Holy Smokes (33 Days!!!)

I just want to share this little tid-bit with all you lovely friends, family, voyagers and bored people out there in internetland; I will be on board a ship leaving Canada to circumnavigate the globe in 33 days. I will be boarding a train that will take me to New York City for a day before boarding my train bound for three days of Montreal exploring in 28 days.

Holy smokes.

I'm not even kidding. The major plans are made, the luggage bought, the lists written down and recorded, the vaccinations complete, the malaria, motion sickness and antibiotic medications in hand. The final plans are being made- what snacks do I want to bring with me? What items of clothing do I still need to purchase? What school supplies do I need to get for my classes? I'm beginning to work in the details and that is extremely satisfying. It feels like all the hard work I have been doing since the days of getting my application materials for the study abroad office of ASU in August of last year, and the endless parade of forms that I completed for both ASU and SAS in the snowy winter months since my acceptance into SAS in January are coming to fruition.

I feel like I am standing on the edge of a precipice- that moment of pure adrenaline and excitement you feel just before you jump.

I pulled my suitcases out from the back of my closet, where they had been stashed to avoid the inevitable layer of cat hair that will dawn the black fabric, to eye the space I need to keep in mind. All of my possessions- toiletries, snacks, school supplies, clothing, laptops, EVERYTHING I will need for the next 4 months must fit into these bags. And I have only 28 days to play the even more ludicrous game of tetris to fit my life into 3 bags. I simply cannot believe how much time has passed, and how close this whole thing is to beginning. My first blog entry was at 221 Days, and I began my computer countdown at 385 days. And now, a mere 33 days remain.

Holy smokes.

I just came back from watching the last Harry Potter movie with my mom (her first time and my third). As we were walking out of the theatre my mom said something that truly touched me. She said "You know, your trip with Semester at Sea will be like your own Platform 9 and 3/4. It is going to change your life and who you become". I think she's right.
Just as a sappy side note about Harry Potter- I grew up with the characters- each book coming out so that Harry, Ron and Hermione were roughly the same age as I. They were friends to me when I started a new school or had boy troubles or friend troubles. But mostly I think they have helped me become who I am today- and have built me up to be the person looking for adventure that led me to SAS.

Mischief Managed!

I HATE needles (47 days!!)

My life is beginning to feel like a sprint to the finish line, and the finish line is a marathon of its own. With a mere 47 days until I board the ship that will carry me around the world, and only 42 days until I leave my home for a 2 day train trip and a day in New York City, I am feeling as if I am closing in on my finish line- and that is a weird feeling.

I got my Yellow Fever and Polio vaccines yesterday- something that is both gross, painful and exciting. I hate shots, and needles. And not like people hate onions or country music. I mean I hate needles. They are the stuff that plagues my nightmares and makes me weep. I have, however, been working on my fear of needles (I did get acupuncture this past year that went swimmingly) but it's still something I hate. I still have 2 shots to go (TDAP and Hep A) and the Typhoid pills, but the truly horrible ones are over (and the 2 super expensive ones). I would like to thank my Mamaw for sponsoring the vaccines. It was very nice of her to do so (even if I hated them).

I also got my Visa's and Passport back in the mail earlier this week! I look at those three travel Visa's in my passport and marvel at how expensive they were.

My Mom and I will be setting out on a number of tasks today- the first is to start aggressively making lists of the things I will need to pack for this trip in one of the 3 rolling duffel's I have and to pack for the imminent move into my position as an RA when I return from Semester at Sea. Trying to make sure nothing gets overlooked for a nearly four month trip is exhausting and scary. The second task will be to clean up the house for the arrival of my best friend from Florida for my birthday! I turn 22 on Wednesday, and that happens to be the day that one of my bestest friends, Oriana, arrives to visit from the sunshine state! Which is very exciting. The very last thing that must happen today is catching up my mother in preparation for the VERY LAST Harry Potter Movie!! My mom hasn't really paid any attention to the 6th movie (despite the fact that I have forced her to watch it hundreds of times) and has never even seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1! And since the last movie comes out this next week, these two movies must be revued.

Until next time!

Great big beautiful tomorrow!!! (59 Days!!)

I just receive some AMAZING news from my wonderful Student Services Advisor, Kestrell. After an appeal, explaining my personal financial situation, the financial aid director has awarded me an additional $2,500 to my need based grant, bringing the total to $7,500!!!!! This leaves me with a balance of $1,385 left!

Dear readers, I cannot tell you how happy this has made me!! This voyage is real!!!! I am going to go Semester at Sea, it is no longer a leap of faith, it is an actuality! I am really going!

The first thing I say every time one of these wonderful occurrences has happened for me is this "I am going! I'm really going abroad!!" (usually while jumping up and down or hugging my mom to the point that she cannot breathe... or both). Every day this voyage feels more real than the day before. It's a feeling I never think possible, and then, like a miracle, it just gets better. The feeling pulses through my body and elates me even more than I thought it could just the day before.

More than anything, I want to say how wonderful the people who are at Semester at Sea are. They are truly wonderful and I cannot say enough nice things about them.

Just as a kind of side note, the title for today's blog post comes from a Walt Disney World ride called the Carousel of Progress that was a mantra for much of my middle and high school careers. I thought it was fitting for today's outburst of joy! Here's a youtube version of the ride in 2 parts!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3eJHvO83_s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbFUggYn89E&feature=related

PS- Sorry for all the exclamation points in today's post. I just can't help it!

2 months away!! (60 Days!!)

Semester at Sea is a mere two months away. I can't believe that. I cannot understand how time can pass so fast. Was it really only January that I got my acceptance after near death on the uphill slope of stadium drive? Did I really survive the semester? Have I really sent off for my Visa's and begun drafting packing lists?
Is this real life?

Yes.

Unfortunately for those people I live with, work with, or see on a regular basis, Semester at Sea consumes nearly all of my waking thoughts (and sleeping thoughts now that I think about it). I carry around a notepad in which I write down Semester at Sea thoughts; things to pack, forms to fill out, things to write about, or just words like '60 DAYS!!' or 'OMG EXCITED'. I'm afraid of talking to people, for fear of going into an over-excited, never ending explanation of what I am doing with Semester at Sea and how I am preparing and where we are going. It's a problem, but one I think all of the prospective voyagers are experiencing.

The really exciting things about my planning process are how it is quickly coming to an end. I am making final arrangements to get to Montreal! Which is great! I decided to take the train. It will be less than half the cost of flying, and I get to spend a day in New York City with my Big Brother from high school, Andrew! This news is particularly exciting to me since I have never been to New York City, and want to attend Columbia University for Law School someday in the future. Then I get to continue on to Montreal and spend a few days at a hostel and exploring a city that is has a very large french speaking population! Finally, a chance to immerse myself in a language I love!

As for the Diversity Abroad Scholarship, I am sad to report that I did not receive the scholarship, but I did receive a couple other scholarships and I think I have most, if not all of my voyage paid for. I am confident and excited.

Until next time,
Best Wishes,
Mal!

A Leap of Faith (81 Days!!!)

Because of the way the Diversity Abroad Scholarship decision has affected the awarding of my financial aid, tomorrow I take a gigantic leap of faith. Tomorrow I send in the VISA applications. The applications for VISA's into Ghana, India and China are due on June 11th, the day after I will receive my financial aid award. I've had the applications filled out for over a month now, but I have waited to send them in because I wanted to know if I will actually be going on this trip, something that my financial aid award was going to determine. But, because of the somewhat jumbled schedule I, and the the other finalists are finding ourselves in, it is time to take a leap of faith and hope that the universe will provide the appropriate path and means to do this.

The VISA's cost a total of $515, an expense that my wonderful grandmother has offered to pay as a reward for good grades this past semester. Aside from my grandmother and a few other smaller expenses, I am paying for this trip solidly on my own. The trip will be expensive, but I am certain that I can pay for it. This is just the stress talking.

This entry into the blogland I have here for my voyage is in no way meant to be seen as a cry for help or a pity party for one; but instead just a catalogue of my emotions as I move forward. The stress is begining to set in, and set in big style.

So, tomorrow I take a leap of faith.

5 more days until... you know... Friday, June 10th.

Getting the Chills (82 Days!!!)

So... now for a REAL blog post...

Today, as I was driving home from work I decided to play the K'naan song that seems to be iconic for my voyage, called Waving Flag. Sitting in the drivers seat of my car, driving the winding roads back to my house through the Appalachian Mountains, I couldn't help but get chills. For the first time this voyage is starting to feel real.

Not only is the voyage beginning to feel so real I can almost taste and touch it, but thanks to the voyage, the rest of my life is starting to feel like something more than a plan or a thought bubble that I have over my head like a comic strip; it is instead beginning to feel like my life. The K'naan song has a line the says 'When I get older, I will be stronger, they'll call me freedom, just like a waving flag'. Someday I hope to be an international human rights lawyer working to be stronger, working to help the people in the world that get forgotten, who are hungry and neglected, and who are often taken advantage of. The song made me feel like I can do all these things, and that feeling, which is helped by my voyage, is the best thing in whole world.

So, here are some of the details about the Diversity Abroad Scholarship. I received the email saying I was a finalist yesterday (it was a day of much squealing). The email stated that, since I was a finalist, I would not be receiving my financial aid awards yesterday, as was planned (and as everyone who wasn't selected as a finalist did). Instead, I will find out about the Diversity Abroad Scholarship as well as all the other scholarships I applied for (which was every single one) on Friday, June 10th. Now, anyone who doesnt know me wouldn't know the following information: I am borderline obsessed with Josh Groban. I find his voice and his music enthralling and the work his foundation does with Nelson Mandela's 4664 organization, as well as a number of other charities, inspiring. He is a reminder of what talent, compassion and passion can do for the world, and I have tickets for my mom and I to go see our very first Josh Groban concert on Friday, June 10th. Friday, June 10th, the same Friday, Junes 10th as the day I will find out about my scholarships.
I think I may explode with happiness and stress before Friday, June 10th.


It is an honor to be selected as a finalist for the Diversity Abroad Scholarship, an honor that is still setting in. I am a firm believer in Karma and the power of positive thinking. To thank to universe for the wonderful honor I received yesterday I decided to find a way to put that kindness back into the world. When I walked into Wal-Mart yesterday I noticed they had a Red Cross bus outside. In my traditional way of paying-it-forward I decided to donate blood. I can only hope that my actions reflect my belief that we can all make the world a better place.

As a final word before I go listen to some Josh Groban music, I ask that everyone reading this send me some love, light, pleasant thoughts, good karma, prayers, or whatever it is that you do. I thank you all in advance, and you can expect to hear from me soon.

<3

Joy!!! (83 Days!!!!)

I am so happy right now I don't know what to write.

I got this in the good ol'inbox today when I got home from work.

Dear Mallory,

Congratulations! You are one of our Diversity Abroad Scholarship Finalists!



More tomorrow when the joy and stress subsides.

:D