Devi’s SaS Story 1

Prologue

(The preparation period leading up to School at Sea – until 18 October 2025)

How it began, my first encounter with School at Sea

I remember the moment clearly: I was scrolling on Facebook when suddenly something about School at Sea appeared. It felt like something inside me clicked. As if a quiet voice said, “This is your next step.”

My name is Devi Tiemessen, I’m 16 years old. When I discovered School at Sea, I was 15, and somehow it immediately felt familiar. That might be because I lived on a boat for the first four years of my life. In Thailand, where I was born, a boat was our home. My father took me into the sea when I was only five days old.

The ocean has never felt strange to me, more like a place of peace and coming home. Still, for a long time I thought School at Sea was too much of a dream to ever really become reality. Until I decided that I simply had to try. And now this adventure is truly beginning.

My personal goals

I still live in Turkey and haven’t really lived in the Netherlands before. Because of that, I sometimes feel a bit insecure around Dutch teenagers. The language doesn’t come naturally yet, which makes me quieter than I normally am, even though, when I feel comfortable, I talk a lot.

During School at Sea, I want to learn to show more of myself. To take responsibility, use my voice, and trust myself, even when something feels scary.

My goal before Tenerife: To be watch leader at least once during watch duty.

It may seem like a small thing to others, but for me it’s an important step, showing that I dare to take the lead.

Fundraising, more learned than I ever expected

The past year was one big lesson in perseverance, approaching people, being brave and building confidence.

  1. First of all, the people who supported me personally

    So many people contributed to my participation on their own initiative. Some donations were small, others larger, but together they made up a very important part of the total amount.

    It truly touched me how many people believe in me and want me to have this adventure. Every donation felt like a little push forward: “Go for it, Devi.”
    That personal support meant more to me than I can put into words.

  2. And then the contact with companies, educational and exciting

Approaching companies was a real learning process for me. I had to step out of my comfort zone, hold conversations, explain my plans and sometimes learn to deal with a “no.” But I learned so much from it.

Companies I contacted:

  • Itamex

  • GoFunSailing

  • FitHit

  • Kraken Yachts

I also did several actions, such as:

  • making Christmas stables

  • selling bracelets and souvenirs

  • selling towels

  • giving interviews

In the beginning, I found it very scary to ask people for help. Thanks to my coach Wally, I learned that I can do it. And I even discovered that I actually enjoy telling people about my dream and why School at Sea means so much to me.

School, exciting but also fun

I follow lessons through the Wereldschool, which works well because it’s flexible. Sometimes time goes by so fast that I’m afraid I’ll fall behind. I’m in regular contact with my teachers to decide which subjects need extra attention.

I’m a bit behind in Dutch because a lot of it is online, but luckily I’m allowed to work with the physical book now. The other subjects should be doable, even though it’s still a bit of an adjustment and sometimes quite nerve-racking. But overall, I feel prepared.

Food and exercise, adjusting to a new rhythm

At home, my father always cooks delicious meals, so I’ll definitely miss that. On board I’ll probably have to get used to different food, but I actually want to challenge myself to try everything.

Sports have always played a big role in my life, from horseback riding and tennis to volleyball and sailing. Because I study from home now, I move less, so I hope we stay active on board. I’m really looking forward to that.

What I already know, and what I want to learn

This past summer I sold many bracelets and souvenirs to guests on the boats of my parents. It taught me how to help customers, how to prepare things properly, and how to start spontaneous conversations with people from many different countries.

I noticed how much I grew from that. It gives me confidence that I’ll discover new skills on board as well.

Finally, the excitement is rising

Everything is starting to feel more and more real, and that also makes it more exciting. It feels like just yesterday there were still eight weeks left before departure. I truly don’t understand how time went by so fast.

But one thing I know for sure: I’m really excited.

Love,
Devi Tiemessen

Devi’s SaS Story 2

Harlingen – Tenerife

(First weeks on board: October 19  –  November 27 2025)

General travel report

The first days on board were tough. Saying goodbye to my parents in Harlingen was emotional, especially as I realized I would be away from home for six months. The first week in Harlingen was filled with lessons on sailing and safety. Although I had a lot of homesickness, I really enjoyed learning about sailing. When we left for Den Helder and I could briefly contact my parents, I felt some relief.

The sea was rough at times, and I felt a little seasick, just like many others. We started the watch schedule, and my first real watch was from 12 AM to 3 AM. After some rain, my first night watch was canceled. In Boulogne-sur-Mer, we had some free time, but I still felt quite sad. It was strange to feel so homesick, as I don’t usually get that way. But I know this feeling will ease as time goes on.

The night watches continued, and we set course for Tenerife. The new watch schedule was 4 hours on, 8 hours off, and I had the 12 AM to 4 AM shift, both day and night. Sam, the captain, said the trip to Tenerife would take “two halves,” but after ten days, that answer hadn’t changed. The journey ended up being longer than expected, but we learned a lot: filling out the logbook, determining our position with coordinates, working in the engine room, and even studying during rough weather while dolphins swam alongside the boat.

Tenerife was a welcome change. We had an exchange with a local school, played a football match against a German school (which we won 2-1), and went on a 17 km hike in the volcanic El Teide area. We spent our free time at the beach and at a market, having lots of great conversations with new people.

Schoolwork

My schoolwork is going well, although I’m still behind schedule. The pace is challenging due to the language barrier, but I’m doing my best to catch up and avoid falling further behind. It’s tough, especially with reading and subjects that require a lot of attention. But I’m motivated and determined to finish the year well.

Watch

During the watches, I’ve learned a lot about the ship’s systems: filling out the logbook, checking the engine room, setting the sails, and learning knots. I want to get better at quickly locating the lines and working more effectively with my team.

Evaluation by Mentor Nick

Devi has a strong skill when it comes to interacting with people. She easily makes friends with everyone on board and is actually the only one who mixes with multiple groups. I mention this because she herself expressed concerns about not being able to connect with her peers, mainly due to her background and not being familiar with Dutch youth culture. However, the opposite has proven to be true, and this ability to connect has become one of her strengths.

When it comes to school, Devi occasionally needs help getting started, but once she's on task, she works well. The pace is challenging due to the language barrier. Fortunately, she reads a lot, which is great for her Dutch, but sometimes she doesn't prioritize things as well as she could. As a result, she's a bit behind in certain subjects. She recognized this on her own and created a visual overview of her progress in each subject, which gives her a clear idea of what to focus on. Devi sometimes started her schoolwork late during the first weeks, but she's improved that quickly. We're gradually building up speed, and I see strong growth in Devi’s development. School here has been tough for her, but she’s a true fighter.

Evaluation by Captain Sam & Project Coordinator Sander

The first period is over. The North Sea, the Bay of Biscay, and the Atlantic Ocean have really put you to the test. Despite seasickness, you kept up with watches, kitchen duties, and schoolwork. It was harder with the rough weather, but your dedication was clear.

Of course, not everything went smoothly: cleaning could be improved, more focus was needed on schoolwork, and table manners could have been better. But it’s great to see that the group dynamic is strong. You take care of each other and create fun moments together, whether it’s a haircut, sports on deck, or just chilling. A great example of this is how you already set up hammocks in Tenerife. Even when things didn’t go as planned, like no stopovers or the non-climb of Teide, you handled it well.

In short, things are going well, especially for this part of the journey. However, be aware that there’s still work to be done. Stay critical of yourself and your team, whether it's during kitchen duties or watches. Keep raising the bar and be honest when things didn’t go as well. Think before answering “it went pretty well” when asked how things went. The same applies to schoolwork: don’t procrastinate and ask for help if you’re struggling. This way, you’ll keep growing, and we hope to see this development continue throughout the rest of the journey.

Enjoy the Great Crossing! Make it something beautiful!

Health and Lifestyle

I’ve been going to bed early because I realize how important sleep is. My eating habits have changed, I’m eating more than usual and trying to pay attention to my nutrition. I don’t crave many snacks, but an occasional piece of licorice is nice. The watches also provide a physical workout, which helps keep me active.

Kitchen

The kitchen duty is sometimes exhausting, but I enjoy it. We’re getting faster each time, although my group isn’t the most efficient yet. I want to improve at coming up with and preparing dishes, although our oatmeal doesn’t always turn out great.

Spanish

We’ve learned how to introduce ourselves and do basic communication in Spanish. It’s still difficult for me, but we play fun games like Spanish bingo. It’s challenging, but I’m picking up the language quickly.

Reflection on Competencies

During one kitchen duty, I tried to communicate more and work better with the team, but things didn’t go as planned. I need to listen better and cooperate more, especially with the chef, to divide the workload effectively. In another situation, when we had to do a project on El Teide, I realized I had misjudged the deadline and waited too long to start. This caused stress and miscommunication within the group. In the future, I want to take more responsibility and improve my leadership skills.

My vision for this part of the journey

I’m happy with my progress so far, but I know I can expect more from myself. I want to work more efficiently, communicate better during the watches, and be faster with my schoolwork. The journey has just begun, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.

Sponsor agreements

In every port I’ve visited, I’ve hung the flags of my sponsors, Flaka, Itamex and Kraken Yachts. I’ll continue to do this in the upcoming ports.

Love,
Devi Tiemessen