Dear Prospective Cal Poly Cadet,

So you are interested in spending a quarter abroad on the Training Ship Golden Bear. Congratulations on your willingness to consider an adventure of a lifetime. My quarter at sea was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had and I would encourage anyone with a positive attitude and a sense of enthusiasm to take advantage of this valuable opportunity.

Looking back on my two months aboard the Golden Bear, it is hard to put into words the unbelievable experiences that I had. I snorkeled in Hawaii, went cave exploring in Guam, road a jet boat through trenches at Yap, mastered the subway system in Hong Kong, ate sushi on the floor in Japan, saw the most beautiful beach in the world on Midway Island, and had many other incredible adventures. Life on the ship between ports was also no exception. During my time on the Golden Bear I had the opportunity to steer the ship, watch dolphins play at the bow, watch a beautiful sunset every night, and incorporate ship lingo into my vocabulary - words like muster, bulkhead, overhead, starboard, aft, helo deck, etc. Don't worry, you'll learn. And of course there are the amazing friendships that I made with both cadets from Cal Poly and CMA. While on the Golden Bear there is a lot of "down-time" in which you and your friends find interesting and memorable ways of entertaining yourselves. Be sure to bring a couple of decks of cards and many new games.

Before you decide to embark on a new adventure and experience life at sea you must consider if you are the right type of person to go on this sort of study abroad program. The 500 feet of this ship gets very small after a while, the quarters can get cramped, there are things expected from you that are required and mandatory, and two months can be a long time with very little contact with anyone besides the 200 people you are constantly surrounded by. It definitely isn't the cushiest abroad program offered to you. But if you can go on that ship ready to face anything, not let the little things get to you, and keep a positive attitude, you will soon realize that the good things strongly outnumber the bad. It all comes with the risk of stepping outside of your normal everyday life and trying something new.

The memories I have from my time on the T.S. Golden Bear will stay with me forever, and I wouldn't give them up for anything. Good luck on your journey, and I hope you find what you are looking for.