On our final day, we visited the soul behind the shipping industry, the engine for the industry we studied the whole trip. And while we didn’t learn anything about the logistics of the supply chain, the blue-collar workers that train at the BSM ship management center certainly play a large role in keeping the chain going. During our tour through the facilities, we learned about the types of workers on ships, their responsibilities, and the living conditions the workers faced on the ships. My takeaway from the experience was the amount of work captains must put into their education, and rightfully so. We walked through a training simulation of the room the engineers must be in, where they monitor every aspect of the ship’s qualities. I could not tell you what a single button meant except the “drive the ship forward one” indicated on display. The tour gave me a lot of respect toward the cargo ship workers I had previously considered simple blue-collared workers. Thankfully I am glad I gain this feeling, as without these people, the supply chain would never be able to function. Additionally, it must take courage to live on a ship for an entire year without being able to see your family.

Speaking of courage, we visited the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Omodos, Cyprus after visiting the BSM ship management training center. Unlike most monasteries, this monastery was built like a fortress to prevent Turks from attacking, thus preventing the need for courage. , Like the other remaining monasteries left in Cyprus, the monastery was found in a valley surrounded by olive farms. Sadly the town is not reminiscent of its history and is full of tourist shops and restaurants. This being said, the church itself is well restored and has preserved its beauty.