Hello everyone! It has been a while. Just a few updates on how the trip is going so far..

The few days I spent in Halifax, Canada were great! The weather was in the 50-60s the whole time I spent there, everyone was incredibly nice and helpful, and the seafood was to die for! During the day, Kelcey and I walked around for hours touring Halifax, and eating at little sidewalk cafe’s where you were sure to find smoked meat sandwiches and the likes. (I still have yet to figure out exactly what kind of meat they were referring to?) Nonetheless, we met many Semester at Sea-ers while we were out and about and made several friends before we even boarded the ship, which is a story in itself.

Boarding the ship:

While boarding the ship, I kept asking myself. –Did you really think Canada was going to be as warm as Texas?.. Standing in a 50 degree wind tunnel with a sundress on was nothing more than a mere slap of reassurance that it was in fact much colder than Texas. Now, this slight inconvenience would have been only a small set back had I not been standing in it, lugging my 86 lb suitcase (I actually think it got a little heavier while in Canada) for about three hours! You see, the individuals scanning, searching and sometimes seizing our belongings worked for the Union. This means that they get breaks throughout the day.. ALL at the SAME time!.. After standing in line for about an hour and a half, Kelcey and I have almost reached the door. The beginnings of frost bite beginning to set in, and pangs of hunger from being too rushed to eat breakfast twist our stomachs in knots. OH!, but we are SO CLOSE! Just before our group was called, a line of orange vested men stream out for their HOUR long lunch break. Maybe one day, the Union will see the efficiency of taking shifts?

Despite all of the waiting --and my tongue in cheek explanation of it, I did finally make it on the ship! So far, I have met many very interesting people that I feel sure I will build long lasting friendships with. Forty-nine of the states in the U.S. are represented on the ship, as well as many other countries. 75% of the ship is female…………; and the largest percentage of students represented are from California. Today, happens to be my second day of class for which I have already had a lot of reading and several assignments due. I am taking Entrepreneurship, Global Studies and Intercultural Communications. All of which, are incredibly interesting! The professors here seem to have a great sense of humor, and really make an effort to challenge the students. After all, reclining on the deck of the ship doing homework is much too easy without the added pressure. I really can’t think of a better learning environment, whether it be from my classes or the people around me.

I actually learned yesterday from my new friend Toska, who is also from Texas and goes to Texas Tech, that she encountered a girl from India as she was boarding the ship. Apparently, Texas, in some parts of the world is seen as “Wide open spaces with a gasoline pump, and a man with a long gun.” --This is actually a direct quote. We all got a good laugh from this story, but isn’t it amazing how much we have to learn about people in other cultures and countries, and how much T.V. and internet shape our opinions about them?!

Well, seven days of class in a row. PHEW! Better get back to studying!