Tenerife | Industrial Mars

When I say I am living on a ship in Tenerife of the Canary Islands, I’m not sure “Industrial Mars” is the first description that would come to mind, but its our nickname for our current home. We are surrounded by rocks, wind, cacti, and lizards. We have four “choose your own adventures”: The Hike, The Supermarket, The 5k/10k loop, or The Beach (a nudist beach that makes for good laughs.) We sign up for a vehicle, allowing 6 persons including a friend who is a “driver” quite a few days in advance. The 5k/10k loop is the only spontaneous option and frequented if you want to spend any time one on one with someone. We find ways to celebrate absolutely anything. Many days start with goodbyes - just out of your pjs, teary-eyed, we line up to hug the departing friend, then pray over them, and then we make a tunnel to send them out to the gangway. My friend Julia said, “You can’t really distinguish birthday parties from goodbye parties.” 

We work hard, we explore our desert terrain, we eat meals on Deck 7, we play games in “Midships” on Deck 6, we watch sunsets from the dock or deck 8. We joke we are on the banished side of the island… with the factories, windmills, and un-touched rocky terrain. To be honest, I’m in awe of the crew members who went months without stepping off the ship, then months with only being allowed to walk back and forth up the dock. Our freedoms sound like limitations, but they are quite the opposite. These trips to the hike and beach and store are freedom.