Flying Solo

     Before yesterday, I had only flown once, with a huge group of people, adults taking care of everything and instructing me every step of the way. They even handled our passports.

Needless to say, I was a little nervous about handling my papers, finding my flights, and getting to all the right places at all the right times.

     Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed the experience. It was kind of fun to try to navigate the huge airports and, since I was flying alone, I got put next to an empty seat. That's right. I got to sprawl out across two seats and use two blankets on that flight. I was pretty pleased with the whole situation.

     It would have been perfect, if I hadn't been sick. My short, one hour flight from Grand Rapids to Chicago was pretty rough, something my stomach did not appreciate.

     Unfortunately, I didn't get over it before my next flight and that's when I finally got sick. However, there was a very nice flight attendant in the back who let me hang around near the bathroom and managed to find me some ginger ale (and a bag-"just in case").

     When I arrived in London I caught a taxi, which was also a new experience for me. I really loved driving through the streets in a normal sized car, as opposed to the giant coaches we road in the last time I was here.

     I was unable to check into my hostel room for another four hours, so I got a day pass for the underground (another new experience) and explored a little, with no real destination in mind.

     I think that's my favorite part of traveling alone. You don't have to plan anything, or consult with your fellow travelers. You can wander aimlessly, without worrying about your companions.

All in all, the experience has been a good one.

Getting Ready

     I have this tendency to be ridiculously early for everything. It may not sound like such a bad thing, but it gets really annoying. I spend a lot of time wandering up and down the halls in front of my classrooms, sitting on the floor with a book, and making awkward conversation with other ridiculously early people. It's not a habit I usually appreciate, but every once in a while it works in my favor.

     I was wandering the halls in the anthropology department one day, almost twenty minutes early for class, when I stumbled across a poster for Semester at Sea. I smiled to myself and thought about how my best friend and I used to talk about sailing around the world when we were kids.

     I checked out the website, just for kicks. Then I read everything I could find about SAS. Soon enough, I was filling out an application and jumping hoops to get the program approved by my university.

     My annoying habit paid off.

    Now, I'm in the final stages of preparing for my voyage. Thanks to field school, I get to squeeze most of these preparations, including shopping and packing, into one week. There's also the small matter of trying to spend time with my family and friends before I leave.

     There's something that people who travel forget to tell you...

     Saying goodbye sucks.

     Even so, I am beyond excited and I'm certain that it will all be worth it. How could it not be?