Hey World!

 (snorkelling in Chileno Bay, CSL with Danielle--this photo is the sole reason 

I bought the CD from the photog on board the boat)

Currently sitting on a couch in Starbucks, sippin' on chai lattes with my friend and coworker, Tatiana. I almost feel like a normal person on vacation right now. Actually, not even on vacation. Just normal. Something about Starbucks feels like home. It's familiar. Since I'm in Cabo San Lucas I could be laying out on a beach or just at the top deck of my ship. But no; I am sitting in Starbucks. To be fair, I haven't done that in a long time. I'm just tired of spending so much money on terrible internet quality and not being able to access blogs while I'm there.

 (candid!)

This contract has been completely different in so many ways. First of all, more stress since there are so many new members to our team. With so many of our oldies sent off to help with the new Fantasy ship, I was grouped as one of the most experienced staff member. No pressure. Suddenly I was the one being in charge of these things called 'transitions' aka, bringing over 100 kids down one deck of stairs hoping that none of them run away down the hallway putting my head on a chopping block. With it came new responsibilities but I saw them as opportunities to learn new things (like using Adobe software to put together the Friendship Rocks slideshow that we show the guests at the end of every cruise). However, I feel like I've made friends more quickly this time around and it feels like everyone is more on the same page. Overall, this contract has been pretty stretching for me--in a good way. At home I'd shy away and let someone else take care of things, but here I've been forced into it and I've found that it's not so bad after all.

This is our last week in Mexico. I'm excited to say goodbye to the tender boat process. On Sunday we kick off our 15-day trip to Hawaii and then it is up to San Fran, Vancouver, Alaska and Seattle. I'm so excited for what the next few weeks have in store.

 (best day of my life! sailor characters with Ivonne, Scott and Becky!)

Despite everything going on, I love and miss you all terribly!
I vote everyone I know comes and takes over the Wonder for a week.

It would be the best ever.

PS. Just wanted to inform you all that this week has kicked off my obsession with Zachary Levi. aka Flynn Rider. Tangled on repeat on my crew TV doesn't hurt.

Love.

christmas cabin tour

Where I lived for four months. I hope I get a room this size when I go back, it was surprisingly one of the bigger ones! I know I'm lame-o but it was good memories. And I love seeing my English friend Mel. She was absolutely lovely.

fresh OJ and guacamole

A friend wrote and asked how my job was. I haven't updated in a while, so I thought I would share it here as well.

The job is going well! It's a different lifestyle on a ship. More like what I'd imagine living in a rez on campus would be like, not that I would actually know. I always lived in apartments or houses during school. But you go to work and then you go hang out with those same people after work. Or sleep. Sometimes you have to sacrifice one for the other which is hard but sometimes if you get enough time off in the earlier part of the day you can get off the ship and do something cool. Mostly we would get off to get something good to eat. Sitting in a restaurant on the beach drinking freshly squeezed orange juice was heaven enough for me!

The first month and a half of working we were in Alaska and then Victoria, BC. I loved the time I spent there. Alaska was gorgeous and reminded me a lot of home...except with bigger mountains and glaciers instead of hills and icebergs. Maybe it was the weather too. It felt like Fall and you had to bundle up in hats and gloves a lot. We spent two weeks in Victoria renovating the ship, so I got to see them turn restaurants into makeshift upholstery shops and watch them wreck then revamp the upper decks. They brought lovely young construction worker men from all over the world. Italy, Spain and even some from Canada. We did odds and ends, like moving chairs and carpets and trash--whatever needed to be done. At the end of September we made our way down to Mexico and I spent the rest of the contract there. Here I got to bust out my shorts and sundresses in my off time. I sorta got a tan, but I didn't really try.

The men in Mexico are kinda stereotypical and guacamole is everywhere. Even in Subway, a familiar food place I was happy to find. I went ziplining one day and you had to help the guides that were up there by holding down the ropes so they could lock you in. I pulled down a little too hard once and smushed one the young guide's hands. He laughed and said "You're gonna make guacamole out of my fingers" I also discovered guacamole (or just plain avocado) hurts my tummy so I can't eat it anymore. Fun fact. What a tease haha.

You would get off the ship and sight see and there would be locals calling out to you to use their business. "Hey Lady, do you need a water taxi?" "Would you like to parasail? I'll give you good price!" or my favourite, when I was walking along by myself one day, "Would you like to go to the beach?" and then as I walked further away called out, "Haha, or do you need a body guard? Hey Lady!" I would have been creeped out except there were lots of tourists around.

I met a lot of people from around the world. Most of the people I worked with were either from the UK or the United States. A couple were from Australia. I was loving all the accents. Kinda wished I had more of a Newfoundland accent to show off. My English friend said that some of our sayings sound Irish to her. Spot on. haha. 

I'm looking forward to more good times when I go back this weekend. Kind of hard to believe that my vacation time at home has already come to a close. If this big storm actually happens and I can't catch my flight, I wouldn't mind another day or week at home. I'm at peace with whatever happens.

Can you believe it's already February?