On January 5, 2023 I set sail on the World Odyssey on a semester abroad program called “Semester at Sea” and this journey changed me for the better. When I started this journey I did not really know what to expect or what I wanted to accomplish. I knew coming in that I had some classes that I would take and that I would get to see places that I would not go to if it was not for this program. But it was not just the places, but also the events and people that helped me push out of my comfort zone that really changed my life.
During my semester at sea, I went to Dubai, India, Kenya, Jordan, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Germany, and even got to travel across the equator and through the Suez Canal at the age of 21. Because this was the first time I was able to travel on my own, each country helped me grow in different ways.
Dubai prepared me for what was to come and learned how to adapt to a different culture.
India taught me that I can handle anything that comes my way. I say that because visiting India was a major culture shock for me. People tell you about India but until you experience it is hard to explain.
Kenya made me want to be connected to my African roots. Before I visited Kenya I was comfortable not knowing what part of Africa my ancestors are from, but now I do.
Jordan taught me how to save money because studying abroad is not cheap so finding ways to save money is key.
Cyprus was the first country where I traveled alone, it made me reflect on what I have done so far and that needing time away from the crowd is ok.
Greece was an amazing experience. It made me fall in love with a lot of different things and realize that we have only scratched the surface of Greek culture and history.
Besides the fact that going to Croatia made me rewatch all of Game of Thrones, Croatia in my own opinion has one of the best National Parks in the world, and that we need to cherish nature and not destroy it.
Spain was one of my favorite places because I got to go back to my childhood and live my Cheetah girl dream by strutting down those streets while listening to “Strut”.
In Morocco I got to ride a camel through the Sahara Desert. I also tried to experience and learned to be more culturally sensitive because I was there during Ramadan and I did not want to be seen as inconsiderate.
The last full port we visited during our Semester at Sea was Portugal. This country made me refall in love with reading, and taught me the importance of taking in the present rather than focusing on the past and future because if I am not in the present then I might be missing out on so many different things.
Before this journey my parents were worried about me because I was on the immature side and they did not want me to get in trouble in other countries with stricter and different laws than what I’m used to. Also, because Semester at Sea is considered a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) I reminded myself I might be treated differently because of my skin color. On this trip, there were only around 14 black people on the ship that included students, life long learners, and staff from all different walks of life. The black community on the ship helped me find my blackness and accept it. At first I did not know I needed this, but I learned to step out of my comfort zone – which was very hard. If someone would have told me I would be hosting open mic night, a paint and sip night, and not only hosting but also performing in the ship wide talent show, I would have called everyone crazy. But looking back on my Semester at Sea experience, I realize it helped me believe in myself and quit the doubt in my head.
If you are hesitant to go abroad or you only want to go abroad because you want to see the world, Semester At Sea might be for you. This program is not just about the countries you see but the self discovery that you might not see yourself but the people around you will see.