Given my adventurous spirit, I should be used to people asking me “What’s next?!” But recently, that question has induced more panic than excitement.
I’ve been stressed into paralysis recently. I had a lot to think about, do and decide.
My lease ends March 31. One roommate left in January and one at the end of February, which leaves me responsible for getting the house ready for the walk-through with the landlord. Beyond being a lot of work, I wasn’t looking forward to being alone with few furnishings in a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom condo. Of course, I assumed I’d only be alone in it on the weekends and after work on weekdays. Oh, if I only knew.
My VISTA term is set to end on Wednesday, April 8. Then I’d fly to Portland on Saturday, April 11. I'd spend that day chilling with my cousin Debbie, that Sunday hiking with my bestie Daron.
Then Monday, April 13, I would go see one Canadian queen, Celine Dion, in concert at the Moda Center, with besties, Daron & Katrina.
The next morning, I would leave with Katrina for our beloved Canada. We would arrive in British Columbia and attend a friendly soccer match between Canada and Australia's women’s teams. On that team would be my other Canadian queen, Christine Sinclair, who recently broke the goal scoring world record. Before the game, I would be able to look at her display at the stadium's Hall of Fame and witness the pre-game celebration of her accomplishment.
The next weekend would be dedicated to family – watching Henry play rugby, family dinner with the nearly college sophomore & grandma, maybe a board game.
From April 20-May 4, I’d be in Colorado with my adventure buddy Kevin and former roomies Christine and Piper.
A week after that, I hoped to attend an 80-hour Wilderness Advanced First Aid course by using my education award.
Then, my focus would solely be on making Hawai’i a reality, somehow some way!
Instead, I'm sitting on a yoga mat, alone in my house, drinking beer, eating Goldfish and typing this update, trying to make sense of it all.
Before the world caught fire, I applied, interviewed and had two job offers. Both were as excursion leaders with youth conservation corps in the lower 48, Oregon and Montana to be precise. I turned both down in order to focus on getting to Hawai’i. But I felt assured because one of the positions I applied for on the islands was basically identical to job offers I had just received. An added bonus, the HI position is with a non-profit that I am highly interested in, Kupu. While being a summer only gig, there is a networking event at the end of the term and I saw that as a way to stay on the island for longer.
As of now, I have no idea whether or not that summer program will happen. However, I do have a bit of happy news – last Thursday, I applied to a Community Engagement Manager position with the same nonprofit! Instead of a summer session, this is a permanent position and one that I would rock the socks off of and enjoy myself while I am at it. That’s what I’m putting my hope in now. Timing do what it will but that job sounds perfect.
Back to tonight’s decision: I have decided to stay in Fairbanks until the world returns to normal. I don’t want to be in danger but I don’t want to put other people in danger either. I have a job here, medical insurance which feels more important than it ever has before, I have support here. A friend is lending me her truck for the time I have left here. Folks are helping me clean and move my stuff this weekend. If I have to be stuck, Fairbanks is a damn good spot. I have to find a place to live for an unknown amount of time and on a limited income but I know the Golden Heart City won’t let me drown so I’m happy to live in limbo here.