What does it take to be FREE?

"There's only one way to succeed in anything and that is to give everything."
- Vince Lombardi

"When a man is willing and eager, the gods join in." - Aeschylus

I have given everything and I am willing and eager!! I believe in perseverence but sometimes I wonder how long can one persevere for. I think Winston Churchill once said that to achieve success, one must never ever give up!!

My idea of freedom is to be able to travel when and where you like for how long as you like. I thought the yachting industry would be able to give me my freedom that I so desire. Last year I walked the docks, enrolled with almost every crew agency in Ft Lauderdale, worked as a dayworker on many yachts, went to networking parties and stayed in crew houses. What else can I do?

Well I finally got a job on a 140ft yacht as a deckhand with added mate responsibilities. I loved my time on the yacht until the person who hired me was not going to be the full time captain. The new Russian owner was not prepared to pay him what he was worth. We docked alongside in Lauderdale Marine Centre for almost 3 months not knowing our fate. When finally we got a full time captain he decided to bring on his own crew and my dream job was pulled from under my feet.

Luckily for me I had another opportunity open its doors that same week. I would go and work on a private island in Bahamas as watersports instructor and medical person in charge. It was possibly the best job of my life. We had high profile guests and the pay was excellent. I was in heaven!! I am still on the list of employees if and when a charter comes up.

The joy and excitement of the island was soon over everytime I stepped off the private plane at Ft Lauderdale Executive Airport and entered the Customs and Immigration Office. Everytime I had hassels and was asked a million questions simply because I am South African. I have a valid passport till 2017 as well as a B1B2 multiple entry visa valid till 2017.I have never overstayed my visa and never done anything in my whole life to warrant these questions.

Finally on my last charter I decided to fly back via Nassau as I thought it may be easier. Well I thought wrong. I was asked even more questions then the immigration official said that he was not prepared to let me reenter USA until I had a flight out of USA. Baring in mind that this is Nassau airport and I have my boarding pass and about 20 minutes to board and it is 7pm. Well I went and bought a ticket and went back to the official and showed him my ticket and once again escorted to a room where I had to wait and wait. I had complied with everything they wanted but this idiot was bent on making me miss my flight. Luckily another official saw me and remembered overhearing me talking to the idiot and he finally gave me one month according to departure of my flight. He even said to me that I was unlucky to get the idiot first time round!!!

I enjoyed my final month with family then honoured my ticket to London. I then decided I would like to travel through Europe for a while before returning home. I went to French Embasssy and had the interview with ALL supporting documents and once again I was told that they could not issue it the same day as they do for 99.9% of other applicants and I would have to wait. Well I am still waiting!!!!

That prompted me to ask the question what does it take to be free?
Do all South Africans go through the same hassels?
Why does everybody give us so much hassels when the whole world were crying out for the end of apartheid.I would have thought we would be welcomed everywhere since the demise of that evil government. Hello people....Democracy has been in SA since 1992....16 years!!! When is the world going to recognise that?

Why are the honest and innocent people always the ones who suffer?

All I want, and I hope the gods join in, is another job on a yacht and I am prepared to be a deckhand and prove my worth.I want to be free to travel and visit places I have not yet seen. I know that I can do that on a foreign flag vessel. Yes I am qualified, hard working, healthy and experienced STCW, Master of Yachts, PADI Diving Instructor and Chiropractor. I will do my OOW and work up the ranks. I will persevere until an opportunity arrises and I will be successful in my plight for freedom! Any offers?

Thanks K1W1.

I do realise that I am not alone. I am more fortunate than millions of people around the world and I am grateful for that. But I also know that our dreams can become reality if we desire them enough and believe that we can achieve whatever we put our minds to. Todays thoughts becomes tomorrows reality. The law of universal attraction is omnipresent and omnipotent.

Thanks for all the comments. I am not worried about the searches although they can be frustrating. I am more concerned about the SA passport as we need VISAS for everywhere and it is a MISSION getting them, nevermind the COST involved. I even saw an advert in a yachting magazine that stated South Africans need not apply due to VISA problems.

It is sad when some have to struggle longer and harder to reach the same goal as others due to a predisposition of their birth.

All said, I will keep up my search for that yacht job and strive for freedom. It is difficult to find a job over the internet as I know captains want to see and interview anyone before they hire. I am available for interview on skype with webcam if anyone is interested!!!

May the winds be with you!!!

Schengen Visa

Well today I received a letter to state that I have been granted my Schengen visa....Hooray.....hang on....first I need to make another appointment with the French Consulate....but they are always fully booked...So now I have to wait another week even though I have a letter in my posession that my visa has been granted. I can't go into embassy without appointment letter. I have had an interview and they have all supporting documents but I guess it is wait another week then sit a whole day and wait for them to stamp my passport. Buy the way I had planned on departing last Friday!!!

So those of you wanting to get a Schengen visa, plan on waiting at least 3 weeks unless you have residency in UK. Make sure you have all supporting documents as follows:
1. Valid passport
2. Filled out Application Form available from the website (it is free)
3. Travel Insurance for period within Schengen territory (can get online relatively quick)
4. Bank Statements with a minimum funds of 50 Euro per day you will be staying there.
5. Proof of accommodation for duration of your stay.
6. A letter of employment
7. Proof of travel back to your home country if you are a non UK resident.
8. Proof of travel too and from Schengen territory. Air, Sea or land transport.
9. A letter of invitation. This needs to be filled out at a police station, post office or town hall with official stamps or it is not accepted.

I hope this helps some people who may want a Schengen in the future. By the way I had all above documents and they still gave me hassels.

I certainly fall into the latter category. I have no house, no car, no job and very little money. I certainly do not feel free. I have a ton of qualifications and still no luck. Yes I would jump on a yacht or dive boat tomorrow if possible.

Well I am not married so maybe that counts towards some form of freedom!
I certainly do believe that a ton of money would help though.

I would jump at dual citizenship but unfortunately all direct family (upline) were born in SA. My only chance is marriage!!!

As you read this there are millions of people literally starving to death around the world. Mother Theresa once said that there is more hunger in this world for love than there is for food. I agree with her as all the people who are hungry are starving for food and love and some people reading this are starving for love. I know I started this thread about freedom but what can we do to help these starving people?

When I was working on yachts and on the island I was HORRIFIED by the amount of food that went to waste. There is so much waste as we cater for this elite group of people who can afford to own yachts and islands. We go out of our way to make their time on the yacht/ island the best possible vacation of their life. They are the ones paying our salary so what can we say?

What can we do as HUMAN BEINGS to help the rest of the world who do not live this luxury life? How can we give them their freedom?

Give a guy a fish and you feed him for a day.Teach a guy to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Even Oprah got burnt giving money to a charity in SA where a lot of her donation went to BIG salaries. I do however believe that there are a lot of great organisations out there doing a lot of good work. I think it is time we started teaching these people how to fish. I am still however concerned at the amount of waste we see in this industry!