Hello 2010! Only 5 days until I embark on the greatest adventure of my life! In the midst of procrastinating in my planning, purchasing, packing, and panicking for this exciting semester that starts in only FIVE days, I decided to write about WHY I wanted to do this trip (and part of how I convinced my parents). But first, in the last week every person who I have mentioned to that I am doing SAS (including the dental hygienist, the guys working at Sports Authority and American Terrain) have known about what it is without my saying it. Up until now, pretty much everyone that I mention it to at home doesn't really know about it so it made me laugh a lot that so many people are all the sudden so aware that the program exists.
So back to WHY. The why, why, why Wisconsin's I have finally gotten used to with a solid answer down whenever anyone in-state asks me why the hell I chose Wisconsin coming from NY. And now it is why Semester at Sea, why not Spain, or Italy, or Prague, or some great European country?? Why would I, Ali Unger, want to go to Asia, Africa and South America on my semester abroad?? I started answering this question for the first time September 2008, as 15 of my family members and others sat around the dining room table the morning after my cousins bar mitzvah. I had recently discovered SAS, and after doing a TON of research on everything imaginable, I dove into to introducing the idea to my parents. I got many absolutely NOT, no ways, and are you out of your mind's? and now, about 16 months later, I am just days away from embarkation. Sadly, it is not just because I am GREAT at convincing people, but because others are better (such as the many that my mom discovered coming out of the woodwork that had done SAS in the past and RAVED about it.)
MY top 10 reasons:
Reason #1 I love ships
Reason #2 With the limited internet and television access, it will be a nice break from my media filled life in the US
Reason #3 It will open up a world (pun intended) of opportunities to seize post-graduation if and when I fall in love with some of these countries
Reason #4 I get to celebrate Passover, my all time favorite holiday, in Cape Town, South Africa (SO COOL)
Reason #5 I want to go to places that I will, most likely, never return to in my life
Reason #6 Even if I do return to these places when I am 40 or 50, I will have a completely different perspective, and most likely be not as interested in doing some of the things that I would like to do
Reason #7 If there is any time to learn, explore and discover different cultures and gain more insight into the world outside North America, its the perfect time, environment, and collection of countries that you can possibly get within this short period of time
Reason #8 What better way to support my education at Wisconsin (Child Development major) and aid my future career path than by visiting schools, orphanages, etc. and interacting with children from all around the world
Reason #9 I want to step out of my comfort zone
Finally, reason #10 I can. I found the program, fell in love, convinced my parents, and am incredibly lucky to have them supporting me on this journey. It's the biggest reason that I have because while I am anxious and nervous that this long-awaited voyage into the unknown is creeping up quickly, I know that I would regret not doing it for the rest of my life. So I am seizing the opportunity while I can, and hope to come out a better, different person on the other side.
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