Around the World...

SAS is getting really close, its becoming more and more real everyday. For so long it has just been this amazing trip that I am going to do, I mean seriously its been a year and counting since I really started thinking about doing it. I just can't believe it will soon be a reality.

I have been so overwhelmed with documents and planning and shots and more documents, now it feels like there is so little left to do its crazy! I recently decided to change a class I was planning to take. All along I have been sure I wanted to take International Marketing even though I would receive absolutely no credit whatsoever for it. The experience would be great, but I would have to take the same course again at PSU. Also, I am pretty sure I am going to minor if not double minor in legal environment of business and then possibly information systems management. So I guess it would be a good thing to take a class I'll get credit for! I need one more science course so I'll be taking Geohazards and Natural Disasters! Exciting eh? It'll be fun. Because I switched, I will now have four classes in a row on one day, from 8am to 1:30. Then on the other class day I'll be free! I just hope I will find that motivation to get up for an 8am class every other day, maybe the fact that breakfast is served verrry early will help me get out of bed! Probably not, I'll do anything for more sleep lol.

Well to explain the title of this blog, I have mixed feelings going into this voyage. Last night I had some anxiety dreams about having to say bye to my family. Not the first dreams I've had let me tell you. Just being away from my family will be tough for me I know it. I have never spent too long apart from them, I'm so close to them! But I know this will change my life, and I know it is so worth doing and I am so lucky to be doing it! I get these dreams now? Imagine what I'll have when I start taking my malaria meds, known to have vivid dreams as side effects. On the other side of my nerves, I am so excited. I'm excited to meet new people and make lifelong friends and see places I may never get an opportunity to see again. I am literally going AROUND THE WORLD. Wow Hopefully this journey will help me to let go of my fears and actually start living my life!!

Well I'll leave you with this quote that really has inspired me and also defines Semester at Sea for me. It was possibly written by Mark Twain.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. "

So, I spent pretty much the whole day yesterday researching what trips I am going to sign up for. I decided a Kruger safari in South Africa will be worth the incredibly high price (assuming I get it). I also think I will do the Marrakech/Essaouira trip in Morocco instead of the Sahara camel trek, too much driving! I have a feeling I may be able to get on a camel during this one anyway, hehe I was thinking about signing up for nothing in Spain but I'll probably do the city orientation because it is the first country and it is a suggested field practica for Interpersonal Communication.

Hopefully my independent India trip will all work out. I have almost had enough of the bargaining and seeing prices rise and it is just so frustrating!! I have to do some more bargaining today because they are trying to raise the prices again! UGH. It will all be worth it when we are there During that trip I will see a little of Delhi, go to Agra and see Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, and TAJ MAHAL! Then we will take an overnight train to Varanasi, I have heard it is amazing.

In China, I plan on doing a 6 day trip starting in Hong Kong which I am very excited about. I'll get to see where my dad lived for a little while! And hopefully buy some really cheap but amazing jewelry! Later on we will go to Beijing, see the Olympic venues, hike and SLEEP on the Great Wall, check out Tianamen Sqaure and the Forbidden City, have some Peking duck, enjoy a rickshaw ride... and tons of other stuff before ending in Shanghai!!

South Africa... will be amazing. On the first day, my main plan will be to check out Capetown as well as go to Table Mountain! I will hopefully get a 3 day, 2 night safari at Kruger National Park with SAS. I am so excited for that. Then, on my final two days, I will go on a two day "poo my pants" adventure that includes shark cage diving with great white sharks and bungee jumping off Bloukrans Bridge!

Tomorrow I have to get my yellow fever shot, probably along with typhoid and hopefully not japanese encephalitis. Also get some malaria pills and some antibiotics! I'm done writing for now

For some reason my Dad doesn't think I'll jump off this bridge....

Oh yeah and here is a picture of the ship I will be living on for 3 1/2 months

I will write about my experiences as I go around the world in this incredibly beautiful and amazing blog.

Here are some pictures I just took with my new Panasonic Lumix

During my trip, I will be taking 4 classes: Global Studies, International Marketing, World Cinema, and Interpersonal Communication. There are still many things I need to do, I have to decide what SAS trips I will be signing up for and I also need to acquire malaria pills/antibiotics as well as get my yellow fever and typhoid shots ;( I can't wait for this trip!