Academics in the Field

Tomorrow morning, the MV Explorer will pull into Cadiz, Spain for its first port visit. Voyagers will disembark with four days at their disposal. Semester at Sea offers a number of excursions at every destination, including a number of faculty directed practica (FDP). These activities are specially designed by the SAS faculty to supplement their work in the classroom. The opportunity also exists for students to collaborate with their professors to create new field experiences that will enhance their studies.

Just to give you a few examples for what we have planned in Cadiz (and you can see them all here), there are FDPs in subjects ranging across the course catalogue. For those interested in communications/psychology, Professor John Mueller will be leading a group in nonverbal communication. Voyagers participating in this FDP will be observing Spaniards in their natural environment engaging in their typical daily activities with the objective of assessing the notion that cultures differ in their nonverbal communication, and seeing how these differences could illustrate psychological principles.

For those studying art, Professors John and Faye Serio will be leading an FDP on “Women in Cadiz Through History,” that will take participants on a historic tour of Cadiz that will emphasize the portrayal of women in the exhibits and artwork that they encounter. Students will also have the chance to take photographs and draw directly from the paintings and architecture that they come across. The objective will be to study similarities and differences in technique, in composition, and in figurative treatment.


Some classes also require some fieldwork in addition to the FDPs, such as Military Force and Diplomacy, where Professor Mabbutt is requiring his students to keep a journal with entries for every port visit that reflect topics covered in classes. Assignments like these are considered to be an integral part of the SAS academic experience and therefore, twenty percent of the grade for every course offered is comprised of fieldwork.

On a brief side note to my readers, I myself will be off the ship for the next few days so I may not have the opportunity to post until I return. Enjoy the next few days; I know that we will!


Photo by SAS Photographer John Weakley

Que Aproveche!

For anyone wondering how much preparation Semester at Sea Voyagers undergo for a port visit, the short answer is A LOT. So far, we have had two Global Studies courses, an Explorer’s Seminar, and a Cultural Pre-Port Presentation and tomorrow, the entire community will be attending the Logistical Pre-Port Presentation.

So what does this all mean? The Semester at Sea Voyagers will disembark in Cadiz on Wednesday for our four-day visit to Spain knowing where to go, what to say, how to eat, and a practical knowledge of the culture we will encounter. Of course, there will be surprises and a lot to learn, but the pre-port program does a
tremendous job of laying a strong foundation upon which Voyagers can build their visits.

Let me give you an example of just how thorough the prep-work has been on a subject that will be fun for everyone – Spanish food! A week ago, my knowledge of the Spanish culinary arts was limited to paella and tapas. I had a lot to learn if I really wanted to experience the specialties that Spain has to offer. Here’s a little lesson for all of you based upon what we went over.

For the morning people, desayuno (breakfast) is served from about 7:00-10:30. You can start off the day with a croissant, café con leche, and if you really want to be decadent, which I plan to be, chocolate con churros (check them out here). After a short break, it’s time for the merienda, or snack time. The typical Spanish choice would be to head over to a café or family bar for a bocadilla, pictured right. The time for merienda typically ends by about 1:00. Time for lunch, right? Not yet!

Before that, it’s time to meet up with friends and enjoy some tapas. I hope you’re not full, because we’re just getting to lunch, the biggest meal of the day. Lunch generally lasts from about 2:00-4:00. Usually, it is 2-3 courses and you can get whatever you’re looking for. On the recommendation of Sir David, I can’t wait to get to try out the bocadillos and tortilla de patatas. I also learned about a few things I’m going to avoid, like amprea (eel) and perceos (barnacle) but for those braver than me, they’re supposed to be delicious!

Don’t worry about being full because you will have plenty of time to digest until dinner, which for the average Spaniard does not begin until around 9:30 or 10:00. Be prepared for some great fish dishes. I didn’t know this but the Spanish eat more fish than any other country in the world except for Japan.

For those of you back at home, think about how much we learned just about how to eat. Now apply that to Spain’s culture, history, travel tips, and useful logistical information, and you’ll begin to get an appreciation of the depth of knowledge that Semester at Sea bestows upon its Voyagers before they depart for land.

Que aproveche! - Enjoy your meal!

Photos #1 and 2 by SAS Photographer John Weakley

Introduction to our first Interport Lecturer

Interport lecturers and students are a fantastic resource for the Semester at Sea community. They join us at different points along the journey to help prepare us for what we will encounter in upcoming destinations. In most cases, those interport lecturers and students will be residents of the country that we are going to visit. However, in the case of Spain, we are lucky enough to have UVA Spanish professor David Gies along with us until we reach Cadiz on Wednesday.

In addition to being a seasoned professor, an expert in his field, well published, and a great lecturer as our shipboard community can now attest to, Professor Gies, or should I say Sir David, is also a recipient of The Cross of Isabel the Catholic, Spain’s highest cultural achievement distinction for foreign nationals, making him a bona fide Spanish knight.

Following last night’s Explorer’s Seminar, during which Professor Gies gave us some great tips for Spain that I will be sharing with you all in a separate post, I had the opportunity to sit down with him and learn more about his relationship with Semester at Sea and his thoughts about the program.

David first became a part of Semester at Sea when the University of Virginia became the academic sponsor in 2006. He served as the academic dean on UVA’s maiden voyage in the summer of 2007, a role that he will be filling again in the fall of 2010. When UVA took over as the academic sponsor, David explained that he felt “the mission was to ratchet up academic improvement and the academic experiences in-country.” As academic dean, he sought to improve the courses offered and move their syllabi more towards those offered on the Charlottesville campus. In selecting professors, he searched for those that were engaged intellectually in their fields, published, received awards, and probably most importantly, he sought professors that were superb teachers.

I was also curious to know how David felt SAS compared to other study abroad programs. The Semester at Sea experience is unique in that it offers a “range of opportunities to participate in a global environment,” David responded. Students can compare and contrast firsthand the different peoples, languages, and cultures that they will encounter during their journey. This is a serious academic undertaking and in David’s words, Semester at Sea is for those who will “take this seriously as an academic experience, for they will surely gain a deeper and richer understanding of the world.”


Photo by SAS Photographer John Weakley