|
 Administered
by International Education and Programs
Follow the Voyage!
Information Meetings
Thursdays,
Oct. 9 & 30
11 AM - 12 PM
Fisher Science (Bldg 33) Room 286
|
|
 |
 ::
Letters
from 2001 students::
-
Letter 1
For all students considering going on the quarter
at sea excursion, your wondering and worrying is over
for I am making the decision for you . . . you are
definitely going on the TS Golden Bear!
-
Letter 2
As my trip comes to an end I look forward to going
home, but at the same time I dread the last day when
it is all over and I won't have the chance to rebuild
the magic created by this trip ever again.
-
Letter 3
I think that one of the best things about this type
of travel is that you are not confined to only one
destination. You are able to go to one port and be
there for three or four days and then get back on
the ship and go somewhere else new in a couple more
days. It truly is amazing!
-
Letter 4
Tired of the SLO-life? Looking for something new and
different, a break from the doldrums of school, eat,
sleep, school, eat, sleep? Well, how about school,
eat, sleep, exotic location, school, eat, sleep, exotic
location? That's what the Golden Bear is all about.
And looking at next year's itinerary, you better act
fast because most of us will be going again.
-
Letter 5
I met a ton of people that I otherwise would've never
imagined myself so much as interacting with, I saw
and experienced places and things that I never would
even have been able to get to by other means of travel,
and I feel that I grew significantly as an individual.
At first, nearly all of the cadets may seem ugly,
immature, and dumb as dirt, but again, once you start
running into people in port, you find the few that
are handsome, smart, and willing to show you a good
time.
-
Letter 6
For anyone unsure of whether to travel the seas on
the T.S, Golden Bear all I have to say is, stop worrying
and just go. The whole trip is an amazing experience!
How many people get to spend two months in the Pacific
traveling around the world seeing all kinds of foreign
ports and different cultures, and meeting new friends?
-
Letter 7
First, there are the academics. Being out here and
learning about oceanography and astronomy and political
science is similar to trying to learn French in France.
Because you are totally immersed in a place where
these things are going on all around you, it greatly
raises your interest in a given subject as well as
make things much easier to learn. You don't have to
sit and try to memorize the phases of the Moon because
you can go out every night and just watch it.
In port it's really hard not to enjoy yourself. There's
usually something for everyone. If you're just into
immersing yourself in the culture you're visiting,
that's possible. If you're just into immersing yourself
into gallons of beer, that's always possible too.
Don't worry, there are infinite options between those
two extremes.
-
Letter 8
I have now been to places that I would never have
dreamed about. Most likely you will end up in a similar
situation in that the cruise will drop you off on
some little remote island that you have never heard
of and the next thing you know you'll be on the beach
in paradise. This is exactly what went through my
mind at one of the port stops we had. I also got to
experience cultures that were so unique and different
from ours that I really learned a great deal.
-
Letter 9
If you go on cruise, go because you love, or want
to love, the ocean. Go because you want to live in
a place where sunset is the evening entertainment
and working on your tan is top priority. Go because
you've never seen flying fish or the indescribable
beautiful blue of deep Pacific waters. Go because
you want to get away from your normal SLO routine.
If you're thinking about going on cruise, don't think
. . . just go! You'll be glad you did. Cruise was
one of the best experiences of my life. I met tons
of wonderful people, I got to see all sorts of amazing
things in exotic places, and I fell in love with the
sea.
-
Letter 10
I have to say that I never enjoyed going to class
as much as I do on the ship. The professors really
go out of their way to make what they present as relevant
and interesting as possible. Since class sizes are
small, I got to know my professors and be comfortable
with them as we traveled together. Because the professors
are living in the same environment as you are they
understand when you get sea sick, and if you're having
problems they go out of their way to help accommodate
you. I think getting to know all my professors so
well that I'm comfortable talking and partaking in
casual interaction with them is a unique privilege
that I was allowed by coming on the trip.
I experienced a lot of personal growth on my two month
trip at sea. If you're looking to stretch yourself
and open yourself to a glimpse at an entirely different
experience than anything you can find at Poly, this
trip should be a definite yes for you. I hope you
decide to take the leap of faith and go on a voyage
that will be unforgettable.
-
Letter 11
If Cal Poly is "learn by doing" then the Training
Ship Golden Bear is learn by "going and seeing for
yourself". Imagine yourself studying the political
relations of Hong Kong and China and then being there
the next day and observing first hand what you have
studied. In oceanography we are studying wave formations
both inside and outside the classroom. There is no
better place to see star constellations than on a
ship in the middle of the Pacific.
You will have many experiences to remember from the
ports that you visit. I ate roasted pig in Hawaii,
snorkeled on white sand beaches and crawled through
caves in Guam, chewed beetle-nut on Yap, purchased
a samurai sword in Hong Kong, visited Nagasaki in
Japan, and swam through a waterfall on Midway Island.
If you do not go on this trip you have something seriously
wrong with you.
-
Letter 12
The time spent in port is full of exploring new places
and their culture. The days spent are sea are a great
time for developing new friendships. I do not hesitate
in urging you to embark upon this amazing voyage.
-
Letter 13
So you're looking into the quarter at sea program?
Before you decide, let me tell you a few of the good
things, and the bad things. Starting with the good
things, this trip was tons of fun.
-
Letter 14
No one can explain to you what you will be feeling
when you venture on this trip. Everyone has different
ways of explaining their own emotions, but one thing
that is constant is the fun. I have not talked to
one person who was sorry for participating. The hardest
part about committing to your involvement with the
Golden Bear is the commitment itself. After that,
everything else is easy and the enjoyment will greatly
outweigh all other factors.
-
Letter 15
As this year's cruise is coming to a conclusion I
reflect upon the many experiences I have had over
the past two months. I cannot believe the opportunities
I have had nor the fun I have enjoyed. I never realized
how much I would enjoy being on this 500 foot vessel
as we crossed the Pacific Ocean.
-
Letter 16
Looking back on my two months aboard the Golden Bear,
it is hard to put into words the unbelievable experiences
that I had. I snorkeled in Hawaii, went cave exploring
in Guam, road a jet boat through trenches at Yap,
mastered the subway system in Hong Kong, ate sushi
on the floor in Japan, saw the most beautiful beach
in the world on Midway Island, and had many other
incredible adventures. Life on the ship between ports
was also no exception. During my time on the Golden
Bear I had the opportunity to steer the ship, watch
dolphins play at the bow, watch a beautiful sunset
every night
-
Letter 17
If I were contemplating going on Cal Poly Quarter
at Sea for the second time, I would have to say that
without a doubt I would do it again. Before I even
came to Cal Poly I heard about the program and I knew
I wanted to do it, so I was an easy sell. But for
someone who is unsure, this was an experience like
nothing else.
-
Letter 18
There is a relaxed atmosphere here and the professors
are so great!!! Never in your college career will
you experience this kind of relationship with your
professors. They, along with all of your shipmates,
become your family. If you didn't like this aspect
of the dorms, you probably won't like it on the ship
either - just to warn you. You bunk with two other
Cadets, probably from Cal Poly, and you share a toilet
and shower with another room. You eat three meals
a day together, go to class together, and spend you
free time together. I loved every minute of it!!
You might notice that I have put an emphasis on the
'on ship' time, while you are probably only looking
at this trip because of the ports. You will be spending
most of your time on the ship. Ports are like incredible
vacations about once a week. I cannot explain in words
what it was like in the places that we visited. These
experiences will last a lifetime.
I feel like I saw the world, I experienced so much
that I will never be able to come close to ever again.
I sometimes wish that I could be more objective about
this trip without romanticizing it so much, but it
is all so true! I am not exaggerating anything. I
had the time of my life and I'm not sure how anything
will ever top this.
-
Letter 19
Overall, life aboard the Golden Bear was quite an
undertaking, one I would not trade for any contrived
or imagined trip. It is remarkable to me still. .
. no planning can predict, create, or even recreate
experiences like these. I made some valuable, and
hopefully enduring, friendships; traveled to some
exciting, interesting, and contrasting places of the
world; was exposed to a different approach to learning,
one I am not sorry for knowing; and made many sweet
memories. It was amazingly special.
-
Letter 20
I spent countless evenings on the deck of the ship
watching the world go by as we shoved through the
water. It is the most relaxing and exciting "vacation" I have ever taken. I saw and experienced places in
the world that I had only hard or read about before.
We visited remote and tropical islands, swam and snorkeled
with brightly colored fish and coral, took double-decker
buses through cities and towns to foreign markets
and mountain tops, and learned more about the world
than any textbook could ever describe.
-
Letter 21
While in the middle of the ocean be prepared for some
amazing sights. The sunsets are spectacular. I don't
know why they are so much more beautiful out at sea,
but they are. Even when there isn't any land in sight,
you will almost always have birds following you riding
the air currents kicked up by the ship. Dolphins and
whales are common sights along your voyage, and flying
fish are fun to watch as they float over the waves.
-
Letter 22
Well, I just finished watching the last sunset at
sea for this trip and I am going to miss seeing the
sun set over the ocean every night after dinner. These
past two months have been some of the best of my life,
and I would not trade them for anything. The sunsets
are just the beginning of this experience that we
call quarter at sea on board the Training Ship Golden
Bear. I don't really know where to begin, there are
so many things to talk about and share with you, but
nothing can quite describe this experience.
I really cannot describe how much fun we had this
year. Just find one of us and ask to see some pictures.
Basically, I am saying to sign up for this trek. I
guarantee you will have the time of your life and
not regret a minute of it. See you on board in 2002.
-
Letter 23
They want the students to learn about the ports they're
visiting, their history, culture, biology, politics,
etc. I have learned a tremendous amount not only in
my classes, but in the ports as well, learning about
the different countries and about myself.
-
Letter 24
I very much enjoyed ship life. The ocean is beautiful
and amazing. When you're out there don't just look
at the beautiful color, look for things. The more
time you spend out there, the more rewarding it will
be. Whales, dolphins, flying fish, turtles, sharks!
Learning the ship way of life and about the systems
on board was also very interesting to me.
-
Letter 25
The exotic ports make the whole trip worthwhile. Stepping
into a different culture, eating the food, and meeting
the people are experiences that cannot be matched.
Walking around with your new friends, joking, laughing,
and celebrating every moment on shore. Having crazy
nights of dancing and singing at different disco's
and bars. Learning new styles of dance and fashion
and human interaction. Looking at your longitude and
latitude and noticing that you are half-way around
the world from home and you could not be happier.
-
Letter 26
This trip has been the adventure of a lifetime for
me. How many people get the opportunity to sail across
the Pacific Ocean, meet so many new people, and visit
such exotic places? I will admit this trip has had
its downsides, and I did have some worries before
we left. At one time I almost regretted signing up
to come, but now I know that if I had not come I would
have ended up regretting it for the rest of my life.
-
Letter 27
Wow. Life traveling on the Golden Bear is a lot different
from life at Poly. I originally did not want to go
on cruise. Well, I wanted to go, but I didn't want
to skip a quarter of social activities at Poly: graduations,
parties, club activities, Open House, Wildflower,
etc. I debated a long time over whether I would go
on cruise or not, and even after I signed up and paid
bunches of money I was still a bit uncertain.
Cruise has been an awesome experience. Visiting foreign
ports, meeting new people, making strong friendships,
learning about everything, sunsets, stars, tropical
storms, deep blue waves, BBQs on the fantail. I would
strongly suggest coming on board.
|
|
|
|
