up the street, watching and waiting. “Hurry up,” she yelled, no anxiety in her voice and no need to run over and take care of her son herself. I guess it takes a village in Puerto Rico, just like on our ship.

Another interesting facet of the small community is the rumors. Word of mouth travels faster than formal announcements made each day at 12 noon and at 17:00 hours shipboard time or 5 PM, giving us our geographic position and important community college discussion topics. Funny rumors about a bear on deck 5 or the foreign governments’ submarines following the M.V. Explorer are less malicious than entertaining, but others can be detrimental. If students are late for on-ship time, or the time the Captain sets for all members to be on board for leaving port, they receive dock time in the next port. One dangerous and untrue rumor spread like wildfire, informing students the first two ports were only warnings, adding a new dynamic to my position as Assistant Director of Student Life and conduct officer for the ship community. Even in two weeks the close relationships between students, faculty, staff and senior adult passengers amaze me. Is it the simply the bonding of a unique and challenging experience of traveling the world or something else mysterious, unnamed? Another maritime legend I suppose.

The culture is also influenced by the maritime traditions and sailor superstitions that make up our home, the sea. On Monday morning, we celebrated the crossing of the Equator and King Neptune’s ceremony transformed us from pollywogs to shellbacks by British naval ceremony. The tradition is an old one, probably originating from the crossing of “the line” near the Strait of Gibraltar and later the Equator. King Neptune and Queen Minerva (Executive Dean and the Academic Dean) preside over a Court of experienced sailors, who, according to tradition, boarded the ship to deem the worth of the landlubbers who become friends of the seven Seas. The play involves the entire crew complete with sea guts being dumped on willing participants, a spray with the hose and a ceremonial dip in the murky water in the pool. After getting the muck and smell off your body, you confirm your allegiance to Neptune’s court with a saying to the Royal Barber, the Royal Court, a kiss on a real dead fish’s lips, and a bow to Queen Minerva; now you are formally a shellback. The picture proves my allegiance, albeit incompletely because my head was shaven only later.

Our culture is also celebratory. The busy lives of faculty and staff were interrupted to celebrate the night before we arrived in port in Salvador da Bahia, Tuesday night, for a birthday party. Even though rumors circulate like wildfire, I was oblivious to the celebrations, and I commented how we should have such a party every night before port, with music, lights, a fog machine and bar all the time. Sincerely, I was honored and ecstatic to have so many folks show up to celebrate my small 28th b-day. We had a great time with dancing and drinking, and as several staff said, “we’re going to Brazil for your birthday!” Remarkable given the ability of rumors to fly around the ship, but I was truly surprised!! Cake, singing, and alcohol flowing freeing, the party was a great time. Two faculty even gave me gifts: a picture of me in Starbucks (it’s a running joke among us) blown up large and a Canadian hat from a warm and kind British couple that lives in Canada and used the word “soccer” just to please us folks from the States. It was a night I will not forget.

Students, faculty, staff, senior adult passengers and crew. One thousand lives intersecting and mixing—each influencing one and another. It’s all mixed up in this unique culture. “The world in which you were born,” Wade Davis once said, “is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” Three and a half months are not as long as I wish, but if the first two weeks aboard this unique community and culture are a sign, the learning, relationships and way of life can only grow and develop into a culture that other scholars will study as well.