All Aboard!

I cannot put into words how incredible this trip is going to be. I can already tell after the first day that this is going to be one of best experiences of my entire life. Before now I did not fully grasp the idea that for the next four months I will be living on a beautiful ship, with the most awesome people, and traveling around the world to the most interesting places. I feel like this must be a dream!

The shuttle from the hotel in San Diego to where the ship was docked in Ensenada, Mexico was only a couple of hours. As we were driving I could sense everyone’s excitement and anticipation. From the moment we stepped off the bus until we were in our assigned cabins, we were greeted and directed by some of the friendliest and most welcoming individuals I’ve ever met. The faculty, staff, and crew are so genuinely excited and enthusiastic about our experience that they really set the tone for the trip. The same goes for all of the students who are eager to meet new people, try new things, and fully immerse themselves in the SAS experience.

It is so obvious that every single person on this ship genuinely wants to be here so there is so much positive energy. The professors are so passionate about learning and traveling. Most of them are not only professors for classes but they are also involved in a lot of other activities on board. They want to talk with us outside of class, travel with us, and allow us to get the most out of our experience. After listening to their stories and hearing what they had to say in our orientation, it is obvious that they have so much insight and will be incredible resources to all of us. In addition to the professors and their families, who join them on the voyage, there are also Life Long Learners who are basically people who have a passion for traveling and learning and want to be a part of this experience. Many of them are older and have years of knowledge and wisdom to contribute. At our orientation we also heard from the dean of students, members of the medical team, counselors, and even the captain of the ship—all who show a dedication to making this trip the best it can possibly be.

On a more personal note, I finally met my roommate. She is from Kentucky, goes to school at Vanderbilt, has 6 brothers and sisters, and is in a sorority. She is so friendly and has the most adorable southern accent. It also doesn’t hurt that she has great taste in clothes so I am sure we will be sharing. However, I will hardly be spending time in my room when there is a beautiful ocean outside and literally a “boat-load” of amazing people to meet. I cannot tell you how many boat/ship puns I’ve heard since I’ve been here (“we are all in the same boat,” “that ship has already sailed,” “you are going a little overboard,” etc.)

I keep reminding myself that this is school and not a vacation. But this is hard to do when you are drinking a mango fruit smoothie outside on the pool deck with seagulls landing next to you and a man named Ishmael clearing your plate. I can definitely get used to this life! I have to comment on how awesome the crew members are. They are from all over the world and many of them have been traveling with SAS for years and have been to many of the ports we will be going visiting. They are so friendly and willing to answer all of our questions about life on the ship.

So far, everything is great. The only issue I’ve experienced on the ship is sea sickness. Even though I feel fine, many people have been vomiting. For those of you who don’t know, I do not do well with other people throwing up. So it has been quite a challenge, especially when people are charging out of the room with their hands over their mouths. Maybe this experience will help me to overcome my phobia. I’m trying to look on the bright side.

Lastly, the internet is very slow and we only have a limited number of free minutes. I don’t mind this except for the fact that it is hard to update my blog, so I apologize for the delayed posting.