Hi! I had a phone call from my daughter Cari earlier today and she sounds great. She could not go on anymore about how many wonderful people she has met already. She said that the weather is not that great, windy and they can�t spend too much time on the beach. Cari also said she spent time with SAS alums and how great they were answering all kinds of questions the Spring group had and how the alums got everyone even more excited about the trip, if that�s possible. I was also comforted to hear that the kids are watching out for each other, offering space in hotels to kids staying further away didn�t want to pay the cab prices or making sure that several people rode together that no SAS student was traveling alone I understand the group is meeting at the Sheraton again tonight while the parents are on the cruise ship.
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Ship Life
Here's the email I got from Cari: hola de Cuba well, needless to say, I'm having the best experience of my life. i could do home tomorrow and be so happy. everyone i met is so nice and so outgoing. really really great people. i have a quad with 3 other roommates. it's like two separate rooms, 2 bathrooms and only one door to get in and out. its not too bad. im never in there. we haven't started classes yet, monday. im meeting so many people from all over so I'll have lots of places to visit when i get back. everyday is so busy and full of new experiences, i cant even keep up with myself. i have to stop sometimes and take out my journal just to make sure i don't forget about all the little things that are happening.
Bahamas was great. i was actually in the same hotel i stayed in my senior year. we just went to a few clubs and all hung out together. its just been constant meeting new people. the ship isn't too big. it looks small next to all the cruise liners. the first few days were just meeting and getting familiar with cuba.
we got here 2 days ago, went to an reception at the University of havana, went to the markets, baseball game(minor league so it wasn't very crowded) and went out to a bar and met some locals, people from germany. ive never had more fun with no plans. day 2, we got a tour around havana on a carriage with 4 girls i met from colorado. i learned so much about the city. last night Castro spoke to us and then threw us a party. he went on for about 4 hours! but there was a bar outside so we could take a break every once in awhile. he was very funny and spoke to us very personally. it was really great. the party had a huge band, free food and drinks so that got real crazy. i learned how to salsa dance from a cuban professor. went out after that too. i haven't gotten any sleep. today just touring. the people here are so nice and i feel so safe. they treat us like royalty. police escorts to big events. the people are very warm. i don't have much time, but i miss you all and i hope all is well.
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hi mama! sorry i haven't written in awhile. im doing great. having a great time. we get to brazil in a few days and im going to rio with lots of friends for most of the time im there. ill call sometime while im there, i promise.
today was neptune day, we crossed the equator. we had a dance last night, tacky tourist, which was really fun, probably cause the bar was open. then we all got woken up at 9 this morning to go to these cermonies. they poured "fish guts" on us and lots of people shaved their heads, a navy tradition. lotsd of girls did it too. youve got to be kidding me if you think i was gonna do it. it crossed my mind, but as soon as i saw the first girl, no way! 27 girls i think and 36 guys, something like that. they all look so scary.
the weather has been kinda shitty the last few days, rainy and kind of gross. im losing my tan already. we heard about the space shuttle. they called us all out of class before rumors started to spread to give us an update. so arent completely in teh dark about everything. classes are going well, but im ready to get off the boat for a few days.
its amazing how small it feels all of a sudden. i love it here and i hate to say it, but im in no hurry to come home. tell walter i said hello, and watch your posting up about me. take care and ill call you in a few days.
love,
cari
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Tanzania
hey hey hey! im in dar es salaam, tanzania. SAS hasnt been here in 20 years. but i left the first day, as soon as we dock, and went on a safari. we drove 9 hours in a bus with no AC in 100 degree weather. it was quite gross but we all got through it. we stayed in arush, tanzania, for the night and had dinner. SAS puts us up in the nicest places, well comparitively. africa has definitly opened my eyes. we left the next morning and went to tanangire national park. we went on a game drive that night, adn all the next day. saw so many animals. at onen point there were, giraffe, elephants, lioness, hyena, ostrich, and impala all around us. its was so great. lion king style! i saw some rafiki's(which means friend in swahili) its was amazing seeing the sunrise and set in the middle of a safari. the food was great and we would all just drink at the hotel bar at night. i just got back
yesterday and didnt go out. its not the safest area to be out at night. so we are emailing and going to the markets today and then we leave tonight. on our way to india. time here is flying by so fast. during the day everything is safe here. oh yeah, the first anti-american thing ive heard of so far.....some arabic people were wearing shirts with the twin towers on them with arabic writing and saying some thing like "war with america" so something like that. i didnt see, but some friends had. that has realy been the first instance that anyone has seen anything anti-american. most people are so friendly and just want to talk...especially iin south africa, about politics. as far as there impression of us goign to war, they dont want us to. it effects them more than we realize, even if they arent in the countries involved. its all very interesting in here there points of view. other than that, still having a great time. ill send more when things happen. how is everyone?? anything new??
stay safe.
i miss you all!
cari
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