I know, this should have been my first post but some rules are broken sometimes right? Anyway, to you who are reading this, prepare for a really exciting story of my life!... Or at the very least I do hope you enjoy reading this. Hahaha! Alright, so here it goes...

Hi! My name is Von. I am 22 years old and from Laguna, Philippines. I just finished studying and on my way to becoming a seafarer. Just three years ago, I was aboard an internationally trading cargo ship for about a year. At 19 years old, I was able to travel the world and see different kinds of people and their cultures. It was a mind opening experience to me and it expanded my horizons on how I view the world. I met lots of amazing people and walked many streets across countries. It was a really interesting profession to be in the maritime industry and it help me understand more and more the ever changing global landscape where no one is too far anymore because of the technology we have.

I remember during the earlier years, seafarers used to communicate with their loved ones using written letters or what we commonly refer to as ‘snail mails’ because sending takes at least a month to get and receiving takes another month! Just imagine how painfully difficult it is to talk during those days and before you even get a reply from your message, you might actually forgot what you said already! But now, thank God for the modern day instant messaging and video calls. You can never be too far from you loved ones ever again.

Working on a ship made me feel a lot like Sinbad of the Seven Seas. I have crossed the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean...you name it! On my first month there, we were on our way to Brazil. Our ship is located south of Cape Town at the time. It was one of the worst experience I ever had as a seafarer. Sea on that part of the world is quite unfriendly where waves are like mini tsunamis ready to sink ships. Have you ever tried sleeping during an earthquake? I know no one would but imagine doing that for a week straight where your things just fly around like their possessed and sways back and forth. Our ship just keep rocking like a cradle ready to topple over and I thought we were gonna die. Hahaha. Thankfully it never happened again for the rest of my ship days. What a relief!

Now, I am waiting for my time to sail the world once more. New adventures and new faces to see. It has been two years and the land has been good to me. Sometimes I think I’m better off here on land but you cannot deny your calling. When the sea calls, It is my heart that will answer.

“It calls my name, like a siren’s song alluring. My heart thirsts for the ocean’s calling. 🌊” -V.Versoza, 2018