The 'honeymoon' is ending...

Salut! I think I have now been here long enough to finally allow reality to set in. Or, I'm just really tired from working alot and from the past two nights of staying up late giggling with Cara.

Its all been a bit kaotic lately as I have had soooo many scattered morning shifts [9am-4:30pm] closely mixed with soooo many night shifts [4-11pm+] that its beginning to wear me out. We tossed up the idea of working one week all mornings and one week all evenings, but somehow we universally came to the conclusion that we enjoy having shifts with different staff each day. And we can have some days to go out or some evenings to participate in programs each week - instead of only evenings one week and only days another.

Wednesday was a public holiday up here in the Big Q which concluded being our biggest and busiest day thus far. I worked all that day, then worked all Thursday, which really just smacked all the sanity and normality out of me. I also had to change rooms on Thursday evening, so straight after work I had to cart my gear from one end of the ship to the other - something that certainly wasn't high on my "Awesome things to do today" list. The move actually refreshed me because both Cara and I got to put our stuff wherever we both wanted - instead of being provided a slither of space to occupy and live in from those who already resided in the cabins.

Random side note: I could easily say I feel like I am on school camp. Most people on the ship are around my age - so basically from 18-28. There really aren't that many people older than that in comparison to how many people are onboard. This means there are loads of riff-raff and cheeky ninja-pranking behaviour, which also means a load of laughing. Add to that the confusion of new languages and translations and words being used that mean one thing in one culture and something different in another, and bouts of random laughter just flow from all sources.

Speaking of laughter - I have become humbled to my own since being onboard. I used to think I was unique and had too many varities of laughter, a characteristic to be shared and enjoyed by others. Then I met Thabo from [insert country here]. He trumps my laugh and its so hillarious. Its soooo much louder than mine, so high squealing, so out there, so contagious... if you are a Simpsons fan, think Dr Hibbert [who always laughs at the most innappropiate of moments], times that by 10, crank the volume, and make the "hee-hee-hee's" top shelf high pitched. He is soon to leave - like so many other awesome people I've only just been getting to know - so until he does, I taunt him with the "Why, hee-hee-hee's". I've even gotten to a point where I don't have to say the whole thing... just "Why..."... hahahaha!

Anyway, back to my update...

The rest of the STEPpers arrived yesterday. I have only met about 7 girls and 3 guys so far - there could be more. Its really weird having them finally around because we've already been here for 2 weeks and have established friendships, know how to get around the ship, and have our jobs already. Its like an invasion into our group and I know that sounds nasty and judgemental from their first day but here me out. We've already done the awkward moments, got introduced to our group, got to know each other and the rest of the Crew, we've been there - done that. Now they have finally arrived, we certainly don't feel like we fit in with them. We're still apart of their crew but - not. Its like we have one up on them because of our arrival earlier, so its like its two groups instead of one. And their jobs are interchangeable because all STEPpers do those jobs, and they don't necessarily like them, whereas we actually applied to do our job as Coffee Barista's, so our job is more personal to us, and our time isn't the same everyday. It really will be interesting to see how the dynamics work out. I really pray we do gel well with them all.

So other than that - all is well. I am finally almost over being sick. My sprained ankle unfortunately is not healing fast at all - still very swollen, very sore and just an annoyance I'm ignoring - which means its not healing because I just keep doing life on the ship. Add to that the fact that I totally bashed myself up about a week ago with one of our external doors. [I may have mentioned this earlier... sorry]. Some of the doors are really heavy, and most need a key to open them. There is also a variety of door step sizes, which has been tricky to avoid tripping over when I'm in a hurry collecting milk or cookies for work. So picture this...

I arrive at a door needing a key to open it [crew only]. I have my key on a neck chain for covenience as I brought work pants with no pockets [great idea]. I open the door, and while trying to get my key out again, begin stepping through the door - not quite getting my leg high enough over the step, the key finally releases from the lock, and while loosing stability I grab the door to correct myself, resulting in pulling it closed with my legs caught between. This has got to be the most random way to be jammed - you seriously cannot correct yourself gracefully.

Hope you had a laugh. I certainly did writing that. I am uncoordinated at the best of times - but I feel that since being on the ship I've become so much more awkward and easily damaged . Bruises adorn most of me from just running into random things - or randomly assaulting myself like the above.

Another cool thing is that it seems we have free dental - and I'm having un-wise wisdom teeth problems again, so I'm going to look into seeing if I can get the problem ones removed. I mentioned as a joke to the Dentist if she would like to pull out some teeth - and she all too quickly and excitedly said that she'd love to - scary woman. I'll go suss her out.

And that pretty much concludes this update! We set sail [hahahahah] on Tuesday afternoon - bound for Darling Harbour, Sydney - berth 5. Please pray for efficient cleaning and packing for all of us, pray for good sailing weather and seas, particularly that sea-sickness is minimum. The biggest prayer point for me right now is my future. I haven't been here very long at all and the suggestion of returning in Feburary as a Pre-ship has been thrown around by my crew mates - but also from some in leadership [wowsers] - so I really need your help in prayer as to a direction and to know if God wants me here and not accept the idea because I'm having a great time - you know how it is...

Love, love, love... [doo be doo...]

0 comments: