Greetings from the Atlantic :)

Hello Everyone!!

 

So just a reminder, if anyone wants to contact me my working email address is gthompson@semesteratsea.net. I'm having a great time, and getting a kick out of living on a ship...but to start at the beginning. Boarding the ship was a bit tough due to the giant duffle bag that I had, and they didn't have any carts or anything. I found a group of guys that were willing to help me carry it, and then I was in line so I just drug it through security. It was insanely hot that day...it was about 95 with a million percent humidity. Although I think I spent many hours just staring at the water. I don't know what it is about the water but it just mesmerizes me. I know it sounds corny but I think the movement of the ocean is like the breath of God. But back to the story, as I was going through security the guy checking my bad (they searched every single one) was confused that I only had a straightener and not a curling iron. He was also quite impressed that my roommate and I had preplanned it that one would bring one and the other would bring the other one. That way we don't have two of everything. So I got on the ship and they sent us in a huge circle around the ship checking different paperwork and making sure we had completed all of our questionares, tuition payments, medication check in etc. etc. Just seeing wave after wave of people was mind boggling and most everyone is incredibly friendly. Everyone wants to talk to and meet people. I have a base group of friends but I'm definitely trying to just meet everyone, I'm talking to professors and adult learners etc. People have such interesting stories, I mean there was a kid playing the electric ukellele last night..how awesome?! There is also a group of people trying to spend at least $10,000 in every port we visit...which is insane...and people who are here mainly because they got so many scholarships, who otherwise wouldn't be able to be here. Today a group of my friends and I became silent because this girl from China seriously rocked out on the piano, we gave her a standing ovation when she was done. I really hope that's what she's doing with her life, because it took our breath away. Pretty much since we've been here it has been a lot of orientation sort of speeches and figuring out the ship and getting our sea legs. It's funny, the Atlantic is a lot rougher than the Carribean. I love it though, I get a kick out of wandering around like Jack Sparrow (drunken pirate for those who don't get the reference). Some people are really sick though...but they do have dramomine and the generic form of the less-drowsy kind. I've been taking 1 of the less-drowsy a day..I'm going to try tomorrow without it to try out my sea legs....a navy test :)  I love my port hole. I seriously stare out it...and the sunsets are just mind blowing. Oh, but before I forget the time changes tonight, so I will be one hour ahead of everyone, so keep that in mind. As everyone knows, I love food...it's actually pretty good. However it's a lot of potatoes rice noodles and veggies. So we all get hungry pretty quick..but it's nice not getting all those fillers, the food tastes better. If I really wanted to I could spend $35 and get top class food. They have a private room that you dress up for and such. Oh, and the ship...it's a good sized ship. It's really not huge, but it's big enough. There are about 1,000 people on board. I have put posters up on my side of the room, I put one of a giant iceberg I love over my head, some pictures of family below a giant poster of the world they had here for me. Also I've decided to buy a magnet from every country to put on my wall. They're relatively cheap, everywhere, and our walls are magnetic. I'll most likely get t-shirts too. Well I have a book discussion that they just announced we need to get to, so I will update soon, and I check my email at least 2x a day so feel free to leave me one! I miss everyone :) ...I can't believe I'm actually doing this..

 

Love,

Me

 

“Man cannot discover new oceans

unless he has courage to lose sight

of the shore.”

-André Gide