Packing!

I've started packing for this amazing trip... I'm so excited about it. My huge duffel bag arrived yesterday and I was determined to get started ASAP. So, I did!

I've still got plenty of things I need to buy for this trip... nothing too major, though, so that's good.

By the way, I took out a loan the other day... I dread having to pay it back; I wish that I could have avoided debt much later in my life, but it will be worth it!!!

I'm starting to feel more positively about leaving my friends behind... I have faith that they will welcome me back genuinely, and that they won't forget about me. And, if they don't, then I have to remind myself that I'd rather not be friends with people like that anyway!

I've been reading some SAS alumni's blogs and I think that I have a lot to look forward to... and I don't think I need to be so nervous about making new friends. I have to have faith in myself as well; I am getting over that sinking feeling I had been experiencing a while ago that no one would like me and I'd be completely miserable and would just want to come home. I think that we don't have a choice (those of us on the ship, that is) about making friends... it will just happen and surely no one will be left without at least one person with whom one could have friendly relations because we're just one big family, as we cannot simply escape from each other like we would be able to do in any other normal situation.

Wow. So, basically, I'm not feeling scared anymore. I felt fine about it until a week ago, got scared, but now I feel fine about it again.

I have a good feeling that this trip will go by well-- should anything happen it'll pull through in everyone's favor, so I'm not worried about missing flights or whatever. If things like that didn't happen people would never learn; and besides, being in total control of one's life isn't possible anyway. Seize the day!!!

Love,

Michelle