On New Year’s Eve 2019, Giulia Baccosi, 31 years old, was at a party in Italy. She had just accepted a new job in Sicily. But she was not sure it was the right choice.
Then her phone received a message. A friend wrote: a cargo ship carrying rum and olive oil needed a cook. Giulia had worked on ships before. She decided quickly: “I will take this job. I will go to Mexico and then return home.”
She joined the Avontuur, a 100-year-old sailing ship, in January 2020. She cooked three meals a day for the crew of 15 people. Their first stop was Tenerife, where they joined the famous carnival. Soon after, they heard news about a “mystery virus” on the island.
Rescue at Sea
One morning, the crew saw a small wooden boat near Gran Canaria. It had 16 people inside – five women and eleven men. They had no food or water and were at sea for 10 days. The crew gave them food, water, and medical help until the coastguard arrived.
Giulia wrote: “We are not heroes. We did what every human should do.”
Soon after, the captain read an email: “The world as you know it no longer exists. Ports and airports are closed. Flights are cancelled.”
Covid-19 had started. The crew were shocked. Giulia worried about her family and boyfriend at home. They had only one satellite email per day to send messages.
When they reached Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, they were not allowed to go on land. Giulia could not leave the ship in Mexico as she planned. She now had to stay on board until the ship returned to Germany.
Life on the Ship
Life became hard. The crew could not get fresh food. Giulia had to cook carefully with limited supplies. Coffee and gas were rationed. She built a special slow cooker with a wooden box and a yoga mat.
To fight boredom, the crew made art, played music, and swam. They also saw dolphins and even whales glowing in the dark water.
But storms and even a hurricane made the journey dangerous. The ship went as far as Newfoundland, Canada, to avoid bad weather.
Land at Last
In June 2020, after four and a half months at sea, they reached the Azores, Portugal. They were finally allowed to step on land after Covid tests. Giulia said: “I want to walk on grass, buy chocolate, and decide if I turn left or right.”
In July 2020, after 188 days at sea, the ship arrived in Hamburg, Germany. The crew cried with joy. They unloaded 64 tonnes of olive oil, cacao, coffee, and rum.
Giulia said: “I am back, but I am not the same. I am a new person.”
Five years later, she is still working as a ship’s cook, this time near Greenland. She still asks the sky for signs, just like on that New Year’s Eve.
Source: bbc.com
Vocabulary for the Article
Cargo ship – a ship that carries goods.
The cargo ship brings oil and coffee.
Crew – people who work on a ship or plane.
The crew cooks and cleans every day.
Carnival – a big festival with music and dancing.
People wear costumes at the carnival.
Mystery – something unknown or not explained.
The new virus is a mystery for doctors.
Rescue – to save someone from danger.
The coastguard rescues people at sea.
Coastguard – people who protect lives on the sea.
The coastguard helps the small boat.
Lockdown – when people must stay at home.
The city is in lockdown because of Covid.
Ration – to use only a small amount of something.
We must ration food on the ship.
Storm – very bad weather with strong wind and rain.
The storm makes sailing dangerous.
Hurricane – a very strong and dangerous storm.
The hurricane moves across the ocean.
Supplies – food or materials that people need.
The crew has little food supplies left.
Whale – a very large sea animal.
The crew sees a whale near the ship.
Dolphin – a smart sea animal that jumps in the water.
Dolphins swim and play near the boat.
Signal – a message sent by phone, radio, or light.
I wait for a phone signal to call home.
Island – land with water all around it.
The ship stops near a small island.
Chocolate – a sweet food made from cacao.
She buys chocolate in the shop.
Celebrate – to do something special for happiness.
The crew celebrates when they reach Hamburg.
Journey – a trip from one place to another.
The journey takes 188 days at sea.
Ocean – a very large sea.
The ocean is wide and sometimes dangerous.
Diary – a book for writing daily thoughts or events.
Giulia writes in her diary on the ship.
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