Thursday, September 18, 2008
Lauren Gray
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
Fall 2009 Itinerary/Calendar
Destination | Arrive
Depart | Day | Date | Time |
|---|
| Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | Depart | Friday | 28 August | 1700 |
|---|
| Casablanca, Morocco | Arrive
Depart | Saturday
Wednesday | 05 September
09 September | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Dubrovnik, Croatia | Arrive
Depart | Monday
Friday | 14 September
18 September | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Istanbul, Turkey | Arrive
Depart | Monday
Friday | 21 September
25 September | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Alexandria / Port Said / Sharm El Sheikh, Egpyt | Arrive
Depart | Monday
Saturday | 28 September
03 October | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| (Transit Suez Canal - Thursday, October 01) |
|---|
| Chennai, India | Arrive
Depart | Thursday
Monday | 15 October
19 October | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Arrive
Depart | Monday
Saturday | 26 October
31 October | 0800
0600 |
|---|
| (On-ship time is 2100 on Friday, October 30) |
|---|
| Hong Kong / Xaimen, China | Arrive
Depart | Tuesday
Sunday | 03 November
08 November | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Kobe / Yokohama, Japan | Arrive
Depart | Thursday
Monday | 12 November
16 November | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| (Cross International Dateline; Add One Day) |
|---|
| Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | Arrive
Depart | Thursday
Saturday | 26 November
28 November | 0600
2000 |
|---|
| San Diego, California, USA | Arrive | Sunday | 06 December | 0800
|
|---|
Umm Canada and no Guatemala and not to mention now ending in California?? The real kicker is now we are traveling EAST! Not WEST! that means we will lose an hour of sleep every night rather than gain one. The other thing is that we are only visiting 8 countries! (9 if you count Canada, but I'm not) What happened to the 11-12 I was promised! This is so lame. If they don't update it again soon, I will probably wait until the next spring. On the plus side of that at least I would have more money saved up.
And speaking of money, not only has SAS blown this itenerary, it has also boosted its prices by $4,000! Now the cheapest cabin is over $21,000. I have yet to break the news to mom and dad. I don't see that being a happy conversation. Gah this is so aggravating. Good thing I changed majors and it has now forced me to be in college forever so I have the option of going a different semester. Mom would probably be happy because then I would not be gone pretty much the entire year - spending a semester in Orlando that is. I guess (hope!) everything will work out. Or maybe I should just wait until the spring iteneary comes out and then make my decision. That sounds like a good plan. I'll go with that.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Lauren Gray
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!
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Lauren Gray
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!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Lauren Gray
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:
"Hey, don't freak out, you are just experiencing life. If you really think about it, it is great that you have all of this opportunity and choices in front of you. You should always be so lucky. As for graduation, it is like I always say, "Don't let school interfere with your education." It doesn't matter if you graduate "on time" --- when is that anyway? You are in college to learn and be educated -- not just from textbooks -- but about life and living. Everything that you do contributes to your education -- the trip to Vokounland (the Czech Republic for you non hockey fans), this Disney thing, living out from under your parents roofs, making decisions for yourself. So what if you don't get a diploma in four years or even five, as long as you are learning and making good progress toward your degree, I am happy. Don't get hung up on timeframes, they will just get into your way.
As for the other stuff you might miss if you do the Disney thing: 1. It is impossible to miss your birthday, you just have to choose where and how you celebrate it. 2. As for Jess's wedding, maybe you can work it out with Disney so you can be there -- I would bet that it is do-able. 3. and ADPi -- doesn't sound like you are that into it but it is a choice you have to make. ADPi is not going anywhere -- you will still have next year (and maybe the year after...) to me, the Disney thing sounds a whole lot more exciting.
Anyway, give me a call if you want to talk further and you can vent to me anytime. Try not to stress out, factor in all of the information you have and make a decision. Just be true to yourself and you can't go wrong.
I love you,
Dad
Is that not the most perfect e-mail ever...maybe I don't give Dad enough credit
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Lauren Gray
So I have still figuring out all the new fangeled (sp?) features on this blog. Hopefully this will work and I can post to my blog directly from e-mail so I won't eat my internet minutes!!
YAY!
|
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Lauren Gray
Just thought I would pop in for a little update. I am officially back at WKU and loving it. Sorority recruitment pretty much took up all my time for the first week I was up there. I love all my little Pi Chis and it was a joy getting to work with all of them. I really don't believe they realize what an amazing job they did.
But classes have started and all are looking good - with the exception of Intro to Finnance, which is going to be the death of me! Boo accounting and finnance.
I have also made another decision about this lovely blog. It have decided to dedicate it directly to my journey with SAS and the Disney College Program. So there will not be any updates until there are updates with that.
But speaking of these items there is an update on SAS. As I strolled into the Study Abroad office to chat with Ms. Scott, she introduced me to someone. Well that someone turned out to be one of my professors from SAS! He is going on the same voyage with me and has done many previous voyages! His name is Martin Steneckey (could be spelled wrong) and the best part is that he is going to be at WKU ALL semester, which means all I have to do is find him and pick his brain with all my questions! I was beyond excited! I mean how cool is that!? He even invited me out to dinner with him and the Academic Dean for the voyage when she comes into town. I hope everything works out!
SAS has officially recieved my transcript and application. Now all I am waiting on is for WKU to sned in my discplinary clearance form and then a decision will be made about my acceptance to the Fall 2009 (and 100th voyage) voyage of SAS. Gah! I already I can't wait.
yes i am a nerd
peace
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Lauren Gray
YAY!!! Yesterday I officially applied for the Fall 2009 Voyage on Semester At Sea!!! I am so excited!!!! Hopefully everything goes according to plan! Here is a slightly more updates schedule!!!! (ok so I went a little overboard on exclamation marks!!!!)
Destination | Arrive
Depart | Day | Date | Time |
|---|
| Nassau, Bahamas | Depart | Friday | 28 August | 1700 |
|---|
| (Transit Panama Canal - Tuesday, 1 September) |
|---|
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (Antigua/Guatemala City) | Arrive
Depart | Friday
Sunday | 04 September
06 September | 0700
2000 |
|---|
| Honolulu, HI, USA | Arrive
Depart | Wednesday
Thursday | 16 September
17 September | 0600
2400 |
|---|
| Yokohama / Kobe, Japan | Arrive
Depart | Saturday
Wednesday | 26 September
30 September | 0800
2400 |
|---|
| Shanghai, China / Hong Kong | Arrive
Depart | Saturday
Thursday | 03 October
08 October | 0800
2200 |
|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam | Arrive
Depart | Sunday
Friday | 11 October
16 October | 0900
0600 |
|---|
| Chennai, India | Arrive
Depart | Thursday
Monday | 22 October
26 October | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| (Transit Suez Canal - Friday, 06 November) |
|---|
| Alexandria, Egypt | Arrive
Depart | Saturday
Wednesday | 07 November
11 November | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Istanbul, Turkey | Arrive
Depart | Saturday
Wednesday | 14 November
18 November | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Dubrovnik, Croatia | Arrive
Depart | Saturday
Tuesday | 21 November
24 November | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Casablanca, Morocco | Arrive
Depart | Sunday
Thursday | 29 November
03 December | 0800
2000 |
|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA | Arrive | Sunday | 13 December | 0800 |
|---|
And just another little update this will be the 100th voyage of Semester At Sea...that is pretty cool right. The theme is the Globalization and the Post American/Flat World. That is like perfect for me! Gah!! I am so excited!