Cabin life – quite a challenge
Cabin 8 – this is where Amelie, Amrey, Ilka and I are living. A little cabin with only 5m² for four people where the bunks are standing at right angles. Amelie and Amrey are on sentry duty from 5-8 (day and night) and me and Ilka take over from 8-11. I love my roommates and our little cabin community very much but there are a few things that can make cabin life a bit challenging.
The first very challenging moment was moving into the Thor Heyerdahl and into our cabin. Four people with four gigantic duffle bags and four trekking backpacks were more than difficult to handle, especially because one bag alone covered the whole floor. We all had to unpack our luggage, put it into our compartments, organize our bunks and stow the clothes we did not need under my bunk. Trying to fit everything into the compartment under the bed was so hard, because there was definitely too little space for too many bags. Eventually we managed to push it all in though.
One of the most stressful things of living in such a tiny room is actually standing up. On days when we all have to stand up at the same time, nobody has enough space to get dressed, brush their hair or to make their bed. However, if we are on sentry duty and have to get up at different times, it is not much better. Ilka and I have to be really quiet, when we go to bed after our watch at 11 pm because our two roommates are already sleeping and have to wake up again at 04:30 am. Then, Amelie and Amrey need to be just as quiet when they get up early in the morning because we need to get some more sleep until breakfast. As you can see, waking up and getting ready can be rather annoying at pretty much any time of the day.
Nevertheless, the biggest chaos only starts once we all have to clean our cabin and closets. On this day, which is usually Saturday, Ilka and I have a lot to do (maybe because we are not the tidiest people on this ship) and are busy for some time organizing our shelves and making our beds while Amelie and Amrey normally finish their cleaning session much earlier. We are all standing in each other´s way and nobody has enough space to be truly productive. To make it even worse, we also have to clean the floor – complete chaos inevitable!
So yes, cabin life can be challenging and stressful. Moreover, you do not have as much privacy as you are used to and you might not get nearly as much sleep, but cabin life can also be so much fun, and I really like our cabin! Admittedly, our cabin is very small, but this also makes it cozy. Everything is always soft and warm. The fairy lights and the pictures on the walls of our friends and families make the atmosphere even homier. So, for me, our cabin really feels like a new home. You are never completely alone, there is always someone to talk to, someone who listens to you if you do not feel well or someone who comforts you when you are home sick. Sometimes no one of us gets enough sleep because we like to talk until late at night about our lives at home, our family and friends or something that has happened during our day on the Thor. All in all, even if living together is sometimes a challenge, I love my roommates and our cabin life very much and it feels like we have known each other much longer than only four weeks.