Sitting in another airport...in the U.S.A.!!!!

It’s about 6: 20 a.m. as I’m sitting here in the DFW airport recounting this whirlwind adventure as it is finally concluding.

Before I start rambling once again though, I would like to say THANKS so much to all of you that have been keeping up with my blog. Chances are, I have been able to appreciate the things I have seen and learned about in the past two and half months because of the way my interactions with each of you have shaped my life. Also, I just want to brag on my parents. Thanks Dad and Mom, for showing me the world. Thank you also for never holding me back from doing, dreaming, creating and seeing… (Also, thank you for sparing me my life after I left a trail of my very important belongings strewn across parts of the Mediterranean.)

Back to the life shaping aspect of this “Voyage of Discovery”, I have noticed some changes in myself while being back in the U.S.

I never want to meet a stranger.. Although I can appreciate the individualistic nature of everything “American,” I will now make it a conscious effort to find common ground with more people. Chances are the most different people in the world have some common ground. ---We have a lot to learn from each other..

Another thing that my parents have tried drilling into my head my whole life that I’m just now truly starting to understand is that all you can do is live in the moment. (Yes Father, I admit you were right.) You can’t change the past, and you can’t control the future. Make the most out of every situation you are in. ---After losing my debit card in Spain and cell phone in Rome, I thought my life was over. Little did I know, it was one, among many of the learning experiences I had on this trip as well as one of the most liberating. If you want to really embrace your surroundings, get rid of a few outlets for a while. Eat dinner without the distraction of your cell phone and fully engage in a conversation. Go grab coffee with someone to talk instead of texting. I hadn’t realized how much physical, human interaction had been stifled by technology in the U.S..

I’m laughing to myself thinking about my gentle reintroduction back into the U.S…..I hadn’t realized until I got on my first flight in Virginia that my taxi driver, the flight attendant, and the woman making my “Peanut Power” smoothie all had some type of very heavy accent. Thank goodness for my newly acquired non-verbal communication skills and keen sense of hearing.

Finally, I want to say “I’ll see you down the road,” to my fellow SASers.. You’re the best. I’ll miss you all dearly.

I could go on and on about how much I have learned that I didn’t know before this trip and how much I have discovered I still do not know… But, I think I will diverge...I’m off to buy a latte while I wait for my flight.. It’s good to be back!

Morocco!

Morocco…Home of snake charmers, Berber creations, and tasty cous cous. For anyone that loves food as much as I do, Morocco is among the Top 5 countries in the world known for its amazing cuisine. (The others include Italy, France, Mexico, and Turkey.) Most meals are served family style and usually consist of various sautéed vegetables, such as squash, potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. This is accompanied by either lamb or chicken smothered in carmelized onions, and is served on top of a heaping pile of cous cous, which is a type of tiny pasta. An example of dessert would be grated carrots in freshly squeezed orange juice with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Odd combo, but very refreshing.

Although the food was fabulous, Morocco had many other great things to offer. In Casablanca, the city in which our ship was ported, you could find several Souks. Souks are market-lined streets, where locals and tourists come to buy all kinds of Moroccan goodies/neccessitites. These goodies include rugs and carpets, traditional Moroccan garbs, food, jewelry.. You name it! Casablanca is also home to Rick’s Café.. (obviously, not the original one from the movie, being that it was filmed in Hollywood) This Ricks Café was actually established by a woman who once worked for the U.S. Consulate in Morocco..just a fun fact….

Sadly, the second day I was in Morocco, I acquired strep-throat which kept me in bed all day.. BLAH! After a day of wallowing in self-pity, I threw on my newly acquired turquoise, moo moo-style, Moroccan get-up and dragged an overnight bag with me to the meeting spot for an excursion I had planned for that day. Who knew, this may be the last time I’m ever in Morocco.. After all, pain is mental….especially when carrying a large amount of extra strength Tylenol and Ibuprofen.

This would be my last excursion. After taking a three hour bus trip to Marrakech, we ate the lunch that I described above, and toured one of Marrakech’s largest souks (also the same souk, where part of Sex and the City 2 was filmed). In the souk, we were taken to a Moroccan pharmacy. Here we learned about many different herbal remedies and were able to test all kinds of infused oils used for cooking and cosmetics. I thought this was fascinating. (Fun Fact: Cumin when consumed before a meal can take the place of Pepto-Bismol or Imodium.. Great thing to know when you’re still adapting to a culture’s peculiar concoctions.)

After this, we were free to wander the souks on our own. Walking through the markets, the smell of camel hide and spices filled the air. I can’t say that it was the most pleasant of smells, but definitely added to the experience. After trying on traditional Moroccan shoes and admiring all of the wonderfully detailed carpet bags, I came across a frail man sitting in the street who happened to be selling prickly pears. Needless to say, I popped a few pepto-bismal and gave into my daring taste buds. To my surprise, the cactus fruit was mildly sweet, similar to the texture of a kiwi, and was well worth the two durum I spent on it! (Equivalent to about 25 cents)

Before I left the souk, I managed to consume cactus, haggle for a handbag, and be temporarily tattooed by a henna artist. Oh and did I mention, I got a picture holding a snake and monkey.. Not at the same time of course.. At dinner we were entertained by belly dancers.. ONCE AGAIN! ------- I’ve never noticed so many details on a plate than during these meals.

The next day in Marrakech, we traveled about an hour by bus through Berber villages in order to get to the Atlas Mountains, where we went hiking and zip-lining. The view was similar to that of the Grand Canyon, but with mud brick villages in the distance.

Not only was this the end to my final excursion, it was the final country we would be visiting before heading back to the States…and what a great country to end in. From strep-throat to souks, and blazing hot buses to zipping across the longest cables in Africa, my journey in Morocco was a great one.

Walk like an Egyptian...

Egypt, home of the one of the 7 Wonders of the World and thousands of other monuments, was one of the most morose places I have ever seen. My friends and I realized that we were no longer on “vacation” after walking out into the 115 degree heat and riding on a bus through garbage covered streets.

Although an immense amount of information was learned in the other ports visited up to this point, our Egyptian experience was the first time we began to feel complete culture shock.

Thank goodness I signed up for a planned “excursion” that lasted the duration of the 5 days we spent in Egypt. Navigating in a taxi or train in this country seemed unfeasible and dangerous.

The first day of our trip I rode on a bus with other SASers from Alexandria (where our ship was ported) to Cairo, where we would see the Great Pyramids. For three hours, we drove through desert land where unfinished houses were scattered amongst palm trees, more garbage, and sand.

-To explain the unfinished houses: Our wonderful tour guide Vivienne informed us that because of the rampant poverty in Egypt, homeowners leave their houses unfinished in order to avoid paying property taxes that they would otherwise pay if their house was finished. I can count on one hand the amount of finished houses I saw in all of Cairo..

In Cairo, we visited many tombs, monuments and finally, the Great Pyramids. Seeing the Pyramids was spectacular. We woke up at 3:00 in the morning, grabbed a box breakfast and sat on a sand dune as we watched the sun rise up over the Pyramids. Many pictures were taken as we were all in awe of such beauty. At this moment I remember thinking… I have never been more sure of my faith in God than at this very moment… As soon as the sun had risen, several of us went on camel rides.. This was a blast! To my amusement, trotting on a camel is actually much easier than on a horse. After falling off, my riding partner learned it was a lot higher up as well.

After seeing the Pyramids and the Cairo Museum of History, we took a Nile River Cruise, where we ate lunch and watched belly dancers perform.. I’m going to have to guess the men on the cruise enjoyed it more than all of us girls. …. They got belly dancers. We got a whirling dervish.. You’d think they would cater a little more to the audience majority.. haha! Oh well…

The next morning, we took a short plane ride to Luxor. Luxor is home to the Valley of Kings. Here we went inside King Ramses VI, and King Tutankhamen’s tombs as well as a few others. Inside King Tutankhamen’s tomb, there lay his actual mummified body, which was only about five feet long and very well preserved by a preservation technique that has still not been completely replicated by today’s top scientists and doctors. Pretty cool.

Back to the ship for class….. See you in Morocco!

If I suddenly become a missing person at the end of this trip, look in Turkey!

I had no idea what to expect in Turkey, but to say that my expectations were exceeded would be an understatement. ISTANBUL IS INCREDIBLE! I would have needed at least another few weeks to taste the hundreds of spices at the Spice Market, stop at every store in the Grand Bazaar, visit every Mosque, feed the birds…experience everything I wanted to experience, ahhh! I love love love it!

In Istanbul, I did lots of sightseeing. Upon arrival, we headed to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Istanbul’s underground Cisternes. The mosques were nothing less than an architectural phenomenon; with huge domed ceilings covered in exquisite murals, mosaics and marble paneling; they were spectacular. Istanbul’s Underground Cisternes make up an underground water system that was constructed in Turkey hundreds of years ago. Although it sounded incredibly uninteresting to me beforehand, it ended up being fascinating. Hopefully, I’ll be able to post pictures soon!

Although I have an immense appreciation for the historical buildings here, it was not until I entered the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market that I fell in love with Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar is home to several thousand shops. Here you can find a variety of scarves, fabulous and funky jewelry, all kinds of elaborate home décor (I’m sure you’ve all heard of Turkish rugs), belly dancing costumes, water pipes.. and everything else TURKEY. In the Spice Market, be prepared to sample Turkish Delight, Baklava, Apple Tea, and hundreds, maybe thousands of other teas coffees, spices and desserts. Although looking, tasting and smelling all the goodies is fun in itself, the best part of the whole experience is the game of haggling.

Haggling in Turkey usually goes like so:

1. Turkish man catches you looking at (for example) an embroidered pair of boots that are TO DIE for….

2. “Shoot!” he caught me… you think to yourself. “Lady, lady, I make good price for you. You like?” the man urges.

3. “Yes, they’re beautiful,” you say.. “How much?”

4. He replies “You see, these boots are handmade, good quality.. Would you like some apple tea?”

5. Your reply is, “ I would love some, thank you.. but how much did you say the boots were?”

6. “ahh yes, yes,” he replies 400 lyra,” which is approximately 350-ish US dollars.

7. “400 lyra! You proceed to tell him, he’ s out of his mind and you tell him you want them for half that. He then tells you that you are the crazy one.

8. “I’ll just have to find them somewhere else, “ you say sadly..

9. “No, lady sit sit.. Drink some Turkish coffee.”

10. As you drink your Turkish coffee AFTER your apple tea, you go back and forth with the man, taking turns begging each other for a deal. “You won’t do 200 lyra? Not even for meeeeee?”

11. Finally, he’s sweating and gets down to 215 lyra. You finish your Turkish coffee and tell him that 215 lyra is sounding better, but that 215 lyra is all you have and that you will have to starve for the next two days without those few extra lyra.

12. After much pain and caffeine, he agrees on 200 lyra and you’ve got yourself a pair of Turkish boots. Job well done!

13. Now walk to the Spice Market.. and REPEAT…

A Change of Pace..

Besides the “traveling/sight-seeing” aspect of this entire journey, I have learned a lot more than how to read a map or the history of many different civilizations. I have learned about communication, creativity, focus, responsibility.. the list goes on…

A crazy thing happened my last day in Italy. I actually met a fellow Horned Frog from TCU on the ferry from the Island of Capri back to Naples. What a small world! While sharing stories about our travels, we laughed about language barriers in restaurants and cabs and exchanged websites for the best hostels and what not. We joked about the difficult aspects of traveling that are always made worthwhile once you finally have the chance to stop and breathe, smell, taste, touch and hear everything around you…

It’s really funny you know…. I’ve never thought of traveling as being “work” or taking a lot of effort, but 70% of the time that you are exploring or getting from one place to the other, you are working your butt off! LOL! You’re staying focused so you don’t lose anything (like your debit card or cell phone). You’re lugging a thirty-pound backpack down cobblestone streets and UP stairs that are over a thousand years old. You’re asking for directions in a language most of the natives don’t understand...

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love every minute of it. It’s just that I’m now beginning to realize and appreciate how rewarding the experience of traveling is. Every time you go somewhere different and are immersed in a culture that doesn’t eat what you eat, speak what you speak, or that maybe doesn’t even like you because you’re American…you are gaining knowledge and understanding about the world around you. You are finding new ways to look at the old...My entrepreneurship professor always says, “it’s Vuja De NOT Déjà vu…. It’s human nature to jump to conclusions about the unknown.

I’m reading a book right now called ‘Conceptual Blockbusters’ that gives a great analogy about coming to conclusions, and solving problems. Herbert Simon says drawing a conclusion is like picking apart a haystack in order to find a needle. Most of the time, we stop after we find that first needle. It’s a quick solution that’s not necessarily bad…. BUT.. What if there were more needles? What if, instead of looking for the first needle, we look for the sharpest one? “Nothing is easier than to think, but nothing is harder than to think correctly.” Just a thought, more for me than anyone..haha! Hope this finds everyone well!!

Cliff Diving in Croatia..

Croatia couldn’t have come at a better time. This was by far the most beautiful and relaxing port we have been to. Imagine a pristine island scattered by white buildings with red terra cotta roofs, cliffs jutting into the sea, and huge city walls that make you feel like you’re in a fairy tale.

The first day in Croatia was spent touring the Old Town walls, but the rest of the time we spent on the beach and in our Villa. A lot of R & R in this port until the last day.

To make sure our trip ended with a bang (or splash in this case), we joined other SASers in cliff diving. I have to say that at no point in this trip had I intended on actually jumping off a cliff. I merely planned on watching the other “idiots” in my group do it. I would take pictures ONLY……Yeaaaah, well.. When in Croatia, do as the Croatians do right?? Lol Needless to say, I climbed about 25 feet up and jumped.. only ONCE!..25 feet might not sound like a lot, but it looks a lot higher up when looking down at the water below.. I think my cliff diving curiosity has been forever put to rest, but I’m glad I did it.

So long for now! See you again after Greece!

I swam where the Romans swam..

My last two days in Italy, I went on a Semester at Sea excursion to the Island of Capri. We rode a ferry from Naples, where our ship was ported at the time, over to the Island of Capri. As soon as we got to Capri, we rode a bus up an extremely steep, narrow, and winded road to Anna Capri, which means “upper Capri.” If my fear of heights hadn’t been tested enough, we then took chair lifts up to the highest peak of the Island. We were literally in the clouds! It was incredible!! After taking pictures and hearing a brief history on the Island we rode the chair lift down a few hundred feet, where we ate lunch and then went to our hotel. The rest of the day was spent relaxing in Anna Capri.

The next day, we woke up early to beat the crowd of tourists wanting to see the Blue Grotto. If you don’t know what this is, Google it! It’s stunning. Capri has several different “grottos”-I think the colors are red, green, white and blue. They each have different types of glowing algae that literally illuminate the caves. It was by far one of the most beautiful naturally occurring sights I have ever seen.

In order to tour the Blue Grotto, you first ride a large boat over to the cave with a big group. Then you jump in rowboats with about three other people and enter the cave. Luckily, we had a very entertaining rower. He gave us quite the tour with his singing, animated story telling and….mischievous nature. Once getting us into a corner of the cave, he told us we could actually get into the water. Of course, I jumped in! Little did I know, this is not really allowed, however, I wasn’t really upset about breaking this rule.. I swam where Romans once swam.. This was definitely up there on the Top 10 coolest experiences of my life. After leaving the Blue Grotto, we got a group together to rent an inflatable, motorized boat and went cruising around the island to find the other grottos or caves. Needless to say, it was a great day!