Adventure of the Seas

This November, I got the opportunity to go on a Caribbean cruise with my family and some close family friends. I would miss school and get to go to a few different islands - Aruba, Dominica, Curacao and St. Thomas - with my three friends, Courtney, Tim, and Matt.

The first day on the ship, Adventure of the Seas, was a Sea Day. It gave us time to settle in to the new environment and explore the ship a little bit. We checked out the Optix Teen Program quickly and then found the secret route to the helipad on the bow. It was difficult- going there was permitted, but discouraged, so it was fun to try and find it. We also checked out the ice cream shop. They actually had a Ben & Jerry's on board!

Every night we ate dinner in the "Vivaldi" dining room at 6:00, and after that, we'd see that night's show. One night it was the ice skating show, one was a comedian. But my favourite was the ventriloquist, Ronn Lucas. He had three different puppets with very different personalities. It was probably the funniest show I've ever seen, and Ronn was INCREDIBLE.

Courtney and I always looked forward to going straight to the Teen Club again after. We met some other kids there, and we formed a club of English-speakers: Kyle, Gus, JP, Robert, Adrianna, Alex, Tim, Courtney and myself. Almost evening, we would go to the top floor in a private game room. We would stay there for hours just listening to Gus play the piano. He was incredible. We'd stay until something interesting was going on in the Club, because every night there was some kind of dance or party (or karaoke!).

Our first stop was to Aruba. Although the sun was shining and the beach was bustling, the waves were strong and tall. Courtney and I played in them for a few hours, I think, until they started getting even larger. Soon we invented a game: You had to stay standing through each wave no matter how strong, and whoever stands longest would win. But neither of us could hold on for as long as we thought we could. Nearly every time, the water would come up to our necks or over when we had been standing knee-high moments before. Then it would suddenly push us down to the sand and threw us backwards onto the beach. One giant wave hit me so hard that I scraped my hip against the sand and cut it. It was just sand, but I had hit it so hard! And after Courtney got a bloody nose, we were forced to swim in the pool instead. Later, the bartender told me about a big storm that was happening on a nearby island causing the waves, and that they were the biggest they had seen on the island in twenty years.

Curacao was next, and that was where I had my first kiss. It was with a young and energetic dolphin named "Kayena" at the Curacao Dolphin Academy. She was amazingly fast. Once, she got spooked and rammed into my mom and I so abruptly that we fell off the platform!

The marine life was teeming in Dominica. We were snorkeling on the side of a volcano! So the sand was actually volcanic and very black compared to the perfect white snow on the other islands. I also checked out some neat caves, and we saw a few sting-rays in the water below us.

St. Thomas was so gorgeous and sunny. The water was cool and refreshing and clear as can be; you could see every shell or piece of coral right at the bottom. Even the sand was perfectly white with no stones and soft on your feet. But the very best part of it was going snorkeling at 'Champagne' Beach. It's world-famous for it's cool lava springs, just like swimming in a giant glass of champagne! I think it must have been the most beautiful natural phenomenon I've ever seen.

I don't know if I could summarize the trip any more than I already have. There was just so much to do and explore and experience every single day. We were never bored, but always busy and completely engaged in whatever activities we were doing. I could try to pick out my favourite parts, but every part was my favourite. I know that sounds like a cheesy Disney ending, but what else can I say? Everything was breath-taking, mind-blowing, and jaw-dropping.

andie, xoxo.

Teams Work Better When They Work Together.

We are taught from an early age to trust others, to rely on them and to work together. It's a great thing to do; a great way to make friends and solve problems. But when you're risking your own safety and well-being, does that change? It shouldn't of course, but it's pretty difficult for some people. That's why our school goes to Norval for one day every year. Norval is a camp that pushes you out of your comfort zone and into the care of others. Sounds fun, right? But it's a little more complex than it sounds.

First of all, if I told you to climb over a 14 ft. wooden wall - no ridges, handles, ladders, hooks.. nothing to use as a tool but your own body and mind, you would think I was crazy. Most people would just figure it wasn't possible. The situation totally changes when you have 15 other people to work with. Thats 15 times more bodies, brains and ideas! We had to do this exercise. It was difficult at first to think of a practical idea, since everyone had different ones. But when we all listened to other people's thoughts and cooperated like true team members, we were finally able to get Olivia over to the other side by hoisting her up in a few steps involving everyone. Then, she helped everyone else up from the other side until we had lifted each person, one by one.

We also tried the Inuit Blanket Toss, which was something i've always wanted to try with a parachute. Every person held up one part of a thick, circular blanket as one person lay in the middle - usually quivering with fear, or maybe excitement. At the same time, we all jerked back our ends of the blanket and sent the victim flying in the air. Then we all had to act quickly to try to catch them in it again without hurting them. I think we did well, because only one person hit the ground... Just a little bit. :) Waiting in the middle, knowing what was about to happen, was the most exhilirating part. I felt so grateful when I landed again that everyone had caught me, but I think I knew all along that I could trust them too.

I, along with three other very fortunate people, got to be suspended in the air with cables. The cables were held by my classmates, and they had to figure out how to move each cable to move me. Then when they moved me, I could reach and collect the plastic balls from the course area. I still felt like I could trust everyone, but they did think it would be funny to move me where and when I wasn't exactly expecting it! Whispers spread across the grade as they worked out a plan. After I was lifted a few feet, some people jerked me to the left, then some to the right. They swung me back and forth on the strings about 10 feet in the air like a marionette. But at least they had done it together, right? Haha. I had placed my trust in the right people. Their trick was fun and surprising, but it was still safe.

After lunch, every one in the Middle School participated in the Drum Circle. I had never even heard of these before, but it was incredible. One man stood at the front of the room with his drum and just played. He didn't give us any instructions. He didn't say a word. But by the end of the session, we had all made our own music together. And it sounded amazing!! I couldn't believe it. This was learning a new kind of communication, without any words. I'm still not sure how it happened exactly, but I wish we could do that all over again- even though my hand hurt a lot from hitting that drum.

andie, xoxo.

Double Sour Skittles.

The little things in life are often overlooked these days. It's hard not to sometimes. When you're in a hurry, there's no time to stop to pet the cute little doggie in the park or pick a little flower for your mom. It doesn't seem like it would make a big difference in life, but really, I know, it's the little things that keep me happy. One little thing is small; a thousand little things are big together.

My favourite, amazing little sensation that nobody usually thinks about? Double Sour Skittles. People find it funny that I would rather feel the perfect combination of sweet and sour when I toss that teensy pink skittle in my mouth than, I don't know, go to a concert or something. But I honestly would. That deliciously electrifying zing as it touches your tongue, and the fruity after-taste. It makes me smile just thinking about it, it's funny because noone takes this seriously.

Double Sour Skittles really are my passion. If you wanna make me smile? Surprise me with a bag of skittles. It'll make me happy and bubbly on any day! If everyone just found some little thing that made them happy the way skittles did for me, the world would be a better place. Because everyone would always be smiling. They just need to slow down to experience them first. Hey everyone, little things can be a big deal! :)

andie, xoxo.

Be the Change You Wish to See In the World.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Gandhi.

This is a very well-known quote, I believe. It is a very good way of cleanly summarizing this whole world-change topic in an understandable and relatable way. What does it mean to you? To me, it says that just wishing for something to happen isn't enough. Poverty or starvation or child labour in Africa will not end if you don't do anything about it.

Kids and teenagers my age don't usually think they can do anything about it. We're just kids, right? That stuff should be left to the experienced, professional, adults. But what they are starting to discover is that they soon will be those adults with that responsibility. This generation has, almost literally, the world on their shoulders. We will be the turning point that must work to improve and fix the starvation in Africa, child labour in Bangladesh and poverty in Cuba. Now that everyone has realized this, my generation is under a lot of pressure to make a difference in the world and have an impact on other people. But maybe it is too much at some times.. after all, right NOW, we are still kids.

I feel sometimes like I could take on a task for an adult in changing the world, but I wouldn't have a clue where to start. There is so much that needs to be improved, but to start a business like Free the Children or something like that feels like way too big of a job; almost impossible. I'm not Craig Kielburger! But he started out the same way as me, only slightly more oblivious to what was going on, and I don't think I can have an impact? Maybe I should rethink.

Lately i've really been considering options to change things. Terry Fox ran across Canada to raise money for Cancer, but i'm not good at anything the same way he is at running. What could I possibly do?! Well, to people in Canada - and America for that matter - who have it easy, maybe they wouldn't think much of anything I would do. But to those children in Africa, practically anything is a big help, no matter how insignificant it is to me. And there the ones who need to be helped out. So I don't need to run across the country, or start my own business before i'm fourteen. Maybe I will someday, but for now, I will stick to the small stuff because that way I know I can handle it. For now, i'm still dreaming about the BIG changes I could make to those kids.

Andie, xoxo.

World Poverty.

Whenever my teachers or my parents talk about poverty, I think of the homeless man by Wal-Mart that we always pass by. Usually I give him some of my shopping money and I feel like I’m making a difference; it makes me feel like a better person when he says “God Bless You.” But maybe I’m not making as big a difference as I could or should be in the world of poverty.

Now I know about Craig Kielburger. He started seriously making a difference when he was twelve years old by creating Free the Children, which is working to stop child labour in less fortunate countries. Why can’t I do something like this? All I need is an idea and a few friends to help me.

Do you have any ideas? I need some. I would be happy to make your ideas a reality for the rest of the world, because right now I don’t have any of my own. But it’s important to me to really try to make a difference for these poor children my age that dont have it nearly as good as i do. Isnt it to you? I think the trick to be motivated to help is to think of each of these poor people as individuals. They are not a statistic you'll find in the paper... They are real people just like you, or me, or one of your friends. Imagine your little brother or sister suffering in Sierra Leone. They never did anything to deserve that. And they want your help. Please, help me help them.

Andie, xoxo.