Embarkation and Orientation

It’s hard to believe it was only yesterday morning that I sat in my hotel room in Halifax anxious to board the MV Explorer. Now I’ve barely been on the ship for 24 hours and it feels like I’ve been here for weeks. At this point it still feels like a spring break cruise with all of my college friends but soon we’ll all settle in to the schedule of having to attend class and actually earn the credits we came on the ship to take.

 So far, I have met a few of my professors and am very excited to begin class with them. The shipboard community is nothing at all like Madison. Everyone has already begun to become close and has shared a part of themselves with everyone else.

Last night our first orientation session went by slowly…simply our Resident Directors explaining the dos and don’ts of the ship. Soon after I was lulled to sleep by the lashing of the waves against the side of the boat…thank goodness for sea sickness medication!

This morning was not welcomed easily. The cabin on Deck 2 was freezing and I thought I would be greeted with a shower of the same nature. However, I was proven wrong when I stepped into a long, hot shower….best thing of my life!

 My roommate and I ate breakfast out on the 5^th floor Aft (back of boat). Surrounded by nothing but water on all sides, it was a relaxing way to start a long day filled with boring orientation sessions. Things can only get better from here.

 A group of whales was spotted off the aft of the boat this morning twice. Unfortunately, this experience was also missed by me twice! At least I have 106 more days and a whale watching excursion to correct this! Well I'm off to sit on the sun deck next to the pool!!!