ESPANA- Cadiz and Seville

We got into port on Wed. and were able to get off the ship about 9:30. I went with some people to walk around the city and explore a little before my city orientation. We walked around for 2 hours and then I saw some other girls headed back to the ship to got to the tour. We got a little lost on the way back but when we finally saw the ship it was such a relief that we weren't going to miss our tour. We had lunch and then has a tour of Cadiz. It was a good tour and we got to go into 2 musems and see tons of ancient history that we have been learning about in Global Studies. We went into a huge Cathedral in the city. It was beautiful and took 150 years to build. We took a break for ice cream and then finished the tour. I went back to the ship to have dinner and then got to go to Flamenco night! We say a bull fight without the blood and then a show by the Flamenco dancers. It was so much fun! The next days we had plans to go to another city but it didn't work out so we walked around the city and got to do some errands. We then went to the beach and enjoyed the beautiful water and sun. We had dinner that night in a Spanish cafe and it was good! My favorite thing has been there orange juice and expresso with hot milk in it. It is so good. I have loved walking around and enjoying all the beauty of the Spainish buildings.

Friday we took the bus to Seville and took a tour of the city. The 3rd largest Cathedral in the world is there so we went in and it only cost us 2 euros becuase we were students!! It was absolutly amazing!! We climbed 35 flights of stairs to the top of the tower to see and amazing view of the city. After we walked around and had lunch at a cafe. We ordered our first course and then while waiting on the second the manager walked over and asked us if we were students studying in the city. We said yes and he asked us if we knew what the second course was that we ordered. We said we didn't... He then said that he was going to save us because we had ordered the lining of some animals stomach. He then told us the other two choices we could have and we picked one of those! We explored more of the city and headed back to Cadiz.

Today I am going to finish seeing Cadiz and hopefully do a little shopping before getting back on the ship and leaving for Italy tonight!!

I feel that I have already learned a lot and think there is a lot more that I am going to learn at the next port!

The first week at sea!

The first week on the ship has been great! I was seasick on Wed. but have been feeling much better since then! Thursday we started classes and I am taking Global Studies (everyone takes that), International Social Work and Global Access to Education. All of my professors are amazing. I like some classes better than others, but that is always how school goes. It is a neat things that so many college students, staff and faculty and their family are on the ship. It is our own community. Everyone has been really open to meeting new people and it is fun to meet new people everyday. The days are pretty similar, class in the morning, studying, lunch, class,class and then studying and hanging out. It is really aweome to be able to eat outside and hangout by the ocean. We will have a student from each of the countries we are going to as well as a lecturer to help get us ready for the country we are going to. We have had meetings on the food and places we are going to. It has all been really helpful to see what we need to know before we go. I have joined a bible study and I have just gotten "adopted" into my new SAS family. A SAS family is a lifelong learner and then students. I get to meet my family tomorrow for dinner so I am excited about that. I got to take a bridge tour of the ship on Monday and got to see how the ship works and it was pretty awesome! I have just been in dis-belief this week that I am actually on Semester at Sea. I have wanted to do this for three years and I am soo excited that I am actually here on this adventure of a lifetime!!!

Finally on the Ship

Today we finally got to get on the ship. We woke up a little before 7:30 and went downstairs to have breakfast together and then finish getting ready and head to the ship to check in! I finished packing, grabed a cab and headed to the ship. I got there and waited in line with other people with last names right around mine. It wasn't a long wait and we got to talk to faculty going on the ship and get to know other people in line. Once we made it through the line and having our bags checked and security we got to get on the ship! We had a few stations to go to and then we found our room! As soon as I found my room my roomate was walking back into the room. She is from Florida and really sweet. We talked for a few minutes and I went to see where the girls I stayed with in Halifax were and then my roomate and I went to meet her friends for lunch. Lunch on the ship was pretty good and I was able to meet more new friends at lunch. I met the girl who is from Spain who is on the ship with us til we get to Spain. It was awesome because I sat down and we all started talking and it was a while before I even realized she is student for the week! She is really nice and talking about taking some of us around Spain. She is talking about showing us around Spain that is not the really touristy part which would be awesome. So we will see what happens.

After lunch we went to the grocery store to get a few last things. Everyone was getting snacks for our trip because of limited hours for dinning and then to have when going in to the country. We went back to drop our stuff off at the boat and then went across the street to the hotel and got on their internet. People have already said that the ship's internet is super slow so I figured I had better use it while I still can! We have to be back on the ship at 2 and then we have an awesome life vest drill! It has been amazing to meet people and make new friends. I am really excited about the next 8 days!!

A Day in Halifax

Today was my first full day in Halifax! The two girls that I am staying with and I stayed up late last night so we slept in late this morning. We went to lunch at Economy Shoe Shop. It was the cutest place with a great atmosphere! The food was really good and we got to sit outside in the sun and enjoy the beautiful weather. It has been in the 60's while we have been here so we all have been in jackets. I have been trying to enjoy the cool weather because I know that the rest of the summer I will be sweating pretty much all the time. After lunch we walked around downtown and visited some cute shops. We ended up walking down to the pier and were able to see the Semester at Sea ship!!! We talked about it and decided that we don't think that it is really going to hit us until we actually get on the ship tomorrow and pull away from the port. After that I got the lovely experience of going to Wal-Mart in Canada! It was a little weird shopping at Wal-Mart in Canada but now I think that I have everything that I need and won't have to worry about getting it in any other country..I hope!

Tonight I went to dinner with the girls I am staying with and a lot of other Semester at Sea students at Argyle. We had dinner and got to meet more people. Afterward the four girls that I am staying with and two other girls that are staying at the same hotel went out for drinks. It was nice to sit down with them and have a chance to talk and get to know each other. It has been funny because now when we go out places we have other SAS students coming up asking us if we are SAS students. The people of Halifax are now aware that the SAS students are in town. As the day went on more people asked us.. so are you going on that boat? Which we all laughed at and said yes. We even had a group of SAS students tell us that on the way to dinner they walked past a club and the owner told them that if they got a big group of people together that they would open the club for tonight. So I think Halifax is enjoying having lots of college kids here to spend money. Halifax has been beautiful and a city that seems geared toward a younger crowd. The people have been very nice and friendly towards us. Halifax is a place that I think I wouldn't mind coming back to visit and has a lot of character.

Tomorrow is the big day!! I get on the ship tomorrow and then we leave for Spain!!! AHH it is so exciting I can't believe that it is finally here!!

A Day of Travels

Today I left for Halifax! I left from Nashville this morning and then flew to Toronto. I had a four hour layover and then I flew to Halifax. I feel very fortunate because I had safe flights and my luggage did not get lost or broken! I have heard of several other SAS students that have had their bags lost and or damaged. This morning it was a very stange feeling saying goodbye to my family this morning and trying to get in all the last minute calls and texts to everyone. I know that I won't be gone forever but it still seems strange that the constant available communication to not having that. I think that it is somewhat nice to not have that but I think that it won't be long before I am missing being able to get a hold of someone I want to talk to pretty much instantly. I think that it will be good to break the everyday life I am use to and have new experiences.

I don't think that I have completly realized that I am in a diffrent country and about to go on an adventure of a lifetime! But just saying that makes me excited!! I think tomorrow I am going to get a few things that I forgot and then hopefully explore the city some before dinner and drinks with a bunch of SAS students. So far so good, and looking forward to another great day!

Getting Ready

I have decided that the easiest way to keep up with everyone while I am gone is to have a blog. This way I can keep everyone up to date on life at Semester at Sea since I won't have phone service or regular email.

I am getting so excited about going on Semester at Sea. I truly believe that this is going to be an adventure of a lifetime! I am so excited and a little nervous about the adventures to come this summer. I can't believe how fast time is flying by! I leave Sunday for Canada and on Tuesday I get on the ship and leave for Spain!!! I think it is slowly starting to sink in that I leave in 4 days! I have been trying to get the last few things that I need and make sure that all the paperwork is in place so that I am ready to go! I have been trying to see my family and friends before I leave since I will be gone all summer. I am so excited about this adventure to come!