Mauritius- French for Reflections

We only spent 12 hours on the island of Mauritius and I think rather than blog about my ‘Spring Break in February,’ I thought I’d take the time to write about all the changes I’m experiencing.

Semester At Sea is often described as a big party, people call it kindergarten at sea or a cruise but they always say it will change your life. It will change everything you know and even yourself. We are only a month and a half deep and I can already feel my life alternating.

I used to pass on lot of opportunities; I’m very good at making excuses even if it’s something I kind of want to do. I often say I’m too tired, too busy with school or that I have something better to do with my time. But as I travel the world, I am clearly seeing the possibilities are beyond endless. We find ourselves saying “you’re only in Namibia once!” or “When in South Africa…” or other clichés that serve as excuses to do something. But why don’t those apply in my normal life back on land? Why do I constantly feel like I’ll always have another chance to try something when the opportunity is knocking?

Boulder used to feel far away from home. I thought I had made a big jump by going out of state to college; I was becoming an individual and really independent. But I could still call home anytime I wanted and if anything ever happened, there were hundreds of people to help or assist me. Now, being currently 13.5 hours (yes we moved ½ of an hour during a time change…) I have never felt more independent and free in my life. Sometime it’s scary; sometimes I want nothing more than to call my parents, siblings, family and friends and just hear their voices. I want to tell them everything that is going on in my life- but I can’t. One of my New Year resolutions was to grow more by myself- not to call Keeley every time my world crashed or my dad every time I hit a bump in the road. Fortunately there haven’t been any crises but in a weak moment or strong, I can’t rely on anyone but myself and the passengers of the MV Explorer. I finally feel like a big girl and that maybe, just maybe I’m becoming a real adult.

We had the Sea Olympics yesterday- each deck is divided into 10 seas and we had an all day competition of relays, races, games and tournaments. I’m in the Red Sea- we were decked out in our color, chanted our home made cheers and even wore war paint during opening ceremonies. Each sea played hard and worked a team- I’ve never seen so much spirit, energy, passion and fun- and that’s saying a lot since I’m in the Greek System at school. Somehow I signed up for the synchronized swimming team- I don’t even know how to swim. I taught myself in our Bakersfield backyard and I’m beyond nervous to become lifeguard certified this summer. But I did it- I even helped choreograph our routine and in the final competition of the day, I danced, swam and cheered (and in a bathing suit) for my team. We won 3rd place and that score brought us to win 2nd place in the Sea Olympics. Of course I was scared and nervous but I didn’t let that stop me. I just did it and I will remember that, my team and the courage I found for the rest of my life. It was one of those “why not?” moments- I didn’t let my other friends, who were too scared/embarrassed to stand out, hold me back.

That’s been another big growing step- I came abroad knowing over 20 students from CU and with some of my closest friends. I’ve become closer to them but I’ve also branched out and taken different paths. I’ve taken chances in meeting new people and even finding a boy that is completely different from anyone I’ve ever been interested in. He inspires me to be adventurous and to not hold back, to just be myself and live spontaneously. It’s nice to find someone who proves the rest wrong.

As Keeley knows, I used to think the world was flat. Beyond America, I thought everywhere was so foreign and different. I thought the grass was a different shade of green, the language used obscure syntax, and that the people moved on their own biological clock. How naïve. I’m really starting to see that essentially we are all the same and I mean that in a good way. I love seeing how we are all just humans living here on Earth but have created and adapted to our own ways of living. It’s amazing that you cross an ocean and you’re expected to be in a new world but really it’s just a different style of living. We come into ports and leave- we just get our feet wet and a small taste of what life is like on land. This is cheesy to say but really it makes me wonder why we just can’t all live peacefully? Rather than looking at the differences as something negative or as one being more advantageous why can’t we see that really we are all same? I really can’t describe it and there are no words that give this realization enough credit.

These epiphanies are occurring rapidly. I find them stargazing at night, having conversations with locals, meeting students from all America who saw something special in the SAS program, and in the few quiet moments I have with myself. They may seem small and minimal but they are changing me in more ways than I ever imagined. I can’t remember a time in my life where my feet have been so free- a time where my soul is so open to everything and anything, where I can do so many things and not have to worry, where I can take care of myself and where I can just truly be me.

I was always told Semester At Sea would change me. I already feel like I’ve made life changing transformations and I’m anxious to keep learning, to keep traveling, and to keep smiling as I continue this once in a lifetime journey.