Wine and cheese night in the staff mess was a great success. I met more people and as I looked around my table at the new faces all smiling and drinking I got my first content feeling on the ship. I still feel myself holding back sometimes. I’m not quite comfortable enough yet to let my guard down and really be myself. I don’t know why, I just don’t always act like Kenzie. They probably can’t handle it, anyway. ;)
Honningsvag was easily more fun this time than last. Last time we were there it was rainy/flurry, freezing and grey. Now this is not a big city by any means. I only say it was more fun this time because I could feel my toes while walking around. I strolled along with Tina for a while talking about work and the ship and our futures. Neither of us has a for sure stance on any of these topics. Then Tina went back to the ship to meet with her boyfriend and at that moment we ran into Val. So I just took Val on the same stroll. More chatting, more laughing, more bonding.
Life on the ship moves fast. People meet, they become close in a matter of weeks, sometimes even days, and then in a few months you’re gone. It’s not an environment that fosters mature relationship building. Maybe that’s why most people have a middle school mindset. In middle school it was perfectly normal to have a new best friend or boyfriend/girlfriend every few weeks or months. It’s really fascinating. Unfortunately, I’m not the type to rush things, and that’s one thing that won’t change about me.
Yesterday was a sea day. I’m not as fond as sea days. They’re really busy for me, but it’s busy like I have a shoot and then an hour, and then a shoot and then 45 minutes, and so on. It’s those awkward short breaks that are killer. I can’t really get much done and I certainly can’t catch a nap. What do you do? Well, I watch episodes of CSI: Miami and try not to fall asleep. I need to start reading. I will soon. Straight after college my mind wants a long break before another book is picked up. I did, however, finish “Who Moved My Cheese,” and I strongly recommend it to any and everyone. There’s something in there for everyone and it’s one of those books you’ll pick up at different points in your life and it will have a different meaning each time.
After work I went to the Rendez-Vous Lounge with Val and some new friends. I’m always amused at the eclectic nature of the people I’m surrounded by. Around the table last night was a Colombian, two Americans, an Australian and an Israeli. This sort of thing just wouldn’t happen at any other job. I had a couple cosmopolitans and watched the waves roll by as the Argentinean quartet played soft slow tunes. It was a new kind of sea night. I’m going to call them Tetris waves. The ripples in the water moved in such a way that they looked digital – just like the way the Tetris blocks move. Maybe it was the cosmos…
Safety training was early this morning. This should be the last one, though. I’m crossing my fingers. It was nice to see Cara again, though. I had lunch with her after and she gave me some great news. She’s going to try and get her boyfriend on the ship. It will make her happy and it will make me happy cause she won’t leave!
The biggest perks of the day were e-mails and ports. I’ve finally got my Microsoft Outlook up and running, which means I can simply spend two minutes sending and receiving and I can do my reading and writing of e-mails offline. It’s great. So anyway, this morning I received a bunch and they just really made me happy. When I get e-mails from people I can hear them reading saying the words to me in their voices. It really lifts my spirits. I could hear Haas’ voice telling me all about 4th of July, and Glenn’s laugh as he jokes about being my favorite Jew. I can always hear Leigh and Tiff in their messages. It just makes me happy to know people at home haven’t forgotten about me all the way up here in Norway.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in Molde. It’s a nice little town and today we were lucky because the Molde Jazz Festival was going on. The streets were lined with vendors under tents for blocks. There were rides for kids, cotton candy and stages set up for different bands to play. Val and I walked around chatting about everything. We looked at jewelry and clothes, but as my loans are always in the back of my mind, I resisted the temptation to buy the cutest ohm earrings. We got ice cream and Val pointed out that it was the first time all afternoon that we weren’t talking. I guess once you put cookies and cream on a cone in front of me, talking about the silly dramas of the ship seem way less important.
I’m in the broadcast room now and things are starting to shake. We must be revving up to pull out of port. Tomorrow morning we’ll be in the prettiest of our ports, Geiranger. Val convinced me to spend the $25 for the crew tour. I’ve been told it’s worth it. I’m sure it is - I just wish I could get these loans off my mind for a second. This tour will be fun, though. I’ve heard it’s gorgeous.
Norway’s full of magical things. Fjords, trolls and ice cream that will keep two chatterboxes quiet for at least a few minutes.
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