In my last blog entry, I discussed the various work and volunteer opportunities young Estonians are taking advantage of while travelling around the world. If you're seeking an affordable and exciting way to roam the globe, try your hand at working aboard a cruise ship. I'm in the teaching profession, which means part of my holidays and summer vacations can be spent on the ocean, and on a salary.
There are many different cruise lines and a variety of jobs onboard, such as chef, entertainer, photographer, nurse, audio technician, DJ, boutique staff etc. I currently work for the Princess cruise line (check http://www.princess.com/employment) in the Youth Staff department. Most cruise contracts are several months long, however, during the busy school break seasons some companies hire additional seasonal youth counsellors to adequately staff the youth programs. These seasonal positions can last one to eight weeks. I've had the pleasure of working a week in the Caribbean during Easter, a month in Alaska during the summer and another three weeks in the Caribbean during winter holidays. This Christmas, I'll be heading halfway across the world to the South Pacific for a month.
My role as a youth counsellor means I get to have fun working with children and teenagers from the ages of three to seventeen. Our working days and nights are full of entertainment from having dance parties and singing karaoke to chilling out by watching a movie or doing crafts. At times, the hours can be very long and the work tiring, but it's definitely not a boring job! Living on a ship can also take getting used to and I tend to get homesick (and sometimes seasick) but the perks of travelling absolutely outweigh any drawbacks. One of the main advantages is getting the chance to do cool shore excursions, with some personal highlights including canoeing past glaciers, whale watching, riding a train up to Yukon, and anything involving snorkelling. It's also been wonderful making friends from around the world. And may I add that the food is delicious. All in all, I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to pursue my passion for travelling by doing what I love – working with kids.
As always, feel free to email me with any questions at kaarin.lupp@gmail.com. Happy Holidays! Häid Pϋhi!
Kaarin Lupp
Hey young Estos! We want to hear your stories! Share your experiences and photos with story@eestielu.ca.
- Talking Travel with My Vanaema, 89 Years Young
- A Glimpse into Young Estos’ Work and Volunteer Travels
Photo gallery – Photos: Private collection
