Updates

Last week, I received an e-mail from Semester at Sea informing me that

the professor for history has dropped out of the voyage and his three
classes will not be taught. Therefore, I had to look for other classes
that will transfer for a history since that is one of my general
classes I still need for Ohio State. I got placed into Art History. I
had to order new books for Art History and the bookstore is refunding
for my old books. My books are now cheaper and I have less required
FDP trips, so those are positive thoughts about the switch of classes.
Last week, I also found out my pre-sale trips. I got into my first
choice for all of them, so that it exciting! Here are the trips for
now, I will also be able to sign up when on the ship for other trips.

Accra City Orientation
Agra & Jaipur
Beijing - 4 Days/3 Nights
Carib Indians: Touna Aute - Group B [Belgrave]
Conversation w/ Writer Dare Clubb [Fowler/Muldoon]
Cu Chi Tunnels & Cao Dai Temple - Group A
Mekong Delta Day Trip - Group B
Rio Like a Native
Service Project: Habitat for Humanity - Group B
Trafalgar Falls & Cultural Performance
Welcome Reception
YOKOHAMA CITY ORIENTATION

For Christmas, I got new luggage and a camera for my voyage.

Today.... the packing began!!!

Today I began packing clothes and became very overwhelmed. I already
have one luggage full of clothes and so I have a feeling I will be
needing to take some out. I am planning on having one luggage for
clothes, and one for cosmetics, shoes, and FOOD! I am planning to
bring a lot of food so that I can bring some food with me into port
since I am the pickiest eater that anyone probably knows. This is one
of my fears for the trip, but hey, this may force me to eat things
that I never have before!

These are the only updates for now.

24 days until I leave for the Bahamas' 25 until I depart on the MV
Explorer (the name of the ship)!!!!!

This is a new shirt I got for Christmas!

Prepare, prepare, prepare...

About a month ago I scheduled for classes:

Global Studies | A 0920-1035
Drama: World Theatre and Performance | A 1300-1415
English Writing: Introduction to Creative Writing | A 1420-1535
History: West Meets East- Imperialism from Columbus to Coca-Cola | B 1545-1700

On 'A' days, I have three classes and 'B' days, I have one class. This
is different from a normal college where you have class monday through
friday. We have class almost every day that we are at sea and then
when we are in port, we have no classes. When planning trips in port,
it is important to realize that there are FDPs (Faculty Directed
Programs) that account for 20% of my grade.

Now that finals are done, I can focus all of my attention for planning
the pre-sale trips now. The online registration of trips are due on
the 9th of December. It is not first come first serve and is more of a
lottery. I have to choose alternative trips for in case trips I choose
fill up and I do not have the opportunity to go on some. For the past
two weeks or so, I have been trying to narrow down my trips. There are
so many I want to do, but they are expensive. There are four "big"
trips I want to go on. One being "Rio Like a Native" in Brazil where
the high light is seeing Christ the Redeemer. In India, I am trying to
decide between two trips that go to the Taj Mahal. "Agra & Jaipur"
which I may have the opportunity to ride elephants when I travel to
the Amber Fort. I will either travel by jeep, or if elephants are
available, I may make my ascent to the citadel on the back of a
gaily-caparisoned elephant. Government regulations limit the number
of times elephants may proceed to the fort (four trips each day) for
the individual animal's welfare.The other trip "Agra & Varanasi,"
which include witnessing a spectacle of religious practice that has
continued unchanged over centuries. At dawn, pilgrims converge at the
holy waters for the ritual immersion and prayer to release their souls
from the cycle of rebirth. This is one of the most memorable
experiences of a visit to India. The Great Wall of China's trip in
Beijing. Last, is my safari in Cape Town, South Africa, which my mom
has planned already for when they come to visit. I need to narrow down
my trips and pick out the ones I want to go on since it is a lot of
$$$ to go on all four "big" trips.

I now need to start adjusting to telling time by military time. My mom
taught me a trick to subtract 12 from the military time and you will
get the time I am used to looking at. I also have set my time on my
phone to military time to help me get used to this.

For christmas, I have asked for magnets. A very random item that most
people would not consider a necessity for traveling around the world
on a ship. A fun fact about the rooms are that they are magnetic so
everyone can put pictures on the walls with magnets. I also am wanting
a new camera so that I can take better quality pictures.

This weekend on Saturday, December 10th, I am meeting some students
that go to college in Ohio. We are meeting at Thurman's in German
Village and then going to the zoo lights. I am excited to be able to
meet a few people before leaving so that I feel more comfortable!
Next week, on December 12th, I am going getting shots that are
required, one being for the yellow fever. There are also others that I
will need to get.

The last part of planning is what to pack?! We are allowed two
suitcases and so that is what I will be bringing. They suggest to pack
what you think you will need and then putting half of it back since
you will have to store your luggage in your small cabins.

My Fears

Tonight I did something I told myself I would never do- watch horror
stories about Semester at Sea. There is a Facebook group where people
post random comments about anything from questions about their visas,
classes, field trips, or organizing non-semester at sea trips (they
are way cheaper). Someone posted this video, and I contemplated
watching it because I did not want to place any worry in my mind
seeing that I still have two months until I leave. I decided to watch
the video because I knew I needed to prepare myself for the worst so
that if I am faced with a similar situation, I would be as prepared as
I could be. The end of the video gave me a little peace of mind about
the lifeboats. I never knew anything about the features of these life
boats and would have gone onto the boat thinking very naive. Until
now, I thought that they would be similar to the Titanic not knowing
all of the features.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DBGhXI586k

Semester at Sea

For those of you who do not know what this program is about, I will be traveling literally around the world... on a cruise ship made into a small university. This study abroad experience is through the University of Virginia. The way I found out about this study abroad experience is through my sister, Heather. She did this about 5 years ago! My parents went to visit her when she was in Viet Nam. I am very excited and lucky to have my parents, my sister Jennifer, and her husband, Chris coming to visit me in Cape Town, South Africa. I want to thank my parents for all of the love and support allowing me to go on this trip.

My preparation for this trip has been endless: Scholarships, Visas, registering for classes, getting vaccinations, and signing up for “field trips.” Although this has been stressful, most everything is done now and all that is left to do is wait in anticipation for January 19th. You can check back here at my blog for updates on my travels and I will post pictures also.