A New Chapter is Opened

I have been living and working on St. Maarten now for just over a year. Coming back in to low season was hard, almost all of my friends that I had made during high season left as their yachts make their journey across the ocean over to the Mediterranean (which is now in full swing of high season). The island is now taking a much needed breather from the chaos of the last six months. As things began to slow i began to think about my options. I love diving and everything that surrounds it but after a year I am beginning to get tired, not of diving but of the tourists. I have learned that common sense is not very common at all! Diving is my passion but by the end I really did feel like I was going to work, something that I never wanted to happen. So I have decided to take a break from diving, and from my island, for the summer.

My first thought was to turn to yachting, after all, most of my friends from this last season were "yachties". That was a plan short lived. I got an offer on a 156ft yacht that is heading down to Venezuela for hurricane season. It seemed like the perfect option! Starting salary $3000 a month, free room and board, free food etc etc. It was exceptionally good because they were willing to hire me with no experience and no STCW (a course that is mandatory in most of the yachting world). My job title: Stewardess. I was extremely excited about the opportunity and planned to do that for three months then travel. It was a wonderful plan, an incredible opportunity...that all came to a screeching halt at the end of my first day. I have always said that I could do anything for a year, I have recently been humbled and am now enjoying a delicious meal of my own words. I have to say I have a huge amount of respect for the work that a Stew does. Basically I was asked to clean the shower every time after it is used, toilettes three times a day, when serving a meal never look them in the eye, new toothbrush every day, if they try on five shirts and choose one rewash the other four and reiron them, iron boxers and swim shorts, don't speak unless spoken to etc etc etc. On my first day they had me polish a brass bowl for four hours with special rags and earbuds, turns out that bowl was for fruit in the CREW quarters. If you know me, even a little, you will be able to understand how I turned the job down. I was almost in tears at the end of the day realizing that I was going to be paid $3000 a month to kiss rich peoples asses and be a slave. Thanks, but no thanks.

By this time I felt I was running out of options. I no longer had my house on the beach so pretty much was couch surfing through whoever was still on island. I had quit my job and so no longer was making money so couldn't reason renting a new house. I had no plan, little money, no place to stay, and no job. And that was when Gypsy Cat found me...