Realizing maritime dreams from shore to ship and back

WHEN Gilbert Garcia first heard the word "seafaring" as a teenager, his young mind was filled with vague images of ships sailing across vast oceans. Garcia, just like many boys his age, was then into computers, and the only thing that interested him beyond gadgets is the idea of traveling.

"I did not really know much about seafaring back then, but I pictured myself as a young and dashing ship captain exploring the world and meeting foreign people. The thought of traveling the world for free left me daydreaming for hours," Garcia recalled.