The Shipboard community aboard the MV Explorer started a program called “Extended Families,” where students are grouped with lifelong learners to form a sort of family away from home.  My extended parents are Rick and Joan, and I have 5 extended “brothers and sisters”.  It is actually a great way to get to know people on the ship who you wouldn’t normally or easily be able to get acquainted with.  During our first family dinner, I spoke with Rick about hobbies and interests.  When I mentioned golf, he excitedly told me that our Executive Dean, Dan Garvey, is an avid golfer.  Dean Dan has MS, so it intrigued me to talk to him about golfing, especially golfing with only one arm! So I of course took interest in this fact and coincidentally ran into Dean Dan a couple nights later.  I stopped him, introduced myself, and said, “I have to mention that I hear you are a golfer!”  I was not even prepared for his enthusiasm at the mere word: Golf.  I explained that I golf for my home school, Viterbo University, in La Crosse, Wisconsin and have made it a huge goal to get on a few golf courses around the world.  What came next, I wasn’t expecting; he asked me if I would like to golf with him!  As of right now, he has set up a golf outing for us and 2 others with his friend in Cape Town, South Africa, and expressed interest to golf again in Japan.  He told me about these amazing simulation courses where you literally play 18 holes from a driving range! (I believe you hit your drive, a computer tells you how far you are out, you hit again, ((and again if you aren’t ‘on the green yet’)) and putt on a practice-like green) Sounds pretty awesome to me!  As he walked away he turned and said, “Now Hannah, Please do not forget!” (I’m definitely not going to forget that my Dean wants to go golfing with me!) and as he left the deck he tells me, “If you ever even want to TALK about the game, just come by my office!” So all in all, I am incredibly excited to find someone on the ship who enjoys the game of golf, and even more excited that that person just so happens to be the Dean. I am looking forward to hitting the course on Sunday in Cape Town.
Side Note: Tom, if you read this, email me a couple tips from my last lesson! I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of Dean Dan☺