Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Voyage opportunity

I've always been told the same thing. It has to get worse before it gets better. You have to touch the bottom to push yourself up.  Things will get get better.

During a "low" period of your life, it is hard to envision that. I had been through what had seemed like a year of unfair treatment and bad luck, when in hindsight, it was a year of self-learning.   I had broken up with my long-term boyfriend that was perfect on paper and loved by all simply because I knew in my heart it wasn't what I needed.  The hardest thing I had ever had to do was breakup with a boy when there was nothing at all wrong. I knew that throughout the past 3 years with this boy, we had grown into different people, and I wanted time to myself to fully allow myself to develop into the person I was becoming.

So I ended it. I broke his heart, and the hearts of my family and his, and we went our seperate ways.

Regrowth is hard. Being on your own is hard, and being a single girl in her 20s is hard. None of it was as easy as I expected, and for the next two years I felt like I was constantly getting pushed down.  I made changes in my life, and slept with a slew of boys, made mistakes, and cried. A lot.

I decided I needed to get away, and in the most appropriate way, Semester at Sea made its way into my life. I applied and prepared to head around the world on a ship on January, 2012.

"Its always when you dont expect it"  is what people tell you when you complain about a lack of love in your life. It was hard for me to accept that, seeing as I was always looking for someone. I went from boy to boy in my first year being single. All of them ending in a less than desirable way.

It was in December I met him. At the time I was seeing someone.  I was headed to London Ontario to complete the rest of my Scuba Certification.  Why London? Its a question I still ask myself every day.  3 hours outside of town, and had I done my research I would have found a dives shop minutes from my house in Orillia.  I wasn't expecting to meet him. If I was, I would have shaved my legs and purchased waterproof mascara.  For me this was just another thing I want to check of my pre-voyage check-list.

He walked in and didn't introduce himself. He was tall, with dark hair shaved to his head and big blue eyes searching the room. I forget what it was that first made him smile, but when he did it lit up the room completely, revealing two of the largest dimples I've ever seen on someone.

It took him two days before he asked me on a date, and by then I was on my way back to Orillia, and needed to get back to the guy I was already seeing.  On christmas eve things with other guy ended, and by December 28th, I was making the long drive up to London to go on my first official date with the Scuba Boy.

He was my new years kiss, and my number one penpal as I traveled around the Globe.  I came back in May a completely new woman, and felt exactly like I was coming out of my Cocoon. I was a butterfly.

In 2012 I found the two loves of my life in the most unexpected place. Both on the water. I couldn't imagine being able to celebrate such an amazing year (and our one-year anniversary) back on the ship, and I really hope that this contest makes it possible.

Enrichment voyage, here I come!!

http://www.camelsandchocolate.com/2012/08/enrichment-voyages-cruise-giveaway/#comment-42420

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