DAY 1

Hello all! Thanks for tuning and reading this. For the next few months this will be a main form of communication from me so check in every now and then if you’re interested in how my trip is going. I will try and post here as much as I can and I will also post a few photos after each country.
After a pleasant visit with some family in Oklahoma, I’m now in San Diego, CA waiting to set sail tomorrow out of Ensenada, Mexico bound for Honolulu, Hawaii. All the students are meeting in San Diego then are getting bussed down to Mexico. I’m not sure why that is but either way I’ll soon be aboard the glorious MV Explorer heading off to sea. My trip has already begun because this is the first time I’ve been to California so it’s already a new experience. I’m beyond excited but also a little nervous and a little jittery but I’m sure that will fizzle away once I get settled in. Not quite sure how my sea legs are going to do in the beginning so my first friend might be my bathroom toilet? Yikes.
Anyway, once I leave Hawaii my contact with the states will be pretty limited so I apologize if I’m incognito for the next few months. I will try my best to keep in touch. Just in case you were wondering, my list of countries is as follows (in order):
- Hilo/ Honolulu, HI
- Yokohama/ Kobe, Japan
- Shanghai, Hong Kong, China
- Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Chennai/ Cochin, India
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Tema (Accra), Ghana
- Salvador, Brazil
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I’m prepared for an incredible trip and a life changing experience. I have no idea what to expect but that’s half the excitement for me. The next 110 days are going to be remarkable and I will try my best to share it with you all.
I’ll be arriving in Fort Lauderdale on May 5th so for those of you who I will not talk to till then, be safe and take care!

Best,
Chris