Sea School · by Carley Campbell

As I was walking through the swarming halls during my highly anticipated first year of university, I found myself scoping the flyer filled walls only to lock eyes on a colourful poster that read: semester at seas.com. The Real Breaker High?, I thought to myself. I went home to scan through the site and found out that the University of Virginia organizes this incredible chance of a lifetime for all those who are interested in sailing around the world in 100 days, while studying courses of my choice on a moderately sized cruise ship. The voyage is open to any student who has a decent GPA and individuals who wish to tag along, perhaps participate in a couple of classes and has a desire to experience the world in under four months. I immediately wanted to sign up for this rare opportunity. At the time, my marks were very low, so this gave me an enormous incentive to study and improve my grades because this is what I wanted to do more than anything.

I improved my marks, I applied and I was accepted. So, at the end of August 2006, I, along with 650 fellow students, and another 50 retirees began our 100 day voyage off the coast of Mexico.
I signed up for four courses which was plenty when faced with the biggest distraction ever. There is a wide variety of classes to choose from as if you are choosing your next semester at any University. As we sailed we attended classes. We first check into Hawaii just for a couple of days before heading to Japan which takes about 7 days, which means 6 straight days of school.

Our first major stop is Japan and we have the option to sign up for guided tours through the University of Virginia or go alone for five days hoping to be back in time for departure. I decide to join the tour alongside some acquaintances for the first foreign experience of my journey. I did not want to end up getting lost at the very beginning of my trip.

After five days we hopped back on the ship only to sail to China. After a few days of studying we arrive in China where we are allowed five days to explore a country with endless sights to see. I found myself hiking the Great Wall of China, upon which countless steps made up the never-ending colossal of stones. It’s not a smooth boardwalk, let me tell you. If you want to get in shape this is the place you want to visit. It’s no easy task to scale even a couple kilometers of the Great Wall. This by far was one of my highlights of the trip. Beijing, the Forbidden City, trendy Chinese clubs – in five days I felt I saw everything I was able to see in one of the world’s most populous countries.

After a short stint in Hong Kong we arrive in Vietnam where I couldn’t walk the streets without looking over my shoulder fearing mopeds would run me over in Ho Chi Minh City. I traveled to Cambodia and some students journeyed to Laos and this is where I realized that regardless of the hardships I read about within these countries it does not compare to experiencing the poverty first-hand that millions of people live and face everyday of their lives.

Thailand is unbelievable and is every bit as nice as what people had told me. I went on a guided tour up into the jungle where I discover that paradise does not only exist on T.V. or in stories.

On average we travel for 5 days and study for 3. Living on a ship is more difficult than one would think. There is only so far you can walk until you reach ocean. But, there are plenty of things to keep you busy, especially when you have school to study for.

India is magnificent in its entirety - billions of people rushing around. The Taj Mahal is remarkable and without a doubt, breathtaking to gaze upon it in person. Laying eyes on the Ganges River is unbelievable. To witness a wedding, children swimming, women washing and the deceased set adrift all in the same river is quite a sight to take in, and to comprehend the significance the Ganges plays in the everyday life of these impressive and strong individuals.

Egypt definitely is a wonder in itself. 75 million people hustling and bustling in a country half the size of Saskatchewan. The pyramids are spectacular in size which makes you realize just how many people must have been involved in order to construct such mammoth structures. It’s all quite an anomaly. It is as though you were exploring a whole different world - one that existed long before the birth of ours.

We can thank the early innovators for the oldest alcoholic drink we enjoy so much today. Beer, it is said, came in six different flavours when it was first developed. Egypt is definitely a place people must visit at least once in their lifetime.

We arrive in Turkey after a few days of school. I was told about Cappadocia in Central Turkey where cave dwellers reside and visitors are able to live in cave hotels. So, I hopped on a two hour flight to satisfy my curiosity and sleep in the side of a mountain. It looks like something straight out of Lord of the Rings.

Rafting in Croatia in November is quite the experience. It is something to try but something I won’t ever do again and something I do no recommend unless you like being very wet and very cold. It is an astonishing country that is becoming more popular by the day. Get there while you can and before it is over run by tourists.

I observed everything carefully and kept notes because 20% of each of my four classes - Astronomy, Geology, Media Studies and my mandatory core classes each had a 20% field project. This is how the school incorporates the classroom and travel.

Spain is one the last stops on our unforgettable voyage. It is filled with beautiful buildings, beaches and people. This is one country that never seems to sleep. These people certainly know how to have a good time.

The last stretch from Europe to Miami is 10 days. Long enough for us to catch up on our work and complete our remaining assignments in order to receive our grades.

The adventure of a lifetime that I anticipated for over a year is now over but will forever remain at the front of the files of my memory. My voyage took me from Hawaii to Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Egypt, Turkey, Croatia, and Southern Europe in under 4 months.

I have to say that my favourite part about the trip is the constant traveling. I always wanted to study abroad and this allowed me to study all over the world giving me the chance to decide where to return to in the future. The mobility of my venture gave me the freedom to see the magnitude of what our incredible planet has to offer. Though this trip is not cheap – $20,000, I definitely recommend it to absolutely everyone who wants to experience the real-life Breaker High.

This is such an insurmountable learning experience. I was able to learn more about myself while learning about the cultures of others and witnessing the lives of the unfortunate. Regardless of where you travel, it can only make you realize new facets about yourself and present you with alternative perceptions of the world we live in.