August 29, 2010 We're under way and we can tell!!

This will be your treat since I, Paul,  am doing the second blog. We arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on time yesterday. Had a wonderful walk down the boardwalk on the sea to meet some of the other LLL (Lifelong Learners or what I call Aged People Who Still Want to Learn Something). Suzanne and I have been amazed by how outgoing, friendly, and bright all these people are. Everyone is anxious to learn each other’s names, where they live, how they learned about this trip and other interesting facts.


There are approximately 650 college kids (average GPA is 3.3), 66 Life Long Learners (average GPA is 0.0), about 40 professors and their families, 80 staff and 200 crew on board. The age ranges from 6 months to 90 years. The crew is incredibly attentive and friendly. We have been to several meetings on safety and security, field trips, rules and regulations etc. The kids were very emotional when the ship was disembarking,  waving good bye to their parents.  Many parents came to Halifax for the parent reception and to send off their child which made us feel very guilty that we were not there for Natalie when she went on this trip 16 years ago.

This is our third day on Board. It has been exciting, actually hard to walk or sleep becuase there is a hurricane south of us and swirling heavy winds north of us.  Our Captain has chosen to steer this ship between them. The ship has been very rocky and Suzanne had a little trouble sleeping last night. I didn’t since I kept thinking of my mother rocking me to sleep. Ha  But many people are suffering from sea sickness. So far, we have been fortunate and smiling!

Today was the first day for classes on board. Life Long Learners can attend classes for free as long as we don’t require credit –no tests either. Suzanne thinks she will be attending Women in Royal Courts, Global Studies, Energy, Technology and Society, The Bible as Literature, Choral Singing and Asian Art. She just wants to take everything! I signed up for sleep, TV, TV, TV, Drink, Drink, Drink and a lot of Bull Shit. Ha Ha Seriously though, I will be attending Disease and Healing, Comedic Styles of Performance (Music section), Environmental Psychology, and Global Studies. I truly enjoy sitting in these classes and not having to take an examination. Suzanne and I have also signed up to be an extended family for 4 of the students who can turn to us for advice, support etc. I was surprised to hear that last year that 70% of the kids signed up. We are waiting to meet our new charges.

Desmond Tutu has spoken twice, once to the parents and once to the students and we were lucky to be there. Then we bumped into him in the hallway and spoke briefly. He loves having dinner in the dining room with the students and said in his two talks that “Students renew me.” “You don’t know how awesome you are! Go on believing you can change the world. Believe it is possible to make poverty history!” We will be meeting him at the Life Long Learners meetings. He prefers to be addressed by “Father” or “Arch!”

The students are divided into groups which are named by various seas such as Bering Sea, Red Sea, Black Sea etc. Life Long Learners have named our group the “Tip Seas.” Between classes, trying to get the field trips arranged, and all the meetings and meals, everyone has been busy, busy, busy!

Bed time for now. Our Love to you all.