by Caciques Tori Suslovitch and Ihna Mangundayao

Today, our class was split in the same groups that we were yesterday; one half stayed on campus for a Harkness seminar while the other took a boat to a nearby sandbar for an introduction to math class. Students in the seminar discussed the book The Rediscovery of North America, practicing the new class system in which students lead their own class discussions. On the sandbar, students received geology lessons from Chris Maxey regarding the sand in the Bahamas and applied some geometrical and algebraic concepts to solve questions concerning the distance to the horizon based on their location. The students also saw a stingray, countless sand dollars, and several different types of conch during a quick snorkel. The environment is truly becoming a part of our classroom: we used the sand as our chalkboard and instead of reading about concepts in books, we get the chance to see them first hand.

Later in the afternoon, we had our first exploration time. We were able to visit the nearby Marina, Boys’ Dorm beach, and Fourth Hole beach. Activities included snorkeling, swimming, running, relaxing by the beach, and buying snacks and cold drinks. Many students also found coconuts on the ground and tried to pry them open, frantically hitting them against sharp edges and rocks. With a little help and insight from the locals, they were finally able to enjoy the meat inside. We even found out that coconut water can be used to relief the itch of mosquito bites! We got to see the incredible scenery around us, befriend locals, and create a tighter bond within our community. It was an excellent chance for us to get to know our surroundings better and have some down time after a hectic yet exciting week. We will get a chance to see even more of the world around us in the upcoming week – above, on, and under the water – during our kayak trips and SCUBA lessons.