Few days away from the high season, there is plenty of work for the seagoing personnel that need to ensure that everything is in order before the boat’s owner arrival.
This is the case for Dilyana, a young stewardess from Bulgaria who chose this professional path for 4 years now. And yet when she was a little girl, in Varna, her home town on the coast of the black sea, Dilyana wanted to join the police. She studied French at school so she naturally accepted to be au-pair for an English family, located on the French Riviera.
Dilyana took the opportunity to continue her studies in business and economy et the university of Nice. The young Bulgarian then definitely change professional orientation to set sail. “The family in which I worked was from the environment as the father was a Yacht captain. At some point, given my interest for the yachting industry, his wife Michelle encouraged me to choose a work I really liked. «I followed her advice” she admits in a very good French.
She then started to work as a stewardess and now plays this role on the “M/Y Lazy Me”, a 41meters private yacht. They are 9 crews on board including 3 stewardesses which work is to insure that clients and guests are satisfied. A service oriented role that Dilyana likes. Similar to a concierge’s work in a Palace. “I like my job and my life, I love travelling and I think I chose the right path to do both while working “she says.
Uprooted when she was young from Bulgaria, the young women constructed her personality around a cosmopolitan environment. Today, Dilyana draws her strength from the sharing of cultural differences. On board M/Y Lazy Me, moored close to the capitainerie, the young Baltic starts to be familiar with the port Camille Rayon and its surroundings. “We are lucky enough to have the train station within walking distance, it’s practical for us to visit the region. Also we take part in the life of the port, as for the latest clean-up of the jetty. The cleanliness is a strong point of the port Rayon and it’s great to involve everyone. We are being useful as we are sharing great moments which is important when you are away from home.”
Dilyana learned to deal with the distance although she does admit “she misses the summers and ski in the winter at Varna”.
For now, the stewardess is preparing a new summer season and a cruise to the Mediterranean islands, with a declared preference for Corsica and its wild coats.
Later on, when she’ll feel like dropping anchor, Dilyana would like to open a crew recruitment agency in a port. A second professional option she will consider in 5 years.
Written K. NATTON