Day 1 and 2: June 15 and 16, 2009

Today proved to be much longer day than I could ever have anticipated. Flying from LAX to Toronto was not too bad, despite the plane not leaving LA until 10:30 pm, but the four hour layover from 6 to 10 am was difficult. Don’t forget Toronto’s clocks are four hours ahead of California’s, so if you do the math that means I was in the airport from 2 am to 6 am. I got quite exhausted but I finally made it to Halifax, Nova Scotia by 1 pm the following day.

After I arrived I took a shuttle into town. Sitting next to me was a man from Toronto, so as the bus dropped people off at their various hotels, my friend proved to more of a tour guide than a fellow passenger.

I arrived at the Commons Inn, in downtown Halifax, and met up with a girl I had met at CSUN early in the year. The hotel was adorable, blending into the colonial architecture seen all over Halifax.

What surprised me most about Halifax was how beautiful and green it was. With deep blue flowing rivers, surrounded by lush greenery I truly felt like I was in a Canadian Eden.

Sarah and I walked around Downtown Halifax, had a bowl of seafood chowder at a local restaurant, and retired for bed early in the morning.

Day 2 was embarkation day!! Boy was I excited to get to the ship, although my nerves followed close behind me. It was difficult to think that the friends and family which I love so much would only be able to contact me through email. But once aboard the ship and in my room I felt that I could muster the strength to replace the longing I was feeling with enthusiasm for all the places I soon would visit.

We set sail at 5 pm. It was so much fun to look at all the parents and past teachers waving and yelling “good-byes” to the ship. There was even a bag pipe band playing, which really was festive.

Then finally we were off into open waters. Well if no one has told you up until this point, I think that I have an obligation to tell you: The Atlantic Ocean is incredibly rough!! The realization that the Atlantic was rough did not hit me or my fellow land-mates until we had an all student meeting in the Student Union. The Union is a large place, but it is positioned at the front of the ship and gets the more motion than anywhere else on the ship. Only a couple of minutes of being in the room before, you guessed it, I got sick.

I retired back to my room once I realized that my sea sickness was not getting any better.
All I can really hope for is that tomorrow will be not as rough.

-Kira-
P.S. if you would like to email me, my email is kjconley@semesteratsea.net