To New Beginnings

Madeleine Knight
Oct 22, 2015
2 min read

The last few months have been filled with finishing my TEFL qualification - always something good to have on your CV, and it gives you a chance to work no matter where you are in the world - of which I only have half a module left, which is exciting. I look forward finishing it and adding an option to my future decisions.... For the moment however, I have recently signed a contract to go back to working as a photographer for P&O Australia, this time to the Pacific Jewel. I completed a contract with the company this time last year for 6 months on the Pacific Pearl and genuinely had the most interesting experience of my life. The highs were amazing, life changing kind of highs, but the lows could be rather difficult, which is when your second family came in. Working with 750 other people from over 40 countries around the world, ranging from 18 to 60+ with experiences I can only dream of achieving. I'm hired to work 13 hours a day, every day, for the length of my contract (this time 5 months). On a good day, when the team is full, you'll work around 6 - 8 hours, a normal day 8 - 10 and a bad day 12 - 13, living on the ship and being allowed off ship for most of the ports, but you also have to work some of the ports too because of a duty called IPM (In Port Manning duty), in which case you have to be part of a skeleton crew who will respond in the case of an emergency ever when in port. Though you do forget life outside your ship keeps on going, the only connection you have with the real world tends to be a slow and slightly dodgy internet connection, and the news every morning when you have breakfast (unless someone puts on the football highlights). There is so much I could say about this experience.... If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. All in all I am excited to go, if a little nervous about leaving for another 5 months. I can't wait to meet new people, photograph, explore the South Pacific and get back to earning money doing the things I love again.