9 hours left in Philly

It is 3am on Tuesday, January 30th. Do you know what that means?? It means I am boarding my flight to Miami in 9 hours! I am so excited to get down there and just relax for a few days, but that also means I have to pack for SAS and also for Miami. I only have a few things left to put in which is great.. it took me a while, but I'm sure that's no surprise to anyone ;) . Today I bought crayons and stickers to give to the children at ports.
Kevin's blog reminded me that as much as I talk about how amazing this experience is going to be and all of the new things I will experience, I also always leave out the fact that the Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu is going to be traveling with us the ENTIRE semester. I have encountered a lot of people who have no idea who he is, which I will admit I didn't before SAS. But he is an amazing man, so I recommend reading up on who I'll be having dinner and conversations with for the next 3 1/2 months. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Tutu

I got most of your addresses or email addresses for letters/postcards and all that good stuff. I hope everyone receives everything I send, and I hope you all send me stuff (hint hint)...


That's it for now! I'm guessing the next time I write on here will be from the Bahamas! :)

My Pre-Sale Trips!!!!

So I am leaving for Miami in 5 days! 5 DAYS!!!! and I get to hang out with all my friends before leaving for the Bahamas the morning of February 3rd. Since my parents are no longer flying down to the Bahamas with me I will be staying at the Atlantis (fancy!) with 2 or 3 other girls so that should be fun. The morning of the 4th I am going to have to wake up and get to the boat between 7 and 8 am yay!
So today at my mom's office we hung up her huge map on the wall and first I used my finger to do the route and then just sat there staring at it. I am literally going around the world.. Who does that!? I can't wait!
Also, I still haven't gotten a letter in the mail saying what pre-sale trips I definitely got; however, I was told that whatever is listed on the website is your final list so here is what that says:

PUERTO RICO:

Welcome Reception ($38)

Here is a great chance to meet local university students on your first night in Puerto Rico. In addition to meeting Puerto Rican students and faculty, there will be a welcome/introduction to the university and some form of entertainment. Time for conversation and music for dancing (salsa, meringue, etc.) will follow the programmed entertainment. Soft drinks and snacks will be served. Dress is casual. This is a wonderful introduction to Puerto Rico- an event that should not be missed!

Bioluminescent Bay- Group C ($63)

Primarily a marine phenomenon, bioluminescense is the ability of living organisms to emit light. ... Travel by motorcoach to the warm protected waters of Las Cabezas Bioluminescent Lagoon and then board 2 person kayaks. Paddle through the mangroves where you will be able to appreciate the nocturnal animal life, as well as iguanas recharging their energies for their next activities. The most common color of bioluminescence is blue, although red, orange, yellow, green, and violet may also be found.

Rio Camuy Caves ($62)

Named after the nearby 13-mile-long river, this cave system is the third largest in the Western Hemisphere with over 10 miles of caverns, 220 caves, and 17 entrances. Upon arrival, watch a short video presentation about cave formation and park rules. Then board a tram and journey through dense tropical vegetation down to the mouth of Clara Cave, a colossal 180-foot-high cavern. After exploring some of the caverns accessible to the public, reboard the tram to visit the the 650-foot-wide Tres Pueblos sinkhole. Special platforms allow you to view the river, 400 feet below, as it passes from one cave to another.


VIETNAM

Cambodia: Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat - Group C ($847)

Day 1: Depart for the airport for your one-hour flight to Phnom Penh. Visit the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda. Enjoy a sunset cruise on the Mekong Delta followed by dinner at a local restaurant (Sarim- I bet its not as good as your cooking! Spaghetti! haha)

Day 2: In the morning, visit the Tuol Sleng Museum, the Killing Fields and the Russian Market. Transfer for your flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, view and explore Angkor Wat until sunset. Check into the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Early risers may enjoy an optional sunrise tour of Angkor Wat. After breakfast at the hotel, spend the day exploring the areas massive and elaborate temple ruins and restoration projects, including Angkor Wat. In the late afternoon, transfer to the airport for your return flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Please do not wear shorts during the Phnom Peng tours, but knee length shorts are acceptable attire when touring the Angkor temples.

that's it for my pre-sale trips! I have the opportunity to sign up for a lot more things when we are on the ship. A lot of these include service projects (I would like to do at least one in each country) and other excursions.

Also, if you guys have time, you should read this article of child sex-trafficking in Cambodia. It's very intense and scary.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/01/23/sex.workers/index.html

I started packing yesterday- hardest thing ever. I'm so nervous I'm going to need something and not be able to find it in a foreign country so I am bringing so much stuff! I definitely got carried away in the 99 cent travel-sized item aisle in Target! As many packing lists as there are published from alum- it still is not easy to pack for living on a boat for 3 1/2 months!

that's it for now! Hopefully I will have something else to post before I get on the boat! It came so fast- 10 days before we set sail!

BRASILIA!!

<--- MV Explorer!!
I am leaving from the Bahamas in 23 days.. woooooo I am so excited!!
I just got an email confirming a trip I signed up for in Brazil. It is an indy trip with about 24 other students. It sounds absolutely amazing! We are taking a bus 250 miles west of Salvador to the city of Lencois, which houses the Chapada Diamanta-- a BEAUTIFUL nature reserve/park. So, while here we are staying at a cute little hotel, visiting a local village, walking along the Lencois river which has all different color sand. Thats the first day. On the second day we are hiking up to the top of Cachoeira de Fumaca, which is the 1sd highest waterfall in the world! On the third day we are going to Poco Encantado which is literally called The Enchanted Pool. Just from seeing pictures it is amazing! The bluest water you have ever seen! We are also going to another similar grotto called Poco Azul-- and were actually allowed to swim in this one-- woo hoo! After that we are going back to the village and having little kids teach us to dance! Alright now the 4th day-- we are going to hike to Gruta do Lapao which apparently is another amazing cave/grotto and we are going to RAPEL down the side of it-- ME rapelling.. HAH!.. there is also the opportunity to bungee jump here, but I chose not to do that :\ .. so after all this adventure.. we are traveling back to Salvador for CARNIVAL!!! I paid a little extra for an Abada.. which is a little more secure because you get a tshirt and get to stay inside of the barriers so thats good.. I am so so so excited!!!! Ill post the link so you guys can see pictures and what not! Ah YAY!!

I should be getting my presale SAS trip info within a week so Ill write all about those trips when I get it!

<3

PORT ADDRESSES!!!!

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT... good news everyone! I got my port addresses! You know what that means? It means you all have NO excuse to not send me letters. So sorry but start writing!!

Heres the deal with snail mail:
You must send these letters at least 2 weeks before the ship arrives at the port. I'll give deadlines along with addresses. I know I'm gonna be getting excuses like "Oh, I'll just send emails".. well, unless you want to help me pay the $.50/min cost for internet for me to check my email--- SEND ME LETTERS!!! just do it, it wont kill you, and I would really appreciate it!
Alright here go the addresses:

PUERTO RICO- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN JANUARY 24TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives February 7, 2007
Cruise Plus Service & Sales
1760 Fernandez Juncos Avenue
San Juan, PUERTO RICO 00909

BRAZIL-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 3RD

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives February 17, 2007
Oceanus Agencia Maritima
Av. Estados Unidos, 397, Room 601-604
40018-900 Salvador, BAHIA-BRASIL

SOUTH AFRICA-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 16TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives March 2, 2007
John T. Rennie & Sons
PO Box 702, 1 Thibault House
8000 Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA

MAURITIUS-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN MARCH 1ST

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives March 15, 2007
Ireland Blyth Limited
1 Queen Street, P.O. Box 53
Port Louis, MAURITIUS

INDIA-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN MARCH 11TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives March 25, 2007
J.M. Baxi & CO
52 Rajaji Salai
Chennai- 600 001, INDIA

MALAYSIA-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN MARCH 19TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives April 2, 2007
4th Floor Unit 4B
Wisma Saw Chong Thuah
39-c, Pengkalan Weld
10300 Penang, MALAYSIA

VIETNAM-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN MARCH 26TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives April 9, 2006
General Forwarding & Agency
5th Floor Osic Building
8 Nguyen Hue Avenue
D. 1, Ho Chi Minh City, VIETNAM

HONG KONG-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN APRIL 3RD

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Exlorer
Arrives April 17, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services (HK) Ltd.
Units 1802-1805, 18th Floor
No 3 Lockhart Road
Wanchai, HONG KONG-CHINA

CHINA-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN APRIL 7TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives April 21, 2007
Penavico Qingdao
21 Wuxia Road
Qingdao, 266002, P.R. China

JAPAN-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN APRIL 11TH

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives April 25, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services
Kenryu Bldg II, Room 303
6, Kaigan-dori, Chuo-ku
Kobe-shi, Hyogo-Ken 650-0024, JAPAN

HAWAII-- AIRMAIL NO LATER THAN APRIL 23RD

Brenna O'Neill
C/O: MV Explorer
Arrives May 7, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services
Gentry Pacific Services
260 North Numitz Hwy, Suite 103
HONOLULU, Hawaii 96817, USA

Alright that took me an extremely long amount of time to type all that crap.. and I have a link for you with the addresses anyway. Which means I really really want letters!!

https://www.ise.virginia.edu/asp/mydocuments/calcomm.pdf

Now.. I also expect emails from you guys. Ill send out mass emails saying I'm alive (hopefully).. jk dont worry! haha... but yeah you all know that I need to know whats going on in everyones lives. I made a new email address : BrennaAtSea@gmail.com and I have it set up on Outlook Express so I can like download my emails and then not have to take up internet minutes reading them. So please please just keep me updated.. and I mean you know what kind of stuff to tell me and what kind of stuff not to until I get home.. Debbie downer over here.. Alright I think this post is long enough. 1 month!!!!!!!!! I love you guys and please send me letters!!!!