eXXpedition North Pacific crew member and scientist Rowan Henthorn introduces us to crew member and environmental engineering student Ana Jarc…
“Slovenia’s tourism industry can expect to receive an imminent boost thanks to the impact of their proud ambassador, Ana Jarc, during our voyage across the North Pacific.
It’s impossible not to warm to Ančka immediately, with her infectious smile & kind nature. Thanks to the influence of her father, she developed a talent for understanding how things work and fixing where needed, and is now studying as an engineer. She instantly impressed us with her desire to learn and willingness to help, and became a valuable asset on board Sea Dragon – particularly while being a dedicated assistant to filmmaker Eleanor.
During the voyage Ančka educated us all on the history of Slovenia and even taught us some of the language and nuances. We were enlightened by the discovery that “thank you” is used in Slovenia as a way of saying no, which had been a source of some confusion – especially given the sassy tone in which Ančka would occasionally respond to the offer of tea!
It’s this apparent sassy-ness that has no doubt helped Ančka to push boundaries during her studies in Slovenia. She shared some of her frustrations with backwards views on gender roles and a lack of knowledge of environmental issues, but this has not deterred her in her own pursuits and we know she’ll keep blazing a trail once back to her homeland.
Ančka definitely made the most of the opportunity to learn from the rest of the eXXpedition team and threw herself into whatever challenge she faced – whether it was helming in tough conditions, recording our conversations or winching sails in and out. She also provided us with many a laugh thanks to her wicked sense of humour & talent for nighttime charades! She’s a naturally caring person and is very loyal to her friends, something that team 3 in particular can attest to.
It was a joy to watch a transformation take place during our 3 weeks with Ančka, as she found inspiration and set herself on a new path for the future. She came with an open mind and left with a full heart, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
