PCV: Paid Caribbean Vacation

In about 59 hours, I will be on a plane headed for Cleveland that then goes to Fort Lauderdale that eventually will make it to Nassau, Bahamas! I began packing yesterday and thought that I might not have enough room to fit everythign that I needed nto the maximum 2 big bag limit. I started packing and shortly realized that this would be no big deal. Originally, I planned on bringing 2 big bags, a book bag, and a messenger bag for my laptop. I will still bring all this but think that if it were crucial, I could fit it all in one bag. Im actually going to be putting my bookbag in my big bag to keep from having to carry it on. Everyone online seems to be freaking out about how they do not have enough room, but here I am wondering why they need to bring so much. I think people are taking too many clothes, thats why I'm taking:

• 7 t-shirts
• 2 long sleeve shirts
• 1 sweatshirt
• 6 shorts
• 1 pair of jeans
• 2 pair of khakis
• 1 pair of mesh pants
• 2 pair of sweat pants
• 15 underwear
• 20 socks
• 1 dress shirt

This sounds like a lot but surprisingly it is not that much. The key to packing tight is rolling every single thing in your bag. I learned this from Jamie Peters and will never pack another way for the rest of my life. All my toiletries and other needed items are all travel size so they dont take up much space either. I will have plenty of space in my bags when I leave but this is for the pure reason of having space to put newly acquired things while I travel.

This weeekend is a lot of lasts for me. It will be the last time I will be on American soil for over 3 months. Some would get scared by this but I am overjoyed in the thought that I will be away for that long, not to mention the types of experiences I am about to have. I have been reading past SAS blogs and that only gets me more excited. As time goes by, I am starting to realize that this is going to be a journey that will change me forever and I have crossed the line and can not go back. I can feel that college has been one of the most beneficial experiences for me thus far and this Semester at Sea will only be the climax of the entire package.

People are officially tired of hearing about SAS and for that reason, I truly do believe that it is time to go. My neice, Hailie, doesnt seem to understand that Im not just going back to Colorado for awhile and that she will not be able to call me every Sunday like usual. Last night was the last time that she slept with me in I dont know long. She may get older and not think its cool to cuddle with her uncle Kevin anymore but either way its fun to watch her grow even though everytime I come back I know that I have missed out on so much. But as she grows, so do I. She goes to kindergarten and I go around the world. Very different but very similar all in the same. Everyone of us will go through different experiences in our lives and its up to us to see how much it will affect each of us. I cant wait to find out what things on my voyage that I will want to remember forever, the things that I will have wished I didnt see, and the things that I know will absolutely humble me and put everything into persective. It's All Happening and the only way to live the experience with me is to read this blog.

Recently, I was told that I may get parts of my blog printed in The Rocky Mountain Collegian Newspaper at Colorado State University so I am super excited about that because hopefully more people will go abroad and see the world based on my experiences and what I write. Its a lot of pressure but all I have to do is take everything in and let anyone reading know what Im seeing and experiencing. I wont get pictures in the paper, so words will have to suffice. I have been waiting to leave for over 10 months! As the months shifrt to weeks, the weeks to days, and the days to hours, I know I am ready. Im am about to take over the world. I am packed, I am ready. Here we go.