What looks like steady successes compounding over time can feel like a long, slow climb during the process. Christalove Agyin-Ayetse is a proud Ghanaian from the Fante tribe who helped fulfill her father's dream of becoming a merchant mariner. During this interview, Christine MacMillan and Christalove discuss what life is like in Ghana, what loyalty and community mean to her, and the struggles of making her way in the industry that hasn't always been inviting. She shares her belief that technical competence can be trained, BUT behavioral competence is the values learned in the home. She thinks more emphasis should be placed on finding quality individuals with strong behavioral competence and then training them to be technically competent. She also shares a personal story about how generalizations hurt. Many Western cultures lump all African nations into a single category, and this has detrimental consequences when seeking quality mariners in the untapped reserves of the world. Don’t Miss an Episode!Make sure you’re subscribed to the Women Offshore Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single episode! Did you know that every episode of our podcast is created and managed entirely in-house? Our dedicated team at Women Offshore pours their hearts into bringing you inspiring stories and valuable insights from the maritime industry. This work is made possible through the generous support of our community. Every donation—big or small—helps us amplify voices, create meaningful change, and support the maritime industry.If you’d like to be part of this mission, click here to contribute: https://womenoffshore.org/donation/Thank you to our 2025 Podcast Sponsor, the US Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation. Thank you for being part of the Women Offshore community!

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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