2 more weeks!!

In 2 weeks I will be in Halifax!! I still have a lot to do, just
returned from a week in Ocean City, MD with my family, and I'm
starting to make a to-do list for Semester at Sea. I have been
officially accepted to go on this trip for over a year now, and the
fact that it's 2 weeks away hasn't really hit me yet! In other news, I
just found out that I received one of five $2000 scholarships from the
National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Yay!

So this blog post is to update on the trips that I will be doing off
the ship. We just had a "pre-sale" which includes all of the trips in
Spain, Italy, and Croatia, as well as any overnight trips in the rest
of the countries. We buy the rest of the trips once we get on the
ship in June. Here's what I got confirmed for--quite excited!!!

SPAIN:
-Barcelona City Orientation
Narrated motorcoach tour of the city: Olympic Stadium, Casa Amatller,
Casa Batllo, La Pedrera (all Gaudi works), Columbus monument, La
Sagrada Familia, walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, and the Cathedral
of Barcelona
-Flamenco at Night with Dinner
A one-hour panoramic drive through the city followed by dinner and
flamenco show
-Montserrat
A Benedictine monk retreat situated on a mountain
-Barcelona at Night
-Paella Tour
Trip to a market to learn about the components of paella, then a chef
will show us how to make paella, then we get to eat it! Yum!!!
-Catalonian Health Service Lecture
A speaker from the Catalonian Health Service will be talking to us
about management of infectious disease in a foreign country.
-Doctors Without Borders Lecture
Learning about medicine and medical emergencies in foreign countries

ITALY:
-Unusual Rome and Catacombs
A tour of the Roman Catacombs
-Pompeii Tour
-Mount Vesuvius Hike

CROATIA:
-Osojnik Village & Folk Show
This is an FDP for my Anthro class, but it sounds pretty cool!
-Trsteno, Ston & The Island of Korcula
-Snorkeling
Snorkeling off of one of Croatia's islands!

TURKEY:
-Cappadocia (2 day, 1 night)

EGYPT:
-Cairo/Luxor (4 days, 3 nights)
2 days in Cairo including tour of the pyramids, watching the sunrise
over the pyramids, then 2 days in Luxor, visiting the Valley of the
Kings.

So that's it! So far, at least. Next post will be from outside the
United States!!

A month away!!!

So exactly a month from today, I will be preparing to board a plane to Halifax, Nova Scotia!!!! I don't really think the amazingness of this trip has hit me yet, and I am far from being prepared (still need to get a suitcase!!) but I just keep thinking of that amazing ship and I can't wait to call it home for 2 months!!

I plan to post the link to this blog on my facebook so any interested people can read about my travels, so here's a little background on my program if you don't know about it. Semester at Sea is a study abroad program through the University of Virginia. I found out about it from my sister, who had seen a Road Rules season that took place on board the SAS ship. If it weren't for her, I would never have found out about this! The fall and spring semester voyages sail completely around the world, but Steve and I opted for the summer voyage so we could fulfill gen ed requirements without interfering with our major classes. The voyage works out perfectly, as it basically covers the majority of the places I've ever wanted to visit—Greece, Egypt, Spain…Italy again! I'll post my "field trips" once they are approved next week. =)

We take classes while the ship is traveling at sea but not while we are in port. We spend 3-5 days in each port. I am taking Global Studies (which everyone has to take), Introduction to Anthropology, and Studies in Poetry. I'm pretty excited about the classes, but I may end up hating Anthro as I believe I have to write 4 or 5 papers. Ick! Thankfully the classes are pass/fail =)

So Steve and I are leaving on June 12 for Halifax, staying there for 3 days to explore the city, and then we board the ship on the 15th for embarkation! I will post an update later with the trips that I get approved. SOO EXCITED!