My First Experience As A Seafarer

It was April 2011, my first onboard experience and it was a phenomenal one. On the day before our flight to Incheon, South Korea, I wasn’t able to sleep well. My brain won’t stop thinking of many things. Maybe I was just too excited and also very nervous for the fact that I will be experiencing something new in my life. Still the most awaited day came and there’s no turning back.

We arrived at Incheon and took another flight to Pusan, South Korea. That’s where our ship will be waiting for us. But unfortunately, the ship was delayed for a day. There’s nothing we can do but to rent a room for us to stay with the assistance from the Korean agent who fetched us from the airport.

I think the agent was on a tight budget because he brought as in a motel with no bed as you can see in the picture. I don’t know if all hotels and motels are like that in Korea, but it’s not an issue with us anyway as long as we have a place to stay. By the way, the temperature that time If I’m not mistaken is about 10C so it’s chilling outside. But still it did not stop us from roaming around the area and look for a place where we can eat. Since the Korean agent left us and we can’t understand Korean language, we selected our food by looking at the pictures at the menu. Luckily, the price is not in Korean character so we were able to budget our limited money.

The food is very spicy especially the kimchi, but I think it’s good for countering the chilling wind outside. After eating we went to the park and took some camera shots for souvenirs. We spent the remaining time enjoying and relaxing because we were aware that as we set foot onboard the ship, it will take us longer time to do things like that again.

Then on the following day, we were fetched again by the Korean agent and he brought us to the immigration first for some legal matters and then he took us to our ship, the MV Banjo Bridge. As I climbed the gangway towards the ship, I felt my heart pounding faster. I said to myself that this is the moment I have been waiting for so long. The excitement and fear is still there, it keeps my adrenaline rushing all over my body.

Then I met the Electrician of the ship, he introduced me to the Chief Engineer, then the Chief Engineer gave me a tour of the engine room. And everything just happened so fast that after a few hours I’m already working so hard together with the Electrician. I was so shocked by the series of events but it didn’t faltered me. It made me strong to face any difficulties with regards to my job. I admit that the experience is very different compared to my previous job. But as the days passed by, the task became much easier for me to handle.

I hope that my next on-board experience is easier. But I think that won’t be the case because I will be on my own, without the supervision of a head electrician, even though I will be joining as a trainee electrician. But this will be the chance I’ve been waiting, the chance to be promoted as a full pledged electrician. But before anything else, I need to prove my worth. And it won’t be just any walk at the park.