.....It's meeeeeeeee!! (said in the "How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days voice)
I hope people are still following my blog even though I have been a HORRIBLE writer ever since I left for sea. However, today I am here to update you all on what has been going on! I am at home for a bit and I fly back out to JAX on January 6th to hit the open ocean once again. I am very lucky and grateful that I am able to spend the holidays with my family. My mom is especially happy with that, that's for sure!
My experience on the ship was ... well ... different! Before I accepted the position, I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people who were currently working on a ship or who had worked on a ship. I heard some positive things and some negative things but when in to the job with an open mind because things are different for everyone, and people experience things differently than the next person. My first day was a very long day. My flight left Buffalo at 6:30am and I didn't get to the ship in JAX until roughly 2:30pm and then it was right into things. Luckily, my room mate was someone who I knew from the interviews we had in Toronto. I definitely had a lot of "omg what did I get myself into" moments. Between having to know the layout of the ship, how to get around, dealing with being on a ship for the first time and then having all the job things on top of that! I understand why they say give it a good month and a half!
After a while I started to get the hang of some things, but then again everything does start to look the same on a ship. There were a few rough days for me where I couldn't handle the rockiness of the boat, but you eventually get used to it and I felt like I was starting to. However, when trying to sleep, the rockiness is actually kind of calming and helped me sleep. Speaking of calming, being outside at night listening to the water and waves and having that breeze - definitely calming!! It was also nice getting to know people from different countries and cultures and when I read "you're never alone for more than a few minutes" - yeah, that's 100% true as well.
When I left for the job I was leaving with the understanding that yes, ship life was different than being on land, but let me tell you, I have no idea how true that was! Like everything in life, there are some good things and some bad things about ship life. I've been home a few days now and I have found it a little difficult adjusting to things and as soon as I have adjusted to being home, I'll have to up and leave again - oh well.
So for now, I get to spend some time at home, deal with a few things and have Christmas at home. Then pack up again and hit the open ocean ....
