Aloha Amsterdam!

I left for a quick juant to Amsterdam last week Monday. Swept up in a romantic bliss point sailing on Europa from Antartic to tropical waters, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to reunite with my shipmates (never thought I'd use that word again) and welcome Europa home.

Jenny, and Europa in the distance.

Going through the lock.

To be honest, the trip to Amsterdam was a mixed bag of emotions. On the one hand, in the haven of our sweet Airbnb flat, Rachel, Jenny and I laughed, conversed and grew our friendship. I reveled in the excitement that comes with bringing a ship home, and Jenny and my impromptu dance party brought cheers and smiles from the ship as they went through the lock in Ijmuiden. On the other hand, I was made aware of intense drama surrounding one of my close friends from the ship after I left on Ascension Island. Sadly, this served to shake my character of trusting all people. Or maybe it showed me that my snap perception of certain people is usually too simplistic. In any case, I feel like I lost a friend who filled me with energy and adventure. 

Canal boat cruise with Europa friends. Copious amounts of wine was drunk (mostly by me).

When I reflect on the experience that I had on Europa, and the people I met, it makes me feel alive and grand. A ship is a mini cosmos. Personalities, stories, personal baggage, all swirl in this intensely close atmosphere. You must depend and trust in one another in order to keep the ship moving and hearts soaring. Why would you embark on months of time at sea if it weren't for some form of love? Love of the sea, of wild places, of the strangers you will meet who are seeking answers like yourself. The compressed timeline of existence, spending 24 hours a day in a confined space with other people, accelerated and deepened friendships. You share these wildly romantic experiences with each other: sunsets over the ocean, encountering impossible to believe wildlife, dancing under the stars on an open, rolling deck. My heart swells just thinking of the dreamlike atmosphere of pure joy. But, it can also induce restlessness and boredom if not tempered, which I believe was the downfall of my friend. 

In the two months I was onboard Europa, I became closer to myself and was able to make decisions for my life unencumbered and uninfluenced by anyone else. I feel a sense of circle made whole by seeing Europa come home. Meeting again friends who I was parted so dramatically when I was injured and taken from the ship on a hospital boat. I also realized (and I already knew this from my time in the Navy) that the sense of closeness established on adventures and travel doesn't always translate to real, deep closeness. Sometimes it does, and I have many lifelong friendships because of it. But, sometimes the sense of excitement and connectedness has an expiration date. It is no ones fault and it isn't necesseraily connected to superficiality. You can love someone in a moment of life, and not know them the next. It doesn't detract from the beauty of those moments of love. So, yes, in the end I am sad about my friend...but more so I am blessed that our friendship existed in such a state of happiness. 

Europa Adventure!

Aloha all! I have had the most beautiful, incredible journey these past two months aboard Bark Europa. From colonies of penguins and seal pups, to climbing a volcano on the most remote inhabited island, sailing from freezing to tropics, and laughing through endless days and starry nights with 35 new friends...it was truly an adventure.

As with all tales, it wasn't without its hiccups. I am currently recovering from a severe infection and abscess on my leg on Ascension Island. Originally I was to continue my travels on the 18th to Israel, but instead found myself laid up in the small six bed tropical hospital with an IV drip and a steady stream of visitors. As the last Europa sailor standing on the island, everyone has flown home or continued with the ship as I recuperate for the next few days on the veranda of the islands only hotel. 

Much, much more will follow on all that I have experienced on Europa, but here are a few pictures in the meantime:

Love to everyone!

Follow the Europa!

Aloha all!

To follow my adventures on tall ship Europa, sailing to Antarctica, South Georgia Island and onwards to Ascension Island please go to:

http://www.barkeuropa.com/follow-the-ship 

For the voyage logbook, where I will (hopefully) contribute posts, please go to:

http://www.barkeuropa.com/logbook

See you in two months!

Antarctica and Ann Arbor

As I sit here by the window in Andino Gormet cafe, in the self-proclaimed southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, I can't help but smile. No, not smile, try an over the moon, s*%t eating grin. So where do I begin? Did it all start at the beginning of this year of travel? Or was it before that, the years of life knocks and life elations? Or is it all just building, everything folding and mixing together into a clearer sense of "me" and what that really means. All I know, is I'm happy.

Hot off the press, I just found out after the whirlwind of applications and movings and shakings, I have been accepted to the University of Michigan's School of a Natural Resources and Environment! In a serendipitous stroke of timing, I submitted my application the week of SNRE's Faculty Admission Committee, and voila a decision was made. I am so grateful that I have this news to carry with me into my next adventure. I am still waiting to hear back from the Ross School of Business for the other half of my dual degree aspiration, but come August I will be pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Justice. Aloha future!

But for now, my next adventure is about to begin! I am embarking on tall ship Bark EUROPA today in this southern Argentinian city to sail to Antarctica, South Georgia Island and onwards across the Atlantic to Ascension Island! I will visit penguin colonies, trace Sir Ernest Shackleton's footsteps on the final leg of his adventure and visit the most remote civilization in the world: Tristan da Cunha. 

I promise to have much better pictures of the Europa in two months.

Unfortunately, I will have no access to Internet during the two months I am part of Europa's crew, but I will post links to the ship locator and logbook in a follow-on post. I will also keep my journal and post about the journey when I return to land.

I flew from Guatemala to Ushuaia over the course of 20 hours beginning on Sunday. The final 10 minutes of flight made the rest of the hours of boredom so worth it. Emerging from the clouds, we traced the  hump of the Andes, and found ourselves flying over the long Ushuaia channel. Mountains flowing into water. It was a bumpy ride, but breathtaking. A resounding applause went up when we landed.

Ushuaia nestled in the Andes.

After checking in to my hotel, I wandered the busy hub of streets, encountering countless outdoors stores hawking North Face, Patagonia, Colombia, Timberland and more to the adventure tourists who find themselves here. As a cruise town, there are also a fair share of fudge shops and romantic view restaurants. 

Europa is a bit of a bold undertaking. I don't know any of the other 59 permanent crew and "trainees" onboard, but I will be spending the next two months in close quarters, experiencing places of wild beauty and remote wonder. The ship, built in 1911 has 30 sails, no winches, and a rich history of wandering the world. Every morning I will watch the sunrise spread across the endless expanse, and every evening the sun dip behind a purple ocean. I will climb the masts, and "haul away!" Oh! Today, I step onboard and I am filled with images of starry nights, whales cresting, and the funny sort of waddle of emperor penguins. 

Our first Valentine's Day physically together!

And back to my heart thumping, cheek crunching grin. It really has everything to do with love. I am in love with Michael and am missing him fiercely, but also literally singing with excitement of our future at U of M and beyond. I love my courageous and creative family and my dynamic and dreamer friends. Perspective and the truth of simplicity. That's what traveling gives you. 

Aloha and love! See you in two months!