Ship me baby one more time

After some emailing and negotiating, I was offered a contract today on another ship in the same company I'm working for now. The ship starts with a trip from Canada to LA and then spends 15 days going from LA around mexico to Ft. Lauderdale. After that, it's a couple of itineraries fairly similar to what I'm on now, including panama, Colombia, adding Acapulco and Nicaragua.

I'll be gone for 7 weeks from Sept. 18-Nov. 5. The great part about this is that I'll be home for all but 5 days of my "favorite" time of year between Oct 31 and Jan 1. Also, it'll be good because I will be able to pay rent!

Although I wouldn't want to go out for longer, 7 weeks is a somewhat frustrating length of time because it's not long enough to cancel my cable, sublet my apartment, cancel car insurance, etc. So, basically, I'll have similar bills as if I were still living there...minus the living there. Does anyone want to sublet an apartment for 7 weeks in Cincinnati? I'll give you a real good deal....

Another positive to this is that it gives me extra incentive for my next learning goal. Ever since I've been doing ships, the language I find myself most wishing I would know is Spanish. Now that I'll be spending 7 weeks in all Spanish-speaking countries, my plan to learn Spanish has increased purpose.

The trombone player on my ship has Rosetta Stone software for Spanish that he can give me. So, I have about 5 months to learn Spanish! I don't need to be able to discuss the advantages of a 2 party system or anything, just the basics. For any of you who read my original blog, I may finally know how to say "don't shoot, I voted for Barack Obama" in Spanish!