Author: C. Carol Brown
I make learning fun...and sticky!
Copyright © C. Carol Brown.
The adventures of Carol Brown, representing Norwegian Cruise Line on a 6-month mission on the open sea to train the crew, explore new ports, seek new friends and experiences, and to boldly go where she has not gone before.
Carol’s log: Cruise Date: June 2, 2011 (Prince Rupert)
I am up on the Bridge and the Captain notices the ring I wear on my thumb. Of course the Captain couldn’t just say “nice ring”. Instead he starts teasing me that the ring on my thumb is advertising that I’m single. He asks if I need his helping finding a boyfriend and threatens to use the PA system to advertise for me. It was bad enough him trying to make me laugh at inappropriate times but now I have to deal with him trying to set me up. To protect myself, I told him that the guy has to be over 35. He said, “You are aiming too high. Maybe 25.” I patiently explain that I have a daughter older than that and he said “So what? You need a young man to keep up with you in the bed.” Thanks Captain. Thanks a lot. He signs off July 16, luckily. Now if I can make it through the next 6 weeks without seeing him I’m home free.
And speaking of sex and my bed, Floyd wants to take our relationship to the next level meaning he wants to sleep with me. We’ve know each other for a hot minute really and sex just isn’t on my mind, well okay it is but not necessarily with Floyd and certainly not yet! So I tell Floyd “I need to know your head and heart before your body.” He takes it well, it seems. Sex seems to be on everyone’s mind on this ship. Maybe it really is the Love Boat after all or maybe it is the lure of my single cabin when others are up to 6 in a cabin. No, I’d rather believe that I’m hot and sexy and that’s the lure. I almost choked to death laughing after I typed that last line!
Today I also got to teach my first Respecting Others course all by my lonesome. It was an easy course for me because of my human rights and labour education background. I like this solo teaching. I can’t wait to do more of it.
I left the ship in Prince Rupert, British Columbia for the first time as well. It is a true Northern small town. It has the basics but not much else. The benefit is that everything is in walking distance. It was colder than any of the other ports has been but then it is northern Canada. I went to the bank and did some junk food shopping. It was great to be in Canada and hit familiar stores such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Zellers and of course TD Canada Trust. I don’t know, there is something about being “home” even it is on the other side of the country from where my true home is. Know what I mean?
The other advantage to being in Canada is being able to use my phone. Tonight I call home and talk to the kids and Auntie Pauline. She is such a breath of fresh air! She is positive and encouraging and supportive. She wants to cruise with me this summer but I’ve gotta figure out how my crew discount works first. Camara misses me and I miss her. She fills me in on all the happenings and I give her the real scoop about ship life. You know, the stuff I can’t put in this blog! The boys are okay they say and aren’t too enthusiastic to speak with me though when they need money they get a bit happier. I miss them too, especially my almost 19-year-old baby Cainen. I’ve never really been away from him for this long whereas the others, I’ve had a chance to miss. I’m tearing up just writing this.
Once I return to the ship it is gangway duty for me. I wonder who I’ll be paired with this evening. I find out soon enough that it is a young man from Colombia. He’s nice enough and we chat easily about our respective countries. Then he hits on me. Not even subtly so I can question whether or not he really said what he said or meant it the way I heard it but fully and clearly.
“I want you to be my woman.”
Of course my first question is “how old are you?”
Without flinching he answers “24.”
I stifle a full body laugh and tell him “I have children older than you. Would you like to meet my daughter?” Sorry Camara!
He comes back “age is just a number. I think you would be a good woman for me and I would be a good man for you.”
We’d been talking for less than an hour so how would he know this so quickly? Now I’m questioning what it is about me that all these young men are expressing their interests. Are they missing their mommas and I’m the next best thing? Why aren’t the men my age as interested in me as these youngsters are? I’m a touchy feely talker. Could I be sending the wrong signal? I tell the young man that it would never work between us and I am so glad when 21:00 arrives and my shift is over. I still see Mr. Trouble in the I95 and in the messes. He looks lovingly at me. I wave meekly and look away. Damn my irresistibleness!
The voyage continues…
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Jackie Wilson on December 28, 2011 AT 10 am
Ms. Brown, I just wanted to thank you for the detailed information included in your blog. I am looking into the Training Specialist position myself, and this journal really helped clue me in to the ins and outs of working for the company and ship culture. I feel better prepared to talk with recruiters about the role. I know you only wrote this for yourself and your loved ones, but I definitely benefited from it, so thank you very much! Happy Holidays!