It's actually over - I can't believe it

Thought I would just update you a bit on the goings-on here on the ship as we get ready to depart – sorry that I haven’t been more detailed. I promise that I will update about Asia, Hawaii and Guatemala once I’m back at home and have nothing much else better to do.

We had a formal, sit-down dinner, the annual end-of-the-semester dance, the Ambassador’s Ball, rather than the usual buffet. The food was SOOO good. I had a steak! All of my friends looked really nice and we got a nice group photo with the captain of the ship after dinner. Then, I met up with some other friends after wandering and taking pictures with everyone. We goofed around in our fancy dress and took pictures in the library and on the back deck before the dance started. It was fun too, but TONS of people tried to squeeze onto the dance floor, so it was hot and sweaty and everyone was stepping on each other. Then when the ship rocked some would fall over while they were dancing or because of their high heels. Haha. We also had gone through the Panama Canal during the day -- that was more or an interesting experience than I thought it was going to be. I’ll have to post pictures later. They had a few lectures and then had a guide chime in over the outside PA and tell us about what we were passing. The locks were really awesome -- watching the ship go up and down and the gates open. We passed a couple ships that were just about the maximum size -- one huge cargo ship, another that I think had natural gas -- and others that were small – one guy mooned us as we passed their sailboat!! Haha!

Then I spent most of the next morning swapping pictures with my girl friends and then had choir practice in the afternoon. I had my last "family" dinner and my Mom and Dad both gave us each a book -- Levinia, my mom, gave us a book by Desmond Tutu because she was his secretary for like 30 years (and she JUST retired before the voyage started...how crazy is that?) and Terry, my dad, gave us a book that he WROTE about the South African arms deal (I don't know what exactly that entails...but hopefully I can read the book and that will make it clearer).

We had another choir practice after dinner because we were preparing two songs for the convocation and one wasn't really ready, so we practiced for like 2 hours. Then I came back and started, slowly but surely, packing. It took me ALL night, but I finished in time to get a shower and go to breakfast before we were supposed to rehearse for convocation this morning.  All of the luggage is to have a colored tag with our names and cabins on them, corresponding with our "sea" color. We're purple. Then our luggage will be taken off the ship.

AND the convocation was this yesterday morning. I think our singing went really well! We sang a piece called "Homeward Bound" (not the Simon and Garfunkel...it was more like a folk song. It was really pretty. They had the captain speak, a faculty speaker and two student speakers. They also recognized all the 4.0 students (I wasn't on the list cuz of my freakin B in Global Studies...) but Liz, my roommate, was on the list, which was kind of cool. Then they played a slideshow of photos, which was just nice at first -- it had some goofy music at the beginning. Then another familiar song came on...it was one that one of the students, Stephanie, had performed at the Talent Show! She was sitting right behind me! And the song was just so fitting and she was completely shocked that they used it. We were both crying! She even had to get up and leave to compose herself. Then the dean, Les McCabe, talked and then we sang again – the alma mater – it was really nice. We messed up the end a tiny bit at the end, but it all turned out pretty well.

Last night was like the last night at summer camp – everyone wanted to stay up late and hang out with their friends one last time! This morning at 6:30 a.m. we had a wake up call to “Coming to America” by Neil Diamond. It was great! Haha. Then I went to breakfast and we got closer and closer to land. I went outside and I cried a little when I saw the ship pull into the port. Our last one. I will probably be a wreck when I have to say goodbye to friends in about 2 hours (the ship’s not supposed to be cleared for a while). I'm in the second to last group to get off the ship -- lucky, huh? Haha. Dad is getting to Florida around 10:30, so I expect him at the port around 11 and then he'll have to wait around until I get off the ship, I guess. Then our flight back to Pittsburgh is around 6 p.m. because SAS told us not to make them before then in case of any hold ups with getting off the ship and we'll get there at midnight (which kind of stinks - there's a lyover in Atlanta). Hooray!! I'm so excited that I'll be sleeping in my own bed tonight!

I watched the sunset last night and realized that I can’t even believe I’m coming home – since we’ve been gone for so long, it’s like this distant, unreachable place, but now I’m going back! It’s been tough to be without my family for this long, so I’m excited to see them again. But, this has been an incredible experience, which I can’t express in words. From Spanish cathedrals, Moroccan markets, Namibian deserts, South African townships, Indian streets, Thai temples, Vietnamese people, Chinese palaces, Japanese cherry blossoms and Guatemalan students, I have tried to enjoy as much of this trip as possible and I am so grateful and understand what a privilege it has been to travel on a ship for 108 days with 700 other students. I’ve made great friends from all over the country and earned credits, but more importantly I’ve grown as a person and seen the world! I leave you with a quote that was hanging on one of the staff member’s doors: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

The Panama Canal today -- coming home soon!!

Guatemala was an amazing experience. I corresponded with Primitive Methodist missionaries Grace and Juan Par and they came and picked me up from the ship and were amazing hosts all three days in the country. I was truly blessed that they were so giving and so gracious. We drove on the first day from Antigua, where we ate lunch and went to the market, to their home in Santa Cruz del Quiche, which was about four hours away. The next day we visited the Colegio Evangelista Metodista Utatlan (Utatlan School). I had heard of the school since I was a little girl at my church. My grandma was so involved with mission work that she also constantly kept the Pars’ name familiar in my mind. I could not believe I was actually at the school. I also met the two students that my church is currently sponsoring through a scholarship. It was incredible and really emotional. The impact that this trip has had can truly been summed up by my experience in this last port. The once-in-a-lifetime places I went and people I’ve met have had an indescribable impact on me as a person and my outlook on life. There are only six more days left in the voyage and I promise to update more, especially since my finals are finished! The ship will go through the Panama Canal today and I have also realized that in and of itself that is a unique experience. If I don’t update sufficiently before I get home, I promise to do so once I return. See you all after May 6 – and you’re all invited to my Welcome Home party on May 16. Email me or call the house to find out more info. :o).

The Panama Canal today -- coming home soon!!

Guatemala was an amazing experience. I corresponded with Primitive Methodist missionaries Grace and Juan Par and they came and picked me up from the ship and were amazing hosts all three days in the country. I was truly blessed that they were so giving and so gracious. We drove on the first day from Antigua, where we ate lunch and went to the market, to their home in Santa Cruz del Quiche, which was about four hours away. The next day we visited the Colegio Evangelista Metodista Utatlan (Utatlan School). I had heard of the school since I was a little girl at my church. My grandma was so involved with mission work that she also constantly kept the Pars’ name familiar in my mind. I could not believe I was actually at the school. I also met the two students that my church is currently sponsoring through a scholarship. It was incredible and really emotional. The impact that this trip has had can truly been summed up by my experience in this last port. The once-in-a-lifetime places I went and people I’ve met have had an indescribable impact on me as a person and my outlook on life. There are only six more days left in the voyage and I promise to update more, especially since my finals are finished! The ship will go through the Panama Canal tomorrow and I have also realized that in and of itself that is a unique experience. If I don’t update sufficiently before I get home, I promise to do so once I return. See you all after May 6 – and you’re all invited to my Welcome Home party on May 16. Email me or call the house to find out more info. :o).