From the other Abel: Hola and Aloha

Dan here, with a quick note. I'm sitting in the Faculty Lounge on deck 7 of the M/V Explorer, overlooking the 15-foot rolling Pacific swells that pitch us from side-to-side, en route from Ensenada to Hilo. The first thought that comes to mind is how grateful I am for the generous and sincere enthusiasm that all of our friends, and a number of acquaintances too, showed in the nearly 14-15 months we waited for our sojourn to begin.

Secondly, I am in my element. I am ever-mindful of the expanses of the blue Pacific, and I feel insignificantly small. At the same time, I am surrounded by an amazing group of fellow travelers (the dean calls us his "dream team' -- a bit hyperbolic, but I like the basketball metaphor), and I feel truly valued by my colleagues. The food is amazing as well, not as good as what you all make, but definitely not dorm food.

One of my colleagues held a reading of Jaws at 9:00 PM last night on the stern, and I gave a history of the true story on which the book was based. The rapt attention on the students' faces reinforced why I'm here, although I miss Pawleys, particularly friends, more than I imagined.

Glad we had the opportunity in San Diego to see my sister Sara and nephew Harris and his beautiful family before we left.

Well, this is no longer a short posting. Troubling times, these, but the sense of serenity is overwhelming, and this is good.