Working a Grand Voyage as a workshop teacher is very different from working one as a librarian. My days are considerably shorter, and the stress level? Definitely lower.
While the guest expectations remain high, this is by far the most relaxed long voyage I’ve ever worked; at least so far, it is early days yet.
My fear for this cruise was that I couldn’t handle the passengers, but as it turns out, I needn’t have feared, because the guests that I was concerned about do not seem to have returned. Or if they have, they have chosen not to attend my classes (come to think of it I seem to remember most of those guests being …users of a different computer system, I wonder if there’s a connection there). The guests that have remembered me have been glad to see me and enthusiastic about the new path my life has taken, and it’s always nice to have that kind of support.
It’s not only me that has lighter hours, Amras is head of what is now the show band, meaning they play only the mainstage shows; as such they actually have time off. For the first time in ages, he and I actually have nights off together, we can go to shows, we can sit and watch movies and not have us be up until 2am. Yesterday we actually sat and watched a magician show and didn’t have to worry about running off anywhere. Hey look at us, acting like normal 9-5 type people, who’d have thought right?
I still have my crazy earrings, fun socks and entertaining hairbows…and I carry my office keys and schedule in a Disney villains purse…now, if only I could work up the nerve to wear my hello kitty Doc Martin’s to class…
hmmm