I think Vietnam was my favorite port thus far. Ho Chi Minh city was unlike any city I had ever been to before. Once we got past the initial fright of crossing the street through throngs of Motorbikes, we were on our way to the heart of Saigon. Day one was spent haggling our way through the famous Ben Than Market, trying the favorite local lunch, Pho, and grabbing drinks at a small bar on Bui Vien street, also known as “Backpacker” street. The second day, I was able to go out on my own and explore Ho Chi Minh. I hit all the highlights, including the Jade Emperor Pagoda (on the first day of the Lunar holiday of Tet), the Saigon Central Post Office, Book Street, The Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Reunification Palace. It was such a new feeling to be able to go out and explore brand new places all on my own. I felt independent, and I felt old. I realized that time truly does fly and it’s important to stop for a second and take everything in. With my trip being almost halfway through, this idea is important now more than ever.

I spent the next two days on the Mekong Delta in the Cai Be province. We drove about two hours to be received by a tiny wooden boat that brought us to our lodge. The entire time we were on the boat I couldn’t imagine where we were going to be staying, until we docked at this small, breathtakingly beautiful little place, I could have stayed there for the rest of my life honestly. We then had time to relax before taking a bike ride through the local area. We rode through small alleyways and busy streets. We passed crowds of motorbikes, and thick patches of some of the most beautiful plants and flowers I had ever seen. As we rode, we saw colorful open-air houses with families laying and relaxing out front in hammocks. The local children all ran to the edge of the street to yell “Hello” and giggle at us as we passed through. It was incredible to see the lifestyle of these people living on the Mekong. The way of life was so different than the one I, and many of the others I was with were accustomed to. There is so much more out there than what is in our backyards and I am so grateful to be able to realize that through these experiences.

On my final day in Vietnam, Dr. Pete Seel (who served in the 600th Photo Squadron during the Vietnam war) took my Advanced Documentary Photography class to the Cu Chi tunnels, a Viet Cong Cemetery, the home of famous war photographer Huang Van Cuong, and finally to the Requiem exhibit at the War Remnants Museum. This day was so powerful. Everything we did was such an important learning experience for me that I would need a whole book to talk about the impact each stop had on me. I realized how little I actually knew about the Vietnam war, and how much less I knew about the Vietnamese perspective of the war. It was a humbling experience to be able to go and see the war from their side. The highlight of this day for me had to be at the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Huyen Van Chaia, a veteran of the Viet Cong, came out to speak to us about what life was like living in the Cu Chi tunnels. Chaia, who lost his right arm during the war, had lived inside the tunnels for 12 years, starting when he was only 17 years old. Could you imagine? After answering questions from our group, our tour guide coarsely mentioned to Chaia that Dr. Pete had “been in those planes you were hiding from.” There was a hush over the crowd as we waited to see how these two men would interact with each other. Chaia then proclaimed, “Nothing is more precious than peace” and invited Pete up to shake hands. While the two men spoke quietly to one and other in Vietnamese, you could see on their faces, that both were moved by the interaction. It was truly beautiful to see them come together without any sort of resentment towards the other. I later asked Pete what this interaction had felt like for him, and he told me that he and Chaia were not enemies. He explained that he felt there was a shared grief that the two of them shared, that only they could truly understand. Both lost parts of their childhood, close friends, and much more. Thinking about what both of them must have seen and went through during those years is unfathomable to me. Vietnam was overall an incredible experience. It made me question what I know, and made me hungry for more knowledge. As our Executive Dean would say, “Who gets to live this life?” Next up, Burma.

Bird in a cage in Ho Chi Minh City.

A local journalist and his 102 year old mom in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

China was an awesome experience. It was so interesting to be in a country with such a rich and storied history. Its crazy to think about how young America really is compared to these other places. I started my China trip in Shanghai, where we shopped in the underground markets. That was a crazy experience. There were people and shops everywhere and the alleyways were filled with screaming and bartering. It was so fun. Funny enough in one of the stores, my friends and I got to talking with an older couple from Australia, and the husband had gone to Indiana University and played on the IU Soccer team. It truly is a small world. From Shanghai, I flew to Chengdu. There, we went to the Chengdu Panda research and breeding center. Seeing the pandas up close and personal was so incredible. Did you know that all of the pandas in the world are owned by China? Pretty cool. The red panda exhibit was unforgettable. The red pandas came right up to us, playing and barking with each other, and even allowed us to pet them! In Chengdu, we also went to the local Sichuan Opera house. The show included things like Shadow puppets, face changing masks and fire blowing. It was interesting how my group was able to follow the show even though none of it had been in English. It was incredible to see how music and art transcends throughout cultures. We also got to try the traditional Sichuan Hot Pot dinner. I went with the “local favorite” spicy broth that they placed in front of me on a heater until it boiled, then I was able to dip different meats and vegetables in the broth until they cooked. It was a lot of work, but ended up being delicious.

From Chengdu, we flew to Beijing. In Beijing we visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall. It was so humbling to think about how much must have gone into building these great structures so long ago. When we were in Tiananmen Square, my group had the opportunity to speak to my tour guide about the events that took place there. Our guide knew very little about the demonstrations that happened in the Square and simply said that Tank Man, whose fate has been highly debated throughout the world, was “taken away”. Also, when questioned about the country’s views towards Mao Zedong, she informed the group “He is a hero to every single person in China.” Thinking about the way media and the government can control a society’s views on issues really made me realize how important journalists and reporters are to the way countries and the people within them function, learn, and grow. I feel lucky to have the freedoms I have become accustomed to growing up in America. This visit to China solidified my yearning to work in media as I join the workforce. Photos and Videos are a direct window into the lives of others. I feel that by sharing photos and videos across cultures, we can build a world that is more understanding and more tolerant of each other’s similarities and differences. I would also like to mention here that some students in my group were extremely intolerant to the cultural differences of the Chinese people. I urge everyone to try to understand that while certain things may be different from what you are accustomed to, that does not make them lesser. It is not right to call things “Gross” or to refer to an entire culture of people as “Disgusting” “dirty” or “stupid” based on one thing you saw while in that country. I was appalled by the way some people spoke towards the Chinese culture and I feel sorry for them that they cannot grasp or appreciate cultural differences. It was disheartening, but I cannot let those types of comments ruin the experiences I am having on my Semester at Sea. I will stick to what I know is right and continue to immerse myself as much as I can in each culture we visit.

Next stop, Vietnam!

Red Lanterns in celebration of the Chinese New Year in Chengdu China.

A Giant Panda hanging out in Chengdu, China.

A Red Panda eating a mango in Chengdu, China.

A stray pup looking up at me at the Great Wall of China.

I cannot believe I was just in Japan! I also cannot believe that I will be in Shanghai, China tomorrow. Semester at Sea is really one of a kind. I spent time in Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Himeji. Kyoto and Hiroshima were definitely my favorites. Through the experiences I had in Japan, I noticed what a respectful culture they have there. One of the most interesting things I noticed what how the conductor on the Shinkansen bullet train bowed to the entire train car when he entered and left. This is such a contrast to the trains at home where the conductor barrels through screaming “Tickets!” The seafood I ate this past week was some of the freshest I have ever had. While I couldn’t tell what a few things on my plate were at almost every place I dined, I ate everything without hesitation. My favorite meal was probably the “Hiroshima Okonamiyaki” I honestly can’t really even describe what it was, but my tour guide Yoshi described it as a “savory Japanese pancake”. My first night in Japan, I went to Osaka and got to check out the local markets, the large neon signs, and the huge LED screens. Day 2, I went on my Global Communication Technologies class trip with my Professor Dr. Pete, where we explored the high tech culture of Japan. That night, I hopped on a train to Kyoto where we went to small bar, made friends with a few locals and slept in a capsule hotel! The next day in Kyoto, we went to the Yasaka Shrine and got to see the lively market that lies at the base of the gates. It was hustling and bustling with people, shops and food stands. We finally then came back to sleep on the ship in Kobe, try some Kobe beef (which was incredible) and headed out on a Semester at Sea organized visit to Hiroshima and Himeji.

The most important experience I had in Japan was hands down visiting the Atomic Bomb memorial site and museum in Hiroshima. While I knew what had happened there, seeing the ramifications of the A-bomb, and understanding the atrocity that this even was first hand was hard. I wept my way through the museum, looking at trinkets left behind, that had become family treasures representing their loved ones who had passed. I thought about New York City, and how devastated I would be if the whole city were one day demolished. I also felt a heavy sense of guilt while walking through. As I read the exhibit descriptions I stopped to notice that Japanese people surrounded me. Once I noticed this, I felt my face get hot along with a wave of embarrassment. I wanted to tell each one of them how sorry I was. I have never in my life been a physical minority and this revelation and experience was one that was so humbling. At the conclusion of the museum there was a book where people could write notes describing the impact the exhibits had on them. There were notes in all different languages and about so many different things. I wrote a note that I think is very important and should be shared as much as possible. “Everyone in the world must work together to make sure a tragedy like this can never happen again.” A lot of thoughts went through my head that day, but the most important one was that something like this could never happen again. It took me some time to recover from what I saw in Hiroshima, but with hugs from the Life Long Learners that accompanied us on our trip, I was able to move on, and finish my day.

I ended my time in Japan by visiting the Himeji Castle, which is a “National treasure” and a UNESCO site, with its construction dating back to the 1300s. It was very cool to walk through the castle and think about what life must have been like living there back in that time period. Finally, we returned to our port in Kobe to re-board the ship. As I stood in line to get through customs, I felt a pang in my heart that I had to leave such an interesting and historically rich country. I know there is so much left ahead of me and I cannot even wrap my head around the fact that I will be in China in the morning. I am so grateful for these experiences I am gaining and cannot wait to keep them coming.

Donald is everywhere – Osaka, Japan.

A deer in Hiroshima Japan.

Himeji Castle – Himeji Japan.

Tonight, on the eve of the Inauguration of Donald Trump, the Semester at Sea community came together to share hopes, fears, and reflections regarding the future of our country. The program director expected at most, 40 students and was more than surprised when 450+ students showed up to the event that ended up lasting over 2 hours. It was incredible to see students and faculty of all ages, races, religions, and nationalities come together to have a mature and constructive discussion about important issues that have come into play during this election. There was a panel of students and faculty with a wide range of political views and personal backgrounds that sat at the front, with a microphone for audience members to get up and ask the panel questions. The panelists urged the group to not just listen to respond, but to listen to others and really try to understand their point of view. No matter what individual views we each had on specific issues, it was clear that every person in the room strives to live in a country that is more tolerant, more inclusive, and more just. I can’t say that I am not fearful of how Donald Trump’s presidency will affect America, but I can say, after seeing the passion in my peers tonight, that I feel more optimistic regarding the future of our country.

Tonight, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, there was a screening of the 2014 film Selma. I found myself inspired, and in tears by the end of the movie. As I struggle to stomach the upcoming political turnover, this story reminded me that every person has a voice. That people can come together and bring forth change. Some of my friends and family will be attending the Women’s March on Saturday in Washington D.C., which has left me struggling with the guilt of not being able to attend the march myself. Although I cannot physically be there, I could not be more proud to know individuals who are strong enough to get out there and have their voices be heard. The Guardian, one of the fews sites we have access to while on board the MV World Odyssey, wonderfully describes the march as “a spontaneous feminist rallying cry via social media that has morphed into what is expected to be one of the largest demonstrations in American history – a boisterous march about a smorgasbord of progressive issues, and an extraordinary display of dissent on a president’s first day in office.” As I am anxious to see where this new era will bring us, I am confident that there are enough like minded people out there to keep Dr. King’s message of equal rights, solidarity, and peaceful protest alive. With that, I urge everyone to be present, be loud, and be active in everything they do.

Had an amazing day in Honolulu today. Here are some of my favorite unedited shots. (I am saving the editing to keep me busy on the long trek from Hawaii to Japan!) I spent the day hiking, swimming and exploring with new friends in a new place with our incredible tour guide Paolo, pictured below! Other photos include the Honolulu skyline, a fellow hiker named Austin, my shipmate Marcus taking a dip in a freshwater stream, a stranger with a loud pair of pants, and my new friend, the chicken! Enjoy and stay tuned.

Austin Hiking in Honolulu

A chicken in Hawaii.

With a week at sea under my belt, the MV World Odyssey is 561 Nautical Miles away from our first port! We are set to arrive in Honolulu by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning. This past week has been so interesting. At first I felt a little out of place and disoriented, but I have since gained my sea legs and gotten into the swing of class where I have met some pretty cool peers. My classes are so interesting and I am already learning so much! I am particularly excited to get going in my Photography class, and really get a chance to get out in the field and shoot! I am very eager to get off the ship tomorrow and explore the island (and eat some good food). We are only in Hawaii for one day, as this is only considered a “fuel stop”. Then it is the long 10 day stretch until we reach Kobe, Japan. I didn’t realize this, but we are actually going to cross the International Date Line, causing January 16th to disappear from our calendar. I am still trying to wrap my head around the whole time zone thing. We gained an hour last night which caused me to be up bright and early this morning. I am sure I will get used to it eventually. I will try to post some photos from Hawaii if I get the chance! If not, stay tuned for some in Japan! If anyone wants to email me hit me up at Sarah.Portney.SP17@semesteratsea.org!

This is day 3 on the MV World Odyssey. Although I was a little teary eyed as the ship left the port in Ensenada, Mexico, things here are going well. The ship is so beautiful (despite some rocking that I am slowly getting used to). Today was the start of classes. I had to hold myself back from crying in both classes I went to today. The first was Global Studies, a class that includes all of the voyagers (over 500 students) on the ship in one room. Our professor is going to teach us about the cultures and history of each port we reach and help guide us as we reflect on our experiences on land. The second class was Advanced Documentary Digital Photography. I have never been so excited for anything school related in my life. My professor, Pete Seel, gained his PhD at Indiana University Bloomington and called me out on my sample gates photos on my portfolio. It is so nice to have someone that understands and can relate to IU on the ship. Not only that, but he was a photojournalist during the Vietnam war and showcased some of the best photos he took during that time in class. This is exciting because he is leading us in a field trip the the war museum IN VIETNAM. I am still trying to wrap my head around this experience, it feels surreal. I am so excited to continue this journey and see where it takes me. Sadly, I have learned that I cannot upload photos from the ship because it eats away at my allotted bandwidth, BUT stay tuned for photos when when I reach Hawaii in a few days!

My Parents and I have been spending a lovely few days in San Diego. We not only got around to all the errands we had to run, but were able to stop for a bit of fun at the San Diego Zoo! Getting more and more excited to set sail on the MV World Odyssey tomorrow!

With less than 20 days until Semester at Sea, I am getting the final preparations for my trip together! I got my final vaccination today and sent in my transcripts so now all that is left to do is get excited! I am enjoying my last few days in New York and am soaking up as much time as I can with family and friends (and Pets) before I head off.

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