The S. A. Agulhas II is a South African research ship with a mainly South African crew. Most of the crew speak Afrikaans but communicate with the scientists in English. The scientists are a mix of different nationalities but everyone speaks with each other in English.
Have you ever had to work with other people on a project? The most important thing that we have to do aboard the ship is work together well. We have a limited amount of time to gather data which requires a lot of collaboration. As we are all coming from different backgrounds and countries, we have to learn how to work together.
The scientists on this expedition are among the best in the world. They have all obtained PhDs from leading universities and are specialistis in their particular field. Not all of them have worked together before. So, before embarking on the expedition, I took the time to learn what institution each scientist is from and their specific area of expertise and research. This has helped me create relationships and trust with the team and has helped me get to know them as both colleagues and as new friends.
When I am not writing for Reach the World, I am managing the different groups on board the ship. It helps to know exactly where people are from and what they are doing so I can manage effectively and have everyone work together.
