We just hit a huge bump in the sea! When we looked out at the water there seemed to be a huge Green line that went from east to west. What it was none of us were quite sure of. It turned out to be that we were crossing the Equator. I am officially on the other side of the earth from the rest of you. I will someday cross back into your realm of existence but until we hit the bump again or see the big Green line in the water, I will be stuck, stranded, and lost in the Southern Hemisphere.
The best part of this is when I finally got to act out my experiment from my childhood that I never believed would be possible. Living in North America our entire lives, we take for granted one of nature’s coolest secrets. In case you didn’t know, or didn’t notice, when you flush your toilet or you let water go down the drain… it goes down in a counter-clockwise fashion. That is because we are in the Northern Hemisphere. Once you cross the Equator, everything changes. I am now in a different world. The water in the toilet/sink goes down clockwise. It’s fascinating! I got a video of it, don’t you worry.
Today is Valentine’s Day so we will have to see what happens but apparently there is a dance tonight. It’s so hard to keep all the things going on straight on top of all the reading we must do for class. I feel like the professors missed the memo about how we have more priorities than reading 100 pages a night every night. I came here to learn but never realized so much of it would happen in the classroom. Being that it is the day of love, best of luck to everyone. I think it is a commercialized holiday and sometimes even a waste of time but I will write a small haiku for anyone reading anyway that goes something like this:
Go be with your mate
Today is the day of love
Best of luck to you
Location:
Latitude: 0° 0.00
Longitude: 42° 17.08 W
February 14, 2007 at 11:42 AM
so your officially my hero, i always wanted to see that. i do have one question for you:if you flush a toilet on one side of the equator will the water actually stop and switch direction mid flush as you cross the equator? if you dont mind a video to answer this question would be very helpful.
happy velentines day kid!
February 14, 2007 at 7:44 PM
i don't know brian, but i his question is supremely perplexing...on your way back (which isn't for a coon's age) i want to see a toilet flush as you cross over. second thought, i want a picture of that line in the water...i find it fascinating...and just so you know, while you are crossing the equator, it has been snowing for 2 days, and i am dateless for V-Day...sigh
February 14, 2007 at 8:35 PM
Happy VD. It is summer where you are!! That is amazing! I will need to see video proof as well. I loved the haiku, and now I should write one back to you:
Happy Valentines
Don't be a fool wrap your tool
Have fun at your dance!
February 15, 2007 at 1:55 AM
I found this very interesting kevin... i would also like that picture of the line and the video tape while crossing the equator... but you obviously can't do both. so get a picture of the line from someone else. =]
February 16, 2007 at 11:02 PM
Well, as a professor on the voyage, I can say we had to pass our syllabi by UVA way back in August so a lot of the rigorousness of the readings, etc. is a result of them vetting our syllabi to make sure the program is adequately rigorous. Believe me, more work given to you means more work we have to grade and keep up with too...so all your professors are as busy as you are and swamped with work to do to keep up. At any rate, didn't want you to think we have no conception of how much work it is...it's much more of a UVA thing than it is your individual professor (for example, we weren't allowed to give students any more than 10% for class participation...hence, all the assignments that make up your - and our - workload).