TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Mississippi State University sophomore and 2010 Tupelo High School graduate Ross Waycaster recently spent time with a class at Tupelo High talking about what he calls an opportunity of a lifetime.
Ross is currently on a cruise ship to take part in what's called "Semester at Sea."
Waycaster said, "I'll be gone for 105 days. I'll be going to 12 different countries around the world on a cruise ship."
Ross learned about the opportunity through his school's web site.
While there will be plenty of time for sightseeing on the trip, school work will also keep him and the hundreds of other students from around the country busy.
Waycaster said, "While we're on the boat, I'll be taking classes. I'm taking a 12 hour credit. Once you get to the different ports, you're free to do whatever you want. So, you can go exploring and check out different things. They have a media center and library on the boat and that's where I'll be working. They have internet access, so I'll be helping a lot with computers and that sort of thing."
His semester at sea will literally take him around the world to places like South Africa, Japan, Brazil, and even a stop in Hawaii.
Waycaster said, "I'm going to experience all the different cultures and gain a global perspective."
His family and friends will be able to keep in touch.
Waycaster said, "I'll have contact with them. You know, text messaging, a few phone calls and Facebook. I'll also have a blog. So I'll be communicating with my friends and family that way."
And no doubt this young man will have plenty to share during the trip and after he returns home.
