Carissa's Exploits and Fabulous Adventures




Japan Round Two

Monday, August 29, 2005

And we have come full circle. Around the world in 103 days. The beginning of this voyage felt like a dream. Completely unreal. I couldn't believe I was about to embark on such an amazing journey. Somewhere in the middle it began to feel real. More than just real though. It felt normal, like everyday life. But normal people don't do this everyday and I did. But now as it comes to a close it has once again taken on a dream-like quality. Did I really go to all of those places? Meet so many people? Do so many things? Greg said this is the longest dream he has ever had and I agree. Today during a final staff kampai on the pool deck I looked around at all the people who have made this dream so special. I have such unique and wonderful relationships and memories with all of them. I looked at them and realized how lucky I am to have all of them enter my life. I have so many people who care about me and who I care about. It's amazing how much I have learned from all of them. I can't really imagine not having all of them with me every day. It is definitely the people I will miss the most. While I have loved being in ports, we have spent only 25 days in port. The other 80 days have been at sea and what makes that special is the people, the events, the lectures, the conversations.

The dream Ends
And I awake.

Friday, August 19, 2005

The Final Departure
Too much
Like the stars
Stretching to infinity
Too much for my head
To comprehend

I can't take it all in:
Joy
Sadness
Laughter
Regrets
Good-byes
Plans
Reunions

My mind is reeling
A giant fish has grabbed the bait
And is running away with the line
I am left holding a pole
Wondering what to do
Next?
Alaska

Swimming in clouds of aspen leaves
The trees line the road in rows
Showering me
Like crowds they have gathered
Parting as I approach

Sunday, August 07, 2005

A completely unserious and non-peace related blog. Gomenasai.

One of the teachers I work with has been taking a small blue stuffed rabbit around the world with him. If he were 5 years old this would be understandable, but he missed that age by about 30 years. It might be understandable if he didn't bring it into every port. If he didn't take pictures of it in front of all the famous things we have seen. If he hadn't named it. If he didn't carry it to all the lectures with him. If he didn't dress it in a jacket one of the passengers made for it. That is not the case however, making it not understandable. Completely incomprehensible in fact. Well, the rabbit has been kidnapped (or rabbitnapped) and is being held for ransom. When we walked into our classes this morning there was a ransom note on each computer in all 10 classrooms (we are networked, so it isn't as crazy as it sounds) and all of the computer backgrounds were changed to pictures of the rabbit being held hostage. The ransom demanded a poem written about this teacher's undying love for the rabbit, to be placed in a specific book on a specific page in the library. The demand was met, but the deadline was missed. More demands were made and printed in the daily English newspaper. The new demands include shaving the left side of his head, wearing his shirt backwards for a week, taking the blue nail polish off his toe nails and reciting his poem during a meeting. I of course hope that the demands are fulfilled, the rabbitnappers relent and the rabbit makes it back to its owner. Nothing is sadder in this world than a blue stuffed rabbit dressed in a black jacket being separated from its loving owner. (the poem was quite amusing by the way)
PS I swear I had nothing to do with it. Really.