All Hail Neptune Day: My Friend Shaved Her Head!

The story actually began last night. The MV Explorer crossed the equator at approximately 2030 with 600 something college kids screaming and hollering at the top of their lungs. (Yes, some of them were intoxicated.) Today was our first day of classes off so the most of us made last night something fun. We had a dance party in one of the classrooms after my friend Katy taught a hip-hop class and after that I sat and listened to a jam session that my neighbors across the hall were having. 

Semester at Sea tradition ensued today as the Neptune Day ceremony took place. It’s a tradition to have fish juice poured over your head, jump into a pool of seawater which is all followed by kissing a fish. Or the alternative is to shave your head, hence my friend shaving her head.

The day began with a 0520 sunrise, which on the equator happens pretty rapidly.
Two hours later we all were rudely awakened by a group of the crew playing flutes and banging on who-knows-what to ring in the new day on the southern hemisphere.

I am proud to say that I have officially been inducted into the sea fairing world from a meager beginning as a pollywog to a seasoned shellback in a matter of minutes. I opted to have the fish juice poured over my head rather than shaving all of my hair off. Proceeding the lip lock with the fish I was then knighted by Neptune himself! Ok ok...it was one of our professors, but still.  It was an eventful day to say the least, and this was all before 1200.

Another day of classes are tomorrow and the morning after is our first day in port. Whoot whoot for Salvador!
Much love and sunshine!