[Oy this is a long post. Sorry.]
I am SO glad to see that this blog has been so vibrant and well-loved. I wish I could go back and read all of your posts from the last few months, but I don't exactly have time. I'm leaving in about 12 hours to drive across the country. No, I don't have a job. No, I'm not just doing this for fun. Let me back up and start at the beginning. Or somewhere close to that.
Two weeks ago, I loaded up my packboard for what may have been the last time (click the link if you have no idea what I'm talking about) and hiked out of Greenleaf Hut, my home since I moved out of Lakes of the Clouds in August. Six months in the huts were absolutely fabulous, but also exhausting, and I left realizing that, as idyllic as life on a mountain is, it's time for me to get a "real" life. [Side note: here's a blog post I wrote for AMC about life in the huts: http://hutsblog.outdoors.org/2011/10/magic-of-huts.html] I love mountains and hope to always be surrounded by them, but also know that there are other things I love too, and I found myself longing for more balance in my life, not to mention an end to the constant job-searching and changes that come with working seasonal jobs. I loved my croos. The 9 other people at Lakes and the 5 at Greenleaf who I got to work and live with over the summer and fall were wonderful, but it's hard to have your work life, social life, and home life blur completely. I miss dance. I miss frisbee. I missed being able to get my groceries from the store to my house without carrying them up a mountain first. I missed being able to read this blog and know what my friends are up to all over the country. I miss living in the same place for more than a few months at a time.
With those thoughts in mind, I've been applying to jobs for months. The problem has been that for every job I apply to, 40-100 other people also apply, many of whom have masters degrees or years and years of experience. After what felt like my 28375th rejection, I realized it was time for a new strategy. I contacted a world-renowned marine conservation biologist who had spoken to my class in Mexico and asked for advice in getting into the field of wildlife conservation. Knowing that he's incredibly busy, I never really expected a response. Imagine my surprise when, 2 hours later, my phone rings, and there he is, calling me on his way home from work in California. He listened to my experiences, ideas, and questions and gave me some very good advice, which I'm going to paraphrase, ish:
Working for non-profits, doing wildlife conservation, it's never going to make you rich. You have to find the income in non-monetary ways. Find a place that you love, that will sustain you. Work with an organization and with people that are as passionate and inspired to make change as you are. If you love what you're doing and who you're working with, that's what's going to keep you going.I also realized that it's time to get out of New England. Before all you west coasters (hem, hem Michael and Isaac) jump all over that, let me clarify: I LOVE New England. I always will. When it's time to be a "real" adult and put down roots for good, I want to be back. Maine? New Hampshire? Maybe even Mass. Who knows. But for now, it's time to get out and try something new, and I'm thinking West. Rockies? West coast? We'll see. It has to have mountains, easily accessible snow, and trees. Trees are important for my sanity. Oh, wildlife is too, so I can study it.
So starting tomorrow, I'm driving west. I'm taking a bit of a long time to get out because I'm stopping to visit friends (and to spend 2 days with my grandmother...) Once I hit the Rockies, I'm going to start looking for towns/cities/mountain villages that feel like somewhere I could live for a while. I’m looking up interesting wildlife conservation organizations and trying to set up informational interviews. (As crazy as this plan sounds, it's been approved and encouraged by all sorts of people, including my new marine conservation friend!) Hopefully I'll be able to get an internship or volunteer position with one of them. I’m keeping my eyes out for coffee shop,waitressing, ski instructing, gear selling, or other job that’ll allow me to pay for food, rent, gas, and ski passes. You know, the essentials. And, added bonus, I'm staying with a wide variety of wonderful friends to whom I'll feed cookies and hot toddies in exchange for couch space.
I'm realizing that, even though this trip is really a result of the economic mess that our country is in, I'm incredibly lucky to be able to do this. Yeah, I've saved a ton of money by living on a mountain, but there's no way I could have given my car the TLC it needed or even saved all that money without my parents' support. I wish I could truly be financially independent at this point, but it seems to be a choice between financial independence and following my chosen career path. I know many parents who would not be supporting this trip, this leap of faith I'm taking, and mine have been incredibly encouraging and supportive. I'm so lucky to have that choice and the safety net of knowing that if this plan fails miserably and I end up broke and still unemployed, I can always move home and try something else.
I'm keeping my own blog (http://emmaseverydayadventures.blogspot.com/), but hopefully I'll post updates more specifically for this. I want to write about occupy and see what you guys are thinking (I think I saw that Has wrote something about it?) and I have some funny stories I've accumulated from the past few months (my grandmother wants to be my moral compass, among others) and I REALLY want to see as many of you as possible while I'm on my way out. Call me, I'll be in the car for HOURS!
