This ship is an “old lady” born in 1966. It is full of spaces that used at one time to look grand, yet in a way make you want to chuckle. We had an introduction yesterday by one of the key people from Royal Caribbean as to why they chose this ship. It is better suited for transatlantic long term travel and can carry enough supplies for a whole month at sea. And – it was affordable! With only 150 students come on board for this voyage, the income level for this trip is way below what was expected. I talked to some people briefly about how they should further the student recruitment, but deep inside I am so pleased to know I will have to teach small classes and really get to know my students! I am going to be teaching an undergraduate course in international management and a graduate course in international business strategy. We are supposed to spend the next 4 days cramming to get our syllabi ready having gotten our books only yesterday. This is going to being a real test of our teaching abilities! We have a mixed faculty from countries like Italy, Germany, Australia, Morocco, U.A.E., and the US. Seems that most of them are in their last fifties to sixties (clearly those than can afford to leave home for so long). We have one young professor on board, though, that brought his wife and 2 kids who will be home schooled during the trip. It feels good to see those kids running around the ship. It somehow makes the place look less of an educational laboratory with serious looking professors discussing important subjects at all times…
We are going to be teaching in converted classroom with windows looking to the ocean. A couple of professors who are here for the 2nd time talk to us at dinner about the various distractions the ship represents and how those will grow exponentially as the students spend more and more time cooped up in a small space away from home and, sometimes, away from shore for long periods of time… I am taking all of this in since I am trying to figure out a way to keep them excited for the duration of my courses without losing them mid way… Make me almost want to go play hide and seek with them around the various parts of this ship that are still very much unknown to meJ
No comments:
Post a Comment