"Sail Away from the Safe Harbor"

The title of this blog is a quote that I heard a few years ago. I cannot
remember who it is by, but will look it up when I am home (I want to say
it was Twain). At the time I heard it, I thought oh that's nice and
forgot it. It wasn't until this trip that it popped into my head and
actually meant something for me. Little miss anxiety and panic left home
for almost 3 months and explored the world. I left my comfort zone and
safety and had an adventure. I am actually pretty proud of myself for
doing this. A lot of students say they want to study abroad, but only 1%
of college students actually do it.

From the moment I left for the airport, I have been waiting for the
"this is really happening" feeling. I sort of compared it to the show
Say Yes to the Dress, when the bride finds her dress and has that
feeling and cries. Well throughout the trip I never got that surreal "I
am really doing this" moment. Yesterday I finished exploring 11
countries and 14 cities throughout Europe and Scandinavia. That is when
it hit me. I got the feeling at the very end of my last port. Although I
am still on the boat for 5 days, it hit me after Poland. Instead of what
I thought I would feel at the beginning, I got an overwhelming "look
what I just did" moment.

This was a huge step for me and an experience I will never forget. I
learned a lot more about myself and that I can do a lot more than I
think. With everything that I did this summer, I am still excited to be
home on Thursday. See you soon Jersey!