This is an extension of the previous post. I also found out that we are losing a week on board the ship. The voyage is 101 days rather than 108 like all the others. Granted, they are also giving us a $2,000 discount, which is nice, but I would rather have more time on board the ship. I have also found that SAS promises at least 10 countries on each voyage, but what they don't say is what they consider a country. For example, Fall 2009 is going to 10 countries, but the only way I can come up with 10 is if you count Hong Kong separately from China and include Canada, which is where we leave from. Now compare that to Spring 2009, which is also going to 10 countries, but if you had Hong Kong by itself and the Bahamas, which is where they leave from, they are actually going to 12 countries. AND Spring 2009 is $1,000 cheaper than the Fall! How does this all make sense?? I wish I had the money and could go in the Spring rather than in the Fall. Right now if the iteneary stays the way it is now I am going to defer my acceptance until Spring 2010. Gah that is so far away! But I guess since it costs so much you might as well be happy with everything!

So I am pretty upset with Semester At Sea currently. First of all, I really didn't want to go on the Fall 2009 voyage because I would have much rather preferred to go the Southern route and hit Namibia and South Africa. But whatever - I am still sailing around the world and I'll take Egypt. But now with this new monkey wrench thrown in I might wait until Spring 2010. The brilliant people at SAS decided to change the itinerary for Fall 2009 and it blows!! Here it is

Today I finally got the e-mail that stated I was officially academically accepted to Semester At Sea. Now that does not guarantee me a spot on the final voyage. Still, that is one less hurdle. I still have to fill out some more paperwork and send in my deposit to hold me spot. I am so excited! Everything is coming together.

Oh and I got the job too!

As of today, Semester At Sea has officially received all of my paperwork and information. This includes the online application, my transcripts, and a disciplinary clearence form from WKU. I should have my official acceptance in a couple of days (assuming that I get in). Gah, now here comes the hard part - waiting for the decision. This and I am also waiting to hear if I got the job at Walden Books. It is all just so exciting!

I am sitting here thinking about everything I could do and accomplish between the Disney College Program and Semester At Sea. I realized that I could have never seen this through with out Dad. Last fall, I kind of had a mini breakdown. I had some many things I wanted to do, but I was afraid of what I would miss out on here at WKU. I sent Dad an e-mail expressing my feelings. What I got in a response could not have been a more perfect answer. I thought everyone else should hear about the lesson he gave me: