Sea Olympics...The Results are IN!!!

October 15, 2005
Opening Ceremony

Heather's Journal:

Tonight we had the opening ceremony of the Olympics and the lighting of the torch. It felt so strange to be sitting in the Union arranged by sea in masses of blue, orange, yellow, purple, green, white, gray, red, and black. Each sea had prepared cheers and it is hard to imagine how after fifty days a group of people can all of a sudden band together under one goal: WIN!!! We are of course the Bering, or BEARing Sea, and although I am biased, we have by far the best mascot – the Polar Bear. Here is a small breakdown of the seas, colors, and mascots:

Baltic Sea – Ballers – Blue
Arabian Sea – Knights – Orange
Yellow Sea – Yellow Fever – Yellow
Vitamin Sea (Adults, Staff, Faculty) – Dragon – Purple
Mediterranean Sea – Boogie – Green
Aegean Sea – White T-Shirt – White
Bering Sea – Polar Bear – Gray
Red Sea – Moses – Red
Caribbean Sea – Pirates – Black

The talent show was held during the ceremony, many of the teams performing a satire of Professor Murphy or various styles of dancing, which Megan has discussed in more detail, more detail, than I, and I believe that you will find it very enlightening and intellectually stimulating. Astounding, okay, can we have the next slide please? Overall, the acts were good, but I can only imagine two ways of taking such an abundance of student ridicule– criticism, or compliment. Hopefully it was the latter.

Afterward we went right to bed in anticipation of the events tomorrow. GROWL…go Polar Bears!! We are judging the Academic Bee in the morning, so hopefully it will prove to be just as much fun as if we had been able to participate in an actual event, and it is likely that we will be able to perform our own little contribution to the team in this endeavor, considering that we will be COMPLETELY POLARIZED. I know that everyone has high hopes of winning, but the general vibe throughout the seas is one of doubt. With nine teams it is hard to say who has the most strengths.

Megan's Journal:

“Awoo, The Bearing Sea…. that is my heart’s desire, Awoo, The Polar Bears…I love em, I love em, I love em, I love em…”

The opening ceremonies started in a flurry of activity as the lights in the Union were dimmed and the obscurity of banners and mascots marching around were blurred, the several children onboard parading to the front to light the Olympic torch, which was little more than decorated and disguised flashlights and a large globe light surrounded by paper flames.

Each sea performed two acts in the talent show, among them the highlight being the rather ridiculous, and accurate, impressions of our Global Studies professor. “This evening is pregnant with information,” “The richness of the various diversities presented here are pregnant with the themes of this course, identity, liberty and security,” “Can we move to the next slide please,” “That presentation was rich in detail, just fabulous,” “That was stimulating absolutely stimulating”. Well you get the point. Of course the simplest manner of imitation would be to just repeat a statement more than once. “The lavishness of tonight’s events, the lavishness of tonight’s events, are indeed, are indeed, profound. Just profound.” “Do you see as I see the controversy and the predicament of who will win the Olympics?” “Let me offer you some reflection…”

So many teams I can barely keep the various Seas separate: the Bering Sea Polar Bears, Red Sea with Moses the mascot, the Mediterranean Sea Bugars (which is spelled incorrectly for Boogers), Yellow Sea Yellow Fever, Aegean Sea White T’s, Baltic Sea Ballers, Arabian Sea Knights, and Caribbean Sea Pirates. Do you sea, as I sea, that the Bering Sea was the best mascot? Let me offer you, reader, some of my reflections. Does it not seem odd that the mascots do not compliment this voyage or the areas in which the seas are located geographically? I thought so. Our polar bear was magnificent!

October 16, 2005
Sea Olympics

Heather's Journal:

When we awoke this morning Megan and I reported for Polarizing, bear prints on our hands and face before eating breakfast and heading up to the Academic Bee. Once in the Union we discovered that we were the only two judges, and how difficult it would be to judge an event where there was sure to be some controversy. Our main task was to tally and keep track of the score and make judgments regarding which team raised their hand first – a very hard task when there are nine teams and the Bering Sea is sitting right smack dab in the middle – very visible. In fact I felt so bad every time we called Bering Sea, but from the get go we recruited two of the Olympic staff to help us out, so they made the Bering Sea decision for us to avoid favoritism. It was an intense game, and there were some definite poor sports, but in the end it came down to the Red Sea and the Bering Sea, the what? The POLAR BEARS. We tallied the points in the fourth round and had the unfortunate occurrence of a tie, but the raw scores clearly named a victor, the Bering Sea off to a fantastic start, and not just in this event. It seemed as if all day the Polar Bear was killing the competition, eating baby seals as we say, first in monopoly, second in mashed potato sculpture, second in limbo, third in the Scavenger Hunt, second in Legends of the Hidden Temple, fourth in the relay, second in musical chairs, first in Pictionary, and the list goes on. It truly seemed as if we had a chance to contend high, but the Arabian, Aegean, Yellow, and Red Seas seemed to be off to just as great a start.

Later in the evening we were convinced that the Bering Sea was sure to be in the top three, but we still had the Synchronized Swimming, indoors because of the rain. Though the grayness outside dampened others spirit we were proud the clouds came out to represent. The performances were great, very funny whenever someone dipped beneath an invisible waterline, their cheeks bulging with air, and their arms stroking through an imaginary pool. We were very disappointed with our team’s routine, and I think that was what did us in. The results were finalized, and we waited and waited and waited as they were read from last to the very first.

8 – Caribbean Sea Pirates

They never had a chance.

7 – Vitamin Sea Dragons and Mediterranean Sea Boogies

They were running behind the competition the entire day!

6 – Baltic Sea Ballers

Better luck next time. Double growl.

5 – Red Sea

Definitely did not part today.

4 – Yellow Sea Fever

Guess they forget their vaccinations.

3 – Arabian Sea Knights

The Arabian nights got cold feet.

And then there were two!!!

We held our breath in anticipation, I’m sure by this point you are too if you have not skipped ahead, hoping that we were first, but both were great spots and….

Bering Sea takes second, Aegean Sea first.

I cannot even believe that we made it that far out of nine teams and even in the unlikely chance that we don’t get 4.0’s we can still get off second. It is now time for bed because we advance our clock thirty minutes tonight, which means nine and a half hours ahead of home. Sleep tight, or should I say good morning?

The school store filled its three windows with the winning seas color merchandise, our window reading, “Way 2 B BEARing Sea!”

Megan's Journal:

As you all recall, the color of the Bering Sea is gray, just like the weather outside our window as we awoke. As gray as possible just for us, complete with rain!! With polar bear paws on our cheeks and gray t-shirts and shades of blue, competition began early.

Heather and I were the only, ONLY, two judges for the Academic Bee. Conflict of interest would you say? Not at all. Nine teams were reduced each round by two until the third place team, the Aegean was eliminated, leaving the Bering and Red Sea to battle it out. The Bering Sea, of course, won, paws down! There was no debating it as they nailed the competition, we were just judges. We carried on in much the same vein: Monopoly first place, Limbo second place, Musical Chairs second place, Scavenger Hunt third place, Mash Potato Sculpture second place, Pictionary first place, Legends of the Hidden Temple second place, Scrabble seventh place, and relay fourth…of course many many more events but too many to recall. My only complaint…SEVENTH in Scrabble!! Heather and I should have played if only it had been empty to sign up for by the time we maneuvered to the table to finalize the team roster, as we would have performed much better.

Rumor had it we were doing really well. I never expected to do better than fifth place for some reason. We were, for some reason, seen largely as the underdogs and no one, thought we had a chance. I would say I expected the Caribbean Sea to do really well. As they announced the order our sea got more and more nervous. So here are the results…

8. Caribbean Sea
7. Vitamin Sea
7. Mediterranean Sea
6. Baltic Sea
5. Red Sea
4. Yellow Sea
3. Arabian Sea
2. Bering Sea
1. Aegean Sea

So close and yet so far. Some disappointment comes with knowing how tight of a competition it was but overall I am thrilled. Apparently, again rumor that I am reflecting upon, the Bering Sea was in first before the final event, Synchronized Swimming. As it was a gray day, the event soon became Synchronized Swimming in the Union, which translates to dancing. Some seas performed wonderfully, imitating like they were in water circling around and making choreography that mocked a true routine. Of course, some guys came dressed in Speedos, others bikini tops and shorts, and a few in one piece female suits. Some people wore aquatic apparel, others skirts and suits, and some even in the blue uniforms that the crew paint the ship in while at port. It takes a lot of courage to go up and perform and it was obvious many put a great deal of time and thought into the event. It truly was a wonderful performance, however the Bering Seas routine did not compare at all. It was too short and did not contain any mannerisms of a swimming event at all. Truly a disappointment but as they had fun, I think, that is all that matters.

So, we are second to get off the ship. Go Bering Sea! Hopefully for me, a 4.0 will be coming my way and I will join the others with this distinction in departing before that, even before the White T Aegean Sea. More later.


P.S. Internet is free for the next to days until India and you can imagine everyone is utilizing the capabilities. A new Internet system will be installed in Chennai and then back to the usual routine. Until then, waiting for a computer is a test in patience.