All around me is the deep blue ocean

So, it’s the second day that I’ve been on the boat and the 1^st day we’ve officially been at sea. Boarding went by last names, and since Brindle and I were in a suit together, he had to be there at 8am…. I wasn’t supposed to board until 11:20, but I went anyway, and they told me it was fine and let me on the ship. We gave them our passports, got our ID cards, sent our luggage through x-ray machines and then walked through metal detectors. It was just like the airport, except they are stricter. There are really strict rules about auto-shutoff on hair dryers, curling irons, and straighteners (so, I had to leave my straightener at home). If they saw one in your bag, they had to get it out and you had to prove that it had auto shut off or they were confiscating it. We were allowed to bring food on here, so we went to the grocery store across from the dock and loaded up on snacks. My roommate is a work study student, so she was in line taking paperwork and saw that I was early and introduced herself. She is really nice and we could probably pass as sisters. We both have short curly hair and are kind of short. Haha It’s really funny. She is 20 and goes to UVA.

So we got on board around 9ish and then after filling out the appropriate paperwork, we headed to our rooms. They are a lot bigger than I thought they were going to be. A little smaller than towers I think. The beds are actually pretty comfortable. I slept like a baby last night! I have an outside room, so we have a window. I thought it was going to be a tiny round window, but they are actually pretty big. It’s really nice to be able to see the ocean fly past. Our little ship is booking it! After unpacking and getting everything situated, I walked around the ship and explored with Eric and Rachel, a girl we met the day before that shared a cab with us. It’s so confusing in here! I didn’t realize how long the ship is and everything. It’s going to take some getting used to, but in a few days, I should know my way around the ship pretty well. (they are REALLY particular about the whole ship/boat thing. It’s hilarious). Anyway, we found the gym (which you have to sign up for after 7pm the next day!) and then the outdoor sports court, and the classrooms. It’s a really nice ship…like REALLY nice.

We had a lifeboat drill and then cast off! It was an amazing feeling standing on the deck and watching the parents waving and the boat slowly leaving the dock. All you could think was oh my God, this is actually real. I’m on a SHIP and I’m going to be in Spain in 8 days! That feeling that it was completely unreal is still with me. I can’t believe I’m actually on this trip and that I’m on a SHIP!!! It’s insane! Though the rough waters like to remind you where you are. It’s taking some getting used to. I was definitely sick yesterday. I took some of that motion sickness medicine and that helped.

We had a meeting with all of the students and faculty and staff. They told us how many firsts they’ve had on this voyage. It’s the first time they have filled EVERY bed on the boat. There are 721 students. It’s also the first time that about 330 schools have been represented. They said their average was usually around 250. There are 39 students from University of Colorado in Boulder, 33 from Pitt, and 30 from UVA. It’s so great to meet students from all over! After meeting the staff and faculty, we broke off into our small groups. This is the first time they’ve required a book to be read prior to departure and the first time we’ve had small groups. Which, I think is a good thing. It’s nice to get together with the 10 or so of us and meet everyone and discuss the book that we had to read which was about identity and violence and sticking people into different identities. It’s pretty good. Lots of rambling though. So we met last night, and met each other. My professor in charge of my group is an English professor and he teaches at Westminster College in PA, which was pretty cool because he knew where Townville was!

After that, I headed back to my room, threw some sweatpants on and wandered around the ship. It is FREEZING outside! Then I came back and hung out with Erin, my roommate. We get along really well which is awesome! I’m really excited about this whole trip. Its going to be incredible.

Today we woke up early and got breakfast and just met with our groups again. My group meets in the top of the ship in the faculty lounge in the front of the ship which is where you happen to feel the waves the most. We could see the waves crashing over the front of the ship at points. It was insane. When we were in the union at 9am, we hit some big waves and people were knocked back into their seats and everything shook. Except for the nausea, it’s a pretty fun ride! We have a break now since my professor wasn’t feeling well from the waves. So I’m just typin this up.

I am really excited about starting classes. I hear they are really hard, but I think I want to actually put some effort into my classes instead of just writing them off since I don’t really need them. But the professors here are AMAZING. They have done so much and I think there is a lot I can learn from them, so I don’t really want to disappoint them at all. I just don’t want to be completely clueless in my classes and it’s going to be great to include hands on learning in all of them. So I might as well try!

When I got here, we had the option of signing up for extra pre-sale field programs that were still available. I signed up for a city tour of Varna, the tour of Pompeii and an overnight trip to Cairo. I am considering selling the Cairo trip to someone else, but I think that by the end of the voyage, I’m going to be basically broke, so that one will be paid for already, which I’m OK with! And it’s a great opportunity to see the sun rise over the pyramids. I’m really looking forward to it. It was the least expensive over night trip to Cairo and it includes a lot too, so it shouldn’t be that bad.

It still hasn’t really sunk in that I’m doing this yet. Right now it feels like I am watching someone live it. Hopefully that feeling goes away so that I can get 100% out of my voyage! Anyway, time to type a new article for the Examiner and to write in my journal and then head up to the union for more meetings until lunch!

Oh yeah, so far, I’m the only person I know of that speaks Croatian on the boat and my professor for my small group was already bragging about that. Haha I thought it was hilarious. Anyway, hvala!