Miris mora ispunjavao je zrak dok su sjene polako padale na pomorsku bazu u Splitu.

The scent of the sea filled the air as shadows slowly fell on the naval base in Split.

Jesen je polako dolazila, a lišće je šuškalo pod nogama kadeti koji su se kretali između zgrada.

Autumn was slowly arriving, and leaves rustled under the feet of cadets moving between buildings.

Ivana je osjećala nervozu dok je stajala sa svojim razredom, čekajući da započne posebni sat o navigaciji.

Ivana felt nervous as she stood with her class, waiting for the special navigation lesson to begin.

Ivana je uvijek sanjala postati pomorska časnica.

Ivana had always dreamed of becoming a naval officer.

Međutim, često ju je mučila sumnja u samu sebe.

However, she was often plagued by self-doubt.

Dok su drugi kadeti brzo shvaćali tehničke aspekte navigacije, ona se često borila s kartama i kompasom.

While other cadets quickly grasped the technical aspects of navigation, she often struggled with charts and the compass.

— Hej, Ivana! — povika Nikola, njezin prijatelj i kolega iz razreda.

"Hey, Ivana!" shouted Nikola, her friend and classmate.

Usprkos svojim akademskim uspjesima, Nikoli je nedostajalo praktično iskustvo.

Despite his academic success, Nikola lacked practical experience.

Njegova podrška joj je mnogo značila.

His support meant a lot to her.

— Idemo, moramo biti najbolji na ovom satu!

"Come on, we have to be the best in this class!"

Ivana je duboko udahnula i nasmiješila se.

Ivana took a deep breath and smiled.

— Da, trebamo se potruditi.

"Yes, we need to put in the effort."

Sat je započeo i instruktor je objasnio važnost navigacije na moru.

The lesson began, and the instructor explained the importance of navigation at sea.

Kadeti su pozorno slušali i zapisivali bilješke.

The cadets listened closely and took notes.

Kako je vrijeme odmicalo, zadatak je postajao sve složeniji.

As time went on, the task became increasingly complex.

Ivana je postala sve zabrinutija.

Ivana grew more anxious.

Instruktori su najavili praktičnu vježbu i ona je osjetila knot u trbuhu.

The instructors announced a practical exercise, and she felt a knot in her stomach.

Kasnije, dok su hodali prema kafeteriji, Ivana se sabrala i odlučila.

Later, as they walked to the cafeteria, Ivana composed herself and decided.

— Nikola, možeš li mi pomoći s navigacijom, nakon nastave? Stvarno želim ovo naučiti, ne želim razočarati.

"Nikola, can you help me with navigation after class? I really want to learn this; I don't want to disappoint."

Nikola je kimnuo.

Nikola nodded.

— Naravno, Ivana. Kroz to ćemo zajedno, obećavam.

"Of course, Ivana. We'll go through it together, I promise."

U sljedećim tjednima, Nikola je strpljivo pomagao Ivani.

In the following weeks, Nikola patiently helped Ivana.

Radili su zajedno na kartama, vježbali s kompasom i simulirali scenarije navigacije.

They worked together on charts, practiced with the compass, and simulated navigation scenarios.

Na dan konačne praktične vježbe, nebo je bilo oblačno, i more je bilo mirno, ali hladno.

On the day of the final practical exercise, the sky was cloudy, and the sea was calm but cold.

Ivana je stajala na palubi, naoštrena i iznimno svjesna svega što je prethodno učila.

Ivana stood on the deck, sharp and acutely aware of everything she had learned previously.

Ovo je bio ispit upravljanja timom kroz težak prolaz.

This was the test of leading the team through a difficult passage.

Dok su plovili, izazovi su se gomilali.

As they sailed, challenges mounted.

Valovi su postali jači, vjetar je puhao snažnije, ali Ivana je ostala fokusirana.

The waves became stronger, the wind blew harder, but Ivana remained focused.

— Znaš što trebaš raditi — šapnuo je Nikola ohrabrujuće, stojeći pokraj nje.

"You know what you need to do," Nikola whispered encouragingly, standing beside her.

Ivana se uspravila i dala jasne upute posadi.

Ivana stood tall and gave clear instructions to the crew.

Koristeći sve što je naučila, uspjela je voditi tim kroz prolaz sigurno i uspješno.

Using everything she had learned, she managed to lead the team through the passage safely and successfully.

Čim su stigli na cilj, napetost je popustila, ali osjećaj ponosa ostao je u zraku.

As soon as they reached the goal, the tension eased, but the sense of pride lingered in the air.

Ivana je uspješno položila ispit.

Ivana had successfully passed the test.

— Uspjela si, Ivana! — Franulo je iz grupe kadeta, sada poštovatelja njezinih vještina i upornosti.

"You did it, Ivana!" shouted the group of cadets, now admirers of her skills and perseverance.

Nikolini pljesak bio je najglasniji.

Nikola's applause was the loudest.

Dok su se kretali prema obali, Ivana je osjetila novi val samopouzdanja.

As they made their way to the shore, Ivana felt a new wave of confidence.

Naučila je važnost traženja pomoći i cijenila prijateljstvo i podršku.

She had learned the importance of seeking help and appreciated the friendship and support.

Oktobar će uskoro završiti, a Vukovar će se sjetiti dostojanstveno i s ponosom, baš kao i ona sada.

October would soon end, and Vukovar would be remembered with dignity and pride, just as she was now.

Na kraju dana, ona i Nikola hodali su uzduž obale, razgovarajući o snovima i budućnosti.

At the end of the day, she and Nikola walked along the shore, talking about dreams and the future.

Dok je sunce zalazilo, Ivana je znala da je jača nego ikad prije.

As the sun set, Ivana knew she was stronger than ever before.

Baza u Splitu bila je puno više od mjesta za učenje; bila je to temelj njezine buduće karijere pomorske časnice.

The base in Split was much more than a place for learning; it was the foundation of her future career as a naval officer.