Sailor Woman: I was born in 1996 in Bakırköy, Istanbul. In 2018, I graduated from Dumlupınar University, Faculty of Administrative and Economic Departments, Department of Economics. After graduation, I completed my internship in a tourism company in Malta with a scholarship from the Erasmus Internship Mobility. After returning to Turkey, I worked for 3 years as a dermatologist's assistant in a private TV health programme. During my studies I worked as a hostess in stadiums. As I didn't want to work in the field I graduated in and always wanted to work abroad where I could experience different cultures and broaden my horizons, I applied and was rejected several times in the UK. Thinking that I needed to give my life a serious direction, I took the first step and undertook all the necessary training in the maritime sector. With the desire to succeed in me, I turned my passion for the sea into a career, it was what would feed my soul!
S.N: What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of working as a seafarer?
S.W: Discovering different countries, getting to know different cultures, but also feeling free on the blue waters, having your morning coffee with a different view every time... I can say that these are the best parts of being a seafarer.
The downside is that you may not be able to be with your friends and family on their best or worst days. For example, I have missed the weddings of many of my close friends during this time, and unfortunately I have missed most of my family's birthdays. I recently lost my grandmother and I couldn't attend her funeral. These are very sad factors that negatively affect your psychology. But the bottom line is that every job has its own difficulties. If you are doing this job, you have to be happy and willing to take them into account and be professional at the same time. If you are really passionate about the sea, sometimes an island you look at, a dolphin fish you see can be enough to make you happy.
S.N: How would you describe your connection with the sea?
S.W: As Cemal Süreyya said, "I think blue is more than a colour". The sea is much, much more than a body of water.
It is my home, my energy, my lifestyle, my perspective on life.
Loving the sea, watching it from afar and of course living on it are very different situations. I have loved under the sea as much as above it, I have faced my fears. I had my first diving experience in the Red Sea, one of the best diving spots in the world, and I was fascinated... It made me more in touch with the sea.
S.N: What were the biggest challenges you faced at sea and how did you overcome them?
S.W: We were recently caught in a storm in a bay 48 miles from the center on the Greek island of Corfu and unfortunately our boat was struck by lightning. When we threw the land ropes from the stern and started the machines to get out, we saw that the brains of the machines were burned by the lightning and we drifted 10 meters towards land. It was a time when we had to calm the passengers on the one hand and keep our cool on the other. We towed the boat a bit with the boat and waited for the storm to pass by taking the anchor free. When the weather cleared, we saw that nothing was working except the big generator and the water maker. We brought in a diver, searched for solid rocks in the sea and took a double-sided vault.
If we hadn't done this, we would have been stranded in the storm the next day. For 2 days we waited for help and during this time the guests continued their tours. It was very difficult for me to cook in a dark environment without light. As a result, we brought the boat to a safe harbor by sailing without any machinery. I can say that the fact that all our communication tools did not work during the storm and that feeling of helplessness was one of the most difficult moments I have ever experienced.
S.N: How do you interact with the different cultures on your cruise routes?
S.W: As I work very intensively on a private yacht, it is not possible to be on land, except for some gaps. Meeting and talking to people of different nationalities who come to the boat, witnessing their religious and cultural life and habits up close, knowing their special days, setting traditional tables on their holy days, adds a lot to your general culture. You learn so much at sea. About the kitchen, about how machines work, about foreign languages and about humanity.
S.N: As a team member, how do you contribute to and motivate the team?
S.W: It is not easy to spend 6 months at sea, away from your family and loved ones, but it is the teammates that make this time better and more sustainable. If the team is good, the psychology, communication, service and overall marginal benefit of your work will be maximised.
Since I am in the kitchen, my motivation goes down their throats. A nice dessert, a delicious meal, a peaceful environment becomes enough to be happy.
S.N: Do you think it is difficult to be a woman in the maritime sector?
S.W: I believe that 'professions have no gender'. Yes, it is difficult to be a woman in the maritime sector as it is in every sector. Unfortunately, we bear the traces of a patriarchal society. But I think that one of the main reasons why women are in the minority in this sector is because they are fertile. I think that women should come to the forefront with their intelligence, success and stance in all areas of the business world and that we can break down the prejudices from the past to the present with our exemplary behavior.
S.N: What advice would you give to newcomers to the maritime sector?
S.W: First of all, get as far as you can with your language skills. That will always give you a 1-0 advantage.
Secondly, if they have the opportunity to go to university, they should definitely study. They should definitely experience that atmosphere.
Finally, they should not only aim for a high salary, they should have red lines. Knowing that you are serving a good cause will be a source of motivation.
S.N: Finally, what is your life motto?
S.W: The first one is really 'what doesn't kill makes you stronger'. Every difficulty we experience, every sadness we feel, every hardship we experience serves our mental development and helps us to reach our goals more firmly on our way.
Secondly, 'you should not expect the right things to happen at the wrong time'. Everything happens when it is supposed to happen, the way it is supposed to happen. We may not be fully aware of the reflections in our lives at that moment, but in my opinion, the person we are now is actually a reflection of the results we have drawn from the people or events that have entered our lives from the past.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule.
Banu Demir / The Sailor's Newspaper
Prepared for Publication: Doruk Agency / Founded by Sailor's Newspaper
