I’ve strayed. I’ve cheated you, beloved reader. I’m sure by
this time you’d completely forgotten me, and now I’m back in your life,
stumbling upon my overseas musings like spotting your ex in the same subway car
as you. Do I say hello? Do I look away?
Do I get off arbitrarily at the next stop and then kick myself?
I’m sure I’d personally walk up, attempt to say hello, and
then just blurt out a noise along the lines of “merh” and then pretend to
intently make sense of an insurance advertisement before an awkward eye contact
that would result in some form of failed hello and a cross between a handshake,
a hug, and a mild seizure. But I won’t give you that option, because we’re not
on a subway. We’re on the internet, and I will frankly have no clue if you’ve
read this unless you report to my mother and she informs me that you either
think I’m funny or that my photos are nice. Either way, I’ve made quite a mess
of this intro by now, so I suppose it makes sense to just move on at this point
(perhaps getting off arbitrarily at the next stop would have been the best
option).
The Token Yank is back! Today I’ll be giving you an example
of a day at sea. Next, I’ll introduce you to the ship. And then, with a bit of
time, I’ll show you a few of our amazing ports of call and tell you about all
they have to offer. And here and there I’ll throw in some more fun English
culture.
Life at sea, in a nutshell, has been great. For those that
know me, I am an optimist through and through that makes the most of every
situation. And Queen Mary 2 has proven to be no exception! So as a quick little
intro to ship life in general—it’s very easy to fall into a pattern. Sleep in,
wake up for lunch, watch an exorbitant amount of Game of Thrones, do a show every few days… Wash, rinse, repeat (I
think that’s the right order, but don’t quote me). Yet with my lack of
experience watching television during over the past few years combined with my
love of reading and fresh air, this simply didn’t seem plausible. So here is an
example of a schedule for a typical day in the life. Side note, the ship works
in military time, so that’s how I’ll be explaining my adventure.
9:30—WAKE UP.
10:00—Breakfast. Omelet to order, some muesli, or the full
English… the options are limitless.
10:30—Guest Lecture. The variety is exceptional. Everything
from the history of musicals, environmental crises, the royal family,
presidential administrations… Always learning!
11:30—READ! I’ve read quite a bit on this ship. The QM2 is
home to the largest library at sea, and I’ve had a great time taking advantage
of it. Biographies, classics, thrillers, trashy fiction… I’m spreading my
wings.
14:00—LUNCH. Always tasty options available, embracing
British cuisine (which is essentially fried fish, potatoes, and Indian cuisine)
as well as American classics. Healthy salads or binging on pizza and burgers
depending on the day/ workout regimen has proven to be just as exciting as it
sounds.
15:00—Dexter or Game of Thrones (nobody’s perfect).
16:00—Afternoon tea complete with scones, sandwiches… the
works.
17:00—Rehearsal. We always do a tech run before our shows in
the evening, and get notes from our dance captain to keep everything fresh.
18:00—Small dinner/ snack to prep for…
19:00—GYM! Pick things up and lift them down to be hench (that’s British for jacked or ripped).
20:15—warm up and SHOW TIME.
00:00—starving after two shows. EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT.
1:00—Goodnight, world.
And that’s pretty much how it works! Now this is just an
example. Sometimes I’ll sleep in. Or watch more Dexter than is probably socially acceptable. Or go to the spa! And
then there are always the bars and parties… LIFE IS REALLY DIFFICULT, IF YOU
COULDN’T TELL. Throw in a great cast and company to enjoy all these adventures
with, and ship life can be great (so long as I always make the most of it and
don’t get too content cooped up in my cabin with addicting television at my
fingertips). But in all seriousness, this has been a great opportunity. It’s
given me time that I’ve not had before to stay updated with world news, expand
my horizons, and keep growing as a singer and artist. And believe it or not…
Limited internet can be liberating and really freaking awesome.
So be well, my readers. I’m sorry for my infidelity. But I’m
back and here to caress your minds and tickle your craniums.
And here’s a selfie of me dressed as a monkey (cuz why
not?).
(Not just any monkey, Abu from Aladdin. Note the fez)
