Will Driskill
Semester at Sea
Fall 2019
It has been a little over a month now since I started my journey with Semester at Sea. It is hard to believe that I have already been to five countries in Europe and am now headed to the second continent with this voyage, Africa. Starting in Amsterdam a little over a month ago, I had no idea what to expect. I have never really done solo travel, let alone traveled to five completely different countries in such a short amount of time. Looking back now, it is amazing how much I have learned not only through school but also from visiting each place. Each country I have been too is completely different when it comes to food, culture, and experiences.
Croatia has by far been my favorite place, with Amsterdam coming in a close second, and Spain not far behind that. What makes Croatia so cool is not just the insane beaches but also all the amazing natural wonders you can find off the beaten path. One of the most memorable experiences I had in Croatia was when some friends and I did a day trip to a national park. What we thought would only be a big hike, turned into two nights of camping and exploring this amazing island. It was pretty tough because we did not have proper camping gear or clothes. But at the same time, we got to see some of the most beautiful waterfalls and hike some amazing trails that a lot of tourist miss out on. My favorite part of this adventure was jumping off a waterfall into a natural pool that then, if you kept swimming went down to a underwater cave where the natural spring was sourced from. Living off the grid for a few days was definitely tough, but it was an experience that I will never forget! Croatia also had some of the best Pastries I have ever tasted. They are most famous for one called a Burek, which is croissant filled with whatever you want from a savory cheese to a chocolate filling. I probably ate about three of these a day! I do have to say that I have tried a Mojito in about every country I have visited, and Spain definitely comes out on top. Spain also came out on top when it came to some of the coolest clubs I have ever been. My favorite was in Lagos Spain. This was a club that was built into a cave on the side of the ocean. You could go for drinks or food then if you go deeper into the cave you would eventually find a underwater pool where you could swim through and come out on the other side to another bar. Definitely an experience I will never forget.
I have made tons of friends on this journey and have had many experiences already that I would not trade for anything. I was honestly a little nervous starting this journey because I knew absolutely nobody. But that has also opened up many doors and made this such an amazing experience so far. Ship life is definitely hard to get used to as well and seasickness is real, no matter how big the ship is!! I know Morocco will bring a completely different view on traveling compared to Europe, but I am excited for next place.