Cara de Crew

Arrivederci Edd - Barboy Costa Magica

2009-11-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

Where you are, I hope you are in peace! That God be with you and you have comfort and that all the hearts of the people closes to you are quiet now! That they learn how to be without you and only remember the good times with you. Our friendship was brief but wonderful, It was great had met you and wherever you are now, please look at us!

Today we had a big lost. One of the crew members of Costa Magica passed away. He was about a month in a hospital e today he didn't resist the treatment and the worse came to happen.

Now we pray God to send him peace and lig

ht. That all the angels of God take care of aour friend Edivaldo from the bar. His last contract was at Costa Magica were he met Fabiana his girlfriend that took care of him until the end, She is a brave girl, and I really hope she gets better.

Edd was not so close friend to me like he was for others. I remember that almost everyday, when I used to go out from the pizzaria, at 3:00 am, I used

to see him at the corridors or the smoking point, where everybody from the bar used to be by this time.

He also was

always at the deck 9, working at the buffet.

He was important because, every time we called him to attend some passengers, he was always available. Nobady from the bar liked to work there, eider did him, but were always smiling and very polite.

Edd,

Good bye,

so long,

far well...

Parties on board

2009-10-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Parties on board

Crew parties are like this:

The priest is charged for the parties. It happens 2 or 3 times a month. It depends on the priest on board. Some times, they serve the soft drinks and pizza for free, some times they have the open bar, with the cheaper drinks or, they just put the DJ (music) without food or drinks. It does not need any motive, it just happen. The DJ is a volunteer crew member; There is a special place for the parties, which can be a disco or the reserved place place for food, where we call staff mess or crew mess. At Costa Magica I went to parties at the crew beach, at the crew and staff mess and in a disco (deck 12) there works only for crew members, but I heard that some times they do parties in the passengers disco also for crew.

They put special lights, that keep blinking like in the disco, and the music they play is very democratic. But, Reggaeton is the most played hit in all party. They put also Merengue, Axe Music, Dance, Techno, some times Indian songs and depending on the occasion, also Filipinos songs.

Brazilian people are the most animated people in the parties, they don't miss one.

When there is no alcoholic drinks at the party, the crew members goes to the crew bar and when the crew bar closes, they go to the staff mess where after mid night they sell drinks. And them, after a fell drinks, the crew go to the party.

Something very funny about the ship life is that the crew members creates a new character for the life on board, so it is very common to have some unusual fashion style, specially for the party. Something that is also curious is the quantity of gay people on board, seams like they put themselves out of the closet, the crew member is free to do everything they wanna do, but they don't do in their real life.

2009-09-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

Feding on board

Well! This is a very important subject, once that the work on board is very heavy and you must to be well fed to handle it. The thing is, inside a ship, healthy food is something hard to have access. There are 40 different nationalities on board and to please all of them is impossible, so if they please a bigger number of people as possible, it's better. The higher number of crew members are Filipinos and Indians, so the food that pleases the taste of them is more frequent. Is very common to see cattle entrails on the menu and lots of rice!

If you hear the jargon "Como arroz!", don't be surprised, this is a large appreciated

delicacy in the ships.

Fruits and salads are always in the end, who arrives before eats it, or the wise you have to make do with what you have. Who works in the restaurant got the mafia, even those it is forbidden to eat passengers food, there is no cameras to spy you, so you can grab some fruits and balance your diet. Some waiters eat after the service, while they are cleaning their station.

Staff members have better food, but they've discount at their salary for it.

Other thing that interferes in the food is the working schedule. Because it always changes, so you don't have a straight routine and it's very common to start the morning shift without eating and be for hours with the empty stomach. But if you think that it will make you loose weight, you are wrong. When you stay for hours without eat, your body will be in enormous stress, asking for food, so when you finally eat, your body absolve all the nutritious and keeps some for the next time that your body will be for a long time without food. That reserve is in shape of fatness. So, you will get fat and still your body will be weak.

Concluding, be aware to it. Use the mafia to take care of you health!!!

Family visitors on board

2009-09-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

Family on board

A nice thing when you are in Brazil is to have your family on board. They can come on board the ship, while it is at the port, they can walk around the ship, and they can eat at the buffet without expend any money for this. And when you are in your break, you can go with them and show the ship and eat in the buffet with them. This is very easy, you just have

to fill up a form, that the crew office lives close to the door, over a box written "visitors", so you put the name, age, ID number and birthday date, you can bring until five people on board and you put this form inside the visitors box, three days before the port were you family will be in the ship. The security will take the forms, show to the staff captain, he will sign it giving the permission and them, the name of all the visitors will be in a list, which the federal police will have a copy, so, your family will show some ID with a picture, the security will hold it during the whole time your visitor is inside the ship and when him/her lives the ship, the security will deliver

the ID back. You can invite family, friends, whoever... They can use the pool, eat at the buffet, as they were passengers, they just can't buy anything because in the ship they don't accept money, but if you want to offer some drinks to them, you gonna have to buy it with your crew card.

Now, if you are a very friendly person and now people from every department on the ship, you use you mafia to get some free drinks, gifts and also special treatment to your visitors. When the ship is not moving, like in port, all the stores inside the ship closes, they only work at sea, so your visitors don't have access to buy in the duty free, so if you want to buy something to them, you'll have to buy it before. The crew members has 20 % off discount buying things in the ship. Drinks only have discount at the crew bar, in the regular bars the crew member have no discount.

The crew members are also allowed to buy cruises for their family and friends. They only pay 20% of the whole price of a regular cruise, so it is very cheap, any crew can afford it.

Friendship on bord

2009-09-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

On board there are hundreds of crew members. It's wearied to be very close to someone that you hardly know, but believe me. On board, even if you don't know the name of some

one, is very common share the same plate to everybody. Everybody is family on board. But don't get it in the wrong way. People cares more about you, when you have something to offer, after that, you're just one more, so be careful and don't trust people so deeply, because you can hurt yourself.

Also if you want to date someone. Don't create a whole history about some one that maybe is only with you for the

same reason that you are with them, company, or even sex.

All this is allowed, by be careful, he/she can hurt your feelings.

Be polite to all, smile, help them, coz' the same way they need you, you will need them anytime. Be a political person, talk to everybody, the guy that cleans the bathroom and t

he captain, the dishwashers and the officers, the guys from laundry and the high position, you never know what could happen to your or when you may need somebody.

On board you can never be jealous, never be possessive, just enjoy it as long as you can.

Of course is possible to find some truly friends, somebody that you will love for the rest of your life, and also the love can become a matrimony, who knows?

Brazilian Ports

2009-09-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Diversities

During the Brazilian season, We visit some ports in beautiful cities. It's amazing to see from the see, so many different places from the same country. This way is easy to know how Brazil is rich in culture and diversities.

Salvador - Bahia

Between all the places that the ship goes, Salvador is one of the most expected city. I would never say that this is the most beautiful city in Brazil, 'coz I could be unfair to the others, but Salvador has something magic and it has so many colors and the weather is so nice, also people are very helpful and joyful.

The good thing in Salvador for the crew is that everything is very close to the port. Pelourinho is the biggest colonial architecture in latin America, and you can visit a very amazing place, where culture is very strong. Farol da Barra is another close place from the port, there is a good beach and is goog for memorable pictures of Salvador. There are Rio Vermelho, Pituba, Itapuã, Abaeté and if, you have extra time, you can go to Stella Maris, that is wonderful for surfing, but is a little far from the port, it's about 40 minuts by cab.

Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro

Well, Rio is internationaly known and some places there are tipical to visit. like Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Corcovado and the suggar bread mountains, so having a fresh coconut water is the minimun thing that you can do there. If you don't have much time, but you need to buy something for your cabin, there is a street called Rio Branco, cross the Mauá square, is a commercial center in that avenue. There are pharmacies, lotteries, and many stores.

Búzios - Rio de Janeiro

Also in Rio de Janeiro, Búzios is a Paradise. During the day it has beautiful beaches and during the night, all the stores are still working and you can buy fantastic clothes for a very special price. The bars and the dancing clubs are espetacular, but there is a creperie where everything happens, there is the point of Buzios, that is Chez Michou, a french guy is the owner, him together with some guys prepers the creps and that is a particular guy that prepers it so fast that you can't follow it. They have a DJ, and when the creps are done, they

call your name at microphone. Yet, they have some original drinks which you will love.

Fortaleza - Ceará

Fortaleza has beautiful beaches, but you have to take a cab, Do not get out from the port by feet, it's a little dangerous. But it takes only five till ten minuts to arrive to the handicraft market, and the edge. The things in Fortaleza are not expensive, but at the beach you have to rent umbrella, beach chair and the cooler, this is not like in Salvador, that if you buy something in the beach hut, you don't need to pay just to sit in those chairs. The water is so clear, the sky is so blue, you have to go to Fortaleza at list once in a life time! The ship only passe by Maceió during the crossing.

Ilha Bela - São Paulo

Who could ever imagine that São paulo has a place so charming and nice as Ilha Be

la? This island lives up to name. The sky is very clean and the water is so clear. There are some nice small restaurants, Some bars close to the edge and there is a particular hostel where you can have lunch for a small price, to use the pool and if you have your lap top, you have free wi-fi access. At night is also good to go out from the ship, coz' the bars stay open for the passangers.

Ilhéus - Bahia

If you take a cab, you can go around the downtown, stop at the home madden chocolate store to buy some peculi

ar chocolate called "Gabriela" and "Nacib", that has male and female genital parts shape. You can stop by the handicraft for gifts and go to the millionary beach. But be smart, there are many street vendors offering too many things, you have to be patient with it. But the beer is not expensive and you can have a nice sunbathing.

Maceió - Alagoas

This is a very beautiful city. The edge is all flat, and the water is very clear. People there are very simple, but joyful. Only 5 minutes buy cab and you are at the edge. Nice ploace to have a good sunbathing and a cold beer.

The ship only passe by Maceió during the crossing.

Recife - Pernambuco

The Brazilian Venice, Recife is cutten by the Capibaribe river and you can go walking everywhere. The handicaft store is very close, cross the bridge and walk about 5 minutes to the left side. The ship only passes by Recife during the crossing.

See Brazil throught the coastline is an experience in a life time. worth living to see this!!

Brazilian Season

2009-09-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Is that what they like more... Beija flor visiting Costa Magica at the Roberto Carlos Cruise

Well,

After the crossing, I could see the difference between European and Brazilian public. It's way too different... GOD!!!

European are very polite, silence, they like to read, they hardly go to the pool, they consume lots of wine and different kinds of drinks, they play at the casino, they buy at the duty free and they go to the theater, they watch the music shows, they go to spa, gym, they do the hair and they are always circulating in the indoors areas, they also go outside to see the places the ship goes, they eat out and they buy gifts for their families, they also take pictures using the ship services. Brazilian people usually are always at the pool and the buffet, they don't like the formal services or to use the ship services, they go around the ship in first cruise day to take pictures, but after this they eat, eat, eat and when they are not in the pool, they are drinking beer, or dancing.

So, if the company wants to have the Brazilian public, they have to full the beer deposit, to have at list two DJ's and put all the pools working well, besides the food services, that must to work all day long!!!

Increnable, they never stop eating!!!

Brazilian is noisy, happy, lazy, and very annoying, they never read the Today, and so they always ask about everything. It mean lot work to do!

But you think it is bad to work with Brazilian? No way! This is so funny, they are always so worried about us, and they ask so many stupid questions, that is no way to be borried working for them. By the way, I am one of them, and I know I am not so different from them. When I travel as a passanger, probably I'll behave just like this.

First impressions

2009-08-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

Fears and doubts discoveries

I arrived in Savona at november 16 2008 for the crossing to Brazil. It was an 18 days cruise, full of europeans. My work in the buffet was very calm, but still too many things to do. In the ship, they have a journal they call "Today", with informations about all the events and time for the meals and all the services on board, this way, the passangers don't need to keep asking all the time, averything to the employees.

A cruise have the days we go to a port and the navegation days. Some times, it takes more them one day to arrive from a port to another, so that's why we have the naegation day. When is port day, it's ok, because all the passangers goes out to visit the place and for the tours, some times they eat out side and spend a lot of time doing it. For the people who works in the ship this is very nice, thay don't have to many things to do, but in the navegation day, all the passangers are inside the ship and they eat all they long. It means more work to do. The animation and recreation knows exactly what I'm talking about. But the record is in the restaurants, specially in the buffet.

Of corse that the ship has many places to go. Cassino, theater, pools, gym, beauty saloom, spa, bars, shopping stores, and many activities the recreation prepares for the passangers, but everything happens in the buffet.

Depending on the area in the ship you work, you have more or less time to go out, but you never have one whole day off. You have break times. But even this way, is possible to go out. Some times, with two hours break you can do so many things that you would never imagine. You learn how to manage your time better.

My first time out of the ship, was theree or four days after I embarked, I was so confused because all the problems I had, that I didn't do my crew pass, witch is the employee ID on board, it is a magnetic card with all the crew informations.

Only after a few days on board, some one informed me that I had to have this card to go out and come back to the ship. I got out in Tenerife, but I didn't go to the city center, I was so afraid and insecure and I had nobady to go with me, that I just steped out and came back inside.

After this, I stared to go out in everyport, even if I had nobody to make company.

Medical off

2009-08-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

Tight shoes and twisted foot

What they say about the shoes are all true. We really have to use it at list two numbers bigger them our feet. That working shoes are really unconfortable. I asked for a shoe that was one number bigger them my feet, and I really suffered a very big pain in my feet and toes. The first week is the worse af all, coz' is the adaptation time for the life on board. For me it was even worse, once that I didn't get rest after the trip.

That shoes were really hurting me and I couldn't handle that any more, I had to change that as fast as I could, but the problem is that we only can change the shoes after 3 months on board, or the wise, we should buy the new pair of shoes. I didn't want to pay a dime for this so I starried to think some way to change it without paying for it. My first two weeks, I didn't walked, I schlepped. The pay was so big that I cryed many times, when it was very strong and couldn't stand it, I went to the doctor. I was crying and the dostor saw me there sitting in the hospital waitting room. He asked me what was happenning and I shoulded him my ankles and feet, he gave me some medicin and sand me to my cabin. It was my firs medical off. I asked the doctor to give me a prescription that sad to the inventory officer that I had to have a new pair of shoes, because that one that I was wearing was giving me health trouble. They changed my shoes. This time, just to ensure I asked for a shoe 3 numbers bigger them my foot.

My medical off had only a half day of duration. In the other day, with the new shoes, I went back to work normally.

one week more and I twisted my right foot. It was injury. I were going up stairs holding a tray full of silvers and I steped wrongly in the ladder. It was painfull but I didn't go to the doctor right away, coz' I just had one medical of and I was ashamed to go again, but I didn't have other way out, the pain was too strong after a week with the swollen ankle. They gave me a shot and put bandages in my foot and I worked back in the other day. Other half day of medical off. After this I had no health problems until the end of my contract.

First day on board

2009-08-19T14:47:00.001-07:00

Ok, after all the problems I had with the flight and the agency negligencies, I finally arrived at Savona. I met some passangers at the airport and, was with them that I went from Milano to Savona buy van. They were very nice people, all brasilian, two couples, one young and the other not so young, but I liked them much more, coz' after I was inside the ship, they used to ask me about my first impressions of work and everything. Italy is a very beautifull country, all the trees on the way to Savona, and all that houses very european. It was not so cold, actually it was very warm.

Once in the port of Savona, I sad thank you to the passangers I met and the agent of Costa told me that I should get into the ship from another entrancy, only for crew. where the segregation satrts, lol! :)

Well I identified myself to the policemen and he called a latino guy from Peru, his name is Luiz, he was the crew purser by that time. He holded my passport, and sand me inside. There I had to do a lot of stuff like, catch my uniform, delivery my medical exams in the hospital, go to the Crew shief steward office to pick up my cabin key. My luggage was left in some where to when I could finally bring to my cabin and put my staff together.

After I had my uniform, I went to cabin and had a good shouwer, when I thought that I could just sit in my bed and get rest, I heard Manaira's voice telling me that I shoul go work. I went to work, some girld should me the way until there. When the elevator oppened, Lucas (a brasilian from my city) was in front of it, when the first thing he told me was that my uniform was wrong, I was wearing the gala t-shirt. This is a mistake that everybody does at the first day.

Lucas should me the place he used to work and him together with other snack stewards, brought me to the buffet supervisor. He was from Honduras, his name is Raul. We had four buffet supervisors: Raul (Honduras) Rendith (India) Pichete (Guatemala) and Miguel (Honduras), Some times is very hard to recieve orders to different people by the same time.

They put me to help the others, I was a little lost, but it were many brasilian snack steward on board, and they use to help each other.

I´m back

2009-08-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hello guys
I´m back!!

now that I finished my contract at Costa Magica, I know better how is the life on board. I can agree with many things that was posted here before, maby somethings I don't agree but it will be posted in another moment. Now, e are going to know a little how was my contract.

Well, first I would like to tell you how was my flight. Missing a few minuts for my flight to leave from Salvador, I resolved to open my e-mail box to see one last time my messages. That was the wa y that I knew that my flight had been changed. Yep, my agency only informed me about this changing from the e-mail box, and if I did't open it, I could just go to the airport by the time my real flight should be leaving, at 5:00.

The first attitud I had when I first saw the e-mail was calling my agency, the Infinity Brazil. They did't know how to explain me a thing about what heppend to me, the only person that knew about the changings were Sheila, who is encharged for the contact with the company. She seemed to be very nervous and no patience at all.

I just ran out from my house without saying good bye to my kids, and went to airport. When I arrived there, the airplane was still there, but I did't have time enought to travel in it, because I still had to do tha check in, 'coz I was doing an international trip, and I should arrived at tha airport to do the check in at list 2 hours before the departure. I lost my flight!

When I calld back the agency, they just sad to me to go back home and to weit for another embarcation date. What do you think? I had been waitting for that day for months, I could never go back home and just wait again, I don't Know how many months more..

I was lost there, and my colleague Sauane arrived at the airport with her mum, she was having the same problem as me, in fact she suposed to be in the same flight as me from Salvador to Sao Paulo.

She gave me the idea to call Genova and try to catch the international flight, but for this we should pay some rates, but Sauane lended me the money and I went on. When I called Genova, they told me that I could go, but my flight at Frankfurt, only could leave Sao paulo in the other day, so I slept in Sao Paulo, and I arrived at Savona, in my embarcation day. It means that I did't sleep at the hotel like everybody, I did't have the time to get rest after the whole trip, I just arrived from the airport straight to the ship and starried to work.

I'm telling you this story because what I see in this is that the agency only is interested in feeling up the number of workers for the companies, so this way they get more money. They don't care if you are the right person for that job, or if you can be in a better position, they want the money and that is it! But I don't care. I still have something to thank them, because they were the people that put me inside the ship, even if I could be in a better position or if I had to be my oun agent when I had the problem, they still have theyr part in my embarcation.

It's my time to go!

2008-11-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I don't want to lose my temper. I have to exercise my paciency, I have to be always polite, I will always be calm and tender, because I want to be successfull in my life.

Is my time now. I am getting inside to the ship and I will leave my family that I love, because of a dream that I don't now if it will bring me happiness or pain, only that I will have one more and unforgeteble experience!!!

God bless us!!!

Thank you all!!!

Take care of your feet

2008-11-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

Use glycerin, feet exfoliating, and soft shoes, because you will be for too many time by your feet and they will get tired, so TAKE CARE YOUR FEET!

Hanger Panties

2008-10-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

Thios is something that would help a lot for the crew members, especially tha girls, because it will meke it easier to dry faster the panties.

Course, other clothings can be hanged at this object, even the uniforms. if you hang it close to the air condicioned the clothes will dry faster.

See ya!!!

Communicaion

2008-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Cell phone bonus is one answer!!!

There are some promotional callings from cell phone that if you have a pre paid cell phone, you can make calls cheaper to yor family or friends. Also if you call for the same company as your account this calling is cheaper yet.

In my opinion, in Brazil, Vivo and Oi are the companies that have the best promotions for bonus, is good to have both chips accounts.

For the people who will stay at brasilian coast is better for the communication, if you have the lap top, you can have one those wireless internet.

Daylight Saving Time

2008-10-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

The ministery of mines and energy communicated that at this thursday (28), the 38º edition of daylight saving time (2008-2009) will iniciate about 0:00 p.m. of 10/19 and will end at 24:00 p.m. at 02/15 of the next year. at those four months, the clocks should be advanced in one hour at the regions soulth, soulth west, and center west of Brazil.

according to information from the national operator sistem (ONS), the pervision is that at this period there is a reduction between 4% and 5% in the most use of energy demand, that represents about 2 thousand MW.

Adapters for the eletronics

2008-10-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, if you want to bring your cell phone with you, or any othe eletronics, don't forget to bring an adapter like those at the pictures.

Chose one and take with you, you will avoid problems with the shape of the holes for the eletronics.

See ya!!!

Name tag in the luggage

2008-10-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Be carefull with your luggage. Use a big name tag, with your destinies, until the and of your journey. This will guarantie that you don't lost your luggage.

Se here, some examples of name tags:

Put your name on it!!!

Wear sunscreen

2008-10-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

"Wear sunscreen"

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, "sunscreen" would be it.

"sunscreen" would be it.

The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,

whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice NOW!

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.

Oh, never mind.

You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.

But trust me, in 20 years,

you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future.

Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.

Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

FlossDon't waste your time on jealousy.

Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.

The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive.Forget the insults.

If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters.

Throw away your old bank statements.

StretchDon't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.

The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives.

Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.Be kind to your knees.

You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.

Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.Maybe you'll divorce at 40.

Maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.Your choices are half chance.So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body.

Use it every way you can.

Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.

It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

DanceEven if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines.

They will only make you feel ugly.

"Brother and sister together we'll make it through,

Someday a spirit will take you and guide you thereI know you've been hurting but I've been waiting to be there for youand I'll be there just helping you outwhenever I can...

"Get to know your parents.

You never know when they'll be gone for good.Be nice to your siblings.

They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,

but with a precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get,the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in "New York City" once,

but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in "Northern California" once,

but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel

Accept certain inalienable truths:

Prices will rise.Politicians will philander.

You, too, will get old.And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you.

Maybe you have a trust fund.

Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse.

But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.

Advice is a form of nostalgia.Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

"Brother and sister together we'll make it through,

Someday a spirit will take you and guide you thereI know you've been hurting but I've been waiting to be there for youand I'll be there just helping you outwhenever I can...

"Everybody's Free,

Everybody's Free To Feel Good!

Some Poetry

2008-10-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

No mar

Vou partir
Me buscar no mar
No continente, vidas
Entrelaçadas na minha
Vou dormir,
Acordar em cada porto
O coração chora
Mas sem o mar, ele está morto

Quem sabe de longe você me vê?
Saudade cresce amor
Cuida do meu jardim
Minhas flores
Minha casa...
Eu cuido das minhas dores
E Deus cuida de mim

Na mala levo a saudade
Mas sei que ela insiste em ficar
Quando a dor resolver perturbar
Corre, vem para o mar
Meu corpo é matéria
Minha alma vai te encontrar

Bárbara Costa

em homenagem à Gabriela e Graziela

Uniforms

2008-10-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

Cook

Snack Steward

Front desk

Asst. waiter(ess)

Asst. waiter(ess) - noite de gala

Asst. waiter(ess)- jantar romantico

Animator

Asst. waiter(ess)- jantar italiano

Cabin Steward(ess) - noite(luva só em dia de apresentação p/ os passageiros)

Cabin Steward(ess) - dia

Room service attendant (masc/fem)

cocktail waitress na piscina

Bar waiter(ess), Bar Boy(mesmo uniforme)

Melô do Marineiro

2008-09-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Melô do Marinheiro
Os Paralamas Do Sucesso
Composição: Bi Ribeiro / João Barone

Entrei de gaiato num navioOh!
Entrei, entreiEntrei pelo cano
Entrei de gaiato num navioOh!
Entrei, entrei
Entrei por engano...(2x)

Aceitei, me engajei
Fui conhecer a embarcação
A popa e o convés
A proa e o timão
Tudo bem bonito
Prá chamar a atenção
Foi quando eu percebi
Um balde d'água e sabão

Tá vendo essa sujeira
Bem debaixo dos seus pés?
Pois deixa de moleza
E vai lavando esse convés...

Entrei de gaiato num navio
Oh!Entrei, entrei
Entrei pelo cano
Entrei de gaiato num navioOh!
Entrei, entrei
Entrei por engano...Quando eu dei por mim
Eu já estava em alto-marSem a menor chance
Nem maneira de voltar

Pensei que era moleza
Mas foi pura ilusão
Conhecer o mundo inteiro
Sem gastar nenhum tostão...

Liverpool, Baltimore
Bangkok e Japão
E eu aqui descascando
Batata no porão

Liverpool, Baltimore
Bangkok e Japão
E eu aqui descascando
Batata...

Entrei de gaiato num navio
Oh!Entrei, entrei
Entrei pelo cano
Entrei de gaiato num navio
Oh!Entrei, entrei
Entrei por engano...

Liverpool, Baltimore
Bangkok e Japão
E eu aqui descascando
Batata no porão...(2x)

Pensei que era moleza
Mas foi pura ilusão
Conhecer o mundo inteiro
Sem gastar nenhum tostão...(2x)

Oh! Marinheiro, Marinheiro(Marinheiro só!)
Foi quem te ensinou a nadar
Ou foi o tombo do navio
Ou foi o balanço do mar...(2x)

Tá vendo essa sujeira
Bem debaixo dos seus pés?
Pois deixa de moleza
E vai lavando esse convés...
Pensei que era moleza
Mas foi pura ilusão
Conhecer o mundo inteiroSem gastar nenhum tostão...

Entrei de gaiato num navio
Oh!Entrei, entrei
Entrei pelo cano
Entrei de gaiato num navio
Oh!Entrei, entrei
Entrei por engano...(3x)

Shoes for the free time in the ship

2008-09-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

During the free time in the ship, there are some rules that you will have to follow about the shoes.

For the free time, you cant't put your toes out, so it is good for you to have some of those sandals that you still will have confort, and follow the ship rules for the crew.

Testimony of crew

2008-09-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

Para os marinheiros de primeira viagem!

Bom, vamos lá! Vou dar minha contribuição para esta comunidade! =) To me sentindo obrigada a isso... Primeiro porque lendo os posts de vocês eu me vejo, ha um ano atrás... Exatamente igual... Cheia de dúvidas, ansiosa, completamente perdida... Mas com uma diferença: eu nao participei de nenhuma comunidade e não tive tantas pessoas legais ajudando com as dicas que vejo por aqui! Acho muito inteligente a forma de vocês se conhecerem antes de embarcarem... Essas amizades vão ser fundamentais pra vocês, depois de embarcados! Então, minha primeira dica é: ESQUEÇAM TUDO! Tudo o que vocês já viveram, todas as experiências, os tipos de trabalho... TUDO... Trabalhar e morar em um navio é diferente de tudo o que voces já possam ter experimentado...Não tem como fazer uma comparação... Um "tanto - quanto" ou um "como isso"... Talvez essa seja uma das coisas mais interessantes: a certeza de experimentar o "novo" e aprender sempre... e muito... Eu desembarquei pelo menos 5 anos mais velha... Já não me importo com bobagens... Não brigo à toa... Eu brinco dizendo que "encontrei a luz"...Resumindo essa primeira parte eu digo: Parabéns por terem passado na entrevista... Por terem se destacado no meio de CENTENAS de pessoas que gostariam de estar no lugar de vocês... Espero que consigam chegar até o fim e que se apaixonem por essa vida, assim como eu me apaixonei! Espero encontrá-los nos navios da Costa, um dia... MUITAS pessoas não conseguem o que vocês conseguiram! O que nós conseguimos rs No mais, nao adianta eu ficar falando o quanto essa experiência vai ser boa e o quanto vocês vao mudar e amadurecer com ela, porque afinal... Só entende quem vive... essa é a verdade... Então, vou escrever de algumas coisas práticas!!! Vamos lá!

Bom... Respondendo às perguntas que vi por aí, vou fazer tópicos!

Comida - A comida é diferente... Óbvio que nao é nem de perto o feijão da nossa mãe, mas tambem falar que é ruim nao é justo... Não tem realmente muito tempero, nem muito sal... Mas é de graça, é uma forma de salário indireto e é a realidade, entao reclamar é perda de tempo... Depois de 6 meses embarcado a gente começa a gastar um pouco fora, comendo alguma coisa de diferente...

Cabines - Primeiro depende do navio... No costa mágica é tudo novinho! Tudo clarinho...Tem dvd e o telefone voce consegue comprar um cartao que custa 10 dolares e ligar 40 minutos!! eu ligava sempre pra casa em dias de navegação! Foi otimo! Ja no Europa, o navio é bem mais antigo, entao as cabines sao assim... diferentes... Mas tinha sofazinho, coisa que nao tinha no magica, e era bem mais facil de conseguir, como exemplo, colocar um frigobar na sua cabine! hahaha No geral, elas são pequenas... O que voce tem como "casa" é só aquele espaço... Mas ela vai crescendo aos poucos conforme voce for se adaptando... São 2 pessoas por cabine existe cabinista para crew... Que arrumar a cama, limpam a cabine, trocam as toalhas...

Warning - Nossa forma de "punição"... Com 5 você é desembarcado... ou com 3 pelo mesmo motivo... Bom... se existem regras a serem cumpridas... cumpram! Simples assim rs Os principais motivos?? Atraso (se o seu chefe for caxias, te dá no primeiro atrasinho de nada... se vc pegar um chefe cabeça aberta, ele te pune de outras formas como te colocando mais vezes de port manning ou trabalhando em coisas que ninguem gosta d fazer...) e festas!!! Festas de cabine que fazem barulho e incomodam sempre uma unica pessoa que chama o segurança! hahahaha mas isso aí, é dificil evitar... ja imaginou um navio CHEIO de tripulantes brasileiros?? entao... rs

Port Manning - É uma espécie de plantão!! Em cada porto, duas pessoas de cada equipe (animação, bar, restaurante, lavanderia, etc) não podem sair do navio... Caso aconteça alguma "situação de emergencia" teremos uma equipe treinada a bordo.

Crew pass - É o nosso "cartão de credito" hahahaha A gente tem um limite de 100 euros (quando o navio ta na europa) ou 100 dolares (quando o navio ta no brasil) para gastar no crew bar ou nas lojas que os passageiros compram as coisas deles... mas como assim?? Eles nos dão esse dinheiro?? Claaaaaaro... que não! rs Vem no final do mes descontado no nosso salário!!

Crew Bar - É o nosso bar! onde podemos tomar um café, comprar cigarros, tomar uma cervejinha depois do trabalho... Chocolate... batatinha pringles! rs refri e água!! E tudo com um precinho SUPER bacana!!

Crew Beach - É a piscina para tripulantes!! No Mágica tm 2 jacuzzis!! ja no Europa tem só o espaço com espreguiçadeiras para pegar sol! Mas sem piscininha!

Academia - Não é a melhor do mundo, mas quem ta afim de malhar, consegue! Tem o som pra colocar o cd que vc gosta e mandar ver!! Tem esteiras, bicicletas, aparelho que malha tudo, colchonete... essas coisas!

Internet - No navio é cara! Não tem jeito! Mas as vezes é a melhor opção quando nao se está mt tempo sem dar noticias em casa!! Eu fiz uma vez um cruzeiro pelo mar nero... simplesmente IMPOSSIVEL de encontrar um internet point!! odessa, santorini, katakolon... rs Mas nós temos tambem uma internet gratuita!! Funciona assim: vc cadastra 1 e-mail e pode trocar e-mails com esse e-mail quantas vezes quiser e sem pagar nada! mas só com 1 pessoa!

Mandando dinheiro pra casa - Eu escutei mt baboseira antes de descobrir sozinha como é facil fazer isso!! Varias pessoas me disseram q era impossivel mandar dinheiro pra casa! MENTIRA! Eu usei sempre o Western Union... Uma emrpesa que mandar $$ pra todos os lugares do mundo!! Tem em savona, pertinho do porto! e em mais um mont de lugar tbm!! Gastava em media 15 euros para enviar 600 pra casa... É seguro, vc manda no nome de uma pessoa e eles te dao uma senha... em 24 horas a pessoa pode ir em qualquer agencia do Banco do Brasil e retirar o dinheiro com a senha que voce der pra ela e a carteira de identidade... Muito melhor do que ficar dando mole com o dinheiro na cabine!

Crew Party - Festinhas para a gente!!! Isso mesmo!!! Festa com música e bebida de graça!! hahahaha Existem festas que só tem musica e a bebida tem q comprar rs e festas onde a bebida é free!! Existem tbm outros eventos pra gente como rifa, bingo, karaoke... essas coisas...

Lavanderia - No costa mágica é uma beleza!!!! Tem uma lavanderia otima!! com maquinas de lavar, de secar, tanque, e tabuas e ferros de passar roupa!!! já no europa as q tinham ficavam dntro de banheiros que são usados pelas cabines q nao tem banheiro... entao a gente se sente meio que invadindo a privacidade das pessoas e acaba nao indo lá... e não tem ferro de passar roupa! mas na maioria dos navios tem uma lavanderia bonitinha como eu falei... e a gente tbm pode mandar nossos uniformes para lavar na lavanderia de passageiros, mas eu nunca usei isso pq tem data e hora pra levar e pra buscar e eu sempre esqueço, entao prefiro lavar eu mesma!

Staff mess e crew mess - são os restaurantes onde a gente come!!

Balançaaaaando - Uma das maiores mentiras é dizer que navio balança demais! rs Até balança... Mas vc se acostuma mt rápido!! É incrivel!! os passageiro reclamam q tao passando mal... vc pergunta pq... eles dizem q é pq o navio ta balançando... e vc fala: tá?? hahaha Isso nao vai ser problema pra vcs, sério!!

Trabalhando - Isso é fato... Se trabalha PRA CARAMBA! Antes de embarcar da pra pensar: é impossivel trabalhar 8 meses sem sábado, domingo ou feriado... Mas é possivel sim... e pela quantidade de pessoas que voltam pro segundo contrato, dá pra ver q nao é tao ruim assim... O importante é saber que voce ta indo trabalhar! Os passageiros estão de férias, você não! Se vc achar que está indo passear, vai se frustrar e nao vai ficar nem 2 meses lá! Agora, se você for de acordo com a realidade vai ver que trabalhar que nem um corno ganhando em euro é melhor que trabalhar que nem um corno ganhando em real... pq afinal, aqui no nosso país... ninguem ganha muito, trabalhando pouco... aliás... Se consegue trabalhar, né??

Do you speak english? Parli italiano? Hablas spañol? parle Français? não-sei-o-que Deutsch? - VAI APRENDER!! É dificil, mas quando você for ver, ta falando um pouco de tudo... Quando a agua bate no pescoço, a gente aprende rapidinho a nadar!! Não se desespere! Se dedique!! São muitas línguas em um mesmo navio, aprender a falar todas passa de "objetivo" para "consequencia".

Salário - varia... Mas nunca veja só o numero que cai na conta!! Voce nao paga pra comer, pra morar, agua, luz, gás... E vai aprender um monte de coisa e conhecer lugares maravilhosos... o nome disso é "salário indireto"... estamos praticamente ricos! rs

Adaptação - Ninguém disse que ía ser fácil né?? Quando eu cheguei, fiz tudo o que tinha que fazer... entreguei documentos, peguei a chave da cabine, comprei o uniforme e fui pra cabine... sentei na mala ainda feita... e chorei... Chorei mais do que um dia pensei que fosse capaz... Tenho até hoje uma folha de papel onde escrevi o que estava sentindo... a folha é toda marcada com os pingos das minhas lágrimas... Eu não queria ficar... não gostava do cheiro que eu sentia... um cheiro que nem existe... não queria ficar ali... Mas fiquei... A minha companheira de cabine sentou na minha frente e me falou: você tem que se divertir... Foi o conselho mais sábio que poderia receber! Subi até a ponta do navio e vi o Costa Mágica deixando o Rio de Janeiro... A minha vida começou alí! Deixando as lágrimas que eu deixo saírem dos meus olhos agora, quando escrevo e relembro disso, concluo... Só se aprende a viver em um navio em 3 meses mais ou menos... Só ali você aprende o que pode ou não fazer, como fazer, quando fazer... tudo... aprende a lidar com a saudade, com as brigas, com as dificuldades e a pressão psicológica... É o tempo que vai dizer se você é realmente bom a ponto de seguir ate o fim ou não...

O tempo que não passa - No navio, 1 dia dura 2!! Vc trabalha, come, tira a soneca depois do almoço, trabalha de novo, sai, e qd vai ver leva um susto!! "AINDA É HOJE????" Quando ta na europa e com o contrato na metade piora... rs... 1 dia dura 3!!! E 10 dias antes de desembarcar vc come ate o pé da cama de tanta ansiedade!!! É pq vc vive TANTA coisa... que parece q o tempo nao respeita a velocidade normal dele... TUDO acontece o tempo todo... Acho que é por isso que a gente cresce tanto embarcado... a gente vive em 8 meses o que levou a vida inteira pra viver metade! rs

O que levar? - Não adianta eu dizer... Voce certamente vai errar!! hahaha vai levar bem mais do q cabe no armario, vai sofrer carregando as malas... vai sentir falta justamente da calça q vc deixou em casa... É normal... mas é q nem criança, que pra aprender que tomada dá choque tem q enfiar o dedo nela... Eu nao vou privar voces de aprenderem com os proprios erros... ate pq cresci mt tbm assim...

Detalhes que fazem a diferença - Mas... em todo o caso, dicas pequenas posso dar... detalhes... como 2 relógios de parede... 1 pra vc ter a hora do brasil e outra a hora do lugar onde vc estiver... é uma delicia entrar na cabine as 2 hs da manha, olhar no seu relogio brasileiro, ver que ainda são 9 horas da noite, fechar os olhos e lembrar que deve estar começando a novela que a sua mãe nao perde por nada nesse mundo... e outras coisas que façma a cabine parecer a sua casa mesmo!! afinal, vc vai morar ali!! eu troquei a cortina do box, colokei uma toda colorida!! enfeites na parede, fotos cobrindo toda a parede da cama... minha bandeira verde e amarela revelando a mim mesma que nao tem povo mais patriota que o nosso!! vc NUNCA vai encontrar uma cabine de uma italiana toda verde, branca e vermelha e nem a de um frances toda azul, vermelha e branca... mas o verde e o amarelo predomina SEMPRE!! Somos terceiro mundo, mas somos os melhores mesmo... nao tem jeito rs!!

A saudade - Quando eu estava prestes a embarcar, MUITAS pessoas ficavam me enxendo com a pergunta: "mas vc nao vai sentir saudade?" E eu, que nunca me desgrudei da minha mãe respondia: "Eu vou morrer de chorar... Mas vou chorar na grécia" E foi exatamente o que eu fiz!! Não tem gente... a saudade dói!! E dói mt mais pra quem fica!! Voce, bem ou mal, ta vivendo o que pode ser a melhor experiencia da sua vida (como foi da minha), é tudo novo... a ausencia da familia vem junto com um moooooonte de coisa... sabe quando eu chorava mais? Quando imaginava a minha casa vazia sem mim... Quando pensava nos meus pais passando pela porta do meu quarto com a luz apagada... Pra eles foi muito pior que pra mim... Mas é uma mistura de sentimentos incrível!!! Porque no meu caso, eu me tornei motivo de orgulho! Todas as mensagens de: "estou morrendo de saudade" vinham com um "você é o meu maior orgulho", "voce é uma vencedora"... Eu sempre disse que é tudo tao estranho que "a unica coisa que me faria voltar pra casa é justamente a que me faz ficar ate o final"... a minha familia... Eu largaria tudo por eles... e foi por nao querer decepcioná-los que eu não voltei quando senti vontade de voltar!O amor cresce- É verdade!! Voce vai se sentir bem mais amado depois que embarcar!! As pessoas que nao diziam "te amo" vao dizer... eu por exemplo tenho 2 irmãs... óbvio que elas me amam muito e eu tbm... mas a gente nunca teve a necessidade de zier "eu te amo" assim de cara... e eu nao sei contar quantos "eu te amo" escutei delas desde que embarquei... O melhor de partir é voltar! E saber que te amam ainda mais! é uma delicia!

Os amigos e amores em alto mar - As relações em um navio sao completamente diferentes!! São muito mais intensas!! Voce fica com um cara 1 semana e ele sabe mais de você do que todos os namorados que voce ja teve, e voce sente uma "necessidade" dele como se amasse mesmo!! E voce ama!! Voces vivem experiencias juntos... Passeiam de maos dadas na grecia! Vivem uma vida em 2 meses! E isso acontece com os amigos tbm!! eles sabem seus segredos, seus pontos fracos... Conhecem todos seus amigos pelas fotos e se tornam peca-chave da sua vida a bordo! E sao amigos por quem voce faria qualquer coisa, exatamente igual aquela sua amiga de infancia que vc conhece ha 15 anos... estranho ne??? Mas é assim!! rs Óbvio, se vc é mulher, como eu... tem que abrir o olho... aquela história de um amor em cada porto é verdadeira em 90% dos casos! rs

É um tititi - É bom saber de cara! Todo mundo sabe de tudo o tempo todo no navio! Não tem como ficar em segredo com alguém! eles vão descobrir!! O D.I.V.A (Departamente de Informação da Vida Alheia) funciona que é uma beleza!! hahaha Que nem uma cidadezinha do interior! hahahaha A vantagem é que rapidinho voce aprende a ligar aquela seta, sabe?? É ótimo!! Afinal, quem realmente é importante pra você está beeeeeeeeeem longe dessas conversas rscontinua...

Uma pausa na vida real - Outra coisa que costumo dizer é que a vida embarcada é uma pausa da vida real! Nossa vida real ta do lado de fora do navio... Nosso bairro, nossos vizinhos, nossa casa... Amigos, familia, lugares... O navio é uma pausa... onde vc vive tudo.. vive ao máximo! Acorda cada dia em um lugar diferente! dorme na ucrania, acorda na grecia... Mora com uma pessoa... depois ela desembarca e vc dá tchau e nunca mais ve... aí embarca outra pessoa e tudo bem... você se acostuma com ela... e nem se lembra da outra... E quando tudo acaba... depois de 8 meses você volta pra casa... que ainda tem o cheiro bom de casa sua... come o feijão que a sua mãe ainda faz... retoma a sua rotina como se nada tivesse acontecido... Ninguém esqueceu de você... nem substituiu você... é tudo exatamente igual... Exceto você... que está completamente diferente...

O que eu sou - Eu não sou mais o que eu era... não penso mais como pensava... Não fuxico mais vida dos outros no orkut rs Não tiro mais foto pensando no fotolog... Não vou mais pra nights e nem fico dias no msn... Eu me importo com coisas importantes... Eu sou maior do que eu era... Sou melhor do que eu era... Tenho orgulho de mim... Do que conquistei e vivi... Estou de bem com a vida e com o mundo! é bom DEMAIS isso! voces nao fazem ideia!! E sabe o que é melhor?? Dar realmente um motivo para morrerem de inveja de você! Aquelas pessoas que sempre puxaram seu tapete, mesmo você nao tendo nada assim tão especial?? Então, agora você tem!! Você conhece o mundo, trabalha num navio, ganha em euro! ótimo, podem fuxicar meu orkut a vontade porque agora vcs tem realmente o que ler! =)

Europeu não gosta de brasileiro - MENTIRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A mentira mais deslavada do mundo!!! Pode se preparar!! Eles babam pela gente!! Ninguém sorri como a gente... Ninguém dança como a gente... Eles amam isso!! Eu sempre escutava: Brasileira?? Ah entao você é TOP! hahahahaha Claro que tem uns metidos-á-besta mas enfim... dentro do próprio Brasil a gente pode experimentar esse tipo de discriminação, então não é vantagem rs

Gente que reclama demais - É um saco!!! Não escutem reclamaçoes sobre a vida a bordo! cada um vai ter a sua propria experiencia!! Eu estou escrevendo algumas coisas que EU vivi... as vezes, vai ser completamente diferente pra você!!! Às vezes, exatamente igual... Você tem que ir de coração aberto pra essa experiência! vestir a camisa MESMO! A Costa é uma empresa maravilhosa, e vai ser muito importante pra você!! E não reclame!! Pense sempre no quanto você caminhou para estar lá ali! Os problemas ficam pequenos quando os objetivos sao maiores!

Os incompreendidos - Ninguém que nunca passou por isso vai entender a dimensão disso tudo... Convido a lerem esse tópico quando voltarem e vão sentir ainda mais emoção! Essa é uma das partes mais bonitas... Embora a lagarta saiba como é ser uma borboleta, ela NUNCA saberá como é voar antes de ganhar as suas asas... É isso nos liga ainda mais... Quando olharem uns pros outros, vão saber exatamente que sentimos igual e que esse é um "segredo" nosso... Algo que nos torna diferente dos outros... As asas que ganhamos...

E pra terminar - Nunca se esqueçam: "Estamos todos no mesmo barco!" Literalmente... o que isso significa?? Bom... Como duas pilastras... Uma tomba pra direita... Mas a outra tomba pra esquerda... Então elas se escoram no meio do caminho e nenhuma das duas vai pro chão. É engraçado essa cumplicidade... Vou deixar a emoção tomar conta de mim mais uma vez pra contar a maior emoção que eu ja senti...

Dia 02/03/2008 - Ultima parada do Magica no Rio de Janeiro... Até entao, via meus pais todos os domingos quando o navio estava lá!! E o navio estava partindo e me levando para muito longe... Eu só ia voltar em 5 meses... Só nesse dia me senti indo embora... Aí a cena era a seguinte: todos os meus amigos de trabalho na ponta do navio... bem ali como seria o titanic! meus pais ficaram no porto... ficaram ali até perderem o navio de vista... Ja estava escurecendo e tinham só os dois ali... Não tinha mais ou pai nem a mãe de ninguem... só os meus... Meu pai assoviava um assovio que só ele faz... desde que sou criança... é dele... quando ele esperava a gente descer pra portaria, fazia o assovio... quando eu tava perdida na praia ele assoviava e eu o encontrava... e ele assoviou ali... e os tripulantes que estavam la na ponta do navio imitaram o assovio dele... "fi-fu-fiiiiiiu"... Eu via dois pontinhos destacados... e estava no celular com a minha mae... aí eu dei tchau, mas ela nao conseguiu me ver... eu queria q ela me visse, mas o navio tava longe demais... e eu chorava tanto... e aí a parte da cumplicidade... A Popó, menina que dividia cabine comigo, parou do meu lado... tirou a blusa dela.... subiu na grade e rodou a camisa no alto! outros amigos se penduraram com a gente e ficamos todos juntos... fazendo "volume"... um volume pequeno pra imensidão do navio... mas eles viram... Conseguiram saber exatamente aonde eu tava... E ficaram ali acenando pra mim ate perderem o Grande Gigante de vista...
Eu ainda fiquei mais tempo lá... com o vento batendo no meu rosto... vendo todas as praias do meu TÃO amado Rio de Janeiro até a hora que o navio entrou em alto mar... Voltei pra cabine com o corpo leve de tantas lagrimas que deixei lá fora... Em 6 dias eu estaria pela primeira vez na vida na europa... Era só uma das TANTAS "primeiras-vezes" que vivi ali... E de tantos sonhos que eu realizei desde então...

É isso... Tentei fazer um resumo de coisas importante, mas sei que acabei falando demais de mim né??? Peço desculpa se escrevi demais e pelos erros de portugues que fatalmente cometi, porque quando a inspiração bate, tenho que escrever rapido demais pra nao perder o pique e acabo errando uma coisa ou outra...Bom, de qualquer forma: BEM VINDOS AO CLUBE!!!! Estou a disposição ok? Se eu puder ajudar, com certeza ajudarei!Sou da equipe de Animação para adultos e embarco dia 12/10 no meu AMADO Costa Mágica! Quem sabe a gente nao se ve la??

Beijoooooooos

Rafaela Maldonado

22 anos

Animadora do Costa Magica

Data de embarque: 12 de outubro de 2008

The Crew world

2008-09-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

If you are a crew member, you will have a whole world only for you. The crew bar, the pool, your cabin and other places.

Before Embarcation

2008-09-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

Just three things:

1. water

Buy some water to have inside your cabin, caz' inside the ship the water they have for free is desalt, wich tasty really bed or the water they sell, that is very expensive!

2.Cookies

You don't know when they will serv you food, so have some food in your cabin that will not spoil easilly. so, cookies are the best meal for this ocasion.

3. small luggage

You'll gonna have too little space for your staff, so take a small luggage, even those, you'll buy some more while you are out.

Use vitamins!!!

2008-09-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Food inside the ship is very bad. If you don´t have a friend in the restaurant to provide good food, it will be very hard and you will loose weight and get weaker. So, take some vitamins.

Here are a list of vitamins you can have with you:

Those vitamins alone can't help you, so try to eat a little, even the food doesn1t tasty good!!

SCADULE

2008-09-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

Here are the following scadule from Costa Romantica, Mediterranea, and Costa Magica

Costa Romântica :

Costa Mediterranea: Costa magica:

2008-09-08T18:00:00.001-07:00

To Realyze Dreams

2008-08-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

To work in Tourism is to make dreams come true. Think about the honey moon, or when someone retires, they want to go to a special place, it shoul be unforgetble. When someone spend money that could buy a house or a car, it must to be considered. It is an investment!

In some cases, people are very rich and they can spend all the money that they can, but, in the most of cases, people saved money all life long to go to the Greek Islands or Caribe.

So, it must to be important. It's an unique opportunity.

The professional in Tourism need to pay attention in each detail of its work and to antecipate the guest's needs. The guest will be pleased and will give you the return.

A big smile at the face is a key for the success and even those you are tyred, think about the dream you want to realyze at your own life, automatcly you will be qualifyed to serv the guests.

See ya!!

Buffet - Snack Stewards

2008-08-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

The buffet is one area that you can use a lot of criativity. People who works at the buffet area are the snack stewards.

They work at all the meals. If you work at the coffe break, you work at the lunch too. If you work at the afternoon snack, you work at the dinner too.

Uniform:

Snack Steward:

White jersey (carry)

The company offers you:

2 black skirts

2 vests

2 ties

Shoes(company offers)

ps. Don't need to buy white snickers.

Snack stewards only uses the black selves, at the ship´you can buy it, but use to have the 15 wire. I advise you to buy it 60 wire plus, to not spoil easely... you have 20% discount as employe.

The buffet area is responsible for the meals supervision and buffet line. table cleaning, decoration, food reposition and cutlery/plates during all meals and guests attendancy. The salary is about 700 until 1.000,00 euros/month + tips

The importancy of your feet

2008-08-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

All the crews works a lot. Most of them, works standing all the time, so, taking care of your feet is very important!

Some cruise company give the working shoes for their employes, but they ar not very comfortable.

You can use your own shoes but be carefull, because if you hurt yourself, the company woulod not be responsable for you, because you wre not using the shoe's company. It must to be slipers.

There are some silicone insoles that you can buy. They are very soft and your feet will get rest, also it can provide the natural humidity for the feet, yet it alleviates the impact.

http://www.tima.com.br/

For the girls, selves, gentle compression are a good option to provid rest for the legs. It can avoid varices too.

http://www.lupo.com.br/

Legs and feet maintain the body, so if you cares a lot for it, do this little investment. Its a small investment for a greates good.

See you!!

Election Year

2008-08-13T03:38:00.000-07:00

2008 is an election year in Brazil. We are going to vote to mayor and councillors. But if we are travelling abroad, how can we vote? we don't vote, we justify it.

We have until 30 days after get back to Brazil, to justify our vote. We have to go to to the nearest electoral office, show copies of our passport and fly ticket.

The voting is compulsory in Brazil, so if we don't vote, we can suffer some limitations, as well not to apply for puplic tender or to provide vestibular.

It's a funny way to do democracy in Brazil but law is law, we have to follow it.

Bloggers on duty!

2008-08-12T03:57:00.000-07:00

Before you get on board or between a contract and another, some people use to criate blogs. It's a fun way to pass time and to share experience with others.

At this time, there are five left girls to get board date at my Costa trainning group. We are so anxious, that everyday we ask each other if she has her the board date already.

Some of us gave up, others got a new job and don't want to go as a crew ship member anymore, so, here we are still waitting... Wich us luck!

10 advantages to be a crew member

2008-08-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

What motivate some one to stay far from familly and all

To travel abroad

To met several foreing people

To get professional experience

Improve the language and to learn others

To develop pacience and strength

Learn to organyze time

Learn to be punctual

Learn to follow rules

Apreciate the minimun things from nature

Apreciate your familly

Advices for the trip

2008-08-08T03:27:00.000-07:00

For the trip, you'll need to buy some things that are gonna be necessary for you. At Costa Company, they give you the uniform plus the shoes you gonna weare, but if you want to have a little more comfort, follow the tips below:

A pair of black slippers shoes

two white social Jersey (that one the waiters use)

A pair of insole silicone to protect your feet

For the girls, several black and skin collor selves

A white pair of snickers

Several white socks

For men, black social pants

Its always good to bring with you some food. Always have some food at your cabin. Nothing perishble, coockies are the ideal food to have at your cabin. Full stomack is the best medicin for ship nauseas.

Some medicines are good to have with you too. Thet medicines that you use to take:

aspirins

some vitamin supplement

medicin for the cold

To take care of your health is the best medicin. So, always have all your meals, take a rest the more you can, preserv your energies, so don't drink too much and don't stay all night up just for fun. Have always a bottle of water in your cabin. Its better to it at the ship stops. The water inside the ship is no good.

Success!!!

That was the first selection in Salvador

2008-08-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

That was the first time in Salvador that Infinity Brazil comes out from Santos- SP and goes to another state to do this selection.

It depends on the seazonality and the demand. at the beginning of this year, people from Salvador made the bigest number of interested people to be crew members.

That was the first time that a cruise ship company made the enterviews out of Santos.

The group from Salvador was about a hundred people. this group were getting smaller and today we are about thirty. That happens because of the selection. English and othe languages are a very important subjective to be analyzed at the interview, othe important issue is the experience in hotels or restaurant, or the area that you are applying for. Some people gives up or find other jobs during this period between selection and the wait for the board date.

Salvador is one of the most beautiful city in Brazil and is on of the destinies that the cruise ships passes trhought.

2008-08-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

Now you gonna follow from here the list with all callings

A MÁFIA DO MÁGICA

*Julinho_3 de agosto - Barwaiter - JÁ FOI!!!
*Ava_17 de agosto - Cabin stewardess - JÁ FOI!!!
*Isabella Campos _ 14 de setembro - Snack Steward - JÁ FOI!!
*Liliane (Lila)_14 de setembro - Butler - JÁ FOI!!
*Pedro (Carioca)_21 de setembro - Barwaiter - JÁ FOI!!
*Lucas_ 05 de outubro - Snack steward - JÁ FOI!!
*Clara_26 de outubro - Assist. waitress - JÁ FOI!!!
*Isa (Ateniza)_02 de novembro - Assist. waitress - JÁ FOI!!!
*Fabiane_16 de novembro - Front desk
*Paula Nogueira_16 de novembro - Front desk
*Bárbara Costa _16 de novembro - snack steward

O CALDEIRÃO MEDITERRÂNEA

*Marco Túlio(Sérgio Reis)_10 de agosto - Barwaiter - JÁ FOI!!!
*Bah_17 de agosto - Room service - JÁ FOI!!!
*Vitor Reuter(Tito)_ 14 de setembro - Assistant bartender - JÁ FOI!!
*Edd_14 de setembro - Snack steward - JÁ FOI!!
*Tati Cruz (Robin Wood)_10 de outubro - Snack Steward - JÁ FOI!!!
*Lorena Louzada (Lore)_ 11 de novembro - Snack steward
*Débora Gomes(Macaxeira) _ 14 de novembro - Snack steward
*Jim_19 de novembro - Barboy
*Mila _19 de novembro _Snack steward

OS ROMÂNTICOS!

*Robson (Delícia)_8 de setembro - Cleaner- JÁ FOI!!
* Ana Luiza _ 14 de setembro -Front Desk - JÁ FOI!!

*Monty _22 de setembro - Barboy - JA FOI!!!
* Fernanda (Celtinha) _ 27 de outubro - Snack Steward - JÁ FOI!!!
* Sauane (Cuduro) _16 de novembro_ Snack Steward
*Verônica (Véu)_ 17 de novembro - Snack steward
*Fábio Teles (Kaká)_ 24 de novembro - Barboy

A AFORTUNADA

*Audrey - Snack steward - 20 de outubro - JÁ FOI!!!!

BOARD DATE - LUGGAGE

2008-07-31T05:08:00.000-07:00

After board date and all documents what else shoul I wait for?

The airfares! The agency, send us it by e-mail. Plus, the contract, wich is very important!
Its good to bring it with you in your hand luggage.

For this we have a list:

HAND LUGGAGE

Documents

ID/CPF
STCW

Passport

Airfares

Company contract
Environmental certificate

Medical certificate

Corporate management system
Visa (If you need)

OTHER THINGS

A change of clothes

A hundred euros at list
Personal things

For the normal luggage, don't carry to many things. Just bring the essential. The cabins are very small and you''ll don't need too many clothes. Remember that you will buy things at the trip. There is a community in orkut that you'll answer some doubts:

http://www.orkut.com.br/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=46676637&tid=5218332024226960893

WHAT NOW?

2008-07-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

Ok! Now you have been approved in all interviews, made all the trainings, what happens now?

It's pretty simple. You wait for the documents (STCW, Environmental certificate and medical exams). The agency will send it by Mail, it can take about a month to arrive at your home. Then, you wait for the agency phone call, telling you what day you are going to go on board. It can be whenever...

Your family and friens will going to start asking you, if you're crazy, this trip is fruit of your imagination...

Don't panic! read a book, work out, criate a blog...

One tip: I'm not sure if it is always like that, but I started to pay attention that my agency has an order to follow, for the phone calls.

First, they call the housekeeping area, them front desk, restaurant, bar and buffet area crews. I must to remember you that this information is subjective, is just an analysis I made (I believe that management functions don't follow that order, because they aren't many).

And please, as soon you receive your board date, tell your friends, it helps a lot with their anxiety.

Friendship 2

2008-07-30T04:39:00.000-07:00

MC Carioca

Mc Carioca

Pedro Tortelly, known as Carioca, you can call him many names, but he will always be our Mc!! He plays gaita and criated a very peculiar song, wich letter will stay inside your imagination...

Poliglotas do Arrocha

dancer singer guitar

As I told you before there is a group of guys that self denominated "Poliglotas do Arrocha". They are so criative, and so talented that when we put them together it couldn't be different. Robinho Delícia (Robinho Delight), Tito Baiano (Tito from Bahia) and Compacto (Compact) translate songs to english, italian, spanish and when they get extra help from D'Mennol (a girl that speaks Filand language), they translate songs to Finland language too. I'm pretty sure that inside the ship, they will do a huge success!!

Friendship

2008-07-29T12:44:00.001-07:00

This is Vítor Reuter, but you can call him Tito Baiano. Tito and theree other guys criated a group called "Poliglotas do arrocha"; Its a peculiar rhythm that exist in Bahia Brazil. another rhythm is the pagode, and at this song, Tito uses his criativity to show how he cares about Jim.

Jim is a very nice guy, who has a special way flashing his eyes. He is so charming doing that, that it deserve its own song.

PAGODE DO JIM

(POLIGLOTAS)!!!

CONHECI NA ENTREVISTA PARA A EMBARCAÇÃO

(I met at the embarcation interview)

O NOME DELE É JIM

(his name is Jim)

É A TREMENDA SENSAÇÃO
(It's a huge sensation)

PARECE PSICOPATA MAS NÃO UM ANIMAL

(looks psycho, but not an animal)

É O TIPO QUE AGRADA E A GALERA PAGA PAU

(Is the type who everybody likes)

SÓ TEM UM DETALHE

(Just one detail)

SUA CONSTANTE AZARAÇÃO

(his constat fooling around)

QUANDO XEGA A MULHERADA E ROLA A PISCAÇÃO

(When the girls arrive he starts to flash his eyes)

Refrão:

DAH UMA PISCADINHA, JIM

(Flash your eyes, Jim)

DAH UMA PISCADINHA

(flash your eyes)

DAH UMA PISCADINHA, JIM

(flash your eyes, Jim)

MEXENDO ESSA BUNDINHA (BIS)

(flash your eyes)

Poliglotas do Arrocha eh SOH SUCEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

After this, you can see how friendly you can be with your colleagues. I'm sure that from now on, we will be friends forever. I love you guys!!!!!

STCW

2008-07-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here you'll find some answers that normally you'll will not find in other places. The information about documentes, investment or other details you will find at the site below:

http://www.zoromar.com.br/seguranca_navios.htm

For five days you will stay in Santos. There you will have to spend with stay, food and transportation. So, there are some tips to follow:

Stay: There are some apartments close to Zorovich & Maranhão area that you can rent together with your friends that will do the same course as you. Its cheaper if you join with five more people and stay at the same apartment. Santos is a city of summer, so it's common to rent furnished apartments for young people in vacation or the students. But if you go by your own, it's better to rent a room (people rent rooms at home for the students) or going to a hostel.
Food: The Zorovich & Maranhão offers you two coffebreaks a day, and it is well served, so you can eat twice a day for free and organize yourself and your stomach, doing some economy, or you can eat at the baker place that they have a chicken bakery. You can also prepare your spaghetty at home in your free time, wich is too little, but is a good option too. There is a supermarket that you you will find all ingredients you need.
Transportation: If you stay close to the Zorovich & Maranhão area, you will not need transportation, you will walk there everyday. You'll find the address at the site up. The expences with air plane and the bus from São Paulo to santos are up to you.
Leisure: There are some interesting places that you can visit while you are at Santos:

1.The aquarium;
2.Vila Belmiro;
3.Guarujá;
4.Bonde;
5.Bars.

http://www.vivasantos.com.br/

The STCW is a document and you only can go on board if you have this original paper. It is valid for five years, and is a great investment. You will learn a lot, make new friens and have fun.

Tips with expences for Costa Trainning

2008-07-29T04:06:00.000-07:00

As You know, the Costa Trainning is in Santos-SP. If you are not from Santos, the hotel is paid by the company, but the expences with food and transportation are all yours.

Here some tips for you to expend the less as possible at this trip.

Air plane transport: Buy the plane tickets some days before your trip. Look for some promotion, some air companies offer very cheap tickets at dawn. Or you can buy your tickets at some tourism agency, they have more power to find the better offers. You can go by bus either, but the prices are almost close and the trip is not so comfortable.

City transport: To go from the hotel to The Unimonte College, you can go by cab or bus, but the better option is by cab. You can get a four people group, and share a cab. Before you get into the car, ask to the cab driver to fix a price. Take the bus price and multiplicate by four and that would be the fair price for the tip, fix a round number to make it easyer for you and the cab driver.

Food: At the hotel, the coffebreak is included and it's well served. So you can have an ample breakfest, and you'll not need to eat so soon. By the way, the company (Costa) offers you two comfort breaks a day during the trainning. One is served by 10:30 am, the other is served by 4 :30 pm, so if you organize yourself and your stomack, you'll not need to buy food. But if you still hungry or you can't stand eat one more piece of bread, you'll find some other options close to the universit Unimonte http://www.unimonte.br/home.asp, where the trainning usually happens. The trainning are very hard and are ten hours a day, so the comfortbreak moments are memorable.

Leisure: The daily journy are heavy, but still there are some time left to have fun. Inside the hotel, there are some relaxing options as well, like the pool, jakuzzy, gym, depending on the hotel you'll stay, there is a mall where you can go for a walk. Usually, the hotel offer internet, but they are paid and expensive, so if you want some free internet, bring your laptop with you, they normally have wireless internet, or you can go to some lanhouse close to the hotel and use it for small prices. Make sure that if you go out at night, never stay longer tham 11:00 pm, 'coz the front desk hotel employes will notice the company your behavior.

Clothes: The company gives you two t-shirts for the five days of trainning. So, take care of your t-shirt and be carefull to not dirty. One or two jeans pants are enought and a pair of snickers. You'll not need too many clothes, but at night you will not use the uniform, so bring some clothes for the nights, Santos is not a very cold city, so, only one coat you'll need.

Teaching Material: The company gives you the teaching material, but you must bring your own notebook and pen.

And last thing: Good luck on your trainning!!!

About me

2008-07-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

Who's that girl?

As you know, I'm Barbara Costa. I'm from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. I'm 29 and graduated in Tourism in 2007. I chose this area because of this huge love that I have for my country and city. Also because I had learned some languages.

My native language is portuguese, but I speak english and a little spanish. So, this way wasn't hard for me to be selected by the govermment to be an exchange student in Us, where I lived for six months and studied at Gadsden State Community College in Alabama.

I used to be an english teacher in a small city close to salvador, but I went out from there to finish my studies. I worket in a front desk of a big hotel in Salvador too.

I've decide to work as a crew ship because I would like to keep working in my area and to get more money. Also I love to travel, and after you go out from your country once, you can't stay longer without travelling. So, here I am...

Sorry about my english. If you see some mistakes, please, don't be shy to correct me, ok? I'm opened to recieve opinion and some new information.

This blog is a way to registrate my itinerary at the cruise ship. this will be my first travel as a crew member. later I tell you my experience abroad, as exchange student, or whatever...lol.

I finish here for the moment, but I'll be back.

Cara de Crew

2008-07-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

Costa Crew selection, interview

and trainnings

This blog aims to tell the aspirants how is the process to prepare to be a cruise ship crew and everything that happens before the embarcation, during and after desembarcation.

This group was selected in Salvador- Ba, and they did all the enterviews at Salvador.

The firt step to be a crew is to fill up the formulary to some cruise agency. Our agency is the Infinity Brazil, that is situated in Santos São Paulo.

They have a site, where you can see what you can do to candidate yourself: http://www.infinitybrazil.com/ .

The agency does two enterviews and they choose your occupation inside the ship. They select all hotel area employes. Them, they prepare you to be interviewed by the Human soucer of the Ship company. Normaly all that process is at Santos, but our interviews were at Salvador, because the great number we were.

Our company is the Costa Corciere. It´s a italyan Company, theyr site is: http://www.costacruzeiros.com/ . After this last interview, they sent us to do some courses. At first we did the Costa trainning, where we learn about all the company polices. This course has the duration of five days, ten hours a day.

The other course we have is the STCW http://www.stcw.org/ , without that certification we can't apply to be a crew ship. There we learn about first aid, fire and water survival.

Is important to know that during the costa course, the expences with the hotel are paid by the company, but at the STCW trainning, you'll have to pay all the expences.

Transport, food and any other expences are all yours.

Even you having all those expences, and doing all that trainning, all that experiency can be fun, also you will find some friends for life. The STCW is paid, and that is another expence you will have.

If you have the orkut profile, here are some links that will help you to get some informations:

http://www.orkut.com.br/Community.aspx?cmm=46676637

http://www.orkut.com.br/Community.aspx?cmm=55117245