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Today I woke up bright and early to a bright orange sun, the salty smell of the sea, and the sound of the gentle waves...
Hello, dear friends! I wanted to give you a glimpse into what my life has been like since I left my banking career almost four years ago to become a computer instructor and lecturer on a cruise ship. It doesn't take long anymore -maybe a week -and the time flies -for a wonderful settling in process! I have found a comfortable, easy-going routine to my mornings and that makes each day oh so peaceful and enjoyable.
I usually start out early – up at the crack of dawn to the sun either peeking into my cabin, or charging in with a bold stream of light which bounces off the walls and forces my eyes open. I gaze out the large portholes to a new sky, gentle light over the open seas, or just an orange-red hue beckoning a new sunrise, depending upon which direction we are heading that day.
My two large portholes are my picture windows to a glorious vista each and every day! Sunlight always filters in. No curtains for me! On my last adventure, Andreas,my cabin steward, figured out pretty quickly not to bother to close the curtains in the evening. In fact, the sun sets late here most evenings –close to 10pm when we are winding around the coast of Sardinia or sailing by Corsica. Sometimes even later, as we sail into Oslo and Copenhagen.
There is a comforting routine to the weather as well. Every two weeks, as we wind up a voyage and prepare to begin a new one, we sail into Southampton England. The chilly air, grey skies, occasional showers, rocky seas chart our course for the mornings, but grace us with brisk breezes and bright happy sunshine in the late afternoons. Then as we wind our way back to those magnificent Mediterranean ports, Barcelona, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Rome, the sun gently warms us up, a gentle caressing of our shoulders and cheeks each early morning. A soft rosy glow on the gentle waves. And by the time we reach Florence, Sorrento, Sevilla, we know it’s truly summer. Locals say it’s humid here. To me, humidity is all relative. Nothing suffocating about this humidity, not at all like at home. It’s hot, with soft dew hanging in the air from the sea. It’s invigorating and intoxicating.My daily walks are generally in the late afternoon, after my teaching day or my port day ashore has concluded. The ship pulls out, or picks up speed, people rush off to dress for dinner, and just a few stragglers, like me, linger in the afternoon sun, as it darkens and shifts in the sky ever so slowly, burning even deeper shades of orange and red across the ripples of the sea. A few seagulls trace the lines of the ship’s path, accompanying us to the next port. The next afternoon, perhaps a few fishing trawlers linger in the bright reflecting pools of soft orange upon the water. On other days, the faint silhouettes of smaller fishing boats or another wayfaring cruise ship appear deep in the mist further afield. Other afternoons, we encounter schools of dolphins, it seems, just waiting for us. They serenade the ship as it passes with dazzling performances of happy leaps and dives.
Each day is unique, a surprise waiting to unfold, but yet, always a glorious common thread at sea. Salty air in the breeze, turquoise blue and foamy white bubbles of the wake of the ship as it cuts a path ever onward, light sprays carried by the wind to ease my labor and lift my spirits, the steady rhythm of the waves as it dins the music on my trusty iPod. I smile each time I circle the back of the promenade deck and blow a kiss from my heart to my lips to the sky as I remember how back in December, in the bleak and icy days of winter in New York, I dreamed that these same funny sneakers and my two dependable legs would someday be right here, enjoying better and happier and healthier days. The dream has come true.This morning, as always, I am up much earlier than necessary to watch the sun rise majestically and burst from the billowy white clouds, turning them shades of gold, and slowly filling the sky with color and transforming the steel gray waves into a deep cobalt blue.
A cup of coffee up on the aft deck, no one else but a few early birds like me. This is my personal sundeck, my personal balcony, at least for this brief time each day. Cheerful hellos from the staff quietly setting up the dining rooms and buffets. My Starbucks mug and trusty journal ever by my side. A serene and incredibly beautiful way to begin each day of my life. And I know deep down in my heart, I belong here.Hugs,
Jeana
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