817: 10 DAYS

Missions:
17: Semester at Sea Theme Song

My comments:
    The episode starts with Veronica denying that she took Pua blouse. Later that day Yes is sat down by the Dean and told that they are worried about his class work, and Yes says that he is not slacking in his school work. That night Pua is woke up by Veronica and Veronica takes her out to the bathroom and admits to stealing the blouse and tries to get Pua to cover for her. But Pua does not feel right about lying for her and tells the whole story in her confessional. And then she tells Veronica that she told the whole story but to Pua surprise Veronica is sorry that she ask her to cover it up.
    As the time gets closer till they reach Seattle everyone is rushing around to get their school work finished. With five days left the cast is trying to get their last mission completed. At the beginning of the trip the cast is told that they have to come up with a Semester at Sea theme song, and of course they do not have anything that is worth while to compete against the other groups. Later that day the final grades are posted and to everyone’s surprise everyone passes all their classes. With three days left the competition was held for the theme song and half way through the competition the cast finds out that some other group is doing some of the same dances that they are doing. And to boot they are doing them better. When it is their turn they do a good job but it is not good enough to win and someone else wins tickets to the MTV movie Awards. When the cast get back to the rooms they find their handsome reward, Imac computers.
    When they reach Seattle everyone is sad but they say good bye. But that is not all three months later everyone is brought back together to clear some things up. Pawel talked about ho mad some people made him during the trip, and he wishes that everyone could have got to know him better. And Ayanna told Veronica that she was thankful for talking to her about her Dad, and both agree that they really think of each other as friends.

What Bunim-Murray had to say about the episode:
    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 graciously agrees to their request and promises to apply himself in his classes. However, his post-meeting thoughts are much more candid. With a smirk of confidence, Yes maintains that the meeting was unwarranted, and that he's perfectly comfortable in his current study habits. Blowing off the conference, he decides to continue running things his own way.
    That night, the sleeping Road Rules' cabin is shy two cast members. As darkness veils the slumbering ship, Pua recounts how Veronica led her to an upstairs restroom that evening and confessed to stealing her shirt. But this admittance came with a catch: Veronica wanted Pua to take part in an elaborate story to cover up the incident. As morning breaks, Pua finds herself caught in a tug-of-war between her angered conscience and her forgiving heart. The dilemma wears on Pua, but she finally comes to a decision. With a quivering voice, Pua genuinely apologizes for rejecting Veronica's make-believe scenario. Maintaining that the lies will only snowball, Pua gently points out that Veronica may have an addiction. Veronica tearfully agrees with her roomie's diagnosis, and admits that she does have a serious problem. Sighing heavily, Veronica confesses that her father showed his love through material objects and she associates possessions with affection. Acknowledging that she brought this predicament on herself, Veronica says she'll accept whatever repercussions will follow. The two girls hug, trying to somehow recapture their lost friendship. Fortunately, the girls don't have a lot of time to dawdle on the drama de jour.
    Finals are just around the corner, and the entire shipboard community is burning the midnight oil to prepare. After the notecards are memorized, the Scantrons are completed and the scores are cumulated, we learn that all of our collegiate six-pack passed their university courses. Yes is especially proud of his four aced papers, and temporarily mulls the idea of showing them off to the previously-disgruntled deans. Exhausted but satisfied, the Roadies work on polishing up their theme song, which is the last mission standing in the way of the infamous handsome reward. Assigned at the beginning of the semester, this challenge requires the gang to make up a musical number that will be representative of their voyage.
    Throughout the trip, the kids have been attempting to blend their harmonies and master cultural instruments. Rehearsals have been both fun and tense, and slowly but surely, the song has come together. At last, it's show time. Pua is extremely apprehensive, but on the whole, the Roadies are handling their nerves pretty well. That is, until they meet the competition, who each offer expertly-written songs and dances. Shawn and Pawel are especially shocked to see another group do the Brazilian dance they were secretly planning on performing. Taking their places in front of their mics, the Rulers begin their song for the 600 shipboard students. As the song's lyrics revisit countries, we are reminded of some most memorable and powerful moments from the Roadies' voyage. With a huge sigh of relief, the gang sings the last bar, and expectantly waits for the announcement of the winners. Think you already know who won? Guess again. No, the Road Rulers didn't receive a shiny blue ribbon, but they did get the satisfaction of successfully completing their last mission.
    And with that, it was time for their payoff. Entering their cabin, the kids are amazed to see their handsome reward spread before them: an IMac computer package and every accessory any technological guru could dream of. With a hearty cheer, the gang applauds their job well done. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and this journey is no exception. As the ship pulls into Seattle, the misty-eyed Road Rulers reluctantly say their good-byes to each other and eagerly rush to meet their family and friends. Spotting her mom, a squealing Ayanna falls into a tight embrace and prayer. There are open arms waiting for Veronica, as well, and she runs to meet her boyfriend, Jason. Pua, Paul and Shawn are equally excited to be back with their friends and loved ones. Holding Alissa's hand, Yes finally meets her folks, who are happy to hear that the couple have planned a tour of Seattle together before reluctantly parting ways. But don't ride into the sunset just yet!
    Aren't you wondering what happened after the suitcases were unpacked? Three months later, the Road Rulers are reunited to discuss their thoughts on the trip. Choking back tears, Paul admits that he was often angrier than he let on during the trip, but he still considers the gang to be friends. Further stories are shared and giggles become contagious, but the most revealing moment occurs when Ayanna and Veronica decide to bury the hatchet for good. As the discussion finally wanes, the kids share a collective smile, well-aware that they are more than Road Rulers. They are family.

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