Thanks for following my blog. I am incredibly blessed to have spent New Year’s Eve in Italy, my 21st birthday in Greece, and St. Patty’s Day in Paris. Sadly, my 15-country, 15-city Semester at Sea trip has come to an end. In total, my adventures included 2 transatlantic flights, 5 European or African flights, 5 bus rides, 5 multi-hour train rides, 10 boat excursions, and hundreds of metro and taxi rides. I didn't drive a car once. Good news, I passed all my classes!
After being out of the United States for over four months, my perspective has changed for the better. I do not know how to properly put my gratitude for the last four months into words, but I am going to try. After traveling 11,400 nautical miles, adapting to eight port changes, and consuming 900 pounds of peanut butter, here is a “small” recap.
I cannot say it enough but I will always be thankful for lessons I learned on this voyage. It had many ups and downs. Semester at Sea Spring 2022 may not be what anyone expected as it forced each and every student on board learn to adapt to change and live life while being okay with uncertainly. In the last week of the voyage, my ship sister asked me what Semester at Sea meant to me. I said, “Semester at Sea means learning to enjoy change and uncertainty.” Life is never going to go as planned, no matter how hard we try. Things change that are beyond our control. If we can learn to create a positive circumstance out of everything in life, we will be happier with where we are. It was not the voyage anyone planned for, and it certainly was not the voyage anyone expected. Thank you to the ship staff as the voyage couldn’t have happened without you and I could not be more grateful for you.
The shipboard community is something I will never forget. I learned it is not about the destination but it's about the journey. I know it sounds so cheesy but it was truly the experiences on the ship that made SAS. The people I met on this voyage went from strangers to best friends in a matter of weeks. The experiences I have had while in country and on the ship have been unlike anything else I have experienced in my life. I will most miss the late night laughs while at sea. We built the best relationships when we disconnected from the world around us and just experienced what was in front of us. I met friends that I will have for a lifetime.
I have also learned so much about myself. I often compared myself to others before I embarked. I would say, she is prettier, she is skinner, he is smarter, etc. Comparisons drag us down, making us feel like we will never be enough. I am enough. I am becoming the best version of myself, learning to be happy with myself and where I am in life.
I am so grateful for this opportunity. Above all, thank you mom and dad for all the time, emotional support, money, and effort you put into me and the success of my study abroad. You booked excursions when I didn’t have internet access, watched my bank account balance (deteriorate) for me, tracked down my missing tax forms and filed my taxes, monitored my email, and fixed my cell phone problems. I was the happiest I can remember during my last week at sea, with all the lesson and emotions hitting me at once. Once again, thank you to everyone who supported me!
I cannot end this without some of my favorite memories throughout the voyage, I will remember these forever. It all started in Italy. I remember meeting this girl named Anna in our Pompeii Airbnb. I thought, “she seems so nice.” Little did I know she would become my best friend. In a matter of months, she knows me better than any other friend as we had uninterrupted time together for days at a time. This experience would not have been the same without her.
Port summary:
I was blessed to have my 21st birthday in Athens, Greece. I love Greek food and ouzo birthday shots were enjoyed by all. After Greece, came Cyprus which was a whirlwind - I went scuba diving and downhill skiing within the same 24 hours. Croatia was my favorite port of the entire voyage. There was cliff jumping with my professors, watching mermaids in the Four Seasons at 4am, and preparing homemade meals with locals that live of the self-sustaining land. Malta was unimaginable with the water so clear and so blue. I will forever remember swimming in the freezing water next to hundreds of jelly fish. Not only was the water amazing, but the people on Gozo Island forever have my heart. The tour guide we had in Gozo is my role model.
Unfortunately, after Malta, there was our ship-wide quarantine. This was definitely not a highlight but it is important to note as the voyage was very near ending. Quarantine was hard as we were stuck in a small room with 20 minutes of outdoor "yard time" each day (and no wifi). But as a community, we pulled together and kept the voyage going. I will never forget the cheers in the ship's Berlin Restaurant the moment it was announced that we could dock in Barcelona, Spain. My mother, grandma, and cousin were waiting for me when we got off in Barcelona. It could not have been better timing. My tango skills are weak. I shouldn’t be allowed to buy white pants as I’m easily confused by a white napkin and my pants of the same color when eating guacamole. And I can’t go clubbing six nights straight; practice did not make perfect in Barcelona. The week on the ship following Spain was filled with many tired students, as Spain involved more partying than shopping.
Gibraltar (a British overseas territory) was added as a quick day stop to refuel and to reduce the number of days in the European (Schengen) zone. We were dangerously close to exceeded the 90 days allowed. During the pre-port briefing on Gibraltar, the med team told us not to get bit by a monkey. Karishma, a friend on the ship, did get bit by a monkey. She was fine, as the bite never penetrated the skin, but man was that a funny joke after we all found out she was ok.
The days after Gibraltar were the sunniest days of our voyage. Anna and I got sunburnt after sitting on back deck 7 for three hours. During this time, Mort, my Squishmallow, became a form of entertainment on ship.
After those peaceful days at sea, we docked in Portugal. Portugal was one-of-a-kind. Let’s just say peddle pubs in the rain will do you dirty, drinks with older couples in pubs are often more fun than clubs, tuk tuks are not as fun as they look, and surfing in Portugal is a must. Our next port was Brest, France but most of SAS made their way to Pairs. Paris was a nice midpoint to relax. I read in parks most of the days and just took in the moment. The sparkly Eiffel tower will never get old to me and Moulin Rouge is a must.
After France and the absurd number of crepes I ate, the gym became my place. The waves and running on a treadmill is a special kind of workout. The sea stretch after France was so memorable, let’s just say Red Sea Best Sea. It was Sea Olympics on the MV World Odyssey. Although my team finished in last place, it was such a fun day and I managed to meet another lifelong friend, Laney. I will never forget musical chairs, Daniel and the frozen t-shirt competition, and cheering on the Red Sea volleyball team.
After Sea Olympics, we docked in Scotland. We finally realized our time was going to come to an end. We tried to make the most out of each country before, but now it felt different. Scotland involved Nessy and reading in the parks. In Copenhagen, sorry to Sam's Karaoke Bar, I know my singing sucks. Here, I reached a dangerously low balance in my checking account and had maxed out my credit card (Hint - call mom; not dad).
The next stretch at sea required creativity. Some moments included the smallest jump competition at sunset, star gazing on the back deck, Laney doing weird things in the middle of the night, attempts to make TikToks, and handwritten notes by Anna. I’ll finally be able to participate in the euchre tournament at Clements family reunions as ship days create time for card games. Laughing and talking at 2am is just as fun as late-night clubbing when with good friends.
After this sea leg, I think we all went a bit crazy. Sweden was not ready for SAS. Given my appearance, most people I walked up to immediately talked to me in Swedish, until I opened my mouth. Sweden was very wholesome. We did a nature hike and a sauna (at some random lady’s house).
The last leg was a bit sad as everyone knew it was ending but we all wanted to make the most of it. Ultimately, it was one of the best weeks of my life. Oh and fun fact, I walked into the wrong room (100+ days into the voyage). To celebrate the end of the semester, we all dressed up for the Alumni Ball. We signed maps and said our final goodbyes. The next day, we packed all our memories from the last four months into a few bags and left the home we grew to love. As I said to my roommate as we walked out the door the last time, “we walked into an empty room on January 5th and today we are leaving a room filled with memories that we will have for a lifetime”.
The water, waves, and the sea are still my true happy place. I am incredibly thankful and appreciate my many blessings. One more time because they deserve it -- thank you Mom and Dad!!!
SAS Poem Written by a fellow voyager: Amanda Willigerod
During our ship wide quarantine I had quite some time
To put our SAS experience together into a few words that rhyme
Now you’ll have to forgive me if the rhymes aren’t all that fire
Because to say I don’t google rhymes when writing poems would make me quite the liar
And as we all know, our internet connection leaves a whole lot to be desired
That being said, let’s jump right on in
And back to Naples, Italy where our journey begins
On January 5th we all boarded the boat
With eyes full of wonder and hearts full of hope
For the first time we got to see
In all of her glory, the beautiful miss MV
We were welcomed to the voyage of 129
A voyage that would no doubt be one of a kind
And told right from the start that we are going to be fine
As we embarked on a journey, some may call one in a lifetime
The energy was ecstatic as we started orientation
And the first few days felt like a surreal vacation
Strangers quickly became friends as we learned our way around
Though at first we know a few decks were nowhere to be found
We met our professors and started our classes
And when the boat started rocking it kicked quite a few of our asses
Within just a few days the ship began to feel like home
And it became pretty clear here there’s no time to be alone
Late nights were spent in the terrace playing games with cards
And waking up for global studies became increasingly hard
Favorites were chosen between Lido and Berlin
If you disagree, you’re wrong, team Lido for the win
We got to know the crew who as we all know are so caring
And met with our seas, if you’re out there GO BERING
Then as we drew closer to our first ever stop,
We became experienced sassers… did someone say Emma Topp?
We soon sat through our first preport, with green sheets in hand
As we eagerly awaited our first steps back on land
However, we all know that before we leave the ship
We must be told by the medical team their very favorite tip…
“Don’t get bit. Don’t get hit. Don’t get lit. Don’t do it. And don’t eat shit.”
Upon entering Greece, some stayed in Athens
Others travelled to Santorini where we all know what happened
The first field classes and field programs all took place
And back on ship time felt like with the clock a nice race
Back on deck we were joined by all of our previously quarantined friends
And our tolerance for the bland food inevitably came to an end
Our deprived taste buds were saved by Dexter’s one of a kind smoothies
And our bored minds by those clever enough to download some movies
The energy was lively with our new friends on board
And sometimes we got connection from being so close to shore
Though soon we would be issued some disappointing news
That Morocco was cancelled and Ireland would be too
There wasn’t much time to let this news get us down
Because for Cyprus our travels were soon to be bound
Cyprus was… how do I put it… a deserted island
That wasn’t quite ready for the mass SASer pile in
But nevertheless we had a great time
It’s 129 remember, everything’s fine!
Next we had our lengthy 8 day stretch at sea
And that one study day was just not enough for me
But throughout these days we played lots of games
And watched lots of stars
And learned lots more names
The sunsets we saw were straight out of a dream
And after many frigid meals on the pool deck it would soon seem
That we’d become quite adjusted to a diet of carbs
And learned that our classes weren’t really all that hard
We learned to love plankton through Ursula’s lessons
Yall know she’s our favorite, that’s no big confession
With the end of the month came the settlement of our shipboard accounts
Though I know quite a few of us were rather unsettled by the amounts
Then on day eight we finally pulled into port
And once again disembarked as one great big cohort
While in Croatia we had lots of fun
Albeit with the exception of one SASser on the run
Many followed the sign that said cold drinks with the most beautiful view
And all the SASers jumped off a cliff, so sorry mom, I did too
The water was cold but didn’t break anyone’s spirit
Because next there was a festival and through the energy you could feel it
Then as we again boarded the ship on that fateful last night
Many SASsers got the tank due to their BAC level height
Then during this next delightfully fun stretch at sea
We participated in the first of the sex chats led by our incredible RD’s
Seachat became our most favored form of communication
And we finally got used to homeport being our source of information
More ice cream cakes were shared over stories from on land
And Hallie & Foster delivered the preport preparty so on brand
Then while in Malta many SASsers tried the rabbit
I think I speak for more than myself when I say we won’t be making it a habit
Some took to the ziplines where they had quite the thrill
Others ventured to the blue lagoon where the vibes were much more chill
Then as we all know once we arrived back on the ship
Things began to get out of hand, might I add, awfully quick
For you see there are only so many times you can be told to stay positive and text negative
And then actually test negative
So cases began to rise and another issue surfaced too
Our Schengen Visas were running out, so what were we to do?
We had to say a heartfelt goodbye to two voyagers that the visa rules had gotten
But I know it helped them to know that they were loved and are not to be forgotten
We were soon to be notified that our itinerary would once again change
Denmark would become Scotland which would decrease our Schengen time range
Much to our dismay, a soon more pressing issue would arise
As Spain would deem our current case count to be on the spectrum far too high
And so we were to be denied and had a tough decision to make
Pass to Portugal, make a new stop, or try to arrive to Spain late
So on the night of the 15th our ship lockdown began
4 days of isolation with the hope it would ultimately allow us on land
As SASsers do, we made the most of our time in our cabins
With jokes and polls and quotes to take our minds off all the what ifs and could have beens
We learned to love outside time and began calling the dean bing bong
And Luke’s Harry Potter readings really helped to keep morale strong
Mike I have to say, your back must’ve hurt quite a bit
Because you absolutely CARRIED seachat, that’s something we can all admit
The mad dash to every meal felt like a hunger games live rendition
And the RD Bingo Game was like a hilarious fever vision
Then finally on day 4 we were told we could roam free
And we spent hours waiting on the Captain’s update, albeit not patiently
When that announcement came, it brought with it tons of smiles
And I’m sure that cheers from the ship likely echoed a few miles
The very next day we made it to Spain with the S
And when stepping on land we felt a gratitude that is hard to even express
During 7 days in Spain there was so much to do and see
And I’m sure everyone had a blast if they had an experience anything quite like me
Right after Spain came Gibraltar, an unexpected stop
A monkey filled haven on a teenie tiny rock
A few SASsers got bit, prompting the need for a rabies shot
Because college kids wanted to pet a monkey, gee, who would’ve thought?
And now here we are just over half way through our time
And from the bottom of my heart I want to say I love you, 129
Because just 2 short months ago I boarded a ship not knowing a soul
And now I’ve met an entire group of people who make my life feel whole
During this time together we’ve been through a quite a lot
And learned lots about ourselves, among other lessons not easily taught
We’ve come so far together and still have so much more to go
We have many memories still to make and still so much time to grow
And in my final parting words, I’ll note that it is true what they say
That SAS really is about the friends you meet along the way
And with that I’ll conclude with quite the cheesy elation,
It really is all about the journey, and not the destination. After the first half poem I heard that yall wanted more
So I decided to do another little recap of months 3 and 4
Now this one’s a little long, so I hope that you don’t mind
But hopefully for a minute it will allow you to pause, relive, and rewind
I suppose we left off at our Pillars of Hercules events
Where the staculty all dressed up and each of our seas were sent
To celebrate completing the 129th voyage’s first half
Before being shaved the following day by some of our favorite voyage staff
And as if that wasn’t enough excitement to have had over those few days
We would soon reach some rough seas and receive some even rougher midterm grades
We got all dressed up to attend our fancy dinners in four seasons
And accepted that there would just always be work getting done on some deck for whatever reasons
As time drew on the stairs grew harder and harder to climb
And we had that one really sunny day where we all got burned on deck 9
Then it was on to Lisbon, Portugal, which would be our 7th stop
And to watch the WSL competition to Piniche, many voyagers did hop
Others tried the local cuisine, namely the custard tarts
And I know I speak for many when I say the country stole our hearts
Back on board our classes really started to pick up fast
And that creeping feeling finally drew in that it was time to make each moment last
Then in the shipboard auction a bag of wild rice went
For 200 dollars! Now that’s money well spent
As our ship drew closer to the next stop which would be France
We learned that we would be docking in Copenhagen as opposed to the originally planned Gdansk
Then when we got released into the French port city of Brest
The train to Paris would apparently serve to many SASers a great test
Filled with field classes and Eiffel Tower pictures, macaroons, croissants and baguettes
I’m sure each SASer enjoyed their time in France and left without many regrets
Back on board we would have the unfortunate task of saying goodbye to 13 of our friends
As they would travel off to Andorra, and sad as that was, we all knew we’d meet again
The talent show soon took place and I guess everyone on this ship can sing?
From contortions to poetry to rapping, we were impressed by everything
Before Scotland we were told that our water supply in port would have a finite end
But dean Bing Bong shared the easy solution, to just shower with a friend
Scotland was a blast and would become another favorite among SAS kids
The golf and whiskey were great, but I’d say the haggis was mid
Many spent time in Edeinborough and lots made their way to Loch Ness
But I’d say the ones who had the most amount of fun were the Harry Potter obsessed
Back on the ship students were finally allowed to tour the bridge
And the many time changes we had to go through began to mess with our heads a smidge
Then Sea Olympics came, my favorite day of the voyage no doubt
Our seas all came together to compete and cheer and shout
Each sea showed their talent with hype videos, banner paintings, and more
Fierce competition was had by all as we competed in events galore
The snow would prove a challenge for the frozen tshirt event
And I think we were all a little shocked by how the tug-of-war competition went
We had balloon toss in the pool and the lip sync competition was an entertaining success
And in the end all SASers learned that Bering Sea really is the best
Adriatic and Arabian took home the second and third place seats
And I know it’s a sore subject for some, but I know Bering deserved our three-peat
We would soon all be delighted with another opportunity for lights-out stargazing
And on April fools we all took part in some light ship-wide hazing
I’m sorry for telling everyone that global studies was cancelled as a joke
But it would soon all be soothed over with tea distributed by Harrison and Co
Denmark would be a rainy port, one that was both expensive and cold
And all SASers would make their way to Christiana, despite everything that we were told
Between Nyhavn, the Happiness Museum, the mermaid statue and Reffin cuisine
Denmark was a fun one, kind of like those street trampolines
Our Andorra friends returned before from Denmark we had to embark
And our testing revealed 0 covid cases, call that a parting gift to Mark
This next leg would be a busy one filled with finals and CEP’s
And I found myself more envious than ever of those always allowed into the Chappy
On this leg we had two nights to enjoy the talent show put on by our crew
They were all spectacular and their smiles contagious though that was something we always knew
The port of Stockholm Sweden would be the first of many lasts
A port of northern lights and Abba, our time there would fly by fast
I want to give a special shoutout to Ashvi, Alejandro, Zach, Kailey and Jett
Those who had to disembark there and whom we all adored from the day we met
We had our last global studies class, a bittersweet moment for sure
And had one nice last study day before our finals we would have to endure
But first would be world X, a lively intercultural night
Our many performers and speakers would lead us to believe that our future is bright
Then we began to pack up our cabins and started to sign our maps
And held a funeral for a bird… now how’s that for out of context SAS
We watched ping pong played between Dexter, Simon, Colby, and Captain K
And finished all of our finals and caught the sunset at the end of every day
A beautiful easter service was held with a ritz cracker communion
And we attended the alumni ball where we all danced together in the union
We got to swim in the pool at last, a long awaited right of passage
And icy as the plunge was, we’re all still grateful that it happened
Then would come convocation, a chance to celebrate ourselves and our seniors
And in just the nic of time, Luke would wrap up book 1 as our beloved Harry Potter reader
Then finally today we would have some reentry programming events
And many tears were shed over the fact that we’d soon be talking about SAS in the past tense
And that brings us to right now, the Germany final preport
And all that’s left to do is tomorrow disembark the whole 129th cohort
So now we’ve spent the last 105 days
On this beautiful ship navigating the waves
And there’s a few more things about our experience that I’d still really like to say
First of all I think that the sink water really is safe to drink
Because none of us died or grew a third arm or had other issues I don’t think
The fourth floor also isn’t all that bad if the lack of AC we forget to mention
And aside from the occasional smell, I don’t think it deserved to be called the trenches
I never thought that one person could consume so many rolls of bread
Or that they could be so physically exhausted without being literally declared dead
The banana bread was undoubtedly the best dessert on this entire ship
Though if you’ve never tried it now, I guess it’s too late to make you hip
I think it’s pretty cool that our teachers and staff became our friends
And that we didn’t particularly care when we had class sometimes on the weekend
I also think it’s important that I don’t forget to mention
How lucky we are to still be here amongst all of the Russia and Ukraine tension
Though the pool only opened once, I still felt my SAS experience was complete
And thanks to all of you this experience was in life a brand-new peak
We’ve become global citizens and learned to think like others besides ourselves
By removing our ethnocentric lens, thanks Ken for all the help
We fell asleep to the cruise show and ate tons of ice cream cake
And we asked, “did they take attendance in global?” countless times after staying up too late
We bought lots of fries from the grill and made references to Suite Life on Deck
We’ve been pushed beyond our limits alongside people we pretty much just met
We’ve been resilient in the face of adversity and made spontaneous decisions more than ever before
We’ve grown as people, as leaders, and as friends, throughout all that we’ve had to endure
We’ve seen each other at our bests and most certainly at our worsts
We have learned and laughed and loved so much that to leave now is going to hurt
On SAS I learned that 5 minutes really IS enough time for a nap
And that having constant 4G connection really ISN’T all that
Because when you have to wait for a computer just to spend 15 minutes online
You really learn a lot about the importance of spending quality time
I learned that getting on a ship for four months with strangers can really change your life
And cliché as that phrase can sound, I’ll back it with all my might
Because if you really take a look back now to the place we all came from
On this wild ride from Italy to Germany, just look how far we’ve come
Whether you started your journey in Naples or another place or Rome
We’ve made memories far and wide together, though mostly in the Schengen zone
From Jafet and his speaker Papi to Karishma and her monkey bite
To Daniel from the Circle and to Ava and Emily and their stargazing nights
From Ben’s music on the piano which sounds like it was heaven sent
To Ahkar’s bidding in all the auctions… $6580 is what he spent
From Jena’s contagious laugh to the out-of-pocket Nurse Kate
From yoga with Shannon to Meven’s hugs to those wondering if Foster and Emma will ever date
From Brooke’s awesome videos to Hayden and his morning quote
To Alayna’s comfy and the Bama boys and all of the spectacular RD’s on this boat
From those about to graduate to those just entering college
From the ship kids to staculty to LLL’s with an impressive wealth of knowledge
To my friends, professors, student assistants and shipboard family
From lido legends to berlin baddies and everyone in between
You’ve all made my SAS experience feel like something out of a dream
And though now it’s time to wake up, I want to thank you for everything
Because despite the covid restrictions, cold weather, and everything else we seem to have been through
There’s still nowhere else I’d have rather been this semester than in the middle of the ocean with all of you
For as I stand here now in front of a crowd of people that I’m going to miss
I ask how the hell do we go back to reality after experiencing something like this?
For we love our friends at home, but they’ll never quite understand
What it’s like to experience a semester that is not based on land
They’ll never know what it’s like to wake up in a new country every week
Or fall more in love with a ship of people during every meal they eat
They won’t know what it’s like to have been in the middle of the sea
With no service and no wifi when there’s an impending World War Three
They’ll never meet a crew this kind or get what makes a sheet that’s green so great
And they’ll definitely never understand the fierce dining hall debate
They won’t really get seachat or the concept of sea baes
And they’ll never get to meet the man himself, our beloved Captain K
They won’t experience the fear of dock time or hear a bing bong in real life
Or see our beverage vouchers or watch a movie in Kino at night
They’ll never have a professor get too sea sick to come to class
Or understand why SASers take care of SASers is such a fundamental rule on SAS
It’s these experiences together across 12 countries and in the sea
That have brought us all from strangers to friends to family
It is these memories that will bond us even when we leave this ship behind
They’re what made our voyage of Spring 2022 the one and only of its kind
Whether you’ve met your brides mates, your soulmate, a new business partner, or best friend
Just because the voyage is over does not mean these relationships will end
For though we as friends may no longer be just a walk across the hall
The distance won’t keep us far apart, or at least I’d think so after all
Because the friendships that we’ve made here, on a ship in the middle of the sea
Are the reason we all came on SAS… I mean besides for the degree
When we took a leap of faith and chose to sail away from shore
I’ll bet none of us knew that we’d be returning as much different people than before
I say that everywhere I go I fall in love with the place, the people, and new version of myself that I become
But the me that I have built here, close to others does not even come
Because here on this ship surrounded by so much love and so much compassion
Where each new day is an adventure and quite literally anything can happen
We’ve been tossed out of our comfort zone and soaked up all that this voyage had to give
And learned infinite lifelong lessons such as: there is so much life to live
Although this program we call sea school has now reached its inevitable end
The stories will live on still in our hearts and journals and shared experiences with friends
Though this voyage seemed to have passed within just the blink of an eye
How lucky are we to have had something that makes it so difficult to say goodbye
They say the world is your campus but dare I say the world is our home
Because home is where the heart is, and our hearts are now scattered across the globe
From memories ranging across many countries to our friends who will now live far away
May you make a conscious effort to not let them far from your minds ever stray
May you remember the lessons we’ve learned here and may you be filled with curiosity and imagination
Because life is short and the world is wide and the journey is every bit as important as the destination
May you be fearless in your endeavors and never lose your sense of wonder
May you take every opportunity to explore to dream and to discover
May your travels take you far and wide
But may you remember your roots through it all
May you keep the spirit of adventure alive
And may you never forget to call
It’s been a wild four months together and we’ve made lifelong memories no doubt
And it is now my greatest pleasure to declare Voyage 129 OUT
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