April 1507: I, Garcia Hernandez of Palos, am writing a diary to document the events that occur while I go on this adventure. I am 20 years of age and I do not have a husband and children. I am writing these entries in case if something bad is to happen to me. I am not going to be writing in this diary every day. I will only be writing the days that I think are important and interesting. I am going on this voyage because exploration ensures fame and fortune to those who succeed. The monarch of my country helps sponsor the journeys of exploration. I am going on this journey because I and the others are promised great fortune and wealth! I am also pregnant, and I want to raise my child in the New World. Everyone keeps telling me this is a suicide mission, I hope they are not right. We have not been paid nor promised anything, we are all going voluntarily. May 1507: We finally got on the ship,The Victoria, it is very large. There are 250 people aboard, I along with the other women are mainly on the ship to cook and to clean. They have provided surplus food supply on the ship, enough for four months, they said that would be sufficient enough for our expedition to the New World. There is not a place to cleanse yourself so the stench of the ship is horrid. We have closely bound bunks and some people have several to a bed. July 1507: The storms lately have been awful. Last night I woke up to the loudest crash, it was thunder and lightening. The waves must of been at least ten feet. No one could hardly sleep it was so bad. I was scared for my life as well as the others. I am starting to get cabin fever and I miss my family and friends back home. I starting to regret my decision of attending. We have been on this ship for three months now, and people are starting to get frustrated with each other. We have only got to converse with each other, no one else. More than half of the people that came on this voyage left their old lives knowing they