After 112 days of sailing, I'm now on firm ground with my bulldog, Alyce, beside me. I'd like to think she knew I was gone nearly 4 months, but it's probably more likely that she thinks I just went to the store. The welcome home from friends, family, and co-workers has been much more sincere.
After the stop in Hawaii and a week of exams, we had almost 3 days to unwind in Costa Rica, our last official port. There isn't a lot of positive press on Puntarenas, where we were docked, but sometimes having no expectations is best. Although the beaches within 3 hours of our port were all black sand beaches, they were cleaner than I expected, and the view from the ship was gorgeous. Plus, the town was quaint and offered some excellent local food. Most of the shipboard community took off for surfing beaches and rain forests all over Costa Rica, so the 75 of us who stayed behind felt like we had the place to ourselves.
After leaving Costa Rica, we spent almost an entire day going through the Panama Canal (complete with commentary throughout the day from our resident science prof), gathered for our formal Ambassador's Ball, and crammed in library cleanup, packing, and saying our goodbyes over the remaining three days. We rolled into Miami before 8 a.m. on Dec. 14, greeted by screaming parents and families meeting the ship. While this was the moment many of us had been longing for, it also became very real that what had now become comfortable and familiar was coming to an end.
I don't think I realized what I had done until I heard someone at work this week tell another person, "Cathy just came back from sailing around the world." But then I recalled picking up the students in the Bahamas and those first ports of Brazil and Namibia, and it started to sink in. I won't even try to express how it's affected me or what it all means, but will leave you with a thank you for following me along the way. And thanks to all who kept in touch by e-mail. And to Bruce for the songs.
Pictures: Dusk at Puntarenas Beach in Costa Rica; Molly and me with our 5 students, saying farewell in the library; me with students Michaela and Lauren at the Ambassadors Ball; my shipboard sanctuary "Myrtia," #4093.
