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| My Amazing Final Island Princess Cast June 2011 |
12 months seemed like such a long time 12 months ago, and here I am, back at home looking back and wondering where time went. I had the absolute pleasure of combining my passion and work on the Island Princess for the past year with my talented husband, and while we are glad it's over, we left with amazing memories and friendships that we hope to continue for years to come.
Ships are tricky, and odd. You commit to however long your contract is, and settle into a routine of sleep, eat, work, sightseeing and socializing day after day. It truly is an alternate floating reality that is like no other place in the world. You meet people from places you've never heard of, and if you're lucky stay in contact with a few from each contract. You're in your safe bubble for your contract, seeing the same people day after day, almost forgetting people have paid thousands of dollars to experience what you get paid to do, and at times find very taxing and mundane. Cruising through the Panama Canal becomes laundry day, and the view of Hubbard Glacier gets sealed behind closed portholes. It's an odd life, but a life I'm glad I lived for seven years, almost five of them together with Adam.
Not many people have the luxury of leaving Music Theatre studies and actually applying those skills for a consistent paycheque, and I have been able to do that, and see places I never thought I would see. The donkey ride up the steps of Santorini, Greece, the canals of Venice or the ancient ruins in Rome were just a few of the things I got to see over and over again. This was an added bonus to my already amazing nightly task of walking out on stage in front of over-stuffed, tired passengers, singing and dancing my way through their dream tour. It wasn't Broadway, but it was performing, and it was fantastic.
So, now I say goodbye to that chapter of my life and embark on a new journey. Land life. Real life. Bills, gas prices, job interviews and grocery lists now replace my errands of finding eyelashes, choking down mess food and paying $1 for beer in the crew bar.
Joni Mitchell was right when she said "you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone", and while I'm sure she didn't work on a cruise ship, when all is said and done you only remember the laughter and accomplishments, not the stress and strain.
So it's with great excitement I tell everyone (who may not already know) I've started my own business with Arbonne International, (www.arbonne.com or .ca) and we have just been approved for our first grown-up apartment here in London.
Your little girl is growing up, and she couldn't be more excited!
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| Adam & I sail away from Vancouver for the final time. |
I know you're all thinking "Here we go again! Back to ship life!" This was an unusual offer where a friend of mine had an exceptional job offer on land and decided to leave 3 weeks before the end of the contract. Lucky for me, a flight to England is in our near future and 3 weeks at sea will help take care of the travel costs, so off I go. An added bonus is my long time partner in crime and caramel covered, ham-in-toilet cramming friend Tom Delbello is currently on board the Coral, so this was a no brainer. Tom and I were kicked out of many a pop class for goofing around, so wreaking havoc on a cruise ship for 3 weeks will be an added bonus to the paycheque. 
