How Sweet It Is

Friends,

I miss you all. I miss you even more than I miss internet access (and that's saying a lot since I haven't had any access since Tuesday; I am like a druggie looking for a fix). Sad, but true. I am using illegal internet of sorts right now. I cannot reveal how I am online to protect the guilty. Tomorrow there is promise of legitimate online usage and the ability to upload my photos, which I can't wait to do, but, enough about that. On to the good stuff!

I arrived at the ship on Tuesday after four fabulous days in La Jolla, California with my three best friends from college, Jen, Abby, and Sarah. (Yes, I did use six pillows under my head on the bed, but that is neither here nor there.) Those of us who are royalty make no apologies. Since Abby had to head back to Philly, we took her to the airport first and then drove our rental car (affectionately known as the big rig) to the port in the San Diego Bay. The summer Semester at Sea voyagers were just getting off as we arrived to the port. Sarah and Jen helped me haul my 1800 pounds of necessary luggage to the port authority. I have to say, it was empowering to have that much luggage (it would have weighed more, but Lauren cut me off. Some would say Lauren was my packing regulator, others would call her the voice of reason. I still think a yoga mat is a legitimate item to pack, but the enforcer was not deterred by my desperate pleas.) Whenever anybody like a bell hop would say, "Wow. That's a lot of luggage" I could say, "but I am traveling around the world." Very powerful indeed. Super special thanks to Madelyn who lent me the world's best luggage for this trip. I owe you my first born child.

After sad goodbyes with my roommates at the port gate, John, the world's nicest porter came from the heavens to haul said luggage through 89 security check points, up an elevator, down a long ramp to the ship where I boarded and received my offical ID card (Note to Jennifer Wegner: why did you let me take and send in that terrible, horrible, no good very bad CVS passport photo for my ID card? Big face is not my best look.) John refused all of my attempts to pay him for his services and told me to "buy something nice for myself on my trip." It was such a nice act of kindness right off the bat and immediately made me feel relaxed.

After proceeding through security, I got to my room which was another extremely nice piece of kindness. The room has a huge window with my own bathroom. It's located on the end of deck five (there are seven decks in all). The staff make my bed and turn it down everyday. I have a mini frig and enough closet and shelving space to make me think I could have indeed packed the yoga mat. I have a TV, phone, and fresh towels in the room. I am worried about what I will do when I return and there is no such staff awaiting me in Charlottesville. It's really quite nice and I will post real photos tomorrow as soon as I am able. The ship is also magnetized so I've been able to hang a ton of pictures around my room courtesy of some fun magnets from Connie Lee.

Once I settled into my room, I took a quick tour of the ship. It felt so surreal to walk around and think that this ship is going to be my home for the next 100 days. The ship is really shiny and clean with a good sized library, computer lab, student union, dining halls, gym, and faculy/staff lounge. Since Tuesday when I've boarded we had at least two socials in the faculty/staff lounge each day. Today our drinks and munchies were on the house, other times we pay for drinks by swiping our ID cards. It's so easy. There is also a really nice spa with massage and pedicure treatments. Apparently, you can just swipe your ID card for the charges and feel no pain until the bill comes at the end of the month.

Teaching faculty arrived today, but students don't arrive until the 27th, AFTER we've said to Mexico from San Diego. The schedule is nice because it allows us to ease into our roles and becoming a part of the shipboard community. Yesterday and today we've had almost nonstop orientation meetings, so it's information overload, but in a good way.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, is the people that I've met thus far. I can't tell you how many people I've met who have sailed in the past. In my administrative team meetings I am the only person who is a first-time voyager. There are many more first-timers in the teaching faculty, but in the administration there are a lot of repeaters. It definitely feels like a family atmosphere. I absolutely love the dean who I will be working most closely with on the voyage. Dean Soffa is a material science professor at UVa, but has sailed before when he was on the faculty at the U of Pittsburg, which is the school that used to be Semester at Sea's academic sponsor. Even though I know nothing about the magnets he studies, I think we'll get along just fine. He is wondefully bright and funny and liberal (and I suspect he's a recycler, too, and he probably likes dogs (or dergs as Jill always says)--people like him usually do). Several of the people I've met who have helped trained me have been super friendly, too. One was even so kind as to present me with a gift of almost every chocolate candybar imagineable my first night here. Life is good!

I hope all is well in your respective corners of the world. I am sad to miss opening week at UVa, but I know my ONSP family, Him Tim, Constance, Tab, and Beth are doing the world's best job with everything going on in the Ville and that V Hawes will ensure that all of the Grounds for Discussion cast members receive Oscar nominations. I only hope that I can say I knew you when.

Lots of love and more to come!!! Alexis P.S. Happy Early Birthday, B! Enjoy the big D!