Five Months, Three Continents, Twenty Countries

To reach a port we must set sail –
Sail, not tie at anchor
Sail, not drift.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

In spring 2017, my daughter, Sarah Grace, was selected to voyage on Semester at Sea during her junior year of college. I flew with her to San Diego and tearfully waved goodbye as she set sail on the MV World Odyssey. I was nervous knowing my 20-year-old was heading into unfamiliar and uncomfortable parts of the world with naive enthusiasm. I worried – a lot. Inside the bottom of her large, rolling duffle bag, I’d hidden a couple dozen letters with surprises inside each envelope for her to open on an as-needed basis. “Open when bored; open when homesick; open when feeling creative; open on your 21^st birthday; open on Valentine’s Day; etc.” I think that project just made her mama feel better about sending her off alone on a ship full of strangers into the vast darkness of the open waters. Somehow, I knew she would settle in quickly and embrace every moment the program offered. At the end of her semester, her brother, David, and I met her in Germany and spent more time traveling around Europe before heading back home to Colorado, where we viewed hundreds of photos as she described each adventure both on and off the ship. As we turned the final page of her photo album, she turned to me and insisted that I find a way to voyage with Semester at Sea.

In October 2019, I applied to serve as a staff member for the fall 2020 voyage. After a series of difficult interviews, I was granted the opportunity, then COVID hit. The next three voyages were canceled for the first time since 1963 – the inception of Semester at Sea. Nonetheless, this spring, we were given the go-ahead to set sail, so I received a new passport, applied for foreign visas, and started a packing list for the fall voyage. I left the United States on August 19 to make my way to the 130th Semester at Sea voyage. My brother, Tim, and I traveled together until October 5 when Sarah switched places with him. Tim headed back to Colorado, and Sarah agreed to be my companion until January. I’ve had a blast with them both. My next post will describe the adventures of Tim & Jen’s COVID Revenge World Tour!

As I currently sit in my cabin on board the MV World Odyssey on our American Thanksgiving Day, I finally have found time to begin writing about my adventures this fall. We are quickly approaching the equator, as we are sailing in the Indian Ocean just off the coast of Mogadishu. I’m sure I’ve forgotten many important and interesting details of this crazy experience, but I hope to connect some of the dots with my field notes, ticket stubs, photographs, and emails home throughout these five months, three continents, and twenty countries. Friends, thank you for your interest in my adventures. It is my hope that you will be inspired to continue to add to your own bucket lists and chase some verbs along the way!