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Semester At Sea - 106 Days At Sea

Writer: Meg Meg

Thanks for following my blog. I am incredibly blessed to have spent New Year’s Eve in Italy, my 21st birthday in Greece, and St. Patty’s Day in Paris. Sadly, my 15-country, 15-city Semester at Sea trip has come to an end. In total, my adventures included 2 transatlantic flights, 5 European or African flights, 5 bus rides, 5 multi-hour train rides, 10 boat excursions, and hundreds of metro and taxi rides. I didn't drive a car once. Good news, I passed all my classes!


After being out of the United States for over four months, my perspective has changed for the better. I do not know how to properly put my gratitude for the last four months into words, but I am going to try. After traveling 11,400 nautical miles, adapting to eight port changes, and consuming 900 pounds of peanut butter, here is a “small” recap.


I cannot say it enough but I will always be thankful for lessons I learned on this voyage. It had many ups and downs. Semester at Sea Spring 2022 may not be what anyone expected as it forced each and every student on board learn to adapt to change and live life while being okay with uncertainly. In the last week of the voyage, my ship sister asked me what Semester at Sea meant to me. I said, “Semester at Sea means learning to enjoy change and uncertainty.” Life is never going to go as planned, no matter how hard we try. Things change that are beyond our control. If we can learn to create a positive circumstance out of everything in life, we will be happier with where we are. It was not the voyage anyone planned for, and it certainly was not the voyage anyone expected. Thank you to the ship staff as the voyage couldn’t have happened without you and I could not be more grateful for you.


The shipboard community is something I will never forget. I learned it is not about the destination but it's about the journey. I know it sounds so cheesy but it was truly the experiences on the ship that made SAS. The people I met on this voyage went from strangers to best friends in a matter of weeks. The experiences I have had while in country and on the ship have been unlike anything else I have experienced in my life. I will most miss the late night laughs while at sea. We built the best relationships when we disconnected from the world around us and just experienced what was in front of us. I met friends that I will have for a lifetime.


I have also learned so much about myself. I often compared myself to others before I embarked. I would say, she is prettier, she is skinner, he is smarter, etc. Comparisons drag us down, making us feel like we will never be enough. I am enough. I am becoming the best version of myself, learning to be happy with myself and where I am in life.


I am so grateful for this opportunity. Above all, thank you mom and dad for all the time, emotional support, money, and effort you put into me and the success of my study abroad. You booked excursions when I didn’t have internet access, watched my bank account balance (deteriorate) for me, tracked down my missing tax forms and filed my taxes, monitored my email, and fixed my cell phone problems. I was the happiest I can remember during my last week at sea, with all the lesson and emotions hitting me at once. Once again, thank you to everyone who supported me!


I cannot end this without some of my favorite memories throughout the voyage, I will remember these forever. It all started in Italy. I remember meeting this girl named Anna in our Pompeii Airbnb. I thought, “she seems so nice.” Little did I know she would become my best friend. In a matter of months, she knows me better than any other friend as we had uninterrupted time together for days at a time. This experience would not have been the same without her.


Port summary:

I was blessed to have my 21st birthday in Athens, Greece. I love Greek food and ouzo birthday shots were enjoyed by all. After Greece, came Cyprus which was a whirlwind - I went scuba diving and downhill skiing within the same 24 hours. Croatia was my favorite port of the entire voyage. There was cliff jumping with my professors, watching mermaids in the Four Seasons at 4am, and preparing homemade meals with locals that live of the self-sustaining land. Malta was unimaginable with the water so clear and so blue. I will forever remember swimming in the freezing water next to hundreds of jelly fish. Not only was the water amazing, but the people on Gozo Island forever have my heart. The tour guide we had in Gozo is my role model.


Unfortunately, after Malta, there was our ship-wide quarantine. This was definitely not a highlight but it is important to note as the voyage was very near ending. Quarantine was hard as we were stuck in a small room with 20 minutes of outdoor "yard time" each day (and no wifi). But as a community, we pulled together and kept the voyage going. I will never forget the cheers in the ship's Berlin Restaurant the moment it was announced that we could dock in Barcelona, Spain. My mother, grandma, and cousin were waiting for me when we got off in Barcelona. It could not have been better timing. My tango skills are weak. I shouldn’t be allowed to buy white pants as I’m easily confused by a white napkin and my pants of the same color when eating guacamole. And I can’t go clubbing six nights straight; practice did not make perfect in Barcelona. The week on the ship following Spain was filled with many tired students, as Spain involved more partying than shopping.


Gibraltar (a British overseas territory) was added as a quick day stop to refuel and to reduce the number of days in the European (Schengen) zone. We were dangerously close to exceeded the 90 days allowed. During the pre-port briefing on Gibraltar, the med team told us not to get bit by a monkey. Karishma, a friend on the ship, did get bit by a monkey. She was fine, as the bite never penetrated the skin, but man was that a funny joke after we all found out she was ok.


The days after Gibraltar were the sunniest days of our voyage. Anna and I got sunburnt after sitting on back deck 7 for three hours. During this time, Mort, my Squishmallow, became a form of entertainment on ship.


After those peaceful days at sea, we docked in Portugal. Portugal was one-of-a-kind. Let’s just say peddle pubs in the rain will do you dirty, drinks with older couples in pubs are often more fun than clubs, tuk tuks are not as fun as they look, and surfing in Portugal is a must. Our next port was Brest, France but most of SAS made their way to Pairs. Paris was a nice midpoint to relax. I read in parks most of the days and just took in the moment. The sparkly Eiffel tower will never get old to me and Moulin Rouge is a must.


After France and the absurd number of crepes I ate, the gym became my place. The waves and running on a treadmill is a special kind of workout. The sea stretch after France was so memorable, let’s just say Red Sea Best Sea. It was Sea Olympics on the MV World Odyssey. Although my team finished in last place, it was such a fun day and I managed to meet another lifelong friend, Laney. I will never forget musical chairs, Daniel and the frozen t-shirt competition, and cheering on the Red Sea volleyball team.


After Sea Olympics, we docked in Scotland. We finally realized our time was going to come to an end. We tried to make the most out of each country before, but now it felt different. Scotland involved Nessy and reading in the parks. In Copenhagen, sorry to Sam's Karaoke Bar, I know my singing sucks. Here, I reached a dangerously low balance in my checking account and had maxed out my credit card (Hint - call mom; not dad).

The next stretch at sea required creativity. Some moments included the smallest jump competition at sunset, star gazing on the back deck, Laney doing weird things in the middle of the night, attempts to make TikToks, and handwritten notes by Anna. I’ll finally be able to participate in the euchre tournament at Clements family reunions as ship days create time for card games. Laughing and talking at 2am is just as fun as late-night clubbing when with good friends.


After this sea leg, I think we all went a bit crazy. Sweden was not ready for SAS. Given my appearance, most people I walked up to immediately talked to me in Swedish, until I opened my mouth. Sweden was very wholesome. We did a nature hike and a sauna (at some random lady’s house).


The last leg was a bit sad as everyone knew it was ending but we all wanted to make the most of it. Ultimately, it was one of the best weeks of my life. Oh and fun fact, I walked into the wrong room (100+ days into the voyage). To celebrate the end of the semester, we all dressed up for the Alumni Ball. We signed maps and said our final goodbyes. The next day, we packed all our memories from the last four months into a few bags and left the home we grew to love. As I said to my roommate as we walked out the door the last time, “we walked into an empty room on January 5th and today we are leaving a room filled with memories that we will have for a lifetime”.


The water, waves, and the sea are still my true happy place. I am incredibly thankful and appreciate my many blessings. One more time because they deserve it -- thank you Mom and Dad!!!

 

SAS Poem Written by a fellow voyager: Amanda Willigerod


During our ship wide quarantine I had quite some time

To put our SAS experience together into a few words that rhyme

Now you’ll have to forgive me if the rhymes aren’t all that fire

Because to say I don’t google rhymes when writing poems would make me quite the liar

And as we all know, our internet connection leaves a whole lot to be desired

That being said, let’s jump right on in

And back to Naples, Italy where our journey begins

On January 5th we all boarded the boat

With eyes full of wonder and hearts full of hope

For the first time we got to see

In all of her glory, the beautiful miss MV

We were welcomed to the voyage of 129

A voyage that would no doubt be one of a kind

And told right from the start that we are going to be fine

As we embarked on a journey, some may call one in a lifetime

The energy was ecstatic as we started orientation

And the first few days felt like a surreal vacation

Strangers quickly became friends as we learned our way around

Though at first we know a few decks were nowhere to be found

We met our professors and started our classes

And when the boat started rocking it kicked quite a few of our asses

Within just a few days the ship began to feel like home

And it became pretty clear here there’s no time to be alone

Late nights were spent in the terrace playing games with cards

And waking up for global studies became increasingly hard

Favorites were chosen between Lido and Berlin

If you disagree, you’re wrong, team Lido for the win

We got to know the crew who as we all know are so caring

And met with our seas, if you’re out there GO BERING

Then as we drew closer to our first ever stop,

We became experienced sassers… did someone say Emma Topp?

We soon sat through our first preport, with green sheets in hand

As we eagerly awaited our first steps back on land

However, we all know that before we leave the ship

We must be told by the medical team their very favorite tip…

“Don’t get bit. Don’t get hit. Don’t get lit. Don’t do it. And don’t eat shit.”

Upon entering Greece, some stayed in Athens

Others travelled to Santorini where we all know what happened

The first field classes and field programs all took place

And back on ship time felt like with the clock a nice race

Back on deck we were joined by all of our previously quarantined friends

And our tolerance for the bland food inevitably came to an end

Our deprived taste buds were saved by Dexter’s one of a kind smoothies

And our bored minds by those clever enough to download some movies

The energy was lively with our new friends on board

And sometimes we got connection from being so close to shore

Though soon we would be issued some disappointing news

That Morocco was cancelled and Ireland would be too

There wasn’t much time to let this news get us down

Because for Cyprus our travels were soon to be bound

Cyprus was… how do I put it… a deserted island

That wasn’t quite ready for the mass SASer pile in

But nevertheless we had a great time

It’s 129 remember, everything’s fine!

Next we had our lengthy 8 day stretch at sea

And that one study day was just not enough for me

But throughout these days we played lots of games

And watched lots of stars

And learned lots more names

The sunsets we saw were straight out of a dream

And after many frigid meals on the pool deck it would soon seem

That we’d become quite adjusted to a diet of carbs

And learned that our classes weren’t really all that hard

We learned to love plankton through Ursula’s lessons

Yall know she’s our favorite, that’s no big confession

With the end of the month came the settlement of our shipboard accounts

Though I know quite a few of us were rather unsettled by the amounts

Then on day eight we finally pulled into port

And once again disembarked as one great big cohort

While in Croatia we had lots of fun

Albeit with the exception of one SASser on the run

Many followed the sign that said cold drinks with the most beautiful view

And all the SASers jumped off a cliff, so sorry mom, I did too

The water was cold but didn’t break anyone’s spirit

Because next there was a festival and through the energy you could feel it

Then as we again boarded the ship on that fateful last night

Many SASsers got the tank due to their BAC level height

Then during this next delightfully fun stretch at sea

We participated in the first of the sex chats led by our incredible RD’s

Seachat became our most favored form of communication

And we finally got used to homeport being our source of information

More ice cream cakes were shared over stories from on land

And Hallie & Foster delivered the preport preparty so on brand

Then while in Malta many SASsers tried the rabbit

I think I speak for more than myself when I say we won’t be making it a habit

Some took to the ziplines where they had quite the thrill

Others ventured to the blue lagoon where the vibes were much more chill

Then as we all know once we arrived back on the ship

Things began to get out of hand, might I add, awfully quick

For you see there are only so many times you can be told to stay positive and text negative

And then actually test negative

So cases began to rise and another issue surfaced too

Our Schengen Visas were running out, so what were we to do?

We had to say a heartfelt goodbye to two voyagers that the visa rules had gotten

But I know it helped them to know that they were loved and are not to be forgotten

We were soon to be notified that our itinerary would once again change

Denmark would become Scotland which would decrease our Schengen time range

Much to our dismay, a soon more pressing issue would arise

As Spain would deem our current case count to be on the spectrum far too high

And so we were to be denied and had a tough decision to make

Pass to Portugal, make a new stop, or try to arrive to Spain late

So on the night of the 15th our ship lockdown began

4 days of isolation with the hope it would ultimately allow us on land

As SASsers do, we made the most of our time in our cabins

With jokes and polls and quotes to take our minds off all the what ifs and could have beens

We learned to love outside time and began calling the dean bing bong

And Luke’s Harry Potter readings really helped to keep morale strong

Mike I have to say, your back must’ve hurt quite a bit

Because you absolutely CARRIED seachat, that’s something we can all admit

The mad dash to every meal felt like a hunger games live rendition

And the RD Bingo Game was like a hilarious fever vision

Then finally on day 4 we were told we could roam free

And we spent hours waiting on the Captain’s update, albeit not patiently

When that announcement came, it brought with it tons of smiles

And I’m sure that cheers from the ship likely echoed a few miles

The very next day we made it to Spain with the S

And when stepping on land we felt a gratitude that is hard to even express

During 7 days in Spain there was so much to do and see

And I’m sure everyone had a blast if they had an experience anything quite like me

Right after Spain came Gibraltar, an unexpected stop

A monkey filled haven on a teenie tiny rock

A few SASsers got bit, prompting the need for a rabies shot

Because college kids wanted to pet a monkey, gee, who would’ve thought?

And now here we are just over half way through our time

And from the bottom of my heart I want to say I love you, 129

Because just 2 short months ago I boarded a ship not knowing a soul

And now I’ve met an entire group of people who make my life feel whole

During this time together we’ve been through a quite a lot

And learned lots about ourselves, among other lessons not easily taught

We’ve come so far together and still have so much more to go

We have many memories still to make and still so much time to grow

And in my final parting words, I’ll note that it is true what they say

That SAS really is about the friends you meet along the way

And with that I’ll conclude with quite the cheesy elation,

It really is all about the journey, and not the destination. After the first half poem I heard that yall wanted more

So I decided to do another little recap of months 3 and 4

Now this one’s a little long, so I hope that you don’t mind

But hopefully for a minute it will allow you to pause, relive, and rewind

I suppose we left off at our Pillars of Hercules events

Where the staculty all dressed up and each of our seas were sent

To celebrate completing the 129th voyage’s first half

Before being shaved the following day by some of our favorite voyage staff

And as if that wasn’t enough excitement to have had over those few days

We would soon reach some rough seas and receive some even rougher midterm grades

We got all dressed up to attend our fancy dinners in four seasons

And accepted that there would just always be work getting done on some deck for whatever reasons

As time drew on the stairs grew harder and harder to climb

And we had that one really sunny day where we all got burned on deck 9

Then it was on to Lisbon, Portugal, which would be our 7th stop

And to watch the WSL competition to Piniche, many voyagers did hop

Others tried the local cuisine, namely the custard tarts

And I know I speak for many when I say the country stole our hearts

Back on board our classes really started to pick up fast

And that creeping feeling finally drew in that it was time to make each moment last

Then in the shipboard auction a bag of wild rice went

For 200 dollars! Now that’s money well spent

As our ship drew closer to the next stop which would be France

We learned that we would be docking in Copenhagen as opposed to the originally planned Gdansk

Then when we got released into the French port city of Brest

The train to Paris would apparently serve to many SASers a great test

Filled with field classes and Eiffel Tower pictures, macaroons, croissants and baguettes

I’m sure each SASer enjoyed their time in France and left without many regrets

Back on board we would have the unfortunate task of saying goodbye to 13 of our friends

As they would travel off to Andorra, and sad as that was, we all knew we’d meet again

The talent show soon took place and I guess everyone on this ship can sing?

From contortions to poetry to rapping, we were impressed by everything

Before Scotland we were told that our water supply in port would have a finite end

But dean Bing Bong shared the easy solution, to just shower with a friend

Scotland was a blast and would become another favorite among SAS kids

The golf and whiskey were great, but I’d say the haggis was mid

Many spent time in Edeinborough and lots made their way to Loch Ness

But I’d say the ones who had the most amount of fun were the Harry Potter obsessed

Back on the ship students were finally allowed to tour the bridge

And the many time changes we had to go through began to mess with our heads a smidge

Then Sea Olympics came, my favorite day of the voyage no doubt

Our seas all came together to compete and cheer and shout

Each sea showed their talent with hype videos, banner paintings, and more

Fierce competition was had by all as we competed in events galore

The snow would prove a challenge for the frozen tshirt event

And I think we were all a little shocked by how the tug-of-war competition went

We had balloon toss in the pool and the lip sync competition was an entertaining success

And in the end all SASers learned that Bering Sea really is the best

Adriatic and Arabian took home the second and third place seats

And I know it’s a sore subject for some, but I know Bering deserved our three-peat

We would soon all be delighted with another opportunity for lights-out stargazing

And on April fools we all took part in some light ship-wide hazing

I’m sorry for telling everyone that global studies was cancelled as a joke

But it would soon all be soothed over with tea distributed by Harrison and Co

Denmark would be a rainy port, one that was both expensive and cold

And all SASers would make their way to Christiana, despite everything that we were told

Between Nyhavn, the Happiness Museum, the mermaid statue and Reffin cuisine

Denmark was a fun one, kind of like those street trampolines

Our Andorra friends returned before from Denmark we had to embark

And our testing revealed 0 covid cases, call that a parting gift to Mark

This next leg would be a busy one filled with finals and CEP’s

And I found myself more envious than ever of those always allowed into the Chappy

On this leg we had two nights to enjoy the talent show put on by our crew

They were all spectacular and their smiles contagious though that was something we always knew

The port of Stockholm Sweden would be the first of many lasts

A port of northern lights and Abba, our time there would fly by fast

I want to give a special shoutout to Ashvi, Alejandro, Zach, Kailey and Jett

Those who had to disembark there and whom we all adored from the day we met

We had our last global studies class, a bittersweet moment for sure

And had one nice last study day before our finals we would have to endure

But first would be world X, a lively intercultural night

Our many performers and speakers would lead us to believe that our future is bright

Then we began to pack up our cabins and started to sign our maps

And held a funeral for a bird… now how’s that for out of context SAS

We watched ping pong played between Dexter, Simon, Colby, and Captain K

And finished all of our finals and caught the sunset at the end of every day

A beautiful easter service was held with a ritz cracker communion

And we attended the alumni ball where we all danced together in the union

We got to swim in the pool at last, a long awaited right of passage

And icy as the plunge was, we’re all still grateful that it happened

Then would come convocation, a chance to celebrate ourselves and our seniors

And in just the nic of time, Luke would wrap up book 1 as our beloved Harry Potter reader

Then finally today we would have some reentry programming events

And many tears were shed over the fact that we’d soon be talking about SAS in the past tense

And that brings us to right now, the Germany final preport

And all that’s left to do is tomorrow disembark the whole 129th cohort

So now we’ve spent the last 105 days

On this beautiful ship navigating the waves

And there’s a few more things about our experience that I’d still really like to say

First of all I think that the sink water really is safe to drink

Because none of us died or grew a third arm or had other issues I don’t think

The fourth floor also isn’t all that bad if the lack of AC we forget to mention

And aside from the occasional smell, I don’t think it deserved to be called the trenches

I never thought that one person could consume so many rolls of bread

Or that they could be so physically exhausted without being literally declared dead

The banana bread was undoubtedly the best dessert on this entire ship

Though if you’ve never tried it now, I guess it’s too late to make you hip

I think it’s pretty cool that our teachers and staff became our friends

And that we didn’t particularly care when we had class sometimes on the weekend

I also think it’s important that I don’t forget to mention

How lucky we are to still be here amongst all of the Russia and Ukraine tension

Though the pool only opened once, I still felt my SAS experience was complete

And thanks to all of you this experience was in life a brand-new peak

We’ve become global citizens and learned to think like others besides ourselves

By removing our ethnocentric lens, thanks Ken for all the help

We fell asleep to the cruise show and ate tons of ice cream cake

And we asked, “did they take attendance in global?” countless times after staying up too late

We bought lots of fries from the grill and made references to Suite Life on Deck

We’ve been pushed beyond our limits alongside people we pretty much just met

We’ve been resilient in the face of adversity and made spontaneous decisions more than ever before

We’ve grown as people, as leaders, and as friends, throughout all that we’ve had to endure

We’ve seen each other at our bests and most certainly at our worsts

We have learned and laughed and loved so much that to leave now is going to hurt

On SAS I learned that 5 minutes really IS enough time for a nap

And that having constant 4G connection really ISN’T all that

Because when you have to wait for a computer just to spend 15 minutes online

You really learn a lot about the importance of spending quality time

I learned that getting on a ship for four months with strangers can really change your life

And cliché as that phrase can sound, I’ll back it with all my might

Because if you really take a look back now to the place we all came from

On this wild ride from Italy to Germany, just look how far we’ve come

Whether you started your journey in Naples or another place or Rome

We’ve made memories far and wide together, though mostly in the Schengen zone

From Jafet and his speaker Papi to Karishma and her monkey bite

To Daniel from the Circle and to Ava and Emily and their stargazing nights

From Ben’s music on the piano which sounds like it was heaven sent

To Ahkar’s bidding in all the auctions… $6580 is what he spent

From Jena’s contagious laugh to the out-of-pocket Nurse Kate

From yoga with Shannon to Meven’s hugs to those wondering if Foster and Emma will ever date

From Brooke’s awesome videos to Hayden and his morning quote

To Alayna’s comfy and the Bama boys and all of the spectacular RD’s on this boat

From those about to graduate to those just entering college

From the ship kids to staculty to LLL’s with an impressive wealth of knowledge

To my friends, professors, student assistants and shipboard family

From lido legends to berlin baddies and everyone in between

You’ve all made my SAS experience feel like something out of a dream

And though now it’s time to wake up, I want to thank you for everything

Because despite the covid restrictions, cold weather, and everything else we seem to have been through

There’s still nowhere else I’d have rather been this semester than in the middle of the ocean with all of you

For as I stand here now in front of a crowd of people that I’m going to miss

I ask how the hell do we go back to reality after experiencing something like this?

For we love our friends at home, but they’ll never quite understand

What it’s like to experience a semester that is not based on land

They’ll never know what it’s like to wake up in a new country every week

Or fall more in love with a ship of people during every meal they eat

They won’t know what it’s like to have been in the middle of the sea

With no service and no wifi when there’s an impending World War Three

They’ll never meet a crew this kind or get what makes a sheet that’s green so great

And they’ll definitely never understand the fierce dining hall debate

They won’t really get seachat or the concept of sea baes

And they’ll never get to meet the man himself, our beloved Captain K

They won’t experience the fear of dock time or hear a bing bong in real life

Or see our beverage vouchers or watch a movie in Kino at night

They’ll never have a professor get too sea sick to come to class

Or understand why SASers take care of SASers is such a fundamental rule on SAS

It’s these experiences together across 12 countries and in the sea

That have brought us all from strangers to friends to family

It is these memories that will bond us even when we leave this ship behind

They’re what made our voyage of Spring 2022 the one and only of its kind

Whether you’ve met your brides mates, your soulmate, a new business partner, or best friend

Just because the voyage is over does not mean these relationships will end

For though we as friends may no longer be just a walk across the hall

The distance won’t keep us far apart, or at least I’d think so after all

Because the friendships that we’ve made here, on a ship in the middle of the sea

Are the reason we all came on SAS… I mean besides for the degree

When we took a leap of faith and chose to sail away from shore

I’ll bet none of us knew that we’d be returning as much different people than before

I say that everywhere I go I fall in love with the place, the people, and new version of myself that I become

But the me that I have built here, close to others does not even come

Because here on this ship surrounded by so much love and so much compassion

Where each new day is an adventure and quite literally anything can happen

We’ve been tossed out of our comfort zone and soaked up all that this voyage had to give

And learned infinite lifelong lessons such as: there is so much life to live

Although this program we call sea school has now reached its inevitable end

The stories will live on still in our hearts and journals and shared experiences with friends

Though this voyage seemed to have passed within just the blink of an eye

How lucky are we to have had something that makes it so difficult to say goodbye

They say the world is your campus but dare I say the world is our home

Because home is where the heart is, and our hearts are now scattered across the globe

From memories ranging across many countries to our friends who will now live far away

May you make a conscious effort to not let them far from your minds ever stray

May you remember the lessons we’ve learned here and may you be filled with curiosity and imagination

Because life is short and the world is wide and the journey is every bit as important as the destination

May you be fearless in your endeavors and never lose your sense of wonder

May you take every opportunity to explore to dream and to discover

May your travels take you far and wide

But may you remember your roots through it all

May you keep the spirit of adventure alive

And may you never forget to call

It’s been a wild four months together and we’ve made lifelong memories no doubt

And it is now my greatest pleasure to declare Voyage 129 OUT

 




 
 
 

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