Ship Life, Still Changing . . .

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My time on the ship is ticking away. Less than a month to go now. And as my time here comes to an end, it also is for so many other people. It seems like everyone is leaving these days. Since we changed itineraries, every Tampa has brought the departure of someone I spend a lot of time with. First it was Kevin, the internet café manager. Then Natanya, one of the bar servers, and Erna, the fitness instructor. Tomorrow Brooks will go. The next week it’ll be Sam, the social host, and Jason, the art auctioneer. Then Dan, another social host, then Eddie & Andrew, the jazz trio guys. That mass exodus of friends in March with the cast change was really rough, but this almost seems worse. There’s no time to just be anymore. It’s always someone’s final something. It makes it challenging to enjoy now when someone is always preparing to go. Make my departure seem even more tangible, when really it’s far enough away that I should be able to enjoy and do lots of more.

We’ve had some fun crew events lately. Two weeks ago was a Western Party and after the party closed down a big group of us moved and continued the party out on crew deck. That was a crazy and funny night. This last week we had another crew bar under the stars night where there’s nothing special planned but a guest bar is closed off for only crew. It’s always nice to be with everyone out in the open air. We’re still regularly going to the disco. Most formal nights, which means twice a week. I love it. The disco has been quiet lately, not many guests. There are fewer young partiers these days now that spring break time has passed and summer is still awhile away. But that means we have nearly the entire dance floor to ourselves. More space to shake it!

After the madness that spring break brought to Club O2, things are nearly dead now. This cruise there were 10 teens on the ship. I met 4 of them. I only had 1 regular. Next week there are 15. So quiet! My replacement O2 director is all lined up. There will actually be 2 directors taking over from me. Carnival is looking at putting 2 directors on all of the ships. Seems kind of silly for the quiet weeks, but during school holiday times, 2 people would certainly make most things easier! One of my replacements, Michelle, arrives next week. There’s going to be 2 of us and only 8 teens on the ship! Then my other replacement, Dan, arrives for either my last 2 cruises or definitely my last one. Which means for at least one cruise there will be 3 of us on the ship! Crazy. But the teen count will be back up by then so it won’t be completely ridiculous.

So that means this next week will be my last week running the program on my own. I have such mixed feelings about my work here. I’m apparently good at it. For my first few months I received phenomenal comment card ratings. February I was the second highest rated O2 director in the Carnival fleet. March I was the top rated. Then spring break insanity broke out and my ratings plummeted. Not sure what happened there. But I also know from years of Keating that comment cards do not necessarily reflect what’s actually happening. Written words mean something. Numerical ratings are less so.

I’m ready to go back to working with teens in a different environment though. I miss teaching, motivating, inspiring growth and change. Too often I feel like my job here just encourages the teenage superficiality that my other jobs strive to break. Not always. But often enough. I miss work where at it’s most difficult I lie awake at night wondering how I can reach a young person. I miss work where at it’s best I’m changing lives. Soon. Another month and I’ll be back on the road guiding. Another month and a half and I’ll be back at camp.

Still crazy to think I’ll actually be back home so soon.

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Photos

Western Party!
Me, Brooks, Brian & Catherine

Western Girls
L-R: Maree (dancer), Audrey (dancer), Me, Natanya (bar server), Erna (fitness instructor), Loraine (spa staff)

Kevin's Last Night
Packed in the Elevator - Jason, Eddie, Me, Erna, Kevin & Catherine

Natanya's Last Disco
L-R: Darnell (gift shop), Erna (fitness instructor), Maree (dancer), Brian (singer), Loraine (spa staff), Marlize (my roomie!), me, Brooks. Natanya in front.

Brooks' Last Disco
Brian, Me, Sam, Brooks, Catherine, Eddie

Comments

[swills82]

Dresses Galore
I must admit... I love checking out all your hot dresses in these entries. Always seems to be ones I haven't seen yet. You're hot Netter. I miss ya.