Questions from the Class - Interview Mera

Looking up from reading
Originally uploaded by brainswax.

Question: Ask your kids what their hopes/expectations are for cruising life -- what are they excited about? What are they dreading?

I started this project with Mera. Now before you accuse me of putting words in my child's mouth, I want you to understand that Mera is a very literate, bookish nine year old with an incredible vocabulary and an imagination like nothing I've ever seen again. She is enrolled this fall with a teacher at the resource center to start middle and high school literature studies. These replies are direct quotes.

Q: What do you think about our plans to cruise?
I think it might be dangerous, but it's going to be very fun. It's a change; we're going to get to spend more time with each other. The new experiences will help us when we grow up.

Q: What was your favorite trip on the boat?
My favorite trip is when we went over to one of the islands and saw fireworks. And later that day, the Mushens -- our friends that live upstairs -- came over and we all sat on the tramp covered in blankets. I think the fireworks were better than the ones you see from Seattle.

Q: What was your worst time on the boat?
This might not really be the worst time but I can't think of anything worse. Well, we were anchored of Blake Island and we went for the longest walk I've ever been on. I couldn't see Jaime and we barely even talked. And we just walked and walked and walked. My feet ached.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do as a boat kid?
Hanging on to the metal bars that keep up the big clothy thing that shields us from the rain. Looking at the open sea and getting rocked back and forth and back and forth. It's real pleasant and fun.

Q: What is the thing you hate most as a boat kid?
Being shut up in my cabin when it's too windy outside.

Q: If you look forward to when we sail away, what
do you want from this trip?
I want great experiences, more time with my family, more time to learn about my dad and my mom, more time with the wildlife, more time to swim and more time to just do stuff.

Q: Are there any places you want to go? or see?
I'd love to go to this good hotel that one of my mom's friends described to me. It sounds like a really lovely place. I'd like to see a dolphin burst out of the water and see it's whole body before it goes below the water.

Q: What do you think about homeschooling?
I love it. It's great! It's really really fun.

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
Boating life is hard but fun. And the hardness is what you pay for having fun.