Through The Eyes of a Nine Year Old

I don't like to be nine very much because there's one more year before I can go around the ship by myself.  Natty and my other friends, who are already ten, can go up to deck 8 and the Town Square by themselves but I don't get to.

Sometimes kids who are not ten yet run around even though they aren't supposed to.  I don't like that.  It makes me feel a little bit annoyed because they aren't supposed to.  My parents tell me it's a ship rule and I have to follow it even if other kids don't and their parents don't make them.  Grrrrr. 

My mom and dad say that we need to set a good example and that the bible says we should obey people in charge.  I think that it would be fun if there didn't have to be older people in charge but I guess if there weren't then it would just be chaos.  I'm not exactly sure what that means but we did a game in PE and Mr. Calvert said it.  I think it means when everything is out of control and crazy (my sister added crazy). 

When I'm ten then I will be happy because I can go up to deck 8 by myself, I can go to the computer lounge by myself, and I can watch PG movies.  Oh yeah, then I get to have a later bedtime, too.  And birthday presents.   

But there are still some fung things to do now.  I like it when my parents take me places to play and hang out.  I also like to do PE and Drama in school.  They are fun subjects.  I like living on the ship because the classes are small and there aren't very many people.  Sometimes there are yummy things to eat.  It's fun that we get to sail to lots of different places.  And we get to be in new places but still have our house with us.  It'a also fun that we get to drive in Landrovers and go to African places.  Like last weekend we went to somebody's house.  My parents say that it was the house of the acting US Ambassador and his wife.  They invited us over to eat muffins and play in their pool.  I guess most kids don't get to hang out at the houses of people like that.  It's also fun that presidents and people like that come to our ship. 

- Malachi