First entry!

Hello parents, relatives and friends!

As many of you know, I'm preparing for my Semester at Sea voyage, which launches Jan. 23.

Here is my official itinerary so you can follow along at home:

Nassau, Bahamas
Arrive: Jan. 22 - Depart: Jan. 23
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Arrive: Jan. 26 - Depart: Jan. 28
Salvador, Brazil
Arrive: Feb. 5 - Depart: Feb. 9
Cape Town, South Africa
Arrive: Feb. 19 - Depart: Feb. 24
Port Louis, Mauritius
Arrive: March 1 - Depart: March 4
Chennai, India
Arrive: March 11 - Depart: March 15
Penang, Malaysia
Arrive: March 19 - Depart: March 23
(Stop in Singapore for bunker)
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Arrive: March 27 - Depart: April 1
(On-Ship Time is Monday, March 31)
Hong Kong
Arrive: April 3 - Depart: April 4
Shanghai, China
Arrive: April 7 - Depart: April 8
Kobe, Japan
Arrive: April 11 - Depart: April 14
(Cross international datelines, add one day)
Honolulu, Hawaii
Arrive: April 22 - Depart: April 22
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Arrive: May 3 - Depart: May 4
Transit Panama Canal
May 6
Miami, Florida
Arrive: May 9

Things are pretty hectic right now as I prepare. I'm still trying to make a final decision on which field programs I want to do at each port. So far I know I'm going on a safari in South Africa, and I'm debating between Lencois in Brazil and Ankor Wat in Cambodia (a field trip off from Vietnam).
Which do you think I should do?

Thank you so much for your support: financially but more importantly emotionally. I feel very lucky to have such a supportive base. I plan to take tons of pictures to send home and I hope I'll have some wonderful stories to post on here so you can see that all that time, money and effort was really worth it!

I'll update more as it comes time to leave, and of course, I'll be updating regularly on board.

Lots of love,

Elisabeth