How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
Sometimes fate is funny: it was in 1986 (or 87?) that I saw the Greenpeace vessel Sirius in the haven of Portoferraio, on the beautiful Tuscany island of Elba, and say to myself while going back to the hotel where I was working as director: 'I'd love to join that ship'. Ten years later, while in Holland (I have been studying quite a while in this country) I said to myself: 'Why not?' and went to Amsterdam to offer myself as a cook to Marine Services (I am smart, am I not?). 2 weeks later I had joined the... SIRIUS!!
What do you do when you are not on board?
I am a professional cook (worked in some very fine restaurants) I have worked in a hotel, holding many positions from receptionist to director (knowing 6 languages helps a lot). I have M.Scs. in Tropical Agriculture and Forestry and Sustainable Development of Rural Tourism thus I have been directing Agroforestry Development Projects around the world, I love traveling and hiking, caving, canoing, horse riding, gardening and organize dinners for my friends. I am terribly busy as a volunteer with the Italian Action Team too. I also love to dance and teach Latin dancing.
What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?
Actually there are two: one is teaching, taking care of the newcomers, passing them all my (limited) knowledge about seamanship or boat-driving etc, helping them to feel comfy in this new environment; the other is staying on the bridge, I love the thrill of navigation, keeping course, checking the radar, and feeling the responsibility of everybody's' safety in your own hands
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
It would be to have enough of a cultural shift so that we see ourselves as related to the outside world, not separated, but being part of it... it would be a revolution!
Comments
Hey Rosso, como estas amigo mio! Que? Creias que nos olvidariamos tan facilmente. Aun estamos defendiendo la Patagonia y lo lograremos.
Espero que el tour este de maravillas y logren los objetivos planteados por la campaņa. Te mando un gran abrazo de Chile, esta tierra que aun te espera.
Supongo que cocinaras algo, porque aun no olvidamos tus alimentos a bordo del Arctic!
Abrazos y saludos a los hermanos de esas latitudes.
Con cariņo, un voluntario de la oficina chilena
