First 2 days on the ship

Hey people who read my blog (hopefully someone does, but if not that's
okay it is really for me)! I am now on a boat! I boarded the ship on
8/23/12 (yesterday). Boarding and security went so fast. People and the
work study kids were so helpful through the whole process. When I
arrived at the port I just had to hand in my passport and yellow fever
card and they gave me an ID card for the ship it acts as a room key and
credit card on the ship. Then I put my bags through security. I kept my
backpack & pacsafe bag (purse) on me and put those through security as i
walked through. everyone got a quick pat down and then it was just show
your ID to a few people and I was walking up the stairs to the ship.
From there they had people directing me where to go to fill out forms/
say quick info on stuff. Then I got to go to my room where my luggage
was delivered to the door! (Who ever said you had to carry it there
lies, you don't). I met my room mate Katherine, she's 18, freshman, and
from Boston. She is really nice as is everyone on the ship. We both
unpacked then explored the ship. There are 7 decks for student access on
the ship. Deck 2 has a medical center & rooms. I live on deck 3 outside
so I have a window looking out on to the ocean! Ya the ocean! Deck 4 has
more rooms. Deck 5 has a dining center and Classroom 9 which I have one
of my classes in. Deck 6 also has a dining room and at both you can also
go outside on the decks and eat. Deck 6 has the other 8 classrooms
including the union where meetings for everyone and Global Studies class
is held. It also has other stuff I am probably forgetting since I get
lost on the ship quite a bit. Deck 7 has the pool and food bar. There
is also a snack bar inside on deck 6. Overall the ship is really nice
including my room which is bigger and has more storage than I thought.

Okay now that I am done describing the ship I can discuss more
interesting things. So far everyone is really nice including teachers
and the deans. Today at breakfast I ate lunch with Laura (a girl I met
at my hotel the day before I left to go to the Dome, a club, for a
pre-departure get together) and her room mate. The one dean, Lisa, came
over and chatted with us over breakfast. I have met a lot of great
people already and all the time I meet more. Once you know one person
then they know someone else you get introduced to its a long cycle of
meeting new people. I even met people while waiting in line to get my
computer set up to do emails and get internet, which is very limited.
It is completely different than high school or regular college in that
everyone is willing to introduce themselves to anyone or talk to
different people. There are a little less than 500 college students on
the ship 70% girls & 30% guys.
On another note, I still don't have any solid plans for any of the ports
in Europe, but I'm sure I will figure it out as I go along.

Amy