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Alright, the cat's out of the bag and the one-way tickets are booked. Next stop: Palau! Pa-what? Unless you are a serious dive enthusiast or a World War II veteran, chances are you might not have heard of this tiny island nation, and for good reason. Palau is 1000 miles east of the Philippines, 1300 miles southwest of Guam, and 1900 miles north of Papua New Guinea. Whoa! It's a little intimidating to think of spending a significant amount of time away from any large mass of land, but at the same time it is perfectly fitting. I love the ocean,

I've been afraid to jinx it by saying it was actually happening until now, but with only ten days to go, I guess I can finally shout out that I'm leaving for THAILAND! Despite the odds and numerous obstacles, from bank-draining student loan bills, to getting cheated out of a considerable security deposit refund, I've found a way (with the generous help of my wonderful family and friends) to do the thing I swore I'd do when I left Honduras: go to Thailand. The original plan was to move there and find a job, but given my current financial state, I've

I was about to say I'm leaving in two days but golly jeepers, I'm leaving tomorrow night! I've become a pro at this whole packing thing. I literally threw my scuba gear, cameras, and a few sets of clothes in a backpack and called it good. I remember the days of stressing for weeks over what to pack but no matter how many times I dump out my backpack with the intention of doing the job properly, I can't think of a good reason to bring anything more. Remember that detailed, extended packing list I posted before Semester at Sea?

This may be one of my greatest decisions to date! Most people go to grad school or search for a real-person job after graduating college. Granted, both of these things will likely have to happen at some point in my life but why the rush? All I've ever wanted is to live a life of adventure. Real life can wait. So after I've walked in my cap and gown and received my diploma in a few weeks, I'm hopping on a plane and leaving the country for Honduras. I landed a divemaster internship on a little island off the coast