Welcome Note

The idea to start a blog came to me on the pool deck of the MV World Odyssey while we were docked outside of Malaga, Spain. I had wanted to start one for a while, but I had never pulled the trigger because I thought it was a waste of time and energy. I realized that what I really meant by “a waste of time and energy” was that I was scared of failure and rejection. Not only was I terrified to produce writing that would be out there for any audience to consume and judge, but the even scarier idea was that maybe no one would read it and everyone would just see it and laugh.

Now, these were some of the ideas and doubts I had before that one random sea day outside of Spain. One of the countless lessons I have learned in the past four months on Semester at Sea is something I think I thought I understood before I came, but in reality, I barely comprehended. Life is fleeting and this too shall pass. One of my friends actually reminded me of this when she used this as her quote that she recited and elaborated on at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece for my public speaking field class. As there are two sides to a coin, there are two sides to this phrase as well. On one hand, if your current situation is not ideal: life is fleeting and this too shall pass, therefore, you will be okay and there is life left to live. On the other hand, if your life is currently great and you never want it to be over: life is fleeting and this too shall pass, therefore, be realistic and not only be grateful for the current moment, but realize that it will not last. This statement never fails to ground me, and it helps me live in the moment no matter which side I am currently on, for it is the less ideal side that makes the optimal one worth it.

That being said, it absolutely sucks knowing you're on the right end of the coin flip, and you're just waiting for the ball to drop. In my case, the ball dropping will be me leaving Semester at Sea. This is not to say that I am not ecstatic for my summer and what I have in store in the future, but the simple fact that I am almost done with a program I have waited over four years to be a part of is terrifying. Did I do everything I wanted? Did I meet lifelong friends that will stand by me post voyage and possibly be in my wedding? What will I do with my life now that it has been forever changed? Was this worth it? Will I ever reach this level of happiness again? Will I be okay when I go home? As you can see, I have a lot going on in my head. That leads me back to the original point…

My fears in the past have been just that, fears that stay in the past. Life is fleeting and this too shall pass. I need to document my story as the coin flips, and I try to ground myself especially as my life changes so rapidly in the next few months coming back from the voyage and adjusting back to normalcy. This is not to say that I have completely disregarded or overcome my fear of rejection and failure, but what I am saying is that the gains outweigh the losses. I get the opportunity to document my thoughts, my fears, and my goals for myself, and maybe even others, if they choose to read. I get to talk about my life as the coin flips and reflect by writing somewhere that I can look back and see how I have changed. In all honesty, why would I not start a blog? I have so much I want to say. I have so much I feel like I have learned. Not to mention I'm dyslexic, and the spell check on my computer is optimal so that my kids don’t laugh at me in the future when I let them read my stories from traveling.

In conclusion, I was once told by somebody somewhere that life is fleeting and this too shall pass. As my time on the MV World Odyssey comes to a close, I wish to reflect on the experiences I have had in all the countries I have visited, the time I have spent on the ship, the advice I have for future voyagers, and the lessons I have learned while abroad. I hope to continue this as I travel in Europe after getting off of Semester at Sea and when I return home to Chattanooga, Tennessee when I get to see my family for the first time in 5 months. Finally, I would like to continue documenting my travels both in the United States or abroad because I cannot imagine not traveling the rest of my life. So, welcome to my blog, and I hope you enjoy.