Vancouver, B.C.

How on earth did I ever thought about going around the world, you might ask? It all started with my dear ex-boyfriend Jesse Fish, who is a world traveler and a motivator to me. He mentioned that I should travel abroad somewhere before I graduate and learn about the world a little. I was planning on going with him to Cape Town, South Africa but that did not go through so he told me about Semester at Sea and that intrigued me immensely and so I applied and got accepted.

I must say that when I got that package with the tape and the heavy booklet, I was so excited and wanted to jump for joy! The day came and my parents, my brother-in-law Michael Donahue, two sisters Ngoc, and Chi Linh drove me to Vancouver, B.C. to see me embark on a ship called the S.S. Universe Explorer. It was white, big, and filled with people I did not know at all. The time came and all of the students said farewell to their dearest family and friends.

The first week on the ship, I did not know a single person and on top of that I was so seasick life didn't seem to be going my way. I felt that if the rest of the trip was going to be that rocky, I was not sure how I would survive. Luckily, the Pacific Ocean calmed down a little and life seemed to move smoothly my way. I was voted as Ambassador Chair, which is the Chair for the Ambassador's Club whom are in charge of greeting diplomats from each country and also plan events for the Inter-Port Students. Soon, I met many wonderful people and became friends with them in the most natural way. We arrived in Kobe, Japan in two weeks.