In addition to what I wrote above, I look at it this way. To be a competent merchant seaman/officer/engineer; or even on the shoreside based maritime industry, one must be able to leave the "regular world" behind at a moment's notice. I haven't sailed on my license for quite some time, but there are times that when the phone rings, off I go to anywhere in the world, for often ill defined periods of time, including offshore (as most of my work these day is in the energy industry). This kind of work is often at odds with what is normal in our society, and it takes a different kind of person. I remember back when I was still sailing (CE on an ATB), the company hired a tankerman who had only worked in brown water (rivers and canals for those not maritime oriented). We sailed from Norfolk to Guayaquil, Ecuador. This tankerman was so homesick, he wanted to head home when we got to Panama for the Canal transit, but changed his mind at the last minute. By the time we got to Ecuador, he could not take it at all and the company flew him home. I can't recall the details since it was so long ago, but it might even been at his own expense. Again, this life isn't for everyone. I have always felt that the training that KP offers goes beyond just learning navigation, cargo ops, engineering, etc.; it also fosters a real independence. This industry requires more from the people in it than most, but to me, the rewards are beyond compare.