SO, this is it... the big "how am i adjusting" post. Well, to say it shorly....
Ummm....
Ok, so it looks like I can't. I'll tell ya, living on a ship is an odd experience. Essentially you wake up everyday in a floating bubble. You spend all day working your ass off, scrounging for that oh-so-elusive mid-day 2 hour break. At the end of the shift, you stumble into the shower to recoup, refresh, and energize. A couple minutes in your cabin later you're relaxed and in fresh clothes. Off to the Crew (or more likely Officer's) Bar to catch a drink with some of the more social people on the ship. Of course you happen to run into your boss and ALL your co-workers so it's slightly obligating to then say hello, and maybe even offer to get them a drink. Good thing they're good people... 'Round 1:00 or 1:30AM it's off to bed. Repeat for 4 months. (omitting the bar as necessary)
Kinda crazy eh? (And that's about as short as I can possibly describe it) As far as my job specifically has gone, the first few days had me ALL over the place. Trying to find my way around the ship was somewhat tough, but after a few hours things started to make sense. On my first day of work, my boss had me follow one of the current Pastry Cooks through his shift. I saw a tiny bit of production, and a few plates from one of our restaurants. All in all, a pretty light day. The next day however, my boss decided it would be a good idea to see where my "Skill Level" is, so he concocted an all-day baking exam. Here's the rundown: (all items after the hyphen are what I produced)
1 sorbet - Green Apple Celery Sorbet
1 ice cream - Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream
1 product using Pate A Choux - Eclair's, filled w/ Chocolate Buttercream & glazed
1 chocolate cake - Chocolate Chiffon Sponge w/ Chocolate Buttercream & glazed, then garnished with shaved chocolate
1 classic dessert - Almond & Apricot Tart w/ Greek Yogurt and a brulee Apricot
1 modern dessert - Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, the Cinnamon Toast I.C., Calvados Caramel Apples, and Cinnamon Toast
10 cookies (1 type, just 10 good ones) - Oatmeal Raisin
1 Confection - Grand Mariner Marshmallows
and if time, a small show piece. - didn't do
At 8:15PM I presented all the items to my boss, to which he added "Oh, we should get the Exec Chef, the head of Food & Beverage, and the rest of the executive F&B team to see them." I'm fairly certain my blood pressure jumped 10 points. Not only did I produce items to show a basic level of skill, I kept them fairly simple and conservative to start. I wasn't out to impress as much as I was getting my bearings, and demonstrating a good grasp of the essential skills to produce the HUGE range of products our job requires. Oh man, was I wrong. It was put up or shut up, and that's what I had to offer. Not gunna lie, I really wanted to jazz things up a bit...
Still though, I got a basic critique of everything i produced and (after having ran UP AND DOWN that kitchen) I finally had a decent understanding on where to find everything. I'd say I put a decent foot forward, and i'm sure i'm FAR harder on myself than any of them could possibly be.... I just can't wait to show them where I go once I've been here for a bit.
The next day it was work as "normal" (meaning, as it SHOULD be... production, learning, and assisting my boss with all his new dessert ideas). He and I have definitely broken the ice, and I think now we're kinda hitting our stride.
Anywho, remember that break I was telling you about before? Well, I just started mine so i'm gunna go try and get some fresh air.
I'll let you guys know more about the Swine Flu Craziness (being that we're supposed to be in Mexico all month), crazy lifeboat drills, my trip to the Spa, & all the randomness that comes with living on a ship next time....
Stay tuned...
CIAO!
(Also, I promise i'll try and take more pics & post them... things have been so crazy it's totally slipped my mind!)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Safe & Sound
To all who were asking for the "all clear" i'm FINALLY on the boat safe & sound. I'm currently using a $20 internet card I just purchased. Sorry I haven't called anyone yet, it was kind of an ordeal to get here, and my cell phone wasn't able to pick up a network at all on the way. Anywho, all's well now. I (and all my baggage) made it on board just fine. For those of you who don't know, I flew from Miami, Florida (where my maritime training took place) to Managua, Nicaragua, then drove to Corinto to meet the boat. The plane took two hrs and the car ride (from the airport to the boat) took FOUR! Once I got on board I got face time with about 100 people, 2 of which I actually remember. =P The facility looks pretty amazing, and I can't believe it's finally coming to a head. I got to spend some time with the Exec Chef & the Exec Pastry Chef, and tomorrow I start work. I've been assigned a cabin, and i hate to say it, but for the first time ever I think I may have a smelly roommate (read: ahhh!!!!!). He's been living in a double by himself for a bit so perhaps it's simply a comfort issue. (I hope!!!) Regardless, I've always heard of friends having to deal with it, but never me.... yeeesh.
8:30 AM tomorrow I've got a meeting with the ship's doctor, and shortly after it's a meeting with the Exec Chef again / off to work. It's gunna be a busy four months, THAT i'm sure! =)
I'll let ya know how things go as they progress. The internet's INSANELY expensive (as I understand) but, of course, I'll be doing everything I can to take some of the financial shrapnel out of that grenade.
Miss all you guys!!
Ciao!
p.s. I added a link to "Subscribe" on the top left, so it's a heck of a lot easier to see when new posts pop up, as opposed to having to check the link every day... oh techology, SO convinient =)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Basic Training... no, not THAT kind, the civilian one!
Oh internet, why can you be so hard to find sometimes....
Sorry 'bout the time-delay but I've finally hunted down a spot where I can sit, read my blogs, and update myself with my usual internet shenanegans.
This week I began my Basic Safety Training Course at the S.T.A.R. Center outside of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. There are 14 people in my class, from all walks of life. As one would imagine, I completely assumed it was going to be a HUGELY male dominated field (read: my parents and I already started calling the ship the S.S. Jimmy Dean, a.k.a. the Floating Sausage-fest). However, about 5 minutes before the course was to begin, in walked 5 attractive twenty-something girls all training to be the entertainment on a British cruise line. Not bad eh!? Well, suffice it to say, after the most honest double take I've ever had in my entire life, I was pretty sure the week would go smoothly.
Day 1: Honestly, one of the coolest experiences of my life. [note: picture to the left may be an artistic rendering of me... unfortunately no one there was that good of a photographer =P ]
The day began with a morning full of dry, relevant, but (lets be honest) boring information regarding Fire Safety. We were taught the classifications of all the various fire types (Ex: Class A = Anything that leaves an ash once it's burned, Class B = Flammable Liquids...etc), and the basic logic of what to use to extinguish each type. We broke for lunch 'round 11:30, and were told to meet at the front of the building at 1:00pm for a field trip. We had little information about where we were headed, but were well aware that it involved some sort of drilling the information we had just learned.
We arrived at a huge facility set up to mimic the top three floors of a cruise ship. On deck however, instead of chairs, umbrellas, and luxury amenities, a large fake helicopter sat in a giant pool. This was no ordinary pool. It was approximately 1 ft deep, and designed to produce MONSTER flames exactly as one would find in a catastrophic JP5 jet fuel fire. For the day we were outfitted with FULL firefighter gear (thermal-suits, boots, hair / face coverings, helmet, mask, oxygen tank, regulator...etc) and taught how to battle all types of fires, use high pressure fire hoses, and perform search and rescue operations in dark, low oxygen, smoke-filled environments. The day ended with a fantastic demonstration of a fire's intensity by sealing all 14 of us in a chamber with a roaring bonfire. As the fire rapidly increased the temperature of the room, we watched the room fill COMPLETELY with smoke, the fire choke all of the oxygen out of the chamber, and flames crawl across the ceiling. Ambient temperature topped out at 250F, and the radiant heat off the now 1200F fire was incredible. Short bursts of water were then sprayed into the superheated gas layer closest to the ceiling, and the room FILLED with steam instantly. Our instructor then directed a series of sprays at various sections of the fire, and instructed us to find our way out of the blackness to the opening of the structure.
All in all I developed a HUGE respect for firemen (and women... of course). I could not believe how surreal it was to use an oxygen tank for the first time in that kind of environment. It was an incredibly educational day, and I've gotta say, it felt pretty bad ass to put all the (seemingly) BORING theory to practice. If this ship thing works out for a while, who knows, maybe i'll join the fire response team!
Day 2: More Fire Theory.... tests tests tests
Day 3: CPR
Lemme tell you something. I learned basic CPR in high school. Find the victim, check responsiveness, listen for breathing, watch the rise (or not) of the chest, check for obstructions... blah blah blah. Well, apparently all that was too much for people to actually remember, so they've decided to shorten it! I was shocked! Would YOU want some lazy bastard to do the new ABBREVIATED version if you were keeled over on the floor!?!? I sure as hell wouldn't! Gimme the full treatment, all the bells and whistles!
Well, I'll climb off my soap box now. I'm sure 98% of the people won't die...
On the upside I can use a Automated Defibrillator now.
CLEAR!!!!!!!!
Day 4: Seawater Survival
Cool concept, but lay off the videos! Honestly, If i never saw another horribly dated instructional video, I wouldn't be upset. I did however, learn about the new seawater activated radio beacons and RADAR reflectors. LOTS of crazy acronyms, and rapid descent, free fall life boats. Check em out, they're pretty damn cool.
Day 5: Survival Practical
Tomorrow we'll be learning to inflate our clothing, deploy life rafts, don rescue suits, and all kinds of other whacky water survival techniques.
It's been a fun week and I can't believe it's over....
Also, I should probably mention to you all that I've had the pleasure of doing this course with my new ship's Cruise Director and Head Sommelier (both great guys). They've given me a TON of info on the in's and out's of working on ships and I'm sure will ease my transition on board dramatically.
Anywho, the weather's nice so we're gunna go sit out and enjoy a glass of beer or wine while we can.
Ciao from Florida!
p.s. I ship off on Saturday!
Sorry 'bout the time-delay but I've finally hunted down a spot where I can sit, read my blogs, and update myself with my usual internet shenanegans.
This week I began my Basic Safety Training Course at the S.T.A.R. Center outside of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. There are 14 people in my class, from all walks of life. As one would imagine, I completely assumed it was going to be a HUGELY male dominated field (read: my parents and I already started calling the ship the S.S. Jimmy Dean, a.k.a. the Floating Sausage-fest). However, about 5 minutes before the course was to begin, in walked 5 attractive twenty-something girls all training to be the entertainment on a British cruise line. Not bad eh!? Well, suffice it to say, after the most honest double take I've ever had in my entire life, I was pretty sure the week would go smoothly.
The day began with a morning full of dry, relevant, but (lets be honest) boring information regarding Fire Safety. We were taught the classifications of all the various fire types (Ex: Class A = Anything that leaves an ash once it's burned, Class B = Flammable Liquids...etc), and the basic logic of what to use to extinguish each type. We broke for lunch 'round 11:30, and were told to meet at the front of the building at 1:00pm for a field trip. We had little information about where we were headed, but were well aware that it involved some sort of drilling the information we had just learned.
We arrived at a huge facility set up to mimic the top three floors of a cruise ship. On deck however, instead of chairs, umbrellas, and luxury amenities, a large fake helicopter sat in a giant pool. This was no ordinary pool. It was approximately 1 ft deep, and designed to produce MONSTER flames exactly as one would find in a catastrophic JP5 jet fuel fire. For the day we were outfitted with FULL firefighter gear (thermal-suits, boots, hair / face coverings, helmet, mask, oxygen tank, regulator...etc) and taught how to battle all types of fires, use high pressure fire hoses, and perform search and rescue operations in dark, low oxygen, smoke-filled environments. The day ended with a fantastic demonstration of a fire's intensity by sealing all 14 of us in a chamber with a roaring bonfire. As the fire rapidly increased the temperature of the room, we watched the room fill COMPLETELY with smoke, the fire choke all of the oxygen out of the chamber, and flames crawl across the ceiling. Ambient temperature topped out at 250F, and the radiant heat off the now 1200F fire was incredible. Short bursts of water were then sprayed into the superheated gas layer closest to the ceiling, and the room FILLED with steam instantly. Our instructor then directed a series of sprays at various sections of the fire, and instructed us to find our way out of the blackness to the opening of the structure.
All in all I developed a HUGE respect for firemen (and women... of course). I could not believe how surreal it was to use an oxygen tank for the first time in that kind of environment. It was an incredibly educational day, and I've gotta say, it felt pretty bad ass to put all the (seemingly) BORING theory to practice. If this ship thing works out for a while, who knows, maybe i'll join the fire response team!
Day 2: More Fire Theory.... tests tests tests
Day 3: CPR
Lemme tell you something. I learned basic CPR in high school. Find the victim, check responsiveness, listen for breathing, watch the rise (or not) of the chest, check for obstructions... blah blah blah. Well, apparently all that was too much for people to actually remember, so they've decided to shorten it! I was shocked! Would YOU want some lazy bastard to do the new ABBREVIATED version if you were keeled over on the floor!?!? I sure as hell wouldn't! Gimme the full treatment, all the bells and whistles!
Well, I'll climb off my soap box now. I'm sure 98% of the people won't die...
On the upside I can use a Automated Defibrillator now.
CLEAR!!!!!!!!
Day 4: Seawater Survival
Cool concept, but lay off the videos! Honestly, If i never saw another horribly dated instructional video, I wouldn't be upset. I did however, learn about the new seawater activated radio beacons and RADAR reflectors. LOTS of crazy acronyms, and rapid descent, free fall life boats. Check em out, they're pretty damn cool.
Day 5: Survival Practical
Tomorrow we'll be learning to inflate our clothing, deploy life rafts, don rescue suits, and all kinds of other whacky water survival techniques.
It's been a fun week and I can't believe it's over....
Also, I should probably mention to you all that I've had the pleasure of doing this course with my new ship's Cruise Director and Head Sommelier (both great guys). They've given me a TON of info on the in's and out's of working on ships and I'm sure will ease my transition on board dramatically.
Anywho, the weather's nice so we're gunna go sit out and enjoy a glass of beer or wine while we can.
Ciao from Florida!
p.s. I ship off on Saturday!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Happy Passover!
Maybe i'm sick, but I love that comic...
9 more days 'til i leave for Florida!
I'm gettin' psyched. How 'bout you??
...oh, and Happy Passover!!!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
This just in...
"The Standards of Training Certification & Watchkeeping Code requires any new mariner take this 5-day course of instruction. This is comprised of four main courses: basic firefighting, personal survival, personal safety and social responsibility, and elementary first aid."
... Looks like i'm headin down south!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)