I am home...yes, sweet home!

Hi everyone~
Well I am finally home in Santa Barbara, staying at my friend Sheri's house until next week and in some ways it is as if I never left, but life has surely not settled in yet until I think I am in my own home...I feel like I am still on "vacation"...dealt with my dead battery in my car today, and now headed for a nap...the reality will set in on Monday on my way to work, I think!

Again, I wanted to thank everyone of you who hung in there with me on this worldly adventure...I am signing off for now...but who knows, I may be writing sooner than you think when I am off again on another adventure!!!!! This will be likely!

Much love to all~
Happy Holidays~
We will see the next time around the world!!!!

love, ro

Calmer seas in the whirlwind...

Well I will say that the seas are calmer, but the end of the voyage whirlwind continues! So, where did I leave off? I think it was the 2nd...so the next day was logistical pre-port which was all about luggage, disembarkation, customs and the like-it was a sad day as the last time I would be in front of everyone-did I cry, of course I did! We also had an amazing bb-que along with a world music extravaganza from the music classes.

The following day was more of the same~logistics meetings, garbage bags and video presentations from another professor's class-some very talented people out there~they were really amazing short films they did about themselves followed by the adult passengers throwing us an amazing little party in the faculty-staff lounge~very fun!!!. It actually turned into a Keroke night as well and here was Tim singing a solo after losing a bet! It also happened to be Dwight's 50th birthday and we celebrated this as well! The nice present he got was the fact that we broke all records for raising the most money for the alumni drive as well as the highest percentage...I think we are currently at $32,600 and at 89% participation-the old records were 22X and 86%...Dwight was one of the key ingredients to making this happen!

Yesterday was re-entry conversation, hookah distribution, donation boxes, the photo club silent auction, the Jazzy Panda (kids) recognition gathering and the BIG LAST BANG dance on deck 7! Today we are currently in the middle of luggage being brought down to deck 2~amazing to watch how much all of us have and how much all of us get rid of because it won't fit in the luggage! We continue with convocation from 1530-1700 and followed by the year end slide show-several more opportunities to shed some tears...followed by an ice-cream social tonight at 2130-2230! And tomorrow at 0800, we dock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida! Phew! Here are my morning buddies, Ismael and Sonny who bring me my english muffins and carry my tray for me every day~I am bringin them home with me!And here is a pic of our last admin meeting this morning...a bit of celebration for a great voyage!

I am ready to be home, I must say-this crossing has taken every ounce of energy I had stored up for this last hurrah! I have a cold, of course~which has made it a bit more challenging to be going at break neck speed...but, one more day and I think I will survive. I will surely miss being on the great white mother and all the amazing staff, but ready to be home again

I have decided to go back home to Santa Barbara on Friday instead of trying another port city in SF...I will be heading back up there the following weekend for my brother's reception, as he got married while I was out at sea...would not miss that celebration for the world!!!!! (well, missed the wedding but not the party!)...so probably will be sleeping most of the weekend away and then back to work on Monday, December 11th...

What an amazing experience this has been and what a pleasure it has been to share it with all of you out there! Again, thanks so much for reading my entries and making your comments and especially all the emails and snail mail letters-they kept me sane out here and grounded!!!!

I love you all and look forward to reconnecting with many of you...it may take me awhile to call and get back in touch, but know I will as soon as I am able...it just will take some time to unwind from the whirlwind, so be patient with me!!!

I love you and signing off until the next time I am off on another worldly adventure~
much love and peace to all of you~
ro

The whirlwind Atlantic!!!!

Wow~I remember this being a crazy crossing, but we are only on day 5 and it is a whirlwind out of control...first of all, the weather-I have never seen bigger swells in my life-we dip into one and 10 seconds later we are on top of the next and additionally with the wind at Gayle forces, we are literally whirlwinding out here on the Atlantic....
This of course does not help anyone with studying for finals, packing, and getting work done-it just exhausts you to no end and you feel half drugged most of the time....

Then you add the crazy schedule...sea socials, the amazing and talented crew and student group's Ambassador's Ball, with the theme of "a night in Bollywood," our last Lifeboat Drill, global studies exam, talent show and taco day and Leah being me for the day for a mere $600~all just in the first 4 days...tonight I have yet another Captain's dinner (my 3rd-usually only go to 1-lucky me), Pajama Day, midnight breakfast, along with the myriad of other things like coordinating disembarkation, packing of offices and the Annual fund~of course alongside my daily routine of 3 meetings, 3 annoucement times and going to the bathroom every once in awhile...I am truly going to need a vacation from this incredible 10 days, if not the 100 day voyage around the world....
BUT, the question is, am I having a great time doing it all? ABSOLUTELY-would not trade this for the world...well, actually I got the world, but you know what I mean...here are some pics to highlight some of the whirlwind and to keep you knowing that I am alive and kickin out here...I, of course have the worst cold ever to boot...but going strong!!!!
all I can say is thank God I had the hindsight to already pack myself!!!! Phew!!!

I will try and write more when I get a minute and will surely update you on the second half of the whirlwind Atlantic crossing...the internet and blogger are acting up again-could be everyone is on line, too-will put more pics in later...

Love ya all~
ro