1. I got a job! Not a "real" job, but a summer job. I put in an application during one of my panicky I'm-never-going-to-get-a-job days, got an invitation for an interview the next morning, and interviewed and got the job the day after that. It's only a 3-month position, but at least it's something! I'll be spending the summer on beautiful Grand Manan Island off the coast of New Brunswick, working as an "Environmental Science Educator" at the Whale Camp. Basically, I'll be spending the summer teaching kids between 10 and 17 all about the environment and ecology of the area (which includes beaches and tidepools, salt marshes and bogs, forests, ocean habitats, etc) AND teaching them all about WHALES. Hence the name "Whale Camp". Plus (as long as enough people sign up) I'll be running a program called "Authors and Artists of the Sea", where I still teach all the same things but then additionally encourage and guide the campers to express what they've learned through writing, photography and other art forms. (I was hand-picked for this position because of my journalism and photography background, and I was *hoping* to be able to teach the college-level course as well -- because how great would that look on the resume??-- but unfortunately it doesn't look like anyone's signing up for credits. Sad panda.) The greatest part? Because I'm on the educational staff, I only have to work from breakfast until dinner... which means somebody else gets to deal with all the after-hours camper drama. Score!
2. I have a job interview for a full time position with DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans for all you non-Canucks... it's the Canadian equivalent of NOAA). In fact, the interview is tomorrow morning, bright and early. Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Burlington, Ontario, trying not to freak out. But the "interesting" part? It's for a job in Iqaluit. You know where Iqaluit is? North. Like, really REALLY north.
Do you see it?? Look up. Look waaaaaay up.
No joke, when I got the invite for the interview, I actually rolled my eyes to the ceiling and said "Hah! Very funny..." then promptly started freaking out. Koda and I barely survived Ontario winter... how the heck are we supposed to live somewhere that's cold pretty much all year? I spent a solid week just freaking out over the whole thing, but I'm thankfully a lot more zen about it now. Truthfully, a year or two up north wouldn't be so bad... It would be a huge adjustment, but also an adventure. I always said it would be interesting to spend a year up north. And now would be the time for me to do it, since I'm currently not tied down to anywhere or anyone. I really don't think I'll get the job, though. In fact, I think there's pretty much no hope in hell of me actually getting the job. It's in fisheries, which I'm really not qualified for and don't really want to get pegged into. But still, interviewing with the government is great experience, and if I do by some miracle get the position, the pay is going to be effing awesome. I know I'm not supposed to say that, but c'mon... government salaries plus isolation pay? CA-CHING!
3. If I didn't accept the summer job in NB, I would have most likely gotten a position on a summer-long research cruise on the Red Sea (Egypt!) studying dolphins. I was invited to do an interview, and when I declined because I had already accepted the other job they emailed back saying how disappointed they were that I was no longer in the running, and they hoped I would reconsider. Sadly, this position was unpaid AND I would have had to pay travel costs to and from Egypt, as well as boat fees to help cover food costs. I applied to this position without realizing it was unpaid, and I'm not sure I would have done it even if I had nothing else lined up for the summer, but still. It's nice to be asked.
So, there are my three! Here's hoping another cluster of good news comes soon.... *fingers crossed for a full-time job! Preferably starting in September or October, so I can still have fun at camp this summer.*
