World Traveler: Sea Olympics

Thursday, October 21st

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Here on the MV Explorer, not all learning takes place in the classroom. That's where the Sea Olympics comes in. Team building, demonstrating your creativity, your athletic skills, and of course, just good old healthy competition. Then there's 1st prize -- getting off the ship first when our voyage ends in San Diego. If you've ever traveled on a large ship, you can appreciate that one.

No country participation here. We had "Seas" -- The Caribbean, Arabian, The Red, The Black (you get the picture). And then there's "NoMer Sea" (get it?) .... that's the faculty, the life learners and all the kids. Of course to the students we're just the old folks.

Kick off was a pep rally where each of the Seas, dressed in team colors and carrying the flags they designed, presented their rallying cries in song, in rap, in cheers. All with the most clever lyrics, including a lot of jabs at their elders on No Mer Sea. No torch lighting, but Desmond Tutu officially proclaimed the games open.

Among the many events were Synchronized Swimming, Jeopardy, Lip Sync Songs; Hula Hoop, Rock/Paper/Scissors, Move the Ice with Chop Sticks, Orange Pass, and Environmental Art

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

This was my favorite. Esther Williams would have been proud. From pyramids, to flips , to Rockette precision choreography (OK maybe a bit of exaggeration)....but the music choices were great. One group, wearing robes, paraded in to the music of Andrea Boccelli. After marching around the pool, one by one, they removed the robes and dove in to begin the performance.

PING PONG
This was a slam dunk for our team. Edgar was raised in Singapore where ping pong is apparently the national sport. Never underestimate a Merrill Lynch trader.