Embarking on my Semester At Sea journey, we were presented with an extraordinary opportunity—to travel from Belgium to Thailand, passing through the Suez Canal and visiting 12 diverse countries along the way. However, the course of our adventure took an unexpected turn due to an unforeseen conflict in the Middle East. Originally set to enter the Suez Canal and explore destinations like Jordan, Dubai, and India, our plans faced a…
Embarking on Semester At Sea is like stepping into a dream for any college student. The sheer awesomeness of traveling the globe on a cruise ship, hitting up three continents and thirteen ports, transforms us into true global citizens. Living among 500 fellow students and 300 staff members creates an incredible sense of community. We’re not just studying abroad; we’re coexisting, learning, and exploring together. This unique experience turns us…
I embarked on the World Odyssey, a 700-person ship in Antwerp, Belgium, bidding farewell to land, service and the familiarity of daily life. Thus began my life at sea school, Semester At Sea. In an unconventional classroom setting, we find ourselves aboard a cruise ship where lounging by the pool between classes is the norm, and running on the treadmills offered breathtaking ocean views instead of Sterling Center walls. Semester…
My favorite food abroad was during our food tour in Athens, Greece. We were a little unsure about how it would go at the start since we had an early wake up time and weren’t sure what to expect. Our tour guide, Georgia, was so energetic and happy and truly made the experience one to remember. The first stop was to try the Greek koulouri, which is bread with sesame…
I sit on a train bound for Paris as I write this blog post and reflect on my semester abroad. Studying abroad is the best thing I could have done for myself in college. I was able to learn so much outside of the traditional classroom setting and experience much more of the world than I had before. I was able to see the applications of theories and knowledge we…
My favorite day abroad was during our last port in Lisbon, Portugal. It was a mixture of adventurous, historical, and cultural, but my favorite part was getting to spend this day with 10 of my best friends. Our day began early in the morning, as we were all stressed out to find an Uber to drive us an hour and a half outside of Lisbon, as we had reservations to…
For this post, I want to explain why I chose Semester at Sea. The reason is very simple: the shipboard community and experiences while on the ship. Semester at Sea is a unique study abroad program because you travel to several countries instead of one, but perhaps rarer is a strong community and tight-knit friend groups. Three months in as I am writing this post in a café in Copenhagen,…
Hi! My name is Ana Koulianos and I’m embarking on the spring 2022 voyage of Semester at Sea. This voyage we’re exploring the Mediterranean, visiting 12 different countries over the course of 4 months. Travelling on a ship during the pandemic has been tough and our voyage has been ever changing. In June 2021, our voyage was changed from visiting 4 different continents to just Europe and Morocco. But a…
One historical site I was fortunate to visit was the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, which has been on my list of sites to see for a very long time due to my childhood love of Greek mythology. The Parthenon and the rest of the builds of the Acropolis were more amazing and awe-inspiring than I could have imagined. I felt miniscule in comparison to the looming marble ruins (In Greece,…
Hi, my name is Melanie Fischer and I am a junior marine biology major studying abroad through Semester at Sea. I chose Semester at Sea because it gave me the best chance to travel and see the most differing cultures in the span of a semester. The unique learning experience and onboard community also drew me in. As for goals I set for my time abroad, I want to experience…
