We will be arriving in Chennai, India day after tomorrow. Usually, two evenings prior to arrival, we have a cultural pre-port session at 8:00pm for everyone on the ship, and we have just had the one for India. Our dance professor and her students presented an Indian dance demonstration, then we had presentations by two university students and a political science professor, all from India, who had joined us in Mauritius.
We also prepare for a port in Global Studies class, which meets every class day from 9:20am until 10:30am or so, and which everyone is required to attend. We have readings and lectures on history, geography, language, politics, religion, anthropology and other subjects that are relevant to the upcoming country. Usually there is a visiting interport lecturer who is either from the region, or who otherwise has exceptional knowledge about the area. We often have visiting students as well, as we have this time.
There are also relevant films about the upcoming port that are shown on four of the six closed circuit tv stations in the cabins. These loop several times a day so that everyone has an opportunity to work them into schedules. Other films or cultural activities that are optional are presented in the student union or in the classrooms. Sometimes faculty or staff who have particular expertise present at these sessions.
In addition, there is always a logistical pre-port session the night before we arrive in a port, and usually there is a diplomatic briefing the morning of arrival. Attendance is mandatory, and we receive information concerning emergency phone numbers and procedures, recent issues that might affect travel, advice on things to look out for, and so on.
All of these activities combine to immerse everyone on the ship in the country and the culture we are about to visit. You may recall that we had a significant last minute change to our itinerary, and this meant that putting together the resources for the African countries and Mauritius was quite a challenge for those managing this program. They did a great job for those countries, but we have really seen it come together for India.
1 comment:
You are approaching that part of the world that I have a small connection to. So many of my students this year are originally from Bhutan. They have lived for many years in refugee camps in Nepal. I have others whose families were from Myanmar (Burma) and they lived in refugee camps in Thailand. All of them (some 50 kids over the last 18 months)still grieve the loss of their homelands and wish they could return.
I continue to follow your wonderful adventure and do love to read your blog. Thank you for sharing.
Love,
Sharla
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