One unique aspect of life on the boat was "departure ceremony" at each port. When we left behind new friends or visiting family members the tradition was to throw paper streamers to them. If they caught them we would hold onto both ends as the boat pulled away from shore. They held us together for a few extra minutes. I usually helped collect the streamers after they broke to keep them from going into the ocean. Jovan, Rose and I then became the three-headed streamer monster!