The past two days on the ship have been about as eventful as life on a ship can get. Professors and students are getting into the swing of things and we’re all pretty settled in.  My classes yesterday were really great.  I am especially excited about my abnormal psych class. We were put into groups for a case study, project, and paper, and my group’s topic happens to be dementia in Japan!  Perfect to go along with my gerontology minor☺

Last night there was an open mic night followed by a dance.  There are some incredibly talented people on the voyage! Singing, to piano, to fiddle, to opera, to guitar, to slam poetry!
The Amazon River is beautiful.  The sun is ridiculously intense.  Today was what they call a “Reading Day”.  We have a few of them and I guess they are made for us to catch up on our studies…..? Well I was woken by “The Voice” (lady who does announcements) saying, “Good Morning, Sorry for the interruption of your studies…” I am almost positive no one was studying much less reading anything today.  The pool deck was packed all day.  They can call it what they want to though, it was a nice break from classes☺

We arrive in Manaus tomorrow.  There was a pre-port meeting tonight, which did scare me a little… I’m glad I am not going to Rio, the most dangerous city in the world. Manaus is much safer, but everyone still needs to be on their toes.  It should be a wonderful time.  I will be zip lining through the rainforest, hiking to waterfalls and Amazon villages, visiting Two Waters, exploring the city, and visiting the zoo with leukemia patients…. 

I have been on the MV Explorer for ten days.  In the aspect of the people I’ve met… I feel like I’ve known them for a year.  Friendships build so quickly and everyone has such similar dreams.  In the aspect of what I have already done and what lies ahead.  One tenth of this is already over! Dominica was not one country I was particularily excited to go to, but it was absolutely amazing!  And to think that I still have nine tenths of this left! It will go by so fast…. And I know when I look back It will seem like a blink of an eye, but I will take in every single moment.
My favorite place of the ship in the seventh deck in front.  You cannot get out to the exact from like Titanic style, but close.  I was standing out there today and it’s the thought that always comes to my head that gets to me:  I still cannot fathom that I am really here.  I am in the middle of the Amazon.  Almost 2 stops down in my trip around the globe… This is really happening.