Sometimes we find ourselves at a crossroads when we least expect it. Last year, my plans consisted of another year of my MA, whilst exploring opportunities within the creative arts industry for a future beyond my MA. In what now seems like a whirlwind, I took a sabbatical and found myself moving back onto land, and happened across an opportunity to teach art onboard cruise ships, whilst travelling the world.

Certainly a risk, but one I couldn’t possibly pass up. I now find myself on my second ship, my second contract and counting my blessings every day.

With an academic background in social sciences, I have been fortunate enough to visit many places close to my heart; exploring first hand, the works of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates to name just a few. It became a running joke on my last ship, Azura, as I bought a statue of a famous philosopher in every port we visited. Unfortunately, I lost Plato’s head at one point! Luckily I glued him back together on a short return home and he now sits proudly in my kitchen..

Standing before the Colosseum, Olympia and the Vatican, simply took my breath away though, and the very thought of what stood before me, historically, made me somewhat emotional. My first cruise consisted of Greece, Italy, Croatia, Turkey, France and Malta and I now find myself sailing towards Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands, with a further two contracts lined up in the Netherlands and the Caribbean. I count myself incredibly fortunate and try and make the most of the time I am away, when I’m not teaching; scouring the local art galleries and museums, having already seen an array of artworks, including Salvador Dali’s original sketches in Dubrovnik.

Sometimes, it’s worth taking the leap..