I would do it again in a heartbeat

As with any study abroad program, there are amazing things about Semester at Sea along with drawbacks that are typical of a voyage of this nature: spend 110 days sailing around the world on a ship with 800 other people, hitting 11-13 countries along the way. The number of countries is a little vague here because unpredictable stuff happens. I sailed on the Spring 2011 voyage and we were supposed to go to Japan, but after the disasters happened in March, we went to Taiwan instead. We also made an emergency stop once or twice on some random islands because of a breakout illness on the ship. The ship is often tossed about by storms and we lost our first day in South Africa because the winds around the cape were so strong. But that is part of the adventure and unpredictability of Semester at Sea, and all of the disadvantages don't outweigh the enormity of this experience. If I had chosen to study abroad in Europe, I might have done the typical thing: fly around the continent on the weekends, see great architecture, party, meet some cute European boys. Instead, I visited 12 countries in all four corners of the world. I snorkeled in the Champagne Reef while visiting the island of Dominica, searched for caimans in the dark through the reeds of the Amazon River, stayed with a Ghanaian family in a remote village, slept on the Great Wall of China, took a 12-hour train ride across India in a 4th-class car, rode a camel through the Thar Desert at sunset, explored the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia riding the backs of motorcycles, trekked mountains alone in Taiwan, and saw what looked like the end of the world while standing in a cloud on Table Mountain in South Africa. These are just a few of the many things I was able to do with Semester at Sea. Yes, it's pricy, but ultimately it's worth it. You will get your bad eggs on the voyage, usually a large group of half-wits who just like to get drunk in every country, but you shouldn't let that group of people dampen the amazing possibilities presented to you on this trip. There is no other study abroad program quite like it. And no, I am not a social media representative for SAS, I actually enjoyed it this much. I'm so glad I chose Semester at Sea for my study abroad venture, it was literally a once-in-a-lifetime experience, unless I get to do it again. Which I would, in a heartbeat.