2. How did you end up in the maritime sector?

I read about it – in the "green" booklet by the Federal Employment Agency where all professions and the relevant training are listed alphabetically. I checked from A to N and then I knew for sure that I had found the most versatile, interesting and exciting profession. And I am still convinced of that. Although, it must almost be said that seafaring is a calling. Clearly, it still captivates me, even though I have been ashore for a while now.
Once I had figured out what I wanted to do, it was not so easy to get started. As an Alemannian (colloquialism for Southern Germans) I had no ties to maritime shipping and no clue who I could ask for advice. To complicate matters further, I was spending a gap year in Ireland and was reliant on the (back then) relatively young internet as a source of information. But I made it in the end…