Our first day back from an amazing vacation. Time to reflect and dive into deep thoughts on this Friday night. I feel sometimes you really need to see the big picture and take a step back and ananlyze. It was 10 years since Dianne Mendat and I did a cruise ship vacation. Not that we didnt want one, we got caught up in life/work and vacations tended to be closer to home or visiting family. This cruise was a great wake up call and highly recommended. At first, I over analyzed the cruise even before arriving. I though to myself Here we go. Another giant corporation who exploits foreign workers and hides it all behind smoke and mirrors. There is no way these folks like what they do. I should not help exploit these people. However, there is an event the last night of the cruise on Royal Caribbean called the flag parade. Representatives from all the various countries working aboard the ship march out with their homelands flag waving. They are introduced one by one and some representatives even come alive with dance, music, or native dress. Dianne and I were blown away by their true sincerity. This was not a required duty from them. They really were proud of their country and what they are doing for a career. There were definitely no smoke and mirrors. You could see how much they enjoyed working together in this mini floating multi cultural phenom with over 26 countries represented. It made us realize again, like we did in the late 90s traveling all over with Diannes Continental Airline benefits, that this is a BIG Beautiful world with very cool people. Its not what is reported on the evening news all time. Sometimes its just sitting in the hot tub aboard a 1000 cruise ship with a guy named Howard from Norway and exchanging ideas about smuggling booze aboard. Or sometimes its talking to our waitor Carlos form Chile and finding out that after the ship docks he gets to take a vacation back home. His smile getting bigger each day. He made me laugh when he said all the waitors were surprised there was Only one Code Alpha so far. Maybe its his assistant Lucianno from the Dominican Republic who didnt talk much, but made us laugh daily when he asked me Bread?. How about Magic Marvin, the entertainment director from Jamaica with hair like Vanilla Ice and the dance moves of Magic Mike. Him dressed as the Indian from the village people was a riot on 70s night. Coming from rural Ohio, your eyes are somtimes closed to the people of this Big Beautiful World. You assume too much and are taught too little. Dianne and I feel fortunate that our hard work has afforded us the ability to mingle with the WORLD!! By the way, deep thoughts like this happen when you listen to the The Division Bell by Pink Floyd.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 23:44:11 +0000
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