Working on Cruise Ships

They say that all the money in the world won’t make you happy. Well, I’m afraid is true. What I discovered, the hard way I might say, is that only good friends who are always there for you can do that. What’s the point of having loads of money if you have no one to spend it with?

I find myself in this huge airport in Istambul, in my way to my dream vacation in Thailand wishing I had a friend to talk to and have the coffee I am drinking right now with him (most of my friends are men by the way). Instead, I am all alone writing this, not because I have to, but because I don’t want to seat at this small table doing nothing; it’s boring…

So, I am asking you: Are you sure you what this job? Are you sure you want to live out of a suitcase traveling between the ship and home over and over? Yes, you can earn good money, but by the time you reach home after 6 months, most of your friends are too busy with their lives, have not enough money to keep up with you or, worse, not there at all for you because they made other friends who are there for them and you’re nothing but an acquaintance to them right now.

In Romania, after a certain age, if you don’t have a boyfriend there’s no way you can hang out with your old friends. Most of them have boyfriends or girlfriends and they all go everywhere in pairs making you feel the fifth wheel, out of place. Nobody calls you unless there’s a party and they need single girls/boys for their single friends. Of course, there’s always the good friend from childhood, but they are so rare.

I am fortunate in a way because I still have my old friends calling me but this takes time and work from my part. How? Simple. Calling them, emailing them regularly, keeping them in mind when I go shopping for gifts and dedicating time to each of them when I am home even though I am busy with my own stuff. And I’m always happy when I get the same in return and never get upset when they tell me they have other things to do. It’s a give and receive situation, but with the lifestyle I have it’s a bit harder that it is to a person who works and lives in the same place.

So, again I am asking you: Are you really sure you want this kind of life? If yes, be prepare to lose some friends and do an extra effort keeping the ones you have left. Be prepared to be alone a lot of your time and do the things you want to and dreamed of alone sometimes. One thing I can tell you…don’t wait for anybody to do the things you always wanted to do. If you want to visit a place and your friends can’t, just go alone. You’ll make new friends along the way. If you want to do something, anything, and you’re friends can’t go along with you, just do it, you’ll feel sorry if you choose not to do it. Trust me.

The good side of all this is that you’ll make other good friends, worldwide, that will make up for the lost ones. Maybe better ones…