First Days in Woods Hole

It turns out, the East Coast is pretty different than the West Coast... Or maybe it's just that California is unlike anywhere else. Both of which I figured to be true,  but am somehow still surprised by. Being surrounded by 18 classmates mainly from the eastern U.S. is a learning experience itself! Yep, I'm the only one that lives and goes to school on the West Coast. I pretty much knew this going into the program, and didn't think it would be weird at all-- but weirdly enough it is. Also, if on the off chance one of my classmates is reading this, you are perfectly welcome to think I'm weird for thinking and saying these things are weird too :)

I arrived to SEA's campus on Monday and was dropped off by a lovely set of friends who I stayed with in Boston. It was a little weird setting off into this unknown world on my own, but it's been good! We had orientation and moved into our cottages. I stay with 9 others in this place:

 It's quaint for sure. We are in a more forested area on the Cape, but very close distance to shore. A big group of us walked to the beach today and that was beautiful. It was my first time swimming in the Atlantic, and for whatever reason, it was so much different than the Pacific. Maybe because we are in a bay here, but it is so calm, and pretty warm!

Anyway, so these are some difficulties that left me to feel a little bit like an outsider here. Right off the bat, I had a lot of stereotypical Californian ideologies to find out about. Such as "do you know In n Out" (aka do you worship it as a lifestyle) and do you eat a lot of Mexican food (aka it's nothing special but obviously amazing). I know, it's stupid, of course because both things are very much just in CA and surrounding states... But I had hope for humanity! Sadly I was wrong, hella wrong... Beyond that, I think I'm the only one that goes to a public university and doesn't know really any of these small schools that most of my classmates go to-- or at least where they are. Also, it doesn't seem like Ivy Leagues are as such a grand idea here-- more like actual reality. Which I guess makes sense since I casually walked through Harvard this weekend. (It was awesome and crazy, who am I kidding!). It's interesting hearing about the ways private schools run, and that they have chapels. That's a weird one for me. Also, two people found out they both are related to the same person on the Mayflower. That's right. That actually happens here. Holy shit I feel foreign. In addition, it's pretty white. Which I knew would be the case and know it's not the case everywhere on the East Coast-- but also that there is nothing wrong with it. However, it just makes me reflect on California with gratitude. Speaking of gratitude, uhh HELLO NO DROUGHT. I don't know why I had this vision that all of the U.S. was reducing their water consumption this year, but why would they?! There is so much water in some places out here... But really I hope this mind frame changes soon! I wish lowering water consumption was a growing trend nationally and it won't take what happened to the Mid West and us happen to the Eastern states. Nevertheless. I'm loving not feeling so guilty about how many showers I take. Yet I am trying to stay close to my twice a week achievement in Santa Cruz! 

Athough I'm still in the U.S. I am thoroughly intrigued by even the smallest differences with the East Coast, and this will most definitely play a part in my "study abroad" experiences. 

I was so happy today to go to the beach with a group of people that enjoy it as much as I do, and definitely see we have mutual interests-- but we are different and that's good!

Speaking of classes, so far it's been a lot of information and we are all trying to wrap our minds around it. We are taking Maritime Studies, Maritime Culture and History. Maritime Environmental History, Oceanography and Nautical Science... I think.

It will be very heavy in reading and writing and full days of class all week (am I back in HISP?). Life at sea is just around the corner really, with only 4 weeks here, a short break at home and then we set off in September! So it will be jammed packed these coming weeks but I hope to keep up with this blog, since I won't be able to regularly update at sea. 

❤️LTK