The Voyage has begun!

I'm on a boat! I'm currently on the way to Dominica now. I've been on
the ship for 2 days but it feels like a lot longer. It already feels
like home. I had an interesting start yesterday. I was going on the
internet for the last time in the hotel lobby half an hour before I
was going to get my bags and grab a cab to the ship when my touch pad
on my computer stopped working. I tried to not completely freak out
and assured myself everything would be ok. I tried to carry all my
luggage down to the lobby, which was a very long walk since Wyndham
hotel is huge. Bad idea. I don't know what I was thinking. I was
going to meet a couple friends I met in the Bahamas so we could share
a cab, and I figured I didn't have enough time to call for some help.
Luckily a couple SAS girls saw me struggling and helped me carry my
luggage. Once I got to the dock I waited in line with my friends Don
and Matt who I've been hanging out with in the Bahamas since Monday.
We waited in line for about an hour and we finally got on. It was an
easy quick process once we made it to the front of the line.

I signed up for an economy room which means that they put you in
whatever rooms are left and most likely a crew room which is much
smaller than the already small regular cabins, no window and bunk
beds. I lucked out and ended up in a suite! Its 2 rooms that are
connected. My room has this nice big window with a nice cubby area in
front where you can sit. Its so nice! And our room is connected to
an even bigger room (without a window though). And we share a
bathroom which surprisingly doesn't seem too small. One of my suite
mates is from Ithaca. The chances?! All of my 3 suite mates are so
nice. I really like my roommate, Julie!

Everyone on the ship is SO friendly. Its such an awesome community.
Its just the coolest thing all living in one place. The ship is
lovely! The food is great! We were supposed to set sail yesterday at
noon but there were 28 students in Ft. Lauderdale waiting on their
Passports and Visas so we delayed our embarkation to 11. That then
was moved to 12 today. We set sail at 12 today but only to come back
by 5 to FINALLY pick up the last of the students we were waiting on.

I LOVE the swaying of the ship. My cabin is at the front of the ship
so it rocks the most. I've been hanging out with the crew I met in
the Bahamas a lot of the time. I'm trying hard to meet as many people
as I can though. It's a lot of fun meeting so many new people.
Classes start tomorrow. I have Global music and World theater and
performance tomorrow. We signed up for clubs today. A friend and I
started an a cappella group. Hopefully people sign up! I signed up
for yoga, zumba, bible study and I want to sign up for a bigbro/sis
thing because there are 35 children on the ship (faculty and life long
learner's kids).

We had orientation basically all day today. A lot of us were falling
asleep. The rocking of the ship makes you sleepy! We have 2 days of
classes and then Monday we arrive in Dominica. I signed up for a
tubing down a river trip. I'm very excited! Pretty psyched for
classes to start tomorrow since they sound like so much fun.

Thinking of Ithaca friends who are moving back very soon!

Miss and Love you all at home! <3