I can't believe I'm doing this...

I am waiting at the JetBlue gate at the Portland Jetport.  My flight leaves in about 90 minutes.  It's quiet here today and so far things have gone smoothly.  My bags were checked, the security check went very smoothly.  I thought ahead and took my ceramic doumbec out of the bag, removed all of the underwear and socks I had stuffed into it and showed the TSA agent that it was indeed a hollow drum. 

If you asked me what I was feeling right now I'd tell you I am definitely feeling fear, some excitement but mostly I'm experiencing a sense of disbelief that this is actually happening. Once I am aboard my flight I won't be returning to Portland, Maine for nearly four months.  Everyone tells me that the experience is going to be great, once in a lifetime and life changing.  It will likely be all of those things; I hope it will be all of those things.

It is still however a great unknown.  I've never crossed the Atlantic by air or sea, I've never spent the night on a ship, I've never been to any of the countries I'm about to visit.  I know no one aboard the ship personally.  What lies ahead is mostly a great blank space of yet to happen experience. 

When I sent in my application to Semester at Sea all of those months ago I gave little thought to what this day would be like.  It seemed too impossible and too far away.  I've had little time to think about it in the past few weeks and now the day is here.  This is happening.  Three and a half months, ten countries, 12 ports, 550 students, one big ship called World Odyssey and me...