Day 24…

I guess I should update this and let everyone know that I am alive and we are headed to Croatia. We are expected to get there early tomorrow morning and I have a field trip scheduled for the afternoon to visit a Synagogue, the Maritime Museum as well as the aquarium. I’ve been holding off posting a blog until I could get the full Spain blog posted but I’ve had some complications due to the way I wrote it with pictures included so hopefully with in the next two days I will have the chance to sit down and figure it out. I didn’t realize how taxing this trip would actually be. I’ve spent the time in the ports running around and sight seeing not to mention getting lost just for an adventure. When we are back on the ship we always have something to do. If it isn’t homework its class or mandatory meetings. Our day off between Spain and Italy we had the Sea Olympics, which consisted of games all day long. (I got my hair done instead.. Oops) but I did participate a little bit. My team came in second, which means we will be second off the boat in Boston. I know Eric will be there but for any one else in the area or willing to travel, there will be appetizers and drinks served on the ship the night we arrive in Boston so it’s a good time to see where I have lived for the last few months. It really has become like a new home to me. Sometimes when I am in port I miss the ship. It has become so familiar to me I feel like I have been here for longer than just 24 days. I remember how strange everything seemed on the first few days and as I stood on the 5th deck today watching dolphins I thought about the first time I had walked out there and how foreign it all seemed. Its home now. I can’t say it’s the most comforting place in the world. We are on a strict eating schedule and if you want snacks they only serve all unhealthy foods. This is working out in my favor (Maybe I’ll lose some weight?). Also our laundry is on a schedule and we do not have a laundry day for 17 days and it’s already been at least 15 days since the last one. I’m sure some people will be proud to know I have mastered the skills of sink washing. The only thing now I need to practice is hanging clothing with out wrinkling or stretching. I’ve also bought a few clothing items but not too many. I’ve heard to wait to do all the shopping in Turkey. As of now we are still going to Greece. It’s been up in the air for quite some time considering the violence. It should be interesting. I wouldn’t necessarily complain if we cut it back and went back to our plans of Egypt since we heard it has cleared up.

I had dinner with my extended family today. Yvonne and Dwayne are just wonderful. They ordered us chocolate cake for after dinner and we have made plans to meet back up after Croatia for dinner and sundaes. Today is my roommate’s 21st birthday, which she didn’t even tell me. I didn’t find out until her friend mentioned it to me yesterday. She said it is the worst birthday ever because she has so much to do and she is getting home sick. I am getting a little nervous about my birthday. (I just realized it’s in less than a month! Wow! I think this is the first time I haven’t been counting down to it. How odd). My birthday will be the day before we get to Morocco and it will be Ramadan there so it should make for quite a different birthday.

What else is going on onboard the ship? Strep, Pink Eye and Staph are going around which is nerve wrecking. My roommate had Pink Eye at the beginning of the trip and I some how managed to survive that situation even with in such a small space so hopefully (fingers crossed) I’ll be okay. We get off the ship tomorrow and I have an overnight trip in Montenegro (a different country than Croatia!) on Tuesday so that should help to get me out and away from everything. The night before every port we have a meeting about the politics, logistics and culture of each country we are visiting so I am watching that now about Croatia. Hopefully I can find Internet tomorrow and get the Spain blog uploaded! It took me several hours to write and insert pictures and I’d like to finish my Naples and Rome blogs tonight. Sorry for such a delay!


Happy birthday Papa George! I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Can’t wait for everyone to be able to get caught up with my travels.