Future Architect on Board
About Experiences and Lessons
The Costa Classica was my home for 7 months.
Have you ever felt empowered after reaching a significant milestone in your life? That energy and empowerment sparked in me a desire to go out and explore new things and places. The end of one chapter marked the beginning of new and exciting adventures for me, though I hadn’t realized at the time that this beginning would turn into a life lesson.
After graduating from architecture school in Peru, I was fully focused on heading somewhere—anywhere in the world. At 24, I was fascinated by the idea of discovering something new, and I didn’t care where or how I got there. Luckily, my sister mentioned a job opportunity on a cruise ship, where most of the passengers were Italian. Thanks to the years I’d spent in an Italian high school, I landed the job as a waiter for the officers. What did I have to lose? I didn’t have to pay for rent or food, and I had the chance to travel the world for seven months—for free. Best deal ever!
The ship was called the *Costa Classica*, a massive steel structure floating in the middle of the ocean. My first day as a waiter was tough (at least by my standards). My feet ached from hours of walking, and I experienced levels of stress I’d never felt, not even in architecture school. I was serving the ship’s most “important” people, including the first and second officers, the priest, the doctor, and others. My tasks involved picking up food from the fourth deck, cleaning the dining room, changing tablecloths, setting the tables, opening countless bottles of wine, and more. Each task seemed simple on its own, but together they were time-consuming for one person. I also learned that my new job required ten hours of work daily, with only a four-hour break, every single day—weekends included. By the end of my first day, I lay in bed regretting all the decisions I’d made in the past few weeks, feeling utterly miserable.
I worked as a waiter for the officers.
At that time, I was a people pleaser and would say yes to everything I was asked. I didn’t understand how valuable time was when waiting tables. “Can you chop some garlic for me and add it to my pasta?” “Of course!” “Can you bring me some mangoes from the third deck?” “Don’t mention it!” After two months, I was already exhausted, my head full of complaints and regrets about the choices I’d made. I was angry at myself.
As time went on, I made new friends and met incredible people from all over the world. I often asked them why they were working on the ship, and the most common answer was, “To support my family and send them money every month.” As for me, I was there to have fun, travel the world for free, and even get paid for it. I wasn’t the only one with that mindset, but after hearing their stories, I didn’t feel proud of it anymore. I realized that while I was chasing a temporary thrill, others were working with a different purpose: to provide for their families, sacrificing time away from them. Slowly, month by month, my complaints and regrets began to fade. It was no longer just about me and my desire to travel—it was about the experiences and lessons I was gaining along the way.
By the end of my seven months on the cruise ship, I had not only fulfilled my initial goal of “traveling” the world, but I had also grown as a person. Working on the ship allowed me to meet people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, goals, and lifestyles, expanding my perspective and showing me a world far beyond my own bubble.
