Vasile · Moldova
From auto mechanic in Moscow to sailor on a shrimp trawler in Ireland
Vasile spent eight years as an auto mechanic in Moscow and seven on construction sites in France, until Alexei's TikTok posts reminded him of his childhood love of fishing and ships. After a consultation in Chișinău and a few more weeks of English, he called an employer himself and became a sailor on a shrimp trawler in Ireland.
1 / 7 · Before “I imagined life at sea was easy and very romantic”
Before the sea, I worked for eight years in Moscow as an auto mechanic. Then I spent seven years in France, on construction sites in Paris. Life was going normally, and money-wise things were quite good — I didn't feel any real lack.
Still, since childhood I had loved fishing and been drawn to ships. I imagined life at sea was easy and very romantic.
2 / 7 · Why I wanted a change “I wanted to see if working at sea was right for me”
The idea came from TikTok. I came across posts by Alexei Matcovschii, where he talked about life and earnings at sea. I got curious and started looking into which documents you need.
Curiosity pushed me, and so did the fact that since childhood I had loved fishing and everything to do with ships. I wanted to try the experience. I wanted to see if working at sea was right for me.
3 / 7 · What did not work on my own “I was looking for work, but I had no clear idea of what I needed to do”
From Alexei's posts I learned which documents I needed. Besides my European passport, I did the Basic Safety Training course and got the maritime medical certificate. Then came English. I didn't know it at all — at school I had studied French — so I started learning it intensively.
I was looking for work, but I had no clear idea of what I needed to do or how to go about it. That was where I stood before my consultation with Alexei.
4 / 7 · What helped me “Even a short consultation can be very important”
I had a consultation with Alexei in Chișinău. Afterwards I was full of motivation and understood much more clearly what to do and which steps to follow. I went home, studied English for a few more weeks and started looking for jobs on every social network, just as he recommended.
“I called employers directly, without fear and without backing down.”
I found an ad urgently looking for a fisherman, tracked down the phone number and called myself. We talked for about two minutes: I understood him about 50%, and he understood me about 50%. He asked for my CV, and about two hours later he told me I was accepted. It was Friday — by Sunday evening I had to be on the boat.
So here is what I tell people who have doubts. Even a short consultation can be very important. Even five sentences or a few well-chosen recommendations can make a big difference.
5 / 7 · What changed “This is the work I've been searching for all my life”
I arrived in Ireland, and the boat's owner ordered me a taxi that took me straight on board. When I first stepped onto the shrimp trawler “ALMA AMY”, I burst out laughing: “Wow, it moves so much!” It was the first time I had really felt a ship move. And I was pleasantly surprised: I didn't get seasick at all.
The crew — two Egyptians and two Lithuanians — was very friendly and showed me the whole ship from the very start. Only one of them spoke English a little better than me, and still we felt like a family. As for money, the difference is huge: what you earn on land in almost a month, you can earn at sea in about six days of work.
After this experience, it became clear to me. This is the work I've been searching for all my life. I don't want any other job. I've fallen so deeply in love with the sea and the whole process that it's hard to put into words.
6 / 7 · The hard part “For a moment I thought we would end up right in the water, alongside the shrimp”
The schedule is intense. Work started around 5 a.m.: we cast two trawls, towed them for about five hours, then hauled them in and sorted the shrimp and fish. We hauled three times a day, the last one around 10 p.m., and sorting could go on until 5, 6 or even 7 in the morning. We stayed at sea for about six days, then went back to port. I slept little, and from time to time I missed home, my kids and my family.
The hardest moment was a night when our boat collided with another vessel. I had handed over my watch and was asleep when the impact woke me. We cleared the ropes and nets from the damaged area and saw that a hole had opened in the hull. For a moment I thought we would end up right in the water, alongside the shrimp.
The captain decided to head back to port. We sailed very slowly, and one of us kept checking whether water was coming in. Fortunately, we made it safely. Since then I know one thing: at sea it's about your life, the life of the whole crew and of the people on nearby ships — you have to be attentive and responsible all the time.
7 / 7 · My advice to you “Don't be afraid, and don't give up after the first rejections”
The biggest mistake beginners make is sending 5, 10 or 20 emails, getting no reply and giving up. You need to send a lot of emails and make a lot of calls. Don't be afraid, and don't give up after the first rejections.
Work on yourself and pay special attention to English — it matters a lot when you talk to an employer directly. Alexei said in his posts that your chances of getting hired go up about five times when you call the employer personally. That's exactly what I did: I called myself, sent my CV and got the offer.
And if you're over 50: nothing is impossible. Everything is in your hands. Put in the effort, be persistent, and you will get results.
Vasile
sailor on a shrimp trawler, Ireland
