20
Location: West End, Tortola
It’s hard to believe that 20 days have come and gone. As I look around the cockpit, it’s crazy to think that this crew met only 20 days ago. The students have all grown and adapted to life onboard, and I am so proud to say that all of them did such a wonderful job of turning our crew into a family. Lydia was a Lifeworks student from last summer who showed the others the in’s and out’s of life onboard. She made sure everyone knew the importance of buying candy and snacks when we had shore time along with leading daily boat operations. Taylor took Lydia’s lesson to heart. On our last shore time, she was so thoughtful and threw us a 4th of July party with cookies, popcorn, and treats. Taylor was always putting smiles on our faces with her upbeat sense of humor. Anytime I would ask for help around the boat, Elle would be the first to volunteer before she even knew what she had signed up for. She was a key member in keeping daily operations moving forward. Gillian was the one to keep daily operations running on time! She was always the one cracking the whip to make sure everyone had their stuff together and was ready to go. Jaclyn was never too far behind Gillian. These two came onboard as best friends who hadn’t seen each other in a year. It was always hilarious to listen to the girls tell stories from home and share their memories. Gillian and Jaclyn were amazing working with the school children who loved playing games and running around the field with them. Madi was so down to earth and always enjoyed our service projects. She was always working hard and interested in learning about the culture and lifestyle of the local people.
The first week of the program the boys and girls seemed pretty divided, but as the week came to an end, we noticed that the group was becoming more of a unit. The first to leap was Ladislas. He befriend the girls early, and the rest of the guys followed along. In just a few days time Graham, Ladislas, Linus and Eli were all hanging out with the girls on the bow and jumping on the trampoline as we sailed over the wakes. Graham was often looking for a job to do. He was always willing to pick up the jobs that nobody else would. His squeeze answers and questions continuously kept the group guessing and entertained with his wit and dry humor. Usually, when the staff needed a chore done, we ask the group for a volunteer. Eli learned very quickly that hiding behind someone would get him chosen for the job. He kept us laughing telling us stories about NYC and his life at home. It is hard to believe that Ladislas grew up in France because his English is almost perfect! He was constantly educating the group on French/American politics and policies. Always something new and fascinating. Linus, referred to as Dark Lord Sparkle Horse always had something to contribute to the conversation. The staff appreciated his detail orientated personality and ability to keep Moko Jumbie clean! Overall this session has been a blast, and we are sad to see it come to an end. We have watched all of the shipmates grow individually and work together as a team. We want to thank our shipmates for always staying positive and working hard even when times were hard. 🙂 Best wishes to you all!! -The staff of Moko Jumbie