Setting Sail!

Greetings from the middle of the ocean! 

I’ve successfully completed my first days and nights at sea. I’ve watched my first sunset on the ocean...eaten my first meals on board (which haven’t been that bad). I’ve experienced the feel of the waves rocking my ship, and along with that I’ve experienced my first taste of seasickness....So much has happened in these few days but I’ll try to recount as much of it for you as I can. 

As the time drew closer to head to the Bahamas, of course I was getting more and more nervous. It was about a week before my sister and I were scheduled to fly out and I still hadn’t packed yet. Thankfully one of my best friends, Becca, came down to visit and save the day. She helped me decide what to pack (and we got it all done in less than 2 days!) and her visit gave me some time to just chill out, relax, and enjoy her company for a little while. It was the calm before the storm, quite literally. There was a huge winter storm forecasted to hit Atlanta the day we were supposed to leave for the Bahamas. Officials were predicting record-breaking snowfall. And if you’re not from Atlanta, or the south in general, a couple inches of snow can shut the whole city down, especially the airport. 

So Angie and I went to bed that Saturday night (January 8th, 2 days before the flight) deciding to play it by ear and hope for the best. Little did we know that our travels would begin a day early. My sister shook me awake around 7am and quickly explained that she had been up looking for alternative flights and there was one leaving that morning around 11:30. She also explained that we wouldn’t be charged for switching because the reason was weather. “Do you want to do it?” she asked. I mumbled something back along the lines of, “Sure, I guess we should.” Then, the sleepiness subsided and it hit me what that decision meant. We had to get ready, and we had to get ready now.  

At that point my sister hadn’t even begun to pack yet, and I had little things left strewn around that I needed to throw in a duffle bag. I don’t know how we did it, but we we’re on the road to the airport with everything packed (and nothing important forgotten) in about an hour. At the airport, I received the pleasant surprise of finding out that the bag I had thought would be considered oversized and overweight was in fact, not. So I ended up paying way less money for baggage fees then I thought I would. Everything about that day pretty much worked out in our favor. Soon, I was on the plane flying over the ocean for the first time! 

My time spent in the Bahamas with my sister was pretty awesome. The island of Nassau is beautiful and I enjoyed having more time to relax before the semester started. I’m incredibly grateful that Angie came with me down to the Bahamas. Her support means a lot to me, and the whole time she was there reassuring me that this semester would be a great experience and that I would do well and have fun. 

Finally Embarkation Day arrived. I woke up that Wednesday morning not really knowing how I felt. I was a little nervous but not very much. I guess I was in disbelief of what was going to happen that day. I didn’t really know what to expect. We checked out of the hotel and made our way into a taxi that would take us to the dock. Once there I saw the boat for the very first time...and the crazy long line I had to wait in to get check in and get on the ship. But after I found out that I would have to say goodbye to my sister right at the door at the very front of the line, that crazy long line got a lot smaller. I thought I would have had time to get off the ship again once I checked in and be able to spend a little more time with her, but that wasn’t the case.  So saying goodbye was rough. I did better than I thought I would though. I only teared up a little bit. 

Next, I proceeded through the checkout process, passing a mountain of confiscated curling and flat irons on my way through security. As I took my first steps on board the MV Explorer, I realized two things: 

1. The ship looks so clean and new and wonderful! 
2. I had no idea where I was going. 

Some helpful souls where able to point me in the right direction to finish up some more check-in things, and then on to my cabin. My first thought as I entered the room where I’d be staying my whole semester was “Woah, this is pretty small!” But after being in it for a little while I realized that it wasn’t that bad. The huge luggage and stuff cluttering the bed and the floor would soon all find it’s rightful place under the bed or in the drawers and closets, with some room to spare. Semester at Sea has definitely gotten me used to being comfortable with less stuff than I’m normally used to. 

Next, I met my cabin-mate for the semester. Her name is Amanda and she’s really cool. With so much to think about going into this voyage, I never really worried about the possibility of having a bad roommate situation on board. After meeting Amanda I know that I won’t have to worry. She’s from California but she goes to school in Canada, which I think is the coolest (why didn’t I think to go to school in Canada?!?). So I think it’s interesting to see how we come from such different backgrounds. 

Unpacked and somewhat acquainted with the ship, it came time to set sail and leave the Bahamas. Although my sister wasn’t there to wave me goodbye, I was comforted by the crowd of parents and friends that were cheering us on as the boat slowly pulled away from the dock. That particular moment is indescribable. That moment was the payoff for all the hard work and long hours that I put into getting to Semester at Sea. The voyage of a lifetime has begun!

More later, 

Anna