Seamester: Transatlantic, Mediterranean to Caribbean - 90 Days

Make sure that you bring enough clothes, especially underwear. This program makes you tougher and a better survivalist but once you start smelling yourself it can get rough. Pack a whole lot of underwear.

I think a winter hat was also good because it can get cold on the water. A comfy sweatshirt and sweatpants are super important. When you get wet and cold, which you will, they are awesome to slip into.

It’s hard to describe the average week because so much goes on. The constants are watch, class, meals, and showers. Those things cycle around to give you a bit of normalcy but it’s always exciting. In the average week, you’ll have at least five unforgettable experiences. The once thing you can always look forward to is hard work. It takes a lot to be on the program and it isn’t always easy. You’ve got to have a really positive attitude.

I was scared of swimming in the open water.

I knew that we would have to jump in showers in the middle of the Mediterranean and I was scared of the open water. I got over my fear by just letting it go and going for it. I jumped in the Mediterranean with no land in sight and ended up having a great time splashing around with my friends. We did it all the time after that and I never remembered my fear.

I learned that the way that you look at something can change everything about it. Life on the boat can be really hard. It’s tough to be away from your family experiencing new things all the time. But if you laugh easier and harder, smile more, and build other people up, everything will be better. I think it was a positive attitude that carried me through the experience.

The best communications I get from old students are when they get in contact to ask me for a reference letter to some kind of job or internship they're applying for.

I have had a lot of students come on the boat and not be 100% sure what they want to do after the trip or where they want to go, but it's amazing to know that they have left the boat after an amazing trip and been inspired enough either by the sailing side, the science on the trip or that they simply want to travel and experience the world and are asking advice on the best spots to become a dive instructor.

It's always nice to hear from previous students about what they're up to years later and how the trip has affected them.

I would most likely head out to the Galapagos or the Costa Rica trip with Go Beyond. Both trips have amazing wildlife experiences from rainforests to the amazing exploration of coastal environments and seeing a wide range of wildlife, I am quite a keen photographer of wildlife both in the marine and terrestrial, so the number of wildlife opportunities in those areas would be phenomenal.

The company is unique as it provides such a broad spectrum of experiences while providing the best quality in such a wide range. From students coming board for 80 to 90 days aboard the bigger ships that work year-round, many of those have never stepped foot on a boat and being afforded the chance to learn diving and experience amazing island adventures.

The summer program offers an amazing chance to learn smaller sailing boats, many more water sports and the chance to make amazing friendships, and then the Go Beyond programs, which provide amazing community service projects around the world with the chance to also experience the best aspects of the local areas.

I often find myself looking at the team around me and being in awe of the energy and the different components some bring to the table, but really, the best moments for me are at the end of the trip when we see the feedback and how much they enjoyed it, and also feedback from parents to say how much their son or daughter has grown upon returning home. Knowing this means that myself and the rest of the staff on the boat made a positive impact on someone's life.

I think the biggest key to any company succeeding is making sure that everyone gets on well, communicates effectively and really has a good laugh with each other.

I have worked for many places where the environment is quite still and dull. I enjoy working with everyone at GXG - I may go months even years without seeing some because of the travel, but when I end up seeing someone, it’s as of only days have gone by since I saw them, and I think for me that ability to feel relaxed with people and be yourself and be trusted to do what you do is so key in a business.