Reminisce - Back on the MV

12/15/09
12:21am

I just boarded the MV Explorer for the first time in 7 months for the celebratory dinner of Semester at Sea’s 100th voyage and I am overwhelmed with emotion. I cannot believe it has been nearly a year since my adventure first began.

Boarding the ship was so familiar and yet so different. I was greeted by the faces of students, faculty and staff that I saw daily for three and a half months of my life. Yet the ship was also teeming with people who I have never met. There were alumni from last year, two years ago, ten years ago, even those from the very first voyage in 1960s. There were children that have sailed the ship or whose parents traveled the ocean blue on Semester at Sea, as well as those with graying hair and walkers. But amongst so many strangers, I knew we all are connected. Everyone on the ship tonight has been changed by Semester at Sea – whether it was an alumni, a parent of an alumni, or a friend. It opened our eyes to the world. It challenged us. It introduced us to our best friends, our future spouses, our families. It was the time of our lives.

As I walked those halls, sat on Deck 7, took in the San Diego port, I reminisced about the daily minutiae of the ship – the laughs, the food, the waves. As I listened to the poignant words of a student from the first voyage and a student from the voyage that just docked today, I was overcome with happiness and sadness. Elated to be back on the ship, grateful to have such memories, touched to know so many others know this feeling. Grieving that the trip is over, sad not all my SAS friends were there with me, disappointed that I haven’t kept all the promises I made to myself at the end of it. Tears rolled down my cheeks as we watched a video of every port of the latest voyage. People around cheered for different ports, nodded their heads at saying and images. They all know. They know South Africa, they know India….they just know. When Kobe and Yokohama, Japan came up on the screen I had to stifle a sob. Japan gave me faith. Do I still have it?

I am so glad that I went tonight. It reminded me that I am a part of the world - the whole world, not just my own. It reminded me that I have to keep traveling. It is not an option. It reminded me of everything that was SAS – it is in my blood now and forever and I want to stay involved. It reminded me of the happiest time in my life. I might go cry now. Or dream happy dreams of my past and future travels. Or both.