Running a week late on this so we’ll just throw them all together! If you ever get curious you can always see them (and often the runner-ups) posted each day on Twitter.

Day 22 – 1/5/2011

Aaron setting up to play Settlers of Catan with Claire, a staple as far as games go in the world of Mercy Ships.

Day 23

The famed Appelsbosch Pool. Really it’s more of an amphitheater but when it rains…

Day 24

Phase 10, the worst card game on earth. Strategy? Nope. Skill? Not necessary. Finish the game? Maybe in a week or so.

Day 25

The Purser has a lot of responsibilities, of which the most important is probably flood control. This is what happens when the water gets cut off suddenly and no one thinks to turn off their sinks.

Day 26

Jesse Mitchell talking at Sylvanus’ commencement ceremony at his church just outside of Balito.

Day 27

New Crew Orientation! Look at all of their smiling faces. I was up front to do the IS (Information Services) bit, which was a lot of fun. This is the only time this orientation has ever been done off ship, Karen wants you to know you’re special.

Day 28

Shannon has no shame when it comes to her after-dinner treats. Nutella and peanut butter make for a tasty snack (though it makes me crave maple/chocolate bars on occasion).

Day 29 – 1/12/2011 (Round 5)

Playing rummy while distracted. ‘Nuff said.

Day 30

The beginning of many Gateway/BST reunions. Carmen, Janelle, and Claire from left to right (not including yours truly). They skipped the whole Appelsbosch deal and went straight to the ship to work.

Day 31

Police officers’ hands quickly and easily store all of your readily needed phone numbers in seconds! I sort of locked myself out of my Land Rover when picking Julie up from the airport, and this is the result. They were really nice guys (see the runner ups) and made the whole process a lot of fun.

Day 32

Not your average Mexican restaurant, TacoZulu has very little in the way of traditional Mexican anything. They do sell a lot of Mexican food, just without Mexican seasoning. Still delicious, we loved it (except for Christina who wound up puking all night). The DC thing is still a bit odd, apparently they sell them there? Or just idolize them. I couldn’t tell.

Day 33

Sunset at the Bosch, not sure there’s much else that needs to be said about it.

Day 34

My first PR event with Mercy Ships. This was to thank all of our partners and friends in South Africa and was held at the Seafarer’s Center near the ship. You can see my buddy from Northside Church, Eric, sporting the purple and chops.

Day 35

Jorid giving her shpiel to the second ever off-ship HR Orientation group. Once again, Karen bids you think of yourselves as special.

Runners up
(or Runnerups or… whatever)

For example, turning my workstation from this:

Into this:

I also finished writing my first book back on Christmas, this is what I found on my desk last week. At first I was afraid it was a technical manual of some sort, but it turns out it was my book after Peter had finished reading it and making notes.

Despite Carmen making this a superior photo in every way, the three of us not liking how we looked as much outweighed her vote on which photo to use. But here it is anyways:

More photos from my [ill]fated incident with the locking of my keys in the Land Rover at the Durban (King Shaka) International Airport.

South Africans show affection differently than… well… the rest of us apparently.

The PR event from the front, and waiting outside afterwards (at 10:30PM after working 14 hours).

We also discovered Sexy Apples from Washington State. Imagine my pride mixed with my sense of concern over the way my state gets marketed to South Africa. To the detriment of more modest apples back home, South Africans must think ALL Washingtonian apples are sexy.

Filed under: 1 P/D, 1 Photo per Day by Jay