(almost) the end of the semester

i am writing this from the library at home, where i am supposed to be studying for neurology. i guess that isnt going to happen today..

i moved out of the apartment at school on saturday, which is bittersweet. i am so so very excited about my upcoming adventure, but i am going to miss 305b. it is crazy to think that i will not be living there anymore and that i will not be back until late august! that is a long time from now! i became close with all of my roommates this year, and they have helped me through my good days and my bad days. i'll miss them very much-- we are joking that i'm just going on a big long sleepover and i just so happen to be taking my room with me. i'll see them all tomorrow when i go back for my final, but after that i'm not sure when i'll see all of them again. boo.

as a result of my moving out the apartment, i now have a room at home full of boxes and containers and a big ol' mess. i'm hesitant to truly unpack everything, as i am going to have to begin packing relatively soon. i have gotten great tips from other blogs, the semester at sea facebook group and my friends & family on little tricks and creative ideas for packing my life into two suitcases.. i am thinking there will be a lot of packing, unpacking, re-folding, etc. going on before my departure day.

i am having trouble staying focused, as i keep thinking of things to do.. my mind is always going, which i suppose i can be thankful for because i am not freaking out yet. i just need a notepad by me at all times.

i am trying to put off the major cleaning and organizing until after i complete my finals and am done with the semester. it tough, though, i feel bad for bec who has to deal with the gigantic mess and sharing her room again. when i get all of my work done i plan on making a big list to hang on my wall, so i can see what i need to accomplish.

i ordered a total of 5 books for my classes on the ship, and 4 have arrived thus far. i decided to get my books through amazon instead of the university of virginia bookstore because i was able to save myself a significant amount of money. the only downside is that i have to carry the books with me to the ship in january. with a 50 pound limit on my bags, i think i may have to put them in my carry-on to save space in my suitcases. maybe i'll read them on the plane? haha, i doubt it. i did have to order 1 book through UVA, as it is not a real text book, rather something specific to our itinerary that discusses each port. that book will be waiting on my bed when i get to the ship! i spent a long time looking through the UVA bookstore's website, contemplating all of the packages they offer for students-- a school supply backpack, a travel bag, t-shirt/sweatshirt/hat combos. i decided against them because they are so pricey! i am thinking i'll buy a semester at sea nalgene when i get to the ship, or maybe i'll order one and have it waiting in my room.. its so tempting because i just want to have things that say semester at sea!

i think that i am most excited for this trip because i will be getting to know myself. i am pushing myself to step out of the box, to try new things and to be on my own. when i applied for the trip back in late march, i never knew that i would actually be where i am today. it has been a long journey to get to this point and i have already changed. i am hopeful that this semester will be life changing. my eyes will be opened to the world around and i am so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity. so many people are cheering me on, offering advice and words of encouragement. i am taking a trip around the world! only 1% of the world's population can say that they have circumnavigated the globe. this trip very well could change the course of my life. new doors will be opened, others closed. i will come home a different person. still laura, although different. and that is exactly what i need. i need to know myself, and this is one hell of a way to learn. i will make new friends and see how much i have taken for granted in my life at home. my hope is to come away with a newfound appreciation for the life i have been afforded thus far.

in reading semester at sea blogs, i have been able to live vicariously through students currently on the ship. the fall 2008 trip has just returned home, and i am curious to read what they post. one student who has kept up with her entries, posted a speech she wrote for the convocation on the ship.. parts of the speech are specific to their journey, but there are a few parts that have been inspirational to me as i prepare for my own trip--

"Although each and every one of us had a unique experience on Semester at Sea, we all have a lot in common. We’ve all circumnavigated the globe, survived a countless number of time changes, experienced life at sea, gained a greater appreciation for the world and all its inhabitants, realized that we have privileges and advantages that many people only dream of, and that we need to stop taking the littlest things in life for granted because we are not guaranteed another day here on Earth..."

"Whether you came on Semester at Sea to live life to the fullest, to escape a broken heart back home, to travel the world, or to simply prove to yourself that you can survive being away from home for three and a half months, you will now be going home a different person than you were that very first day.."

amanda's blog has been the most helpful in my preparation for this trip, she certainly has a way with words. if anyone wants to read more of what she says, check out her blog -- http://sastravels.blogspot.com/ --

i'm going to give studying a try for a little while longer..

32 days until nassau, 34 until the ship leaves!

updated itinerary

Destination	Arrive Depart	Day	Date	Time
Nassau, Bahamas	Depart	Monday	19 January	1700
Cadiz, Spain	Arrive Depart	Wednesday Saturday	28 January 31 January	0800 2000
Casablanca, Morocco	Arrive Depart	Monday Thursday	02 February 05 February	0800 2000
Walvis Bay, Namibia	Arrive Depart	Saturday Monday	14 February 16 February	0800 2000
Cape Town, South Africa	Arrive Depart	Wednesday Sunday	18 February 22 February	0800 2000
Port Louis, Mauritius	Arrive Depart	Friday Friday	27 February 27 February	0800 2200
Chennai, India	Arrive Depart	Thursday Monday	05 March 09 March	0800 2000
Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand	Arrive Depart	Sunday Thursday	15 March 19 March	0800 2000
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam	Arrive Depart	Sunday Friday	22 March 27 March	0800 0600
Hong Kong/Shanghai, China	Arrive Depart	Sunday Friday	29 March 03 April	0800 2000
Kobe/Yokohama, Japan	Arrive Depart	Monday Friday	06 April 10 April	0800 2100
	(Cross International dateline, add one day)
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA	Arrive Depart	Sunday Monday	19 April 20 April	0600 2000
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (Antigua, Guatemala City)	Arrive Depart	Tuesday Thursday	28 April 30 April	1100 2000
	(Transit Panama Canal - Sunday, 03 May)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA	Arrive	Wednesday	06 May	0800

change of plans--

yesterday i registered for my IFP's! (international field program). i conservatively chose just four trips, as i know i can select more trips once on the ship. all the requests are put into a lottery and we will find out which ones we get in about two weeks.

my trips are:
-cadiz (spain) city orientation. it's a day trip around the city and it will count as my field requirement for two of my classes. plus, its our first port, so i would like to get a little intro into the city before venturing out on my own.

-pompeii. my last day in italy will be spent touring the ruins, also for credit in my classes. i remember reading a book in 2nd grade about pompeii and its crazy to think i'll get to see it now.

-cairo extended trip. my most expensive adventure, but the one i am looking forward to most. its a 3 day, 2 night trip to cairo wiht tours of the pyramids. this will be amazing! sunrises & sunsets over the pyramids, what could be better?!

-rotarian homestay (india). i'll be staying with an indian family for a night, learning about their culture and getting to know them. hopefully this will be a wonderful experience, many SAS kids have listed this as a great experience for those who are not traveling to the taj majal.



so after i paid for the trips, i got an email from semester at sea.

they changed our itinerary.

because of piracy concerns in the gulf of aden, our trip has been re-routed to bypass that area.
so now, we will be 'rounding the horn' -- our new itinerary goes from spain to morrocco, namibia, south africa and mauritius before resuming our original trip in india.

semester at sea is still monitoring the situations in india and thailand, and we could be re-routed again if the risk assessment companies deem them to be too unsafe.

its all for our protection, i understand that. but now we're skipping italy, turkey and egypt!
i'm so sad that i took so much time painstakingly reviewing IFPs, and now i get a credit to pick again in january. and i was so excited to see italy! however, i know i'll be able to go back to europe. i don't know when that will be, but its possible to do again.

honestly, i'm excited for morrocco. i loveeee the movie casablanca and i've heard that the real place is beautiful. south africa will be a wonderful experience and i will be able to see table mountain and robben island. not sure what i'll be doing in namibia (this will only be the second time semester at sea has visited namibia), or mauritius. i'll need to do some research to see what is there.

i'm going to call health services shortly to see if i'll need any more immunizations, as i think south africa/namibia require the yellow fever vaccine. luckily we do not need any new visas, which would have been a serious stress.


i have lots more to do now! off to get going----
38 days until the bahamas
40 days until embarkation!

i have a place to stay in the bahamasss! yayyy!

such a relief to know i will have a place to stay. i met a girl through facebook and we've been messaging for over a month now. she's from colorado and she seems really nice. she booked a 3 person room for us and a friend of hers from school. i'm nervous because this is quite the leap of faith to stay with two random girls in a random hotel in the bahamas, but i'm confident that we will make the best of the situation. and now i'll get to know more girls before i get on the ship!

i really really need to put my requests in for the field trips i want to do, but i am making myself wait until tonight. i am going to be conservative in the trips i choose, as i know i will make friends and be able to register for more trips once i get on the ship.

everything is starting to come together, so very quickly.

40 days until the bahamas &
42 days until i set off around the world!

ramblings

- i got my prescription for my typhoid vaccination, as well as my anti-malarial, anti-seasickness and anti-foodborne illness prescriptions yesterday. so now, with all those meds, plus some high quality bug spray, i should make it home without any incurable diseases. good thing!

-i'll be heading to student legal services tomorrow to arrange for power of attorney for mom and dad. this way they can sign things for me when i'm at sea.

-i ordered my text books today! a grand total of 6 books, coming out to about $300. its a lot of money, but 5 will be shipped home and 1 will be waiting in my cabin when i make it to the bahamas. i was able to save some cash by staying away from the university of virginia's bookstore and by getting them used off amazon. hopefully they are all in decent condition.

- i am officially doneeeee with classes for the semester in one week from today. and then i'll be home for a few days, back up here for finals and then home until i leave on my great big adventure.

-this weekends to-do list includes figuring out my darn fieldtrips. i have GOT to decide by tuesday. but i dont want to pick! with the help of some friends i have selected a few, but i still am too scared to fill out the application on the website! i dont want to get locked in and then change my mind.

- i found an international phone program that wont break the bank! i'm getting myself more information, but i think its going to be exactly what i was looking for. more on that when i figure it all out.

off to dinner.

i need as many distractions from life these days as i can find.

is it january yet?

45 days, 22 hours.

a note from the dean--

the following is an email i recieved from the dean of my semester at sea, in regards to the recent pirates, bombings in india and the instability of the thailand government----

December 2, 2008

Dear Members of the Spring 2009 Voyage Community:

As president of the Institute for Shipboard Education and as a past executive dean, I have sailed on seven Semester at Sea voyages. I look forward to sharing my next voyage with you, the 98^th in Semester at Sea history, and to witnessing your many personal and academic achievements. The spring 2009 community, selected for its impressive scholarship and commitment to global education, is sure to make a lasting impact. However, please know that there is no higher achievement for Semester at Sea than the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. This has always been true, but the recent bombings in India, political unrest in Thailand, and attacks in the Gulf of Aden require a thorough review of the effect of these events on our current itinerary. Let me take a moment to explain Semester at Sea’s comprehensive data collection and analysis approach to safety.

The Institute for Shipboard Education works closely with senior security experts at the U.S. State Department and other independent risk assessment experts to carefully design and evaluate Semester at Sea itineraries on an on-going basis. Contingency plans are always in place to execute alternative itinerary strategies should any concern arise with regard to piracy or international security. Very often, political unrest and other security threats are isolated to one specific area of a country. We are careful to avoid those areas and we can cancel field trips or change itineraries at any time. All the countries on our program are also common destinations for other study abroad programs as well as U.S. tourists and business travelers. As part of our Health and Safety Awareness program, the evening before arrival in a specific country, all students are required to attend a pre-port briefing about country-specific health and safety concerns. Frequently, Semester at Sea arranges for local U.S. Embassy officials to board the ship the day of arrival to provide additional safety briefings.

Semester at Sea’s floating campus, the MV Explorer, is the fastest passenger ship of its kind. This speed gives us greater flexibility to avoid areas of concern and to change itineraries, which decreases the impact on our schedule. Unlike a land-based campus, we have the great advantage of mobility. In the event of sudden security concerns, we can simply cancel our visit to a given country. When nearing the Gulf of Aden we enforce a 24-hour security watch and maintain constant contact with international maritime agencies that monitor vessel traffic. In addition, we deploy anti-piracy protocols to deter potential intruders and we are instituting additional security measures. The physical characteristics of our vessel and the heavily patrolled and monitored route we plan to follow this spring, which is also traveled by hundreds of other ships daily, reinforces our preparations for a safe passage. Having said that, we continue to evaluate world conditions daily and we have several options available if we determine that it is necessary to change our course. We are currently in discussions with the U.S. State Department, maritime security experts, as well other private risk assessment firms to help us make informed decisions. If anything should change, we will immediately notify you.

To keep you informed of our comprehensive health and safety practices, we publish a dedicated section on the Semester at Sea website: www.semesteratsea.org/our-ship/overview/health-safety.php. I urge you to familiarize yourself with these practices and to contact our office with questions at info@semesteratsea.org. We will continue to seek out the most effective safety measures available in our efforts to keep our floating campus and the Semester at Sea voyage community safe.

Next month we will embark together on the 98^th voyage of Semester at Sea. I am confident that this will be a rewarding and memorable experience for each of us and I am honored to be sharing this wonderful opportunity with you. Thank you for your support in making this a safe and academically successful voyage.

Sincerely,

Les McCabe
President, Institute for Shipboard Education
Spring 2009 Executive Dean

47 days to go..

thanksgiving is over, but..

i am thankful for my friends and my family.
without them, i don't know where i'd be.

the sentiment sounds so simple, overstated.
but in times when nothing seems to go right,
i am reminded of how incredibly important it is to be grateful.

and no words seem to be enough these days to express my gratitude to all who have cared for me.

i am blessed, though there have been days where i don't feel that way.
i am going on my adventure of a lifetime and i am so fortunate to have such a supportive group of people cheering me on as i struggle to get everything done.

i have much to do, but today i am simply thankful.

50 days to go.