tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72712238787373075322011-09-08T11:42:47.123-06:00A palimpsest is an earlier writing or graphic that is scraped off of a parchment, but residues of which are later discovered to be rising up and reappearing. Across North and South America there is a deep, foundational landscape, over which conquest laid down its maps of property and Christianity. I am reckoning with palimpsest culture--the cohabitation of multiple cultural landscapes, some older and some younger, on this blog.Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.comBlogger901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-4798558667211689872011-06-23T08:42:00.002-06:002011-06-23T08:47:38.889-06:00

Here's to Grant Bulltail who recently realized one of his life goals by returning to Foretop's Father, aka Heart Mountain, to reconsecrate the mountain with a Pipe Ceremony in which he honored the four directions, invoked his people's past relationship as adopted children of the mountain, and educated the broader community regarding Apsáalooke (Crow) cultural heritage.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-48073762690572070842007-05-03T10:19:00.000-06:002007-05-03T10:22:12.565-06:00

Hey,Sailor Gal, where are you now? Also how are you? Maybe you be mid-ocean or someplace like that whewre you can't even read the question, but since I need to know where you are in order to worry about you effectively---I ask anyway. Love, Sailor Dad

sailordadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12095828589693826074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-62740702031922460032007-04-25T21:58:00.000-06:002007-04-25T22:00:13.447-06:00

Below you will find me catching up with more news from India, then galloping forward with a song and some thoughts about the Virginia Tech shootings.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-77793067899968041792007-04-25T21:57:00.000-06:002007-04-30T06:34:33.488-06:00

Three thingsAfter becoming aware of the tragedy at Virginia Tech University as a community, moving from our shipboard space out to a traveling space of vast expanse in China and then bullet train expanses in Japan, I want to raise three thoughts with the community until we regather. The first regards traveling as students with this news.As we head into countries where Confucianism, Taoism, and

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-19987471353316878702007-04-25T21:56:00.000-06:002007-04-25T21:57:45.268-06:00

I’m Thinking About the Belly--A song in five coursesDear Reader: I need you to participate with a belly breath 2/3 of the way through the song. To do a belly breath you start by having your belly extend open drawing air into the lower part of the lungs, then fill the lungs up high and begin to exhale from the top down, finishing by drawing the belly in to push the air out.This song starts with

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-57185262504725133452007-04-25T21:50:00.000-06:002007-04-25T21:56:25.070-06:00

After throw ball we loaded up in our vans to head to the nearby Dalit village where we were greeted with a three man drum band that paraded us through the small streets of the village, past cows scratching themselves under the shade of trees, with hay stacks nearby that they nibbled from, past small thatched huts with cement pads on which we saw people cleaning their clothes, hauling their water,

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-23201505872310316682007-04-25T21:42:00.000-06:002007-04-25T21:50:25.962-06:00

Here you see one of the traditional dancers from the nursing school, a group of the students as we all watched together, the throwball team--not bad uniforms for a bunch of hard throwing athletes, eh? And a group of singers that sang a song that Arvind Bharataji wrote just for our visit. He is a musician activist who has written songs about children's human rights, the value of girl children,

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-89916884546454061932007-04-25T21:35:00.000-06:002007-04-25T21:40:58.449-06:00

When we arrived at the Dalit Liberation Education Trust in Kodalure Village, we were greeted by the welcome signs painted out in sands on the grounds in front of three different buildings—hours of work must have gone into their creation. We were warmly welcomed by Dr. Henry Thiagaraj, Convener of the Human Rights Education Movement of India and Managing Trustee of the Dalit Liberation Education

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-75301150014005690202007-04-24T16:17:00.000-06:002007-04-25T21:29:40.974-06:00

As you head to the Taoist temple, you first pass by Ganesh--the Hindu divinity of good luck! In Malaysia you have an incredible rainbow of cultures due in part to the ancient history of shipping that had brought Arabs down from the Arabian Peninsula as well as their goods coming overland with spice traders, Indians from India riding the annual winds that blew East and then returning home

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-54647307642389267282007-04-24T15:49:00.000-06:002007-04-24T15:59:46.109-06:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-35653697542346556442007-04-24T15:26:00.000-06:002007-04-24T15:49:38.916-06:00

Here are pictures from the Thai Buddhist temple that sits across from the Burmese Temple. These two countries have a long history of fighting, and the British government provided the space for the two to be together as they orchestrated the "peace" of the working people in the colony. The reclining Buddha is massive and behind him is a wall of urns where people can bring the cremated remains of

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-3921862674828352962007-04-24T15:19:00.000-06:002007-04-24T15:25:33.844-06:00

Malaysia had beautiful mists in its mountains as we approached in the early morning. for this port we docked in the bay and dropped two of our lifeboats that "tendered" us to the dock.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-3529302956655319312007-04-24T15:05:00.000-06:002007-04-24T15:13:14.825-06:00

Still catching up as our ship makes its way through heavy fog toward Kobe where we will dock in the next few hours. Out of the fog come other ships also heading to port, from huge container ships to big fishing boats. Fishing boats looking more modern than those we saw in Chennai, Malaysia, Hong Kong (where there are still Sam Pam villages), and Quindao. As we head to our last major port we

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-26487120748246092952007-04-13T04:00:00.001-06:002007-04-13T04:11:54.415-06:00

Hey--Here's photos of baby greenback turtles at the Malaysian sanctuary before I got stung. My friend daun saunders, economics prof. extraordinaire, and our guide Budan!

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-15365564104616630592007-04-13T04:00:00.000-06:002007-04-13T04:10:58.688-06:00

Hey--Here's photos of baby greenback turtles at the Malaysian sanctuary before I got stung. My friend daun saunders, economics prof. extraordinaire, and our guide Budan!

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-6500191532654476392007-04-13T03:56:00.000-06:002007-04-13T03:59:51.478-06:00

Oh my goodness! I just received an Easter photo of Conall and Russell in their handsome Easter shirts and I can hardly believe how grown up and brotherish they look side-by-side. I am so proud of them and with everything that I do on this journey I think about it in terms of what I would do with them. I have been in Vietnam for four days now and the days are running together so I want to try

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-79304835218425475982007-04-10T07:02:00.000-06:002007-04-10T07:04:07.094-06:00

Penang, MalaysiaMuruga festival:http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/article.cfm?id=18National Parkhttp://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/article.cfm?id=93

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-12298899593639730142007-04-10T06:59:00.000-06:002007-04-10T07:00:23.055-06:00

Penang Temples and MosquesHey guys,I've had so little opportunity to connect in the last month that I'm grabbing a moment right now as the thunder and lightning gods over Penang throw a show that reflects off the lights of the harbor here in Georgetown. Had a tour today of Thai, Burmese, and Chinese Buddhist temples, Hindu temples where the sarong clad priests gave puja to Shiva and Muruga while

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-31788623593435449662007-04-10T06:50:00.000-06:002007-04-10T06:56:40.619-06:00

Hello good people, I am typing with one fuzzy hand at a nice hotel in Ho Chi Minh (Have I spelled that correctly?) City. I went through a ringer in Malaysia after tangling with a jelly fish--sorry no pictures--but I heard from one of the students tonight that it was a Portuguese man of War so the legend is growing! Now I have the symptoms of someone with bad carpal tunnel so hopefully all will

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-24009744833432831862007-04-08T08:56:00.000-06:002007-04-08T09:07:58.407-06:00

Hey Sailor Woman, I am worried about you, so you can now stop worrying. As you know I have many honorary degrees in worrying. I would have gone to earned degrees, but I was too worried if I would do well. Strange, sometime around the time you decioded to go I read an artical on the dangerous jellyfish of Asia. I once had a boat I was towing swamp and I went over board to bail it out and I got

sailordadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12095828589693826074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-5311489041468799002007-04-07T11:37:00.000-06:002007-04-07T11:42:53.647-06:00

This is from SWMBO aka Connie Keller. Tom spoke with Mary yesterday- April 6. She was dealing with an adverse reaction to being stung by jellyfish. I suspect she will not be posting for a while. She is currently between Malaysia- where she was stung- and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The medical care on the ship is good. They feel the stings probably caused a new episode of the fibromyalgia

swmbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852701417412068208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-73758480638910964122007-04-01T10:28:00.000-06:002007-04-01T10:29:40.698-06:00

Dalit village Overnight, March 28-29, 2007We headed south out of Chennai in three vans and a car on our way to the Dalit village overnight. Dalit is a term that means oppressed, broken people, people put aside and alienated. Dalit is the term that is widely chosen by the people themselves who exist on the lowest possible social rung of Indian culture. “Untouchable” is the term that most people in

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-49618569776007098452007-03-26T09:26:00.000-06:002007-03-26T09:27:00.548-06:00

My first day in India and I thought I would just stay on the ship grading, making sure I get my work done before I leave for the Dalit village overnight on Wednesday. With two classes of 35 students who handed in their field work papers and their Hinduism quizzes in the past two weeks, I have oodles of work to do. The spirit possession class also handed in quizzes, and that’s a class of 17

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-20861986471321457532007-03-26T09:24:00.000-06:002007-03-27T07:16:43.096-06:00

Chennai, IndiaArrival in port is always an amazing production, and here at Chennai we had some great things to watch today. These pictures begin with our positioning up to our quay, getting close enough to see the military personnel and hear the band with its two, haunting, big and jiggly oboe-esque horns and two drums that were hit on the bottom with a stick and hit on the top with the hand, on

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-53213047722737514772007-03-26T09:23:00.002-06:002007-03-26T09:24:50.306-06:00

I led a field trip to Mauritius, but I'm just saving the space for now until I can add images and text.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-7325826367030987392007-03-26T09:23:00.001-06:002007-03-26T09:23:21.215-06:00

Pitching and rolling. The people who live in the lower decks near the front of the boat experienced the steady steep rising and then steep fall followed with a huge bang as the prow crashed into the rough seas. Even from my 5th deck room I spent the night awakened by the bang of the hull and the regularly shifting of drawers that tapped forward and backward restlessly. I stuffed envelopes and

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-45808844484871701812007-03-26T09:17:00.000-06:002007-04-02T09:01:47.269-06:00

Here are some of the pictures taken by a student in my world religions class who was at the Kagga Kama Game reserve. These images were made by the San people who used to travel huge areas of this region of Africa nomadically, but suffered the fate of many indigenous people under conquest when they were prevented from continuing to live off the land as nomads. I hope someday to relate the rock

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-30082855805815683442007-03-26T09:16:00.000-06:002007-04-02T08:20:53.424-06:00

These two pictures were taken by one of my students when she went on Operation Hunger--a program that brings nutrition science as well as food into the townships.One trip that I was unable to take was to an HIV/AIDS research center and its associated orphanage. We try to prioritize the kids being able to take these trips, and so when the trip was oversubscribed, Dr. Malotte had to drop some

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-78313148610946780562007-03-26T09:14:00.000-06:002007-04-02T07:33:27.333-06:00

During the Cape Town stay, many of the voyagers realized a lifelong dream—to go on safari. For most that meant a flight to the northern parts of South Africa for four day tours to places like the Kagga Kamma Private Game Reserve, or to Kruger National Park or Methethomusha Game Reserve. These safaris offered people the opportunity to take game watching trips in the early hours of dawn, at dusk,

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-46753243616584972212007-03-24T10:41:00.000-06:002007-03-24T10:49:10.751-06:00

Every night before we dock we have a logistical preport where the Executive Dean tells us wise things, the "voice" -- the man who makes announcements twice a day to tell us our longitude and latitude as well as everything else that we need to know--tells us about clearing customs, and the rules for the port. Then the Dr. gets up to tell us about things we need to know--in this case everything

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-61918201227098580362007-03-24T10:21:00.000-06:002007-03-24T10:24:50.044-06:00

Dear family and friends,I've got safari photos to send, photos from Mauritius, but after trying for several nights to get the images uploaded, I'm here to tell you that the satellite is not working well for any ships out here in the Indian ocean and I can't do a thing. The experiences have been amazing, and I'll try to start sending posts to catch you up. Here's a shout out to you as I head to

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-3820473942383280032007-03-15T10:48:00.000-06:002007-03-15T10:55:11.665-06:00

Hey,Sailorkid, how be ye. Your last was truely quite wonderful! Of course they all have been, but the last had held the most interest for me. The pictures are special! Your thinking is large and encouraging. Have you found out what engines drive your ship? with what fuel? How does she behave in a a seaway. Most comfortable with a following sea? quartering? into the wind? Etc.? Sailor Dad

sailordadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12095828589693826074noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-25476909781997203832007-03-14T11:08:00.000-06:002007-03-14T11:26:10.052-06:00

On Saturday, I met the Rev. Michael Weeder, an Anglican minister, and we toured an area of Cape Town where he was born, but from which his family was moved when he was very young, the area called District Six. When he began writing his Master's Thesis for a Masters from the University of Cape Town, he returned to the place where his family had once lived and began researching its even deeper

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-44732159470462882832007-03-14T10:54:00.000-06:002007-03-14T11:07:18.457-06:00

In both of these pictures you can see some of the SAS students in the foreground while the school kids are in their red, white and blue uniforms in the background. We met them in their school auditorium and the kids directed us through some of their favorite theater training games. One young girl laughed at one point and told me to loosen up! Later on she apologized, but we just laughed and

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-49228320544093757872007-03-14T09:47:00.000-06:002007-03-15T01:13:59.216-06:00

I’ve learned some wonderful things about the Miracle that happened when Nelson Mandela was freed from prison and a new South Africa was born. One of my friends on the ship, Judyie Al-Bilali, is a theater performer, playwright, and producer and it was through her eyes that I developed much of my appreciation for Cape Town. She is the woman in white wearing jeans and looking toward us in the center

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-66639386209332676062007-03-04T23:53:00.000-07:002007-03-05T00:03:08.637-07:00

Today we lose our interport lecturer, an oceanographer who travelled with us from Brazil to Cape Town, and he brought us much information and fun. He works for NOAA, the science association for oceanographic studies in the federal government. NOAA and Semester at Sea have an agreement where we carry their scientists to deploy study probes that go up and down in the ocean taking measurements of

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-35182426509734887602007-03-03T14:05:00.000-07:002007-03-05T09:05:02.724-07:00

Edgar Garcia is behind Alma in the picture below. He's the good looking guy. Alma says that he is her mentor and a very best friend. He is also a really good boss. He has been floating for twenty years and because he loves adventure this has been a great line of work. He loves world travel, but he especially loves Mexico. This is his 17th voyage with Semester at Sea because he enjoys working for

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-31013384640813199202007-03-03T13:55:00.000-07:002007-03-03T14:02:01.148-07:00

Hello everyone!! im Alma from the Philippines!!! im a bartender on board explorer - the "floating university"..life onbOARD has its advantages and disadvantages.... i got to see a lot of beautiful places and experience their different cultures.. in exchange for all this, i have to be away from my family... its a once in a lifetime experience.. as you all cansee im travelling for free.. hehe.. who

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-33722774839784150942007-03-03T13:20:00.000-07:002007-03-03T13:23:26.673-07:00

Here is the beautiful city as night falls. I had a wonderful hike today around an old section of the city where an Anglican priest has recently researched the burial grounds of the city, studying how Capetonians have buried and remembered their dead in this city. His name is Rev. Michael Weeder and he was the Director of Project Vote--the national effort to register and educate the newly

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-2526043693855566402007-03-03T12:57:00.000-07:002007-03-03T13:06:00.778-07:00

As we neared port, we went through a floatilla of fishermen's boats, filled to the gills with fishermen!Once we got to port, we found the beautiful new Waterfront disctrict, which both shows the pride of this young country but also invites us in to a very familiar kind of mall space. Better get past the first malls if you want to find Africa.Looking to the back you can see the harbor at work and

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-72491158747647923052007-03-03T12:42:00.000-07:002007-03-03T12:46:44.985-07:00

With oodles of early morning students, I think most of the students were wrapped up and out on the deck for our early morning approach with the sunrise, coming up to the tip of this beautiful continent. Hello Africa! Wake up DNA--do you remember?

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-83147964658232226162007-03-03T12:36:00.000-07:002007-03-03T12:42:15.250-07:00

The beautiful girl in the photograph below was at a Candomble temple where we went to learn about these New World religious communities. With strong and vibrant links to the Yoruba traditions of Western Africa (Nigeria and environs), and with a huge influx of Yoruban slaves in the 1850s leading up to emancipation in 1888, the traditions survived the Middle Passage (the journey across the Atlantic

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-1759845814967572382007-03-03T12:33:00.000-07:002007-03-03T12:34:36.097-07:00

About Salvador, BrazilWe arrived in Salvador, Brazil today, around 5:30 a.m. Parallel parking a boat with 7 decks is quite a feat! There are crew members who extend a platform from the 5th deck, and then harness themselves in as they erect the gangplank panels. due to the tides here, the gangplank will move from the second deck to the 5th deck, adjusting for the height differences. As we have

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-62964790927736932472007-03-03T12:26:00.000-07:002007-03-03T12:32:18.827-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-71764453928840006322007-03-03T12:22:00.000-07:002007-03-03T12:26:09.640-07:00

Back to Salvador and then on to Cape Town.Here is another shot of our talented circus instructors. Because they spoke Brazillian Portuguese, we had some trouble communicating, but as you'll see in the next pictures, we talked our way through some good fun.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-51825649263787135442007-03-02T15:15:00.000-07:002007-03-02T15:16:05.456-07:00

I have so much to tell you, and tonight was my big night to catch up, but I spent the entire evening trying to hire an indexer for the book I'm editing! The amazing thing--I think I found an indexer and I think the book is going to happen. But I have been up and down this evening trying to turn this manuscript around with the press drumming on the door. And my backdrop? A nearly full moon rising

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-36703076734471239322007-02-25T11:09:00.001-07:002007-02-25T11:11:48.601-07:00

Here are the instructors at the Circus that provides after school training for kids from the "invasions"--the shelters that get built up and down the steep hillsides of the urban areas of Salvador. Their families move close to the city hoping for work and public services, but the settlements, or "invasions" as they are called, can also become traps, especially for children, who might head to the

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-31229313449805929702007-02-25T10:57:00.000-07:002007-02-25T10:59:20.951-07:00

The frog on the upper left is the ruby-eyed tree frog which is relatively common in the Amazon rainforest. Notice the large circular toe pads and bright colors. The toe pads allow this species and other tree frogs to easily climb trees and live much of their life off the ground. The bright colors are use for recognizing other members of the same species for reproduction.Michael WeilUniversity of

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-69233739990419454652007-02-25T10:54:00.000-07:002007-02-25T10:57:41.406-07:00

Aren't these guys incredible! I didn't go into the Amazon, but 30 or so students and faculty did, and Dr. Mike can tell you how important the health of these amphibian populations is--they are the pulse of the forest. If they are doing well than water and micro fauna is doing well. If they are not, there are bigger troubles brewing that will impact the upper levels of the food chains.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-89258229282043270922007-02-25T10:53:00.000-07:002007-02-25T10:54:42.605-07:00

This is one of the side neck turtles called the Amazon River turtle. Unlike turtles in the United States, when these turtles withdraw their heads into their shells the side of their neck is exposed instead of the tip of their nose. This turtle has been hunted extensively by humans for its meat and oil from its eggs. Humans need to quit killing this animal if it is to survive.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-76912207354179817752007-02-25T10:50:00.000-07:002007-02-25T10:52:55.742-07:00

This large ground dwelling species of lizards is known as a Tegu. It is common throughout the rainforest of Brazil both in and out of the Amazon basin. This lizard likes to keep its body temperature very high and therefore spends most of its time in unshaded areas in the forest. It is almost always found looking for food in these types of areas or darting quickly from one sunny area to another

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-75985527217890728782007-02-25T09:55:00.000-07:002007-02-25T09:57:26.044-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-29801150805344071862007-02-25T09:51:00.000-07:002007-02-25T09:54:27.678-07:00

This selection of slides is from my colleague. I will do my best to add the text he gave me for specific slides.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-156976337942187572007-02-17T17:20:00.000-07:002007-02-17T17:24:15.819-07:00

These drummers were welcoming us in style, and with the world's biggest party waiting for them up in the streets of Salvador that afternoon and evening, they were only warming up, but what a great beat for a trip down the 5th floor gangplank!

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-37955016967220733872007-02-17T17:15:00.000-07:002007-02-17T17:20:38.154-07:00

When we arrive at a port all 800 of us have to walk past the Brazilian officials who check our passports and approve our Visas, and then we listen to an American diplomat who tells us recent news and relationships between the country and the U.S. When all of this was done, and our ship was "cleared" meaning that people can leave the ship, we found a welcoming committee out on the pier, with a

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-24428939833661111872007-02-17T16:52:00.000-07:002007-02-17T16:57:51.932-07:00

This tree is as old as the Candomble grounds themselves and it exerts a kind of presence that the community marks with the white ribbon (a symbol of the Orixa of peace and an important color, probably the most important color of Candomble). You can gain a sense of the ecosystem here and the thick canopy the trees create.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-66977329153071368032007-02-17T16:45:00.001-07:002007-02-17T16:50:59.570-07:00

When we first got to our field trip to the Candomble house, my camera was fogged from the transition from our air conditioned bus to the warm, humid afternoon air, but I think the picture is kind of interesting as it is.Candomble is a religion in which women are the religious authorities, and the woman who originally started this temple back in the late 1800s was devoted to Xango, the orixa of

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-88494284288824746582007-02-17T16:22:00.000-07:002007-02-17T16:31:57.876-07:00

I led a field trip today to a Candomble (Can-dom-blay) house. Candomble is a New World religion, developed out of the joint energy of the Catholic folk religion practiced broadly in the New World by the conquerers, and the African traditions that the slaves brought over with them as they survived the terror of being enslaved and building the sugar fortunes of the plantation owners. In the late

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-18026636920926048142007-02-17T16:15:00.000-07:002007-02-17T16:21:51.306-07:00

Driving to and from the Candomble temple we saw hillside after hillside where the landless poor have built these shelters on terrain that was too steep for anything else. When I go to the children's circus on Monday, I will see a project where children from these communities are being given training and a new shelter so that they can employ themselves and move out.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-84910924815070789752007-02-17T07:19:00.000-07:002007-02-17T07:20:09.249-07:00

The mix of students on the ship is similar to the mix of students that take their junior year abroad. Female to male is 65 to 35%, predominantly caucasian, as is our faculty, with students from something like 70 different colleges and universities. There are AFrican American, Hisapanic, and Asian American students, as well as a student from Puerto Rico, Mexico, China, and a few European students.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-64844012823473388772007-02-17T07:01:00.000-07:002007-02-17T07:03:01.201-07:00

We arrived in Salvador, Brazil today, around 5:30 a.m. Parallel parking a boat with 7 decks is quite a feat! There are crew members who extend a platform from the 5th deck, and then harness themselves in as they erect the gangplank panels. due to the tides here, the gangplank will move from the second deck to the 5th deck, adjusting for the height differences. As we have approached Brazil, we

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-12700510781734253442007-02-16T19:25:00.000-07:002007-02-16T19:37:37.443-07:00

Hello everyone! We have been teaching for the last seven days in a row and tomorrow I lead a field trip into the city of Salvador, so I have been working very, very hard. As they say on this trip, there is no such thing as a weekend on the ship. I have grading to do, I have finally gotten some good lectures under my belt after a few days of . . . rocking while talking and not getting the work

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-6568221110727158482007-02-11T11:56:00.000-07:002007-02-11T11:56:06.551-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-63483818096311644932007-02-11T11:53:00.000-07:002007-02-11T11:52:57.902-07:00

I am still catching up on photos and here are some good ones from San Juan, giving you a sense of Old San Juan and New San Juan. It was pleasantly warm and the views past forts and toward the cliffs were just beautiful. To understand the history of San Juan and it’s Spanish-speaking (Hispanic) African-influenced cultural life, you need to understand the nature of European conquest in the

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-40103342175713009082007-02-11T11:49:00.000-07:002007-02-11T11:49:14.896-07:00

This is my "important papers" desk. Food stash is to the right of the mirror--apricots, almonds, and crystal ginger. I have been so hungry and others say the same, so I am glad that I have these snacks.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-85780450458068060052007-02-11T11:46:00.000-07:002007-02-11T09:04:01.723-07:00

Here are some pictures of my room. I have a wonderful big window that looks out onto the blue, blue water. I never knew the ocean was actually a deep, lapis blue. It’s mesmerizing, and watching the waves as they curl away from the bow of the ship is really lovely with their lacey, frothy white turning into milky blue and then deep lapis. I find that I am sleeping very deeply with the gentle

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-35733888198297526742007-02-09T19:17:00.000-07:002007-02-09T19:16:56.783-07:00

For each port there are a variety of field trips for the students to choose from, including this trip into El Junke Rain Forest. The students and the faculty can choose to go independently to anywhere they choose within the country, but it is pretty fun to work with the local guides that have been arranged on these field trips. The smells and sounds of a rainforest are a uniquely rich

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-35496564213209450662007-02-09T19:13:00.000-07:002007-02-09T17:56:50.549-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-50478105131330984772007-02-09T17:52:00.000-07:002007-02-09T17:52:19.909-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-75388072159246696692007-02-09T17:47:00.000-07:002007-02-07T21:21:36.688-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-15584278615566526242007-02-07T19:05:00.000-07:002007-02-07T17:24:03.633-07:00

The students were in class for one day, Tuesday, Feb. 6, the first day for the spirit possession course. It was a rough start because the night before we crossed a time zone, so the eight o'clock class came early for many people. Including me. I arrive 40 min. ahead for class only to find a class full of students patiently waiting for their teacher to show up 20 min. into class. Argh. The

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-64787287396295854082007-02-06T10:52:00.000-07:002007-02-06T10:56:32.935-07:00

Good morning Mary. Lee Hermann, world famous birder, suggests that the bird in your early entry might be an immature oystercatcher. That sounds good to me. I have always thought birds, flowers and trees should all come with some sort of identification for those like me who have trouble storing facts. See if you can work on that in your spare time. Be well. SWMBO

swmbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852701417412068208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-68549084000849471712007-02-06T09:10:00.000-07:002007-02-06T09:14:35.462-07:00

Here is the mighty tug that pulled us away from shore. After getting us out far enough in the bay that Captain Jeremy could turn the ship around, the Amber Jack did a circle around us just to show us the advantages of a small, powerful boat. I think the crew members of the Amber Jack were having a great time.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-50143940491487691152007-02-05T11:36:00.000-07:002007-02-05T11:49:09.267-07:00

Here's looking at you ,Kid: Wonderful, I love being on deck watching and feeling the way they manage those huge ships. I used to enjoy it when the ferry captains on Orcas made a good landing.I loved it when I came in to dock with the Amy Marie and made a good turn and approach--to lie smoothly alongside of the pier-then to hop up on the dock and tie the line. Also nice picture of the students

sailordadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12095828589693826074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-32846937038441324422007-02-04T20:04:00.000-07:002007-02-04T20:08:20.948-07:00

As the engines started churning, and the parents started waving from the dockside, the men on the dock had to let loose the bow lines while the tug boat started pulling us away from the dock.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-67137765357633474592007-02-04T19:56:00.000-07:002007-02-04T19:59:49.956-07:00

Here's a shot of the huge bow lines being loosed. They get pulled into the boat after the guys on the dock let them loose.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-7847985446012170012007-02-04T19:51:00.001-07:002007-02-04T19:56:06.450-07:00

And here we go with Nassau in the background. This is a group of the students that I have just met as we all gathered at the back of the boat to watch Nassau fade into our background. I had a strange feeling of farewell as we pulled away, even while I have a sense of anticipation.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-80868840464310078102007-02-04T19:51:00.000-07:002007-02-04T19:56:03.279-07:00

And here we go with Nassau in the background. This is a group of the students that I have just met as we all gathered at the back of the boat to watch Nassau fade into our background. I had a strange feeling of farewell as we pulled away, even while I have a sense of anticipation.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-26473408789426375132007-02-04T15:40:00.000-07:002007-02-04T15:49:47.599-07:00

Here's looking at you ,Kid. M.L. I can't see the bird well enough to tell anything. I am not good on the shore birds either. There are so many of them and seem to all look pretty much alike---of course to a real birder they don't look alike. Maybe, if you ask you could get invited up to the bridge when underway. That's always exciting for me. I always think of the Titanic with all of it's

sailordadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12095828589693826074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-68251060211337738432007-02-02T20:23:00.000-07:002007-02-02T20:24:43.374-07:00

Here's a view of Nassau at night with the big parliament building lighted up on the hill. It's warm and humid at night and makes it easy to walk the decks with a camera.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-10803518990204995712007-02-02T20:07:00.000-07:002007-02-02T20:16:47.143-07:00

Here is the view of the dockside from deck 7. All the buildings are painted in bright colors. I have to show my ID card from the boat every time I walk the gangplank, but so far no one has pushed me over into shark infested waters. Getting on and off the boat is as serious as getting on and off a plane for another country, but the crew on the ship has the system down to an art. By the way, I

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-8933931202196174172007-02-02T20:02:00.000-07:002007-02-02T20:05:14.864-07:00

We get the green light when we eat lunch out here on Deck 7. It is a nice place to meet the other people I am teaching with. When they were introduced the other day I realized that many of them had received distinguished teaching awards from their universities, and as I meet them I can see why. People have been kind, generous with their ideas, creative, and funny. I am quite intimidated by their

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-34113854046430895552007-02-01T19:19:00.000-07:002007-02-01T19:30:53.071-07:00

Here is the back or stern of the boat. The very topmost deck has athletic equipment and a small swimming pool. I did yoga up there this morning, but once we start sailing that will be more challenging. This boat was made by a Greek boatmaker and it is made for maximum speed which means its keel is not as deep as some boats which means that it will roll with the seas. Two years ago it got caught

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-48076277272085312032007-02-01T19:13:00.000-07:002007-02-01T19:19:26.229-07:00

As I drew closer to the gangplank that leads up into this beautiful ship, I passed the lifeboats that look a bit like decorative sausages in bright white and orange! We will have a life boat drill once all 702 students get on board, and we will all have to put on our vests, long trousers, long sleeve shirts, and get in order: women and children first, just like in the movies. The Master of the

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-18447362089537152402007-02-01T19:05:00.000-07:002007-02-01T19:11:46.034-07:00

Guess what I just realized! I have to post the last pictures first if I want to bring you on a walking tour! I am making these posts from the boat where the bandwidth is smallish, so I won't undo the order of the pictures, but I'm going to try walking you through these pictures backward from here. It will be very confusing for this batch of photos, but hopefully next time I have a bunch of

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-81995352712391062812007-02-01T18:31:00.000-07:002007-02-01T18:47:17.127-07:00

The Bahamas have a Parliament and its buildings are all pink colonial buildings.

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-1287474239004121882007-02-01T18:25:00.000-07:002007-02-01T18:30:54.519-07:00

This little bird and his six sisters were scurrying around on the beaches pictured above. The V on his neck reminds me of the Meadowlark. I'm not sure what kind of birds they were and maybe one of you can help me. Plover comes to mind, but I hope one of you can provide the info until I get myself into the library on the ship!

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-7146211255067156732007-02-01T06:19:00.000-07:002007-02-01T06:28:20.641-07:00

Looks like I made it so far! I flew to Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and Nassau. After checking in to my room I went down to the beach. The moon was almost full and the light blue waters shone while the waves lapped onto shore in a steady rhythm with the incoming tide. Cachew . . . .cachew. . . . cachew. “Wow, I’m in the Bahamas!” I was so jazzed I started running down the beach that stretched for

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-14990611674353650742007-01-22T16:28:00.000-07:002007-01-22T16:31:58.544-07:00

It is very exciting to watch you get ready for this adventure. Being your mother I will worry for you as you go,, although not as well as your father does. I pray for you new insights and visions- this is a vision quest?-and then a safe return to your family and friends. Be well.

swmbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852701417412068208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7271223878737307532.post-29012321383307158612007-01-18T06:30:00.000-07:002007-01-18T06:37:02.050-07:00

Mary L. Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07752567868204119485noreply@blogger.com2