A Day Before Adventure Begins

Hello Readers :)

 I am now a day away from going on the adventure of a lifetime and I couldn't be more thrilled! These past few months have been a whirlwind of preparation, planning and shopping. Luckily, I am almost all set and ready to go. Over the past week I have really been focusing on narrowing my to-do list. However, the list only seemed to grow during the past few days. I have one more day and a half-page of things to do, so hopefully I can finish it all. I do know that no matter how much you plan or believe that you are ready, you can never be truly and completely prepared for everything. Thankfully, my parents have been there every step of the way to advise and remind me of things that I may have forgotten. They have been a huge support system and help throughout this process.

Tomorrow I leave for the airport around 12 Noon and my flight is at 4:45 PM. I will be arriving in London at 11:15 AM on the 21^st which is really 3:15 AM my time. I am not very good at sleeping on planes but hopefully I will be able to catch some shut-eye. I made sure to pack my tablet, laptop and iPod into my carry-on to pass the time. As far as I know, I will not be traveling with individuals who are going on Semester at Sea. I will be meeting up with some girls at the airport so we can travel to the hostel together. I am pretty nervous about using transport but I am sure it will be all right. Plus, it is all in English so there is no way that I will get lost! On the 22^nd I have plans to go to Warner Brother's Studios to tour the sets and making of the Harry Potter movies. I am super excited for that. Otherwise, I do not have any clear-cut plans for the rest of my stay in London. I figured that a lot of us would be the same way so we can choose to do spur of the moment things. The hostel is also in central London so I will be close to a lot of attractions such as the London Eye. I am looking forward to staying at the Hostel, especially since most of the guests staying there will be students on Semester at Sea :) It will really give me the chance to meet some people before getting to the ship on Saturday the 24^th.

I hope to keep blogging during my trip. I am not sure how often I will be able to do so with my schedule and in-country field programs. I will do my best to post photos on this blog and keep you updated on my happenings.  A lot of students say that keeping a blog is hard to do because you are often so busy. I will be keeping a journal though and will try to write blog entries from that. I plan to keep a food journal and to talk to the locals about their culture and favorite food establishments or places to visit. I hope to get the most out of this experience by immersing myself in each culture and discovering what makes each one special.

One thing that I was unprepared for in regards to this whole experience was extra expense. Once I had my packing list completed I realized that I had to fit a five-page packing list into two suitcases, a backpack and a carry on. It seemed overwhelming but we tackled the list one item at a time. I soon began to realize that it was all the little things I needed that cost the most. If I had any advice for future SASers so far it would be to plan ahead and save, save, save! Though I will be able to use financial aid/ scholarships for the trip, I had no access to those funds all summer. Therefore, I would advise other students to plan for extra expenses in the two or three months prior to the actual voyage. One must consider visas, textbooks, field programs, plane tickets and fuel surcharges along with stuff an individual may not anticipate such as a new camera or battery for a laptop. I am grateful for all the help my parents have provided and I know I am lucky in this regard. I know that even though it may seem like a lot now, this experience is a once in a lifetime thing and it will be worth every single penny. Now I will get off my advice-soapbox :)

 Getting ready to pack! 

Originally, I had planned to spend one day packing. However, at the last minute we decided to ship one of my bags to London so that I wouldn't have to carry two suitcases with me on the Tube. I just learned today that my bag has arrived on time! :) Soon after the decision was made to ship the bag we had to pack it, make a customs list and send the needed documents in a day. Unfortunately, we found out that I had to repack that suitcase and remove some items and that the company had not received my paperwork. Lets just say I was worried but luckily everything worked out.  Also, my second suitcase, a rolling duffle, arrived before the estimated ship date, which was today. I was able to pack that last week in no time at all. Today I just have to pack up my backpack and personal item and then I should be all set to go!

I will definitely miss this:

While onboard the ship I will only be able to communicate through E-mail. I only have a limited amount of Internet time so I am only going to use the actual Internet for emergencies or registration for school. I think it will be a good thing to separate myself from technology for a while. While I am away the best way to get in contact with me is through E-mail and I would advise against sending me anything via the postal service. I will also have an international phone but I am only using this for emergencies as well. I think taking a break from Facebook and technology will allow me to really get to know my ship mates and enjoy the experience to its fullest! Like I mentioned earlier, I will try to post entries so you can all see what I am up to.

On this voyage I will be traveling along the Atlantic Ocean rather than my home ocean! 

I know that many challenges lie ahead. I also know that I will learn so much and have a great time! I will miss everyone so very much and I will admit that I am terrified of what lies ahead. I do not think anyone is immune to this when presented with such a big commitment and in the face of change and uncertainty. However, I know that I am ready for this and that I have the support of all of my friends and family. I am so grateful, especially to my parents, for making this trip possible. No words can even begin to describe how thankful I am. And to all my readers, if you have any questions about anything feel free to leave comments! I will make sure to reply to them as soon as I can. I will keep you all in my thoughts over the next few months! Wish me luck! :) :D