Life on a ship is certainly not exactly what I had in mind. I’m not seasick, but I get dizzy. My job is new, but not very difficult. The uniforms are hideous. The room is smaller than any dorm in West Hall. It’s an adjustment, to say the least, but I’m finding ways to get a good smile here and there.
I have a few acquaintances, and once training dies down I’ll have the time to visit the crew bar and make some friends. Training… oh training. I hate it. It’s too early in the morning to listen to a man with a thick Greek accent tell me about how many fire extinguishers are onboard. It’s pretty much torture.
Anyway, yesterday was the first day in port and my boss told me I should take the afternoon to relax. So I spent a few hours wandering the town of Alesund, Norway. It was the cutest little town. The architecture reminded me of Venice mixed with Hansel and Gretel. I loved it. I felt like I was walking in one of my old picture books. Today we crossed the into the Arctic Circle. At one in the morning and it looked like dusk. It will be a day of no darkness. Once we hit the Arctic Cirlce, the sun doesn’t set. It’ll be fun, but my body’s really confused. The surrounding view makes it all worth while; gorgeous mountains with the sun shining off the sea. It makes all the training, work, heavy tripods, loneliness, bad and frustrations all worth while.
Today was the first good day I’ve had on board. I got paid way more than I thought I would. I got my wireless set up. I am getting better with the Avid editing software. I had lunch with one of the Youth Staff who’s easily my favorite person on board. My boss and I get along great. I meet new people everyday and tomorrow’s the first crew party, so I’ll finally start being social again.
As I walked back to my cabin after a day of good work, I took the route that led me to the outside deck. At midnight in the Arctic Circle the sun was on the horizon and it looked like dusk. In the distance behind the mist were the biggest mountains I have ever seen. Snow capped and gorgeous. I stood there, freezing my tail off, thinking, I’m almost on the top of the world, literally. So from almost the North Pole, I am trying to make everyday a little better.
