SAS Spring 2019, Pictures of all Kinds

Here are some pictures that may not have been shown previously but give a little glance of life at sea. We always had a great time. My meeting location was never more than a 4 minute walk, I could work in leggings and a t-shirt, and food was prepared 4 times a day.

I had a cabin steward who cleaned my bathroom, changed my bed linens and tidied up my room. We had waiters who got us water and cleared our plates. The ship's pursers filled out paperwork for our visas. And we got to each destination on time and without any glitches.

I'm thankful to have made it around the world, again, and back!

I crashed a Ladies Fancy Dinner
Ana, Bonnie, Holly, Kelly, Christina, Oli, Laurie, Kinsey, Me & Emily

Sitting area in the library

The Library

Berlin Dining Restaurant

Outdoor Weight "Room" and Chess 

Deck 9 seating + Pool

Ellipticals in the gym on Deck 6

Small group from our favorite workout class, Body Blast
Heather, Me, Colin, Emily (Teacher), Charlie, Kelly, and Christian

My favorite lounge chair spot on the back of Deck 7, Portside

A very full laundry bag
$7 per bag & my goal was to always get 2 full bags of clean clothes back

Working out on the back of Deck 8

My former cabin Steward from Spring 2011
Rosa

New friend, Angel

Students bags are packed and line the halls

My bed + sitting area

Bathroom (+ laundry room)

Closet and safe!

Mini fridge and "wine cellar"

Students were from all over the world
Mena is from Egypt

Just another evening out back

My cabin steward, Angelito
Dressed up for Neptune Day!

Dining waiters are some of the nicest people, doing their job with such joy
This is Pons.

Alphanso and I sailed together in Spring 2011
He is from Jamaica and such an uplifting and happy guy

Matt & Colin Daniels
My favorite ship kids! Polite and willing to lend a helping hand, always. 

Sueann from the Baltic Sea
I had the BEST students this semester. We had few issues and everyone got along great!

Troy and I sailed together on Spring 2011
Such a great guy who has been promoted and now works in the back office

The Kaisersaal Union full of students
Deck 6 is the main space and Deck 7 has overflow space on the balcony

Post workout on Deck 6

Neptune Day Shellbacks
We hosted the Neptune Day events, costume and all

Kayla, Kinsey, and Christain (RDs)
In the Fritz, our favorite place on the ship

That's it. The last picture in my cabin. 4045

Final Days and Disembarkation

Semester at Sea has a special way of nestling a semester's worth of experiences in your heart, mind, and soul and never leaving. The first time I saw the ship from the freeway in San Diego to the last time I glanced back at the ship in Amsterdam, the feelings of immense gratitude and happiness flood my everything.

I was the Resident Director for the Baltic Sea. Our sea color was blue. We had 98 students in our community on Deck 4, port side. We had students from all over the world: Sudan, South Africa, Nepal, United States, Mexico, China, and so many more. Our community was diverse in experiences, background, language, and thought.

My favorite part of sailing was slow mornings where I would sleep in, workout, have lunch, and check emails. I appreciated time outside and will never forget the cool breeze that came off of the water on the back of Deck 7. I basked in the sun and snagged a few naps in lounge chairs and leaned over the railing for almost every sunset.

Our student life team was great. Complete with 9 people who are very different but each of our uniqueness brought a new perspective and lens to situations. Our Dean of Students has worked in Student Affairs for 30 years and spent most of his career directing programs that support low income, non traditional, and minority students. Our Assistant Dean of Students is the Director of Housing at the University of San Diego and was a great "steady" sounding board. Not much rattled him and he came alive about halfway through the voyage. His personality understood my jokes and we got along great.

Dean of Students

Oscar Felix, PhD

Asst Dean of Students

Tyler Crisman, PhD

Resident Directors

Remy Ball

Gabe Barela

Christian Chavez

Kinsey Holloway

Oli Munoz, PhD

Kayla Smith

My favorite student life team moments are jumping pictures outside of the ship in Mauritius and Morocco, canceling meetings for cabin parties and a Mexican Fiesta, spending all night in the Fritz, and creating inside jokes with people's names and students' craziness. 

Thank you, Semester at Sea + Staculty + Student Life Team, for 4 months of bliss, laughter, adventure, and love. 

I'll be back!

XOXO Kayla 

My first time in Morocco!

Morocco surprised me! I wasn't expecting the people to be so diverse and the food was SO good. I spent time in Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech. Day trips in each of those cities involved a ton of walking, transportation by train + taxi + cable car, and a few special souvenir purchases. 

Day 1: Visit to the Mosque, In-home Cooking Class + Drinks at Rick's Cafe

Day 2: Trip to Rabat + local markets + quiet time with tea & cookies in a Blue City

Day 3: Marrakech by myself! Market + chocolate croissant + postcards

Day 4: Duty day on the ship

Day 5: Casablanca day, Hamman (public bath) + local market

That's it. The semester is winding down and so is my time on the MV World Odyssey. I have met so many new friends and absolutely enjoyed each of my experiences over the past 4 months. 

Inside a Moroccan Home

Chicken Tagine and Eggplant Reduction

I learned how to make Moroccan Mint Tea
& I love it!

My cooking instructor + Homeowner

Making meat spring rolls

Cable car in Rabat 6 Dirham < $1 USD

Market streets in Rabat
The closed rollup doors are shops

Moroccan Mint Tea
Moroccan cookies (almond, lemon & sweet filling)

View of Rabat 

The BEST bakery in Marrakech

Quiet back street of the biggest open market in Marrakech

Postcards Home

Beautiful Mosque

@ the Mosque

Pictures from my time in Ghana

This was my 2nd visit to Ghana and I knew it would be hot. What I didn't know was that it would be HOT! There was no escaping the heat and I led a group of 41 Semester at Sea voyagers on a road trip to spend 4 days at Semanhyiya American School in Senase Village.

The story behind this school is nothing short of inspiring. Basically, a guy named Fred Benneh Frimpong graduated high school but didn't have money for college. So, he moved to Accra and became a street vendor selling goods on the side of the road.

In 2009, a small group of Semester at Sea students asked him for recommendations for where to eat. He took them to a restaurant and showed them around Accra. That started the Semester at Sea connection. Future voyagers were given Fred's contact information. He started a tour company and began taking groups to Senase to visit the village town where he grew up.

The first Semester at Sea group visited in 2011. A voyager and her husband offered to sponsor Fred not only for his college education but also with building a school. He attended college at the University of San Diego. In 2015, a non profit was started and the school was built.

Semenhyiya American School opened its doors with 3 classrooms and 120 children. Since then the school has grown to include classes for children agers 2 years old through grade 4. This is a private school and the fee for one child is $120 per quarter (manageable for middle class families). Scholarships are available and all enrolled children receive breakfast, lunch, transportation to and from school, school supplies, and well-qualified teachers.

There are SO many wonderful things happening at this school! The children are precious and eager to learn and the atmosphere is positive and inviting.

Circle Market in Takoradi, Ghana

Fabric Selections are Amazing!

Showing pictures and giving out (sweaty!) hugs at the local government school

The postcard + postage cost $1 USD

Takoradi Beach Resort

Not much sand or space to lay out but pretty and relaxing!

Morning breakfast at Semanhyiya American School

When traveling abroad, I am taller than most of the people who I encounter

The site of children in a classroom learning

There are 4-5 teachers in each classroom and they teach mostly in small groups

Pounding Fufu

@ the government school.
It was unorganized and missing all school supplies
The children were full of energy + excitement

Government School Library

Government school + teacher

My hosts
Linda and Janet Benneh

@ Semanhyiya American School