Because of having to make a detour at sea because of "red flag" conditions. Waves of over 20 feet high, we were unable to spend the day on the island country of Mauritius. In it place, the staff and crew gave us a dance party during pub night (nights where we can have 3 drinks). It was so much fun. Everyone was dancing and singing along to Brittany Spears, Lady Gaga and even some Backstreet Boys. They turned off the music right before midnight but nobody was ready to call it a night. For the next hour or so everyone was up there singing songs like Don't Stop Believin, YMCA, and Ice Ice Baby. The deans even got into it - they were singing and dancing along with us.

Semester at Sea is a floating college where we all take between 12 and 13 credits offered through our university. I attend Arizona State University and my courses here are counted just like any class taken on campus. We have our classes when we are at sea. When we are in ports we take required Faculty Directed Practicums or Field Trips that are required for our courses. Once we complete the required FDP's we are free to explore the region by either enrolling in Semester at Sea offered excursions or planning them on our own.

On our sixth and final day in South Africa I woke up early and went on a Faculty Directed Practicum FDP to Robben Island – the prison island where Nelson Mandela was held. After Robben Island I went to Langa Township, one of the oldest townships in South Africa. To my surprise, this township is much more modernized than I thought. Out of all of the shantytowns I have seen while being abroad, this was the one had the highest standard of living. After leaving the township, we headed back to the ship and set sail for Mauritius!

This giraffe was probably the tallest one that I have ever seen.

We saw the Water Buffalo at their watering hole

We saw all of these animals in their natural habitats, which is something you can only do in some parts of the world because of zoos all over the world. We learned that it only takes poachers 8 minutes now to fly into the reserve via helicopter and steal rhino’s horns, which are worth thousands of dollars. Our safari guide told us that it is on his bucket list – along with his coworkers – to kill a poacher. In Kruger National Park, it is a law that you are allowed to shoot and kill any poacher you see on the spot. That is how much the animals mean to the people of Africa.

On day 3 we flew from Cape Town to Johannesburg, then took a 4 hour bus ride to Kruger National Park for a safari. It was unreal. We saw rhinos, zebras, impalas, giraffes, elephants, wildebeests, water buffalo, hippopotamuses, warthogs, monkeys and a beautiful grown lion with a full mane. We went on three safaris. Two were at nighttime and one was a full day. On the first night safari, where it was pitch dark, we left in a small jeep. After getting into the brush area the safari guide told me that I could turn on the search light. To all of our surprise, it was pointed directly at a lion.

We spent about an hour at the top walking around looking at all sides and then we immediately headed to a professional rugby game.The Stormers vs Hurricanes game was South Africa vs New Zealand, the two best teams in the world. We all got really into the game and South Africa ended up winning – we knew it was going to be a fun night in Cape Town after that! But the day wasn’t finished yet! Right when the game ended we met our cab driver and he drove us across town to the Olympic stadium to see the Ajax play the Santos – two of South Africa’s best teams. After the soccer game we ventured to a penthouse that some students bought and hung out overlooking Cape Town.

Day 2 in Cape Town was one of the best days of my life. I woke up at 4:30am to go shark cage diving. What an experience that was. We went out on the ocean at sunrise and got in the cage where great white sharks were swimming all around us. I touched one of the fins. After that we got back into Cape Town and quickly changed and went up Table Mountain – which overlooks all of Cape Town.

The first day in Cape Town I walked around the Waterfront, which is a shopping area right by the harbor. After spending the day walking around the port area and eating some South African cuisine, some of my friends and I went to Long Street – the bar district of Cape Town. We went to a restaurant called Mama Africa, a lively restaurant. I ate venison, impala, crocodile, warthog, ostrich, and springbok. Surprisingly, all of it was delicious!