Seeing is Believing

Yesterday, my dream became one step closer to the reality that is taking place 83 days from now. I not only saw the m/v Explorer, but I stepped foot onto it. I walked the gangway which I will be walking again in August. I sat in the Union on the swivel chairs where I will be taking my Religion, Politics, and Society core course. I walked the halls and went up and down the stairs and read the poems that were etched in glass against the walls of the staircases. I touched the magnetic metal walls of an outside double cabin, daydreaming about touching them again in less than three months and sticking my world map onto it. I even said "wow" at the showers in our cabins because they are about 6 inches longer than I thought. I've been on cruises before and these are actually pretty roomy for cabin showers. Needless to say, I felt like it was all a dream.

I signed up for the June 7th open ship event being held in NYC as soon as I heard about it through an SAS email. I couldn't believe that the m/v Explorer had never docked in NYC nor has a SAS vessel been in NYC for over 30 years. 30 years! That's a long time. Part of me wishes that we would just sail from NYC, but I can't complain about flying down to Nassau, Bahamas. Speaking of Nassau, I met up with Ben Aitchison and Greg Sides yesterday on the ship. They're both awesome. I also saw quite a few other familiar faces among the crowd yesterday. I wonder how long it will take and how easy it will be to meet new people and make friends on the ship. I really have no worries in that department because I know everyone will be in the same boat (no pun intended). I just hope drama stays to a minimum...I don't know if I could deal with 108 days of a drama-infested ship. I guess I'll just have to hang out with the guys and steer clear of the girls when that begins to happen. Guys are (most of the time) far less dramatic than girls are. Thank god.

But anywho, I was getting a little off topic there. I can't believe I have to wait another 80+ days til I can step foot on the Explorer again. Every day, SAS becomes a little more real. Especially when I had to write out and sign a check that was double the amount of money I have (or had at this point) in savings. Thank god for loans. I wouldn't be able to do this trip if it wasn't for loans and family members who see the bigger picture of Semester at Sea. I've said it before and I'll be the first to say it again. This trip is going to be the trip of a lifetime and I don't care how much it ends up costing. I'll have years to pay back the loans and once I'm done with that, the memories I've made while at sea will live with me forever. Money is money, this opportunity is priceless.

I think that's it for now, but I'll post if anything new or exciting pops up.