Hi world (and fellow sailors)!
So it’s finally happening – I found some time to set up my blog. Now, complaint time: two years ago I created a special blog at wordpress.com, just waiting for the occasion to get started. Unfortunately, because of some technical issues I wasn’t able to manage it anymore. Turned out that some providers in Mother Russia just blocked full access to wordpress. Stupid providers, as if I can’t hack through it. So for a long time it was dead empty. Now why test? Because during my upcoming trip I won’t have good Internet access at all. The only properly working thing will be my email, which I linked to the blog and am now testing its performance. My cat isn’t happy about it, as I’m not paying attention to him. He meows like a chainsaw and jumps around, trying to attract my attention by all possible means. I’m terrible.
In a week I’m leaving for Bulgaria – two weeks on my own (damn, even hard to believe in such divinity). Two weeks to sort everything out, to make decisions, to plan plans, and to finish what has to be finished. Because on August 18th I’m leaving for London. And on August 24 the MV Explorer, a 7-storey ship, debarks from the port of Southampton. The journey – 4 months, 4 continents, 15 countries (although we’re pirates, you know, maybe we can do more) – will take us around the Atlantic Ocean aboard a floating university. Semester At Sea (semesteratsea.org), sponsored by the University of Virginia, is a study abroad program open to the students from all around the world. I was lucky enough to win a presidential scholarship, so basically this trip is free for me (although, counting all the money I’ve spent on the visas, plane tickets, etc – but I’m not the one who has a right to complain).
As my scholarship project, I’ll be shooting a documentary while at sea (and in ports), but tchh! I still have to finalize the action plan, and then I’ll gladly tell you more. No matter what, I have a feeling that this trip will be crazy, and I’m glad I’ll have some time to relax (at least visibly) beforehand. Besides, upon completing the SAS credits, I’ll have to go back to my school and pass ALL the exams for the fall term there (usually about 10-15 of them). Which really sucks, as it’s my final fifth year at school and we don’t study in spring, just write our thesis. Besides, if I wanna get into some Masters program, I’ll have to pass IETLS/TOEFL and GRE somewhere in between the ports, with little preparation. But – it’s still an adventure… A BIG adventure! Yay. Finally.
“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone”.
“I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
(c) The Hobbit
LovingStranger 