I am very excited to say that I am sending this message from aboard the
MV Explorer!!!!! I still cannot believe that I am actually here right
not--if it weren't for the constant rocking of the boat I would probably
be convinced that this is just another dream. This morning (at 08:45)
Danielle and I boarded the ship for the first time!!!! We had to go
through security and numerous checkpoints to make sure that we had all
our forms in and that we were all registered for classes and everything
and I was shocked at how fast it all went. I was expecting to be
standing in line forever and being shuffled through and hour and a half
long process be we were done in no time and my bags were waiting for me
at my cabin when I finished! Our cabin is fairly decent in size and I
have two roommates Allison and Melanie. We somehow managed to get all
of our stuff unpacked and put away in what little storage space we have.
The cabin has two beds on the ground and one Murphy-bed that creates a
bunk bed (I will send pictures when we get to port and have wireless), a
small T/V, a refrigerator, a desk, a small table, closet, and the
bathroom which is actually larger than I expected it to be so that was a
nice surprise. Danielle and Sarah (who I mentioned in an earlier post)
are one deck above me at the aft (they are literally the last cabin at
the back of the boat) so we are close. If you want to see a map or take
a virtual tour of the ship you can go to the website at
www.semesteratsea.org I have also heard that they have a link where you
can track the ship but I am not entirely sure where that is
located--sorry. We spent most of the day unpacking and exploring the
ship to try to get ourselves acquainted and had a life-boat drill at
1600 which gave us an opportunity to wear those ever fashionable bright
neon orange life jackets that everyone loves so much. Thankfully the
drill was quick and we all ran back to ditch our jackets and grab our
cameras so that we could get back to the decks to watch as we pulled out
of the harbor at 1700. There was a platform full of parents waving us
off (mom included) and we passed a very large in comparison Carnival
cruise ship which engaged us in a battle of who could blow their horn
the loudest--haha. Then we had dinner and made our way to the student
union (a large room full of chairs and benches with a little circle
stage at one end) for our welcome aboard meeting. They introduced us to
the faculty and staff and talked a bit about our voyage and what to
expect, all that jazz. After that we had our first Sea meeting. On the
ship each deck has a name--for example I am on the Dionysus deck--and
each area of the deck is a sea, which is like a wing in a typical
college dorm. I am the Baltic Sea--WOO GO BALTIC! Our RD is awesome
and everyone is super excited and protective of their sea, almost like
frats and sororities. Later in the voyage all of the seas will compete
in the Sea Olympics :) Anywho, after the meeting we all basically went
back to our cabins and crashed because we were so tired. I must say
that getting rocked to sleep by the ship is absolutely fantastic :) I
love and miss you all!
~Colleen
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