Joo Franco Shows Literally Everything He’s Accomplished in Yachting in One Photo – Bravo

Joo Franco is looking forward to what the future holds after making the decision to quit drinking earlier this year.

The Below Deck Mediterranean alum reflected on how far he's come and what's next for him in a post on Instagram on June 23. "I had it all. I lost it all. I chose not to let my poor circumstances turn into excuses. Making my mind up to becoming the person I have decided to be was the first step. Applying myself and investing in myself has been very rewarding and all it took was a change in mindset," Joo wrote. "Decide on a path and walk it!! Appreciate those backing you all the way."

The photo featured in the post showed Joo posing with all of the many certificates "and still counting!" he noted that he has earned in his four years in yachting so far. "This is my round two to becoming successful," Joo also shared in the post. "Round one was great! But this time Im happy."

Joo previously gave an update on how he's doing inhis new sober lifestyle while self-quarantined in South Africa in a video on his Instagram posted on April 10. "Firstly, in this quarantine, and since I said I'm not drinking, I have not had a single drink. It's been fantastic. I'm not going to tell you that it's easy for everyone, but it has been easy for me," Joo said. "I believe that once I made my mind up in not drinking, it's been really easy to stick onto it, partly because I'm probably super stubborn and also because I feel that it's not really that I had an issue with drinking; I feel that my mindset was that I never wanted to stop. And now in making a decision in when to stop, it hasn't been so difficult to stop entirely. So that's been great."

What has been "really tough," Joo said, is being apart from his fiance, Michelle Dicu, who lives in New York. "She was two days short of visiting me and coming top South Africa to spend this time with me. She was working at the time," Joo said in the video. "Yeah, we missed our window by two days, but positivity is strong within us. And we all know that people around us have it worse, and we [are] very lucky."

Joo has been using this time to tackle new challenges, such as building a car, which he has used the money he would have spent on drinking to pay for. "It has been extremely challenging, but my stubbornness will not let it get the [best] of me," he said. "And I will complete it, and I will show you guys what I've done and how I built a car from scratch."

Joo, who took on his first job as a captain following Season 4 of Below Deck Med, has also been productive while in self-quarantine, studying to become even more knowledgable in all things maritime. "I believe that if I can't be on the water, I will learn more about the water, learn more about being a captain and the management side of things, learn more about the weather," he said. "Hopefully, I become an absolute guru in the theory, rules, and regulations, so that I can put it into practice when I come out of this alive and kicking and healthy."

The former bosun remarked how "not waking up a single day in almost 3 months with a hangover has been AWESOME" and showed his dedication to sticking to a new diet in a post showing off his new shorter 'do published on Instagram on May 19.

He also shared a little more about how he and his fiance have been getting through self-quarantine apart. "All thats missing in my life right now - my beautiful lady [Michelle] who is MILES away. Well get through it though!" Joo wrote. "I hope all those separated from their loved ones realise that its hard to be apart but it is temporary and would be harder to not have each other at all. We play backgammon and do yoga together online! She kicks my ass at both!"

In a more recent Instagram post from earlier this month, Joo revealedhow he stays focused even when times are tough. "Hours on hours of studying. Every time I hit a mental block and information stops sinking in, I make a coffee, stand outside, watch the ocean and remind myself why!" he said. "And I get back to it!"

Want more Below Deck Med? New episodes air every Monday at 9/8c or catch up on this season through the Bravo app.

See what's coming up for the Season 5 crew, below.

Preview

Christine "Bugsy" Drake Returns to Below Deck Mediterranean!

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Joo Franco Shows Literally Everything He's Accomplished in Yachting in One Photo - Bravo