Location: Underway to Mauritius

Today is November 1st. Can’t believe we’re in November already! It’s crazy how fast time goes on this boat. They say time flies when you’re having fun, and I’d say that’s pretty accurate. I can still remember when everything was on a map, and I was looking at it with my parents, imagining all the adventures. Right now, we’re in the middle of it, living an experience that we will never forget. Currently, we’re on our longest passage from Cocos Keeling to Mauritius. To be honest, I was a little nervous about this one. I thought after two weeks in passage, we would all end up hating each other. It has been the exact opposite. We’ve all gotten to know each other a lot better, and we’ve all become a lot more comfortable in this environment. We’re also more used to the night, day watches, and all the ones in between. The watches have been one of my favorite parts, and I think pretty much everyone relates. We’re just playing jams, eating ramen, drinking coffee/tea, talking, and looking at the stars. There’s pretty much 0 light pollution, so the sky is covered in them. We’ve also been using them as directional points to guide us through the open water. Yesterday, Halloween was a blast, and we had our first OFFICIAL dance party. It was pretty epic to be dancing out here, jumping around but at the same time making sure we didn’t fall to the constant swaying of the boat. Today, I had what we would all agree to be the best watchthe 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. There’s nothing better than looking at the sunrise while the moon is still out and you’re eating your chicken ramen. Then, I had a great conversation about spirituality with a friend, read my book, and took a nap before lunch. Somehow, this is normal out here. After taking a fantastic nap (which is also a common occurrence on this boat), we went on with the day’s activities. We had lunch prepared by today’s chef, Professor David. It was a quinoa bowl with sundried tomatoes, olives, artichokes, and feta. It was solid. Then we had Seamanship and Marine Bio. At this point, we’re all in the groove of our daily job and the “routine” of the boat. After today’s BBQ chicken, we ended the day with a classic appreciation, and the question of the day was to name your earliest memory in the ocean. I think every single one had to do with our family, specifically our parents. On behalf of everyone on this boat, THANK YOU, parents, for introducing us to one of the greatest gifts one could ask for in this life. Without you guys, none of this would be possible. Gracias Pa! Te quiero y te extrano! Thanks, Ma. I love you and miss you!