Most of the volunteers on board are on two year stints. They receive about a month of prep training prior to coming to the ship. Half of that training occurs at what's called a Go conference in Mosbach, Germany while the other half occurs in the local port where the group will join the Doulos. Their pre-ship training covers everything from outreach techniques to water safety and survival. Though these recruits mix with the rest of the ships company through out their time on the Doulos, much camaraderie is built during their training. These groups of about 60-70 volunteers are called "Preships." Every six months an old Preship leaves the ship as a new one joins. 
I had the privilege of seeing the new Kota Kinabalu Preship arrive and it was quite a spectacle. Many of the current crew members dress up in their international costumes to welcome the new recruits. Almost all the crew were on the docks waving their country's flag, cheering the K.K. Preshippers as they approached their new home on board.
One of the very special qualities of the people on board is much they make you feel welcomed. Within my first hours on the Doulos I was greeted by countless crew members. Not because they had to, but because they genuinely wanted to make everyone feel at home. I hoped that I could do the same for our new peers. Good begets good.
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