On My point of view

People ever asked me why I became a sailor than an accountant, auditor or another prestigious job as my background field. What made me to make up my mind to take this overseas job? What are the advantages, challenges or detriments I faced to be a sailor?

I got this job 2 years ago and still continue my contract to do it in this coming month. I had fellow worker who had worked 5 years, 10 years or even longer….35 years! And they still continue doing it. Why they could do this job that long, is it because of money? Is it because of the carrier? But, they stay far away from their beloved family. How can they manage the love, the family relationship?


As my side - after I lived this my own - I would say what make people take and take again this overseas job, especially in Holland America Line the company that I get the work contract.

Advantages:

1. Carrier – a strong education background, willingness to learn are some points to step ahead. Western gives opportunity to everyone who has willingness to get a better position for living.
2. Friends – a lot of Indonesian people, even Asians work as sailors, so it won’t be much different living in overseas than domestic. Feels like home…and of course, because the most crews are from Asian, the company provides rice and Asian menus everyday as well to eat.
3. Health – company gives clinic, medicines, nurses and doctors to take care of the crews.
4. Money – no one will deny that taking the overseas job give lots of money to earn than to do a job in domestic. But actually it depends on the job and their experience. If we have a strong experience and education background, we will get a good position better than the less one. But again, the lowest position in abroad with hard working, still earns more than in domestic.

Challenges:

1. Culture – this one is undeniable. Difference culture gives different affect to the way we talk, we react on something.
2. Faith – in HAL, we are given to do our own beliefs. They give opportunity to Moslems, Hindis, Buddhists, Christians or other believers to do their service. But because they don’t give the priest or other religious leader to the crews, we have to do it by our own and our time, as long as it won’t ruin our responsibility.
3. Relationship with our family – it’s the consequences to do overseas job. Of course we miss a lot our family back home. The company gives facilities to its crew such as telephone card, internet center, mailing services even sending money to our family.
4. Working time - we use to do our job not less than 11 hours a day without holiday, sometimes we have to work 14hours depend on the workload.
5. Food – even though we get Asian’s food everyday to eat, but it still not the same taste as home made, of course because of the herbs are difficult and challenge itself to get. But, the crew nutrition is well handled.
6. Own risk – what does it mean? Because we are far from our own family, we live by our own; we can do anything that could harm or advantages to ourselves. It depends on us. We can spend lots of money only to buy things that won’t work in our country (i.e. electronics) or buy some Asian food to feed our tasty tongue.
7. Socialization - work with another people always gives a social effort. We usually work with Asian or our own citizen, but working with Western gives another challenges. We have different point of view on something. For example, we as Asian usually let go for somebody’s little fault but Western will give punishment, fault are fault. With punishment and reward, it encourage person to be better.
   

Detriments:

1. News – even though the company broadcast up to date news every day through certain news channel and of course it helps much, but it still different if we can communicate directly to our family.
   
   
2. Relationship with family – we have to spend lots of money to call, and due to different time area, it gives a huge challenge to each side - the sailor or the family back home.

But, that of course depends on us how we live it on. If we can not manage ourself, keeping tight money policy, keeping our mind focus; we can loose everything that we gain nor dream to.

To me, because it's God's will that I can have this job, surely I will depend on Him. But as a man, I don't want to do this job too long, I want to get married soon, to see my kids grow, to run my own family bussiness, to have lots of time with my families, hang out together with them, and also with my beloved friends.