Week Five

The week started out as a normal Wednesday with half the group going to finish their SCUBA certification and the other half of the group continuing to work on the legacy project at the Institute. Following our scuba expedition and legacy work, we hopped in the vans and rode over to the Deep Creek Primary and Middle Schools to begin our community outreach and meet our semester buddies. Everyone was very excited to interact with the youth of the local community.

Tristan and Meghan work with Joseph on the Fall 06 Legacy Project.

Saturday started out with a bang. Literally. Our teachers woke us up with fireworks and torches to

begin Pirate Day. It was quite startling to see our morning circle lit by fire. We broke into our fish groups and pirated our way around Cow Point for morning exercise. We were put through all sorts of tests including walking the plank and burying treasure, all to collect pirate booty, which we were rewarded with later that night.  After our exciting wakeup, we had another strenuous day of classes and our first Reasoning exam in science.

It's Pirate Morning - aaar! - and the morning circle is lit by torchlight.

We all survived the academic day and our Saturday night fun began. This past Saturday was Island School Fall 06’s first Coffee House, full of mimes, singing, dances and many other outlandish talents of our students and faculty. After a night of laughter we were given our pirate booty that we earned earlier in the day (thanks to the Marinaro family!). These goodie bags consisted of every type of candy imaginable, treats we felt as if we would never see again. Those whose stomachs felt up to it finished the night with some hunting for land crabs.

Sam, Hanna K., Lara, and Abram keep the crowd entertained during Coffee House.

Sleeping in on Sunday was quite a delight after our long exhausting week. Students and faculty made sure to be awake by 10:45 to go to the marina to board the Cobia and journey to the Schooner Cays for the day. It was a smooth boat ride other than a small bump into a coral head, but we made it safely to our gorgeous destination. We spent the day lounging in the shallow waters, playing football, exfoliating our once unsunburnt skin with ooids, and appreciating our surroundings

of the Bahamian beaches we call home.

Olivia, Kelsey, Reilly, Christina, Alix, and Hannah exfoliate with ooooooooids at the Schooner Cays.

Monday came around quickly as usual with a vigorous run-swim, which we had not done since the first week. We have been here for one month and feel a deeper level of comfort among the class. With the comfort has come moments of tension, but we all realize that we are here for too short of a time to let any negativity affect our experiences. Advisory groups are continuing to bond, and are all venturing out to enjoy delicious dinners together and to stuff our faces with fried food and lots of ice cream before heading back to school. We anxiously await our overnight home stays this coming weekend and continue to enjoy living here on Cape Eleuthera.

Amos, Jarrel, Sage, Katy S., Olivia, Reilly, and Bridget enjoy some advisory ice cream at Victoria and Henry's store in Deep Creek.

Shout Outs: 

Katy S. – To my family and friends, I love you all and I hope all is well. CWS -good luck and you are always in my thoughts. I wish you could all experience this along with me, and I can’t wait to tell you all more about my semester when I come home.

Reilly – To my family- Mom, Dad, Pete, and Jack, and to my friends- Shannon, Katherine, Christine, Katie, Meg, Jacquie, Amy and everyone else, I love you all.  I am having a great time here as you all know, but don’t worry- I am thinking about you too.  Miss you Fairfield!

Bridget – Mom, Dad, Patrick, Alison, and Ab, I’m sure the house is quiet without me (seeing as I don’t stop talking) but I hope everything is going well. I love you all. Jen, Molls, Tay, Giancarlo (and the rest of Bryn Mawr and Baltimore) I am having so much fun, but keep writing! I love and miss you guys so much. Keep me posted on everything in Bmore. 

Jarrel – This is to my family Mom, Dad, aunts, uncles, cousins and sisters, and my friends Robert, Carlisa, Monique, Raphael, and Gabriel. Everything here is lots of fun (except school work) and I hope everyone is having a great time. I can’t wait to see you (my family) on Parents Weekend, it going o be fun. I love you guys and miss you all a lot.