International Cruise Staff

  Incredibly, there are 42 different nationalities represented on the amazing cruise staff! I met many of them at my favorite place to eat (we did a lot of that), at the buffet on the 9th deck. I would get up to get one thing, and come back 15 minutes later, having had the best conversation with one of my new friends! Olga - from Ukraine, Boyd - the master chef from Jamaica, Jiangchi- the Lakers fan from Shanghei, and Jerry, the cheerful 23 year old, who wants to teach languages to children one day, to name a few. Wellington, the gregarious former flight attendant from Brazil, told me that the new president would be closing down several public universities in Brazil in the coming months due to the current financial straits they are in. Most of them sign an 8 month contract, only returning home for 3-4 months in the off-season. One man had worked this cruise line for the past 5 years, and had never disembarked at any of the sea port destinations! He said that they are so tired from getting up at 4 am and working late, that most of them spend their days off resting and catching up with family while they have wifi.
 I would get them to teach me basic greetings in their languages, recording them on my phone,
and then practice them later. It's amazing how even a feeble attempt to speak someone else's
language seems to bring delight to their eyes. They are patient and enthusiastic teachers.
I wish we had taken some selfies before we left.