Ahoy!
For the past week, I have been living a life at sea!
What did we learn our first day?
This is not a boat, it is a ship.
This is not a cruise, it is a voyage.
And everything is in military time.
We set sail last Friday from Halifax and sailed across the Atlanitic Ocean, setting our clocks ahead an hour a day and dealing with our first glimps of sea sickness. I only had to take dramamine once.
I've gotten used to walking on a slant, and being rocked to sleep every night is pretty nice.
My cabin is a pretty good size. Lots of storage and our own bathroom. It has a large window that over looks the ocean and at night you can see the light from the moon and waves move across our ceiling. My roommate is from Atlanta and goes to the University of Virginia. Her name is Tara and we bond on our love for Zac Effron and the fact that we both change our outfits 4 times before deciding on what to wear.
Besides me and Tara, there are 518 students on board. I've met so many people from all over the country and I continue to meet someone new each day. They say that all 50 states are represented on the ship, but I don't know how much I believe that...the Dakotas? Come on now.
The ship itself is so much more than I imagined. It has three levels of decks, and the top one has a pool (although it is the size of a large hot tub), a snack bar, recreational trinkets (ping pong, basketball court-also the size of a large hot tub), and lots of room to just hang out and watch a sunset, have a meal, or read a book. Most nights, they have a Pub Night on the 7th deck, were we are allowed a whopping 3 beers or glasses of wine a night. Exciting
There is a library, a computer lab, two dining halls (one that is fancy pants and one that is half inside half outdoors). There is a wellness center, which includes the gym, spa, hair and nail salon, etc.
Not too shabby....
My classes are going well. However, it is weird to run into your professors in their pajamas every night.
I'm taking a global music course, introduction to intercultural communication, organizational behavior, and everyones favorite- Global Studies. And by favorite I mean its the only one you can get away with sleeping through...and they sometimes play it on the televisions throughout the cabins. Thats right, go to class without leaving our beds. Get on that Emmanuel!!
All of our course material is based around which country we will be visiting next. So for the past week, I have been learning all about the culture, music, and government of Spain and Morocco.
Tomorrow we arrive in Cadiz, Spain. We have independently planned trips to Granada and Seville to do some sight seeing, have some tapa's and sangria, and throw around some mud and paint. Madre and Padre, I promise to be on my best behavior and not get arrested or kidnapped.
Tonight is also the start of Emmanuel's first weekend back at school. I'm bumbed I won't be there to have a few draft beers in those red solo cups I love so much. Enjoy ladies, its senior year! Throw a few back for me and get directions before leaving for the party...
Ok thats it for now. Hola Spain and your 95 degree weather you have in store.
I'll post pictures soon!
