Life Aboard the MV Explorer

Well I finally made it after months and months of waiting I have made it aboard the MV Explorer and cannot wait to see the world. I boarded nice and early around 8 am, and immediately ran into some "close friends" from the bar the other night. Immediately I am still referred to as "Boston" due to my accent and my hat. I take this compliment and fun fact for you Massachusetts is the fourth most represented state here at SAS!!!!! Already I have met a great group of friends, Kayla and Amy, who are also reppin Massachusetts, Marcus from Washington State, Tom, My roommate who I didn't meet until an hour before dinner, and Mackenzie who shares the same last name as Mackenzie Walsh on Nichols College.

So my room is small, but not unbearable, I have my Celtics and Pats Jerseys up next to a map of the world and Dave Matthews poster that has been in the Nichols Residence Hall for the past two years now. It's funny, my roommate, our four friends, and I can comfortably sit in our room and prefer to go to it even if they have bigger rooms and are not in the dungeon of Deck Two as I am.

Here are some fun facts I have already learned in my Two Days on the MV Explorer
1. It's called a Ship not a Boat
2. Aft means backwards
3. We are no longer on days of the weeks, rather A or B Day
4. My sense of time is completely gone, and I have to learn Military time to get around
5. Peanut Butter is in Short Supply
6. New Englanders Really Standout and everyone is intrigued by our accents
7. This ones for Proko, Even SAS has a Summer Reading Program, and does discussion on the book (Ours was "A Small Place" by Jamacia Kincaid, Book was lousy by the way)
8. Inside cabins are the best for sleeping
9. Dramamine is a lifesaver
10. The TV is used only for tracking our voyage

Yesterday as we pulled away all I could think of was how amazing the next four months are going to be and how much I am going to love this experience with great people. I met Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa who will be joining us for the entire voyage. To be honest I did not know much about him, but after learning of his accomplishments including a Nobel Peace Prize winner!!!! I think him being here will be an great experience for not only me but the students and life long learners...

I have already been yelled at for going through areas I'm not suppose to go into, but when you are bored and there is improper signage these things tend to happen on explorations. It's been pretty much a standard orientation here for the past two days lots of Do's and Don'ts and how not to get kicked off the boat. it's still though surreal to think I am at Sea and it didn't hit me until this morning when i woke up. Last night we went out to watch the starts from the seventh deck, and it was the most peaceful thing i have done in a while.

So in closing here are few thing's im looking forward too

1. Classes starting tomorrow (actually am, taking some interesting ones)
2. Seeing Land Again
3. Spain and the Beaches
4. Kenzies Birthday
5. Going to a Bullfight

That's it everyone and HI CARLY KELLY and good luck with EAB,

Ed