Hi Everyone - Just a super quick update...we are out to sea! I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to update the blog maps when we're at sea so I just guessed a location en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico. I can check the charts for our latitude and longitude but it doesn't exactly correspond to the little google map they provide.... we'll do the best we can!

Yesterday was pretty crazy, boarding 700 students and a ridiculous amount of baggage on to the ship between 8:00am and 1:00pm. We finally got everyone on and said goodbye to parents and family, had our mandatory lifeboat drill, and then got underway at 1700, right on time.

I enjoy the gentle motion of the ship but many are not so fortunate and several people were not feeling so well last night. The students are all over and trying to settle in and figure out their place in our newly formed shipboard community. I hope that everyone settles in to the rhythem of the voyage sooner than later.

As a side note, I just found out that a friend who sails as an officer on board the Celebrity Galaxy ship is going to be in Puerto Rico at approximately the same time we are. It would be neat if we could meet up. It's always nice to see old friends.

Thank you all for your continued messages of support and encouragement. It truly means alot to me and I love to hear from you.

In the words of Christreena....May the seas be fair, and the skies be blue!