The cold and blue life at sea.. are you ready to embrace this challenge?

   One of the most sought after jobs in the Philippines is that of a seafarer, why wouldn't it be? it is a decent job which promises a stable career to anyone who is dedicated enough to endure the challenges associated with it. You have free accommodation, free meals, good pay. But what are these so called challenges?

    Ship jobs is considered to be one of the many hazardous jobs in the world.
    Among the many possible dangers are:
  1. Crew being exposed to fall and drowning hazards while releasing their vessel from dock or on extreme weather conditions.
  2. Those whose job orders include working with mooring lines, while aware of the possible dangers of their work still encounter problems or accidents, since these cables are high tension wires and can snap or break under excessive stress.
  3. Those working on chemical tanker ships on the other hand can be exposed to harmful chemicals due to inhalation, while some suffer burn related incidents involving the same.
  4. Human error- remember titanic? but most recently the Italian Luxury liner Costa Concordia which ran aground off the coast of Italy on January 13.
5. Motion sickness-  if you are one of those who has motion sickness this could also be one of your biggest setback since the ship is moving most of the time.

   There are actually a lot more dangers associated with this job, but these are only which involves physical challenges, but what about the mental and emotional challenges that every seafarer has to face whenever on board?
   1. Homesickness- it is human nature to long for your family especially if you're away most months of the year. The hardest of all to overcome I believe. So here are some of the possible problems which could arise out of this nostalgic mood.
     - Alcohol related problems- some people tend to seek temporary relief on alcohol for their sadness and further result to inadequacies at work or quarrel with a co worker.
     - Sleep deprivation - some would literally spend time wondering about their family back home which could lead to lack of sleep.
     - Sexual promiscuity and its health risks- though seamen today are much more educated on the dangers involved, when it comes to engaging in such an activity? still, one can only wonder if this problem will ever be eradicated.

 So you see, this career is certainly not for the weak or the fainthearted, it is for the tough and the strong.
 So here's a toast and a salute to our brave modern heroes, who sacrificed a lot for their families.
 I should know because... among life's greatest irony? I happen to be married to one.

                                " If Prayers can move mountains, then so shall calm seas"