Semester at Sea

The missions begin. The Road Rulers receive their first clue from their homes via telephone. They are told to meet at Million Air airport in Nassau, Bahamas. Anticipation is high as the six wonder what's in store for them. The cast arrive at the airport and as is tradition someone has been sent to collect the Road Ruler's cash and credit cards. Larry from Halo Holdings is the man who has been appointed the task. After gathering their valuables he takes them right into their first mission. Larry explains that he must get the cast to a small island called Sandy Cay. The only problem is there is no runway, so the cast must skydive. Everyone screams, but Ayanna freaks. Ayanna drops to her knees, laughing and overwhelmed with emotion. The kids stride onto the runway and climb into the plane. The plane rises into the air. Its time. Pua starts to sing Amazing Grace as Ayanna prays. They make their way to the edge of the plane and one by one they take the plunge. Upon reaching the ground

Now that the roadies are settled on the ship, they are instructed to recruit their fellow classmates for a game of baseball against "Cuba's Best." Meanwhile, Veronica anticipates being reunited with her extended family in Cuba who she has never met.

Where's the bond? And we're not talking about James Bond. Shawn, Veronica, and Pua openly discuss how this group hasn't made an effort to get to know each other. The point is proven further when Ayanna avoids their conversation by fleeing the scene. The six Road Rulers have already begun to establish separate social circles. Oy!! This season the Road Rulers must face the biggest challenge of all; school. Yes is admittedly having trouble getting himself to class. The social atmosphere is a little too enticing and staying up till the sun rises every morning doesn't allow him enough time to sleep and god forbid get to class. We all know how it is; it's tough. Unfortunately for Yes, his roommates aren't that understanding of his party lifestyle, especially when he decides to bring the party back to the cabin. As Yes defines it, ""Its the perfect party pad"". When the next day rolls around Ayanna and Shawn have a few words for the Yes man. However, this time its no's all around.

School is finally becoming a reality for the six. Westward ho! The Road Rulers discover one of the major set backs of maritime (on a ship) travel. Due to the crossing of time zones the magnificent six find themselves in the perpetual hell of daylight savings, where springing forward and losing an hour of sleep becomes a daily ritual. Sucks to be Ayanna and Pua when they both forget to reset their clocks the night before the first CORE exam, thus making them an hour late. (CORE is a mandatory cultural studies class that teaches students about the countries they'll be visiting.) Talk about surprises! Certainly not one that the two clueless rulers were ready to face. Oh well, life goes on and so do the exams. Yes, who has been to the class less times than the U.S. has landed on the moon, got the best score out of all six. Needless to say, this didn't make the rest of the group happy. Ayanna makes a call home to say hi and receives the unfortunate news that her mother has had a recur

South Africa: here comes the motherland. Ayanna bears the weight of generations on her shoulders to represent her people. She feels that she isn't ""African enough"" and will be rejected by the people of Africa. Finally, she realizes she is indeed ""home"" in Africa. As Shawn nears South Africa, he changes from a playful, carefree man, unaware of his ancestral significance, to a very aware black man stepping into an Afrikaner home. Their mission is to learn about South African culture from 3 different perspectives: Black, Muslim, and Afrikaner. The Rulers split up into 3 groups of 2 and spend the night with these diverse families. After experiencing South African lifestyle firsthand, they return to the ship and present their information to their classmates. Yes questions, ""How are we going to put these feelings into words?"" Stayed tuned next week to find out what happens in this heartwarming two-part episode. from BMP.com

Shawn is determined to assert himself as an individual rather than a black person. He begins to experience racism and gain further insight into what it means to be a black man in South Africa. By the end of his South African journey, Shawn has experienced first hand that he is indeed an African-American from BMP.com

It's all about Pawel. Everyone in the cast wants to know what's going on with him. Shawn thinks it's time for Pawel to drop his facade and put the masks away. A distraught Pawel finds his overwhelming need to please everyone backfiring on him. The cast isn't interested in hearing his super fluff anymore; they want the real Pawel. Like a trooper, Pawel takes the criticism, questions himself, and lays it out on the table, ""I never really claimed to know who I am, I feel like I'm finally getting a taste, an image of who Pawel, Pavo is."" from BMP.com

The question is, does Ayanna practice Voodoo or not? That's what the rest of the Road Rulers want to find out after coming back to the room and finding powder sprinkled all over her bed along 3 neatly placed matches that supposedly represented Veronica, Pua, and their friend Annie. ""Its your last chance,"" warns Ayanna to the 3 girls. Finally, the cast has it out in a group confrontation or shall we say Ayanna versus everyone else. (Talk about being the scapegoat) She's certainly up against some stiff competition. Find out what happens in this two-part episode next week. from BMP.com

Now kiss and make-up. Ayanna and Veronica may not see eye to eye when it comes down to business but at least they understand each other now. After the Rulers meet with their mediator, Prof. Dennis Waring the cast puts their feelings of pain and anger aside to accomplish their next mission, building a power plant to light up a Dalit Village. There is no power, no running water, and worst of all, no air conditioning. When it gets dark the only thing you can see is the stars in the sky. The travail of the cast working in the unsanitary conditions of India finally pays off when they are able to light up not only the village but the faces of all the men, women, and children in the community. A good deed for a good cause from BMP.com

On the heels of the Dalit solar power mission, Pua believes that she will return to India as a member of the Peace Corps. The rulers show up for their next mission. Low and behold it's to teach elephants how to paint. They are coached by an expert in Elephant painting, world-renowned Russian artist Alex Melamid. Hours into the mission Pua witnesses animal abuse by a Mahout at which time her dreams and aspirations are called into question. In the end, Pua decides that she is an animal rights activist and will continue to help animals throughout her life. from BMP.com

Love is in the air as the Road Rulers drop anchor in the port of Malaysia. After receiving their clue, the kids journey to a lush wildlife preserve, where they spend an exhausting day feeding and caring for the center's numerous animals. Love is in the air as the Road Rulers drop anchor in the port of Malaysia. After receiving their clue, the kids journey to a lush wildlife preserve, where they spend an exhausting day feeding and caring for the center's numerous animals. The comical orangutans are particularly endearing, and warm-hearted Pua is especially smitten. Meanwhile, Yes soul-searches as he finds himself stuck in a sticky love triangle. Two S.A.S. girls are vying for his affection, and he must make a difficult choice. Afraid of being vulnerable, Yes continuously struggles to protect his guarded heart. His predicament becomes even more of a battle when one of the girls proves to be exceptionally intriguing. Eventually, Yes' emotions overwhelm him. He surrenders by making a

Lace up those tennies, because it's race time! After disembarking in Vietnam, the gang scurries to face a challenging three-part mission. During the first leg of the competition, the Roadies must carry baskets of fruit across a countryside course. Easy, you say? Think again. Transporting a twenty-pound load over a flimsy footbridge, across a murky river and through a bustling street is no simple task - especially when you're relying on antiquated bicycles, wobbly canoes and an equally-exhausted teammate to get you there. With some good-natured rivalry, the Road Rulers quickly pair up and speed off. Teamwork spells victory for Yes and Veronica, who are the first duo to cross the finish line. Round two calls for a unique shopping trip through an authentic open-air market. Putting their queasiness at bay, the troopers dutifully check the required chicken heads, pig tails and frog legs off their lists. But the fun's not over yet. The kids soon learn that they must not only fork over

Put away those piggy banks, because the Road Rulers aren't pinching pennies anymore. Following their clue, the group heads to the Christina Noble Children's Center, an orphanage for sick and abandoned Vietnamese kids. Touring the overcrowded nursery and playground, the emotional Road Rulers immediately bond with the many children, sharing smiles and hugs. Noticeably pained, Paul is particularly shaken by a helpless young victim of Agent Orange. Shortly thereafter, the Roadies get their dream-come-true mission: They must use 12 million dong (roughly $864) in twelve hours to earn a comparable monetary gift for the Children's Center. With money in their pockets and charity on their minds, the newly-wealthy gang sets off for a serious shopping spree. But hold on there, big spender. This mission isn't child's play. There are a few restrictions that accompany that wad of cash. The anxious Road Rulers soon learn that they can't buy any items to take home and must only pay the going rate

Put aside your tanning oil and pick up a trusty number two pencil instead, because this floating university means business. After weeks of carelessly wading through their classes, Yes, Ayanna and Veronica suddenly find themselves adrift without a lifesaver. Unexpectedly confronted by a panel of questioning professors, the threesome must quickly account for their slacking studies. Yes and Veronica cover their tracks with promises of improvement, but Ayanna's excuse is much more revealing. She is stalwartly boycotting her African History course because she believes her teacher made an offensive remark. Taking headstrong Ayanna aside, a dean encourages her to view the dilemma in a different light. Shedding a few tears, she acknowledges his advice and decides to re-think the situation. As for Yes, his leash may be looser, but he's not out of the doghouse quite yet. During a random room search, he gets caught red-handed with an illegal stash of liquor. Realizing he's beyond busted, Yes b

The penned-up Road Rulers come down with a serious case of sexual frustration when cabin fever hits a boiling point this week. Plagued by their lackluster shipboard love lives, the restless kids finally unleash their yearnings, exchanging suggestive banter and playful embraces. Harmless fun, you say? Indeed it is, except for emotionally-stalted Yes, who is apprehensive about taking his frequent flirtation with Alissa to the next level. But sexual tension isn't the only pressure point for our intrepid travelers. A political crisis is raging in Kosovo, and reports from home inform the students of NATO's accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy. The news is serious, but being at sea has created a false sense of security with the gang. As the boat slices its way towards China, the apathetic Roadies' biggest worry is getting Coppertone-worthy tans. However, the group becomes much more unsettled once the S.S. Universe Explorer actually docks in Shanghai. A distinctly anti-American atmosp

Tokyo - a center of trade, technology, tourism and.'toons? Apparently so. As the Universe Explorer nuzzles into port, the Road Rulers are nestled inside their cabin, clue in hand. With enthusiastic cheers and hollers, the kids celebrate as they learn that they will be taking part in an authentic Japanese animated feature. Anticipating their forthcoming mission, the smiling travelers hustle to meet their mayors, Yugi and Jonathan, who will be directing the cartoon. Ushered inside a bustling office, the Roadies are given an overview of the tedious animation process. But we're not talking a few machine-replicated Crayola sketches here.

So maybe they'll pass on the matching ""friends forever"" necklaces, but the constantly quibbling duo of Veronica and Ayanna are taking baby steps in the right direction. As the ship begins her voyage homeward this week, the girls finally call a truce and pledge to make a fresh start. This clean slate delights the rest of the gang, who long ago tired of the daily dose of squabbles and negativity. And the timing couldn't be better! As the Rulers discover in their clue, teamwork will decide the success or failure of their next mission. Weeks without a paycheck have left the cash-strapped Roadies making collect calls to Daddy Warbucks. But this challenge could significantly deepen those threadbare pockets. If the kids can efficiently work together, they can make a substantial amount of money running their own shipboard beauty parlor. Lured by promises of free haircuts, manicures and dye jobs, a large crowd of equally-broke students begin to clutter the hallways.

When we last left the Roadies, a hesitant Pua had asked for a word with her extremely-uncomfortable cast mate, Veronica. With a deeply-drawn breath, Pua reveals that she discovered her missing halter top hidden amongst Veronica's belongings. Holding back her tears, Pua admits that she feels terrible about looking through Veronica's property, but she had an unsettling hunch that her roomie was lying. Veronica, her mouth agape with disbelief, repeatedly denies the allegation, slyly pointing the accusatory finger back at Pua for being a snoop. Her downcast eyes begging for truth, Pua makes one final plea for Veronica to be honest, but her grimacing cast mate won't budge. But Veronica isn't the only Roadie facing an inquisition. Falling prey to another surprise administrative attack, Yes must take the stand against two of the ship's deans. Concerned that he may be slacking in his homework, they firmly encourage him to get out of the social scene and into the books. Before leaving, Yes g

When we last left the Roadies, a hesitant Pua had asked for a word with her extremely-uncomfortable cast mate, Veronica. With a deeply-drawn breath, Pua reveals that she discovered her missing halter top hidden amongst Veronica's belongings. Holding back her tears, Pua admits that she feels terrible about looking through Veronica's property, but she had an unsettling hunch that her roomie was lying. Veronica, her mouth agape with disbelief, repeatedly denies the allegation, slyly pointing the accusatory finger back at Pua for being a snoop. Her downcast eyes begging for truth, Pua makes one final plea for Veronica to be honest, but her grimacing cast mate won't budge. But Veronica isn't the only Roadie facing an inquisition. Falling prey to another surprise administrative attack, Yes must take the stand against two of the ship's deans. Concerned that he may be slacking in his homework, they firmly encourage him to get out of the social scene and into the books.

Colin from Real World Hawaii who was suppose to be a ""reject"" interviews and introduces the new cast for Real World Hawaii and Road Rules Semester at Sea.

Piggy from Road Rules Australia told MTV she wanted to host her own show someday. It looks like she got her lucky break. She had to travel to Hong Kong, where the Semester at Sea boat was docked. She had to find out the scoop on the new cast members and record her findings on 4 half-hour tapes. She searched the whole ship, but she could not find any cast members. She eventually snuck into their bedrooms and found bits and pieces out about each one. These clues were not enough. Then she found a clue to a mission involving Dragon Boats. She went to where the mission was being held and finally found the cast members. Just as she was about to expose them, the tape ran out and she had to go home to the states defeated. Back home, she devised a new way to tell America about the new cast: She knew who they were, so she drew pictures of the cast and told a short story about each person. The special concluded with about 30 seconds of footage from the new season.