Date: 15.02.2023
Author: Annbritt
Position: North Atlantic
Nautical Position: 29°38,4’N 077°40,3’W
Etmal: 9488 NM
Ship: Pelican of London

What a question, the answer is very easy for every participant of Ocean College. I mean what is better than an exchange year on a sailing ship, which travels around the world? As you can read in these daily reports, we had a lot of wonderful moments until now. And I am sure that the next two months will be special too.

Birthday On Pelican

Today is Franzis (S.) Birthday, she’s 16 now. It is a little different to celebrate the birthday on a ship and not at home. During the morning meeting everybody including the crew sings Happy Birthday for the person whose birthday it is. The friends of the birthday child organize a card, where everybody signs. Most of the cards are drawn. Only Fynns card was special, because he bought some cards before Ocean College. Then he gave one new card to Nate. And Nate gave Fynn the card on Fynns Birthday. After the dinner the birthday child gets a special cake from Kester. Franzi got a little chocolate cake. “Happy birthday Franzi” was written on the plate in chocolate letters.

Class tests on board

In every subject except English there is are exams during the journey. There was a physics exam before Costa Rica. On Saturday there was the biology exam. Today we got our grades. The grades were between seven and fifteen points (3- to 1+). The history exam about the cuban missile crisis was yesterday. The exams decide about thirty percent of the grade on the report card.
Some of us get exams from home. We write the class tests from home in the saloon. But only six students wrote a class test from home until now. Then the teachers scan our work and upload it into the dropbox. This way, our teachers at home get it and can correct it.

Job interviews

After the Azores we take over the jobs of the crew. So, we can apply for those jobs: Captain, Bosun, First Officer, Second Officer, Engineer, Medic and Cook. Everybody can say his/her top three choices. Last week the job interviews started. At first the interview for the Captain started. Seven girls and one boy applied for the job as Captain. So, we have the job interviews, which are in English. The interviews are with Benno and the person who has the job. For example, the interviews for the Captain are with Ben, our Captain. During the interviews, we must answer questions like: “Why do you want to do the job? What are your qualifications for the job? What research you do about the job?”

The preperations for the job interviews are different. Some people think about what they should say. Other people make it sponteously in freestyle. Before the interviews we did not know the questions, because it should be like a real job interview. The interviews should be a training for our jobs later, because the Captain says its a good skill to be good in applying for a job.
After the Azores we get new watches. The Course, Topsail, T`Gallant and Royal Watch. There are jobs in every watch. That means that in every watch there is a Captain, a Medic, an Engineer, a Cook and two Bosuns. So everyone gets a job. We are going to be the crew for three days. On the other days the watches are normal watches.

Bosun’s Bags

Today we start with the sail bags. It is a voluntary activity for everybody who wants to make a bag from a sail. Carlina gave a crash course for everybody who wants to make it. Today we start to plan the bags. There were a lot of different creative ideas, like tote bags, shopping bags, bottle bags or decoration from the material. It is a lot of fun to be creative, but it will be a lot of work to do it. For example, Carlina made a bag for the bosuns last week. She spent fifteen hours to do it.

Greetings

Viele Grüße an meine Familie und alle, die das gerade lesen.

Franzi S.: Liebe Grüße nach Hause. Ich hatte einen sehr schönen Geburtstag und ja, Mama, ich habe die Krone aufgehabt J

Lara: Alles Liebe nach Hause. Ich habe euch alle lieb!!!<333