Page 11 of Escape To Paradise
I followed Paul inside the boat. It was bigger inside than I had thought. Paul led me into the hallway and then down to my room. Kathleen, the sous-chef, and Zofia also followed us.
“You’ll be bunking in together with us,” Zofia said.
“It’s a small room, but it would be our home for a while,” Kathleen said.
Both looked younger than me. I was nearing thirty, and they must be in their mid-twenties or even younger.
Paul opened the door to our room and placed my luggage inside. “You ladies get to know each other and enjoy.”
“Okay. Thank you, Paul,” I said.
Paul stepped out of the room, and the two ladies stepped in.
There were four beds—two bottom ones and two upper ones.
“Which one is vacant?” I asked.
Zofia pointed to the bottom one on the right side.
“I’m staying on top bed,” Kathleen pointed out.
“I’m the one across from you. I like the bottom more.”
“Wow, this is like college all over again,” I said.
“I can’t relate. Never went to the dormitory,” Kathleen said. “I’m from the Philippines. I took hotel and restaurant management, then went to culinary school. Never joined a boarding house or anything.”
“Wow, you’re far from home, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, a bit.” Kathleen bit her bottom lip.
“How about you, Zofia? Where are you from?”
“I’m from Ukraine. I went to college and had a dorm, but never this tiny. But I had at least one roommate.”
“That’s great. Yeah, you’re right. This is smaller than a college dorm room, for sure. I feel claustrophobic already.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Kathleen said. “It’s a really cool job. We get to travel, then we cook.”
“Is this your first charter experience?” I asked Kathleen.
“I’m in my third year. I had worked for another luxury charter before for two years. This is my first year, or almost one year, working for this company.”
For someone so young, she seemed to know a lot already. Kathleen seemed worldly. I turned to Zofia.
She responded with, “This is my sixth month on this ship. And my first job in the luxury charter industry. I wanted to be a flight stewardess, but I guess this one is better. You get to enjoy where you’re going and not get stuck in a tin can.”
I looked around, scanning the floor all the way to the ceiling. “Well, this is a sort of tin can still, but we’re not up in the air. We’re just in the water.”
“You can look at it that way. But the ocean is a lot more interesting. You’ll see. It’s a fun job. I don’t think it’s a job at all. It’s like a vacation, except you do tasks and you get paid,” Zofia explained.
“Now that you’re putting it that way. Will someone be showing me the kitchen later?”
“You want a tour right now?” Kathleen asked. “You just got here.”
“Well, I’m used to working. I don’t mind if you can show me around. Let’s start with the galley. And who restocks?”
“Wow, work mode right away.” Kathleen laughed.
