So Sean started thinking of what he would like to do in the future and came up with three things: 1) he doesn't want to teach 2) he doesn't want to work in hotels 3) he wants to try working outside and use some of the skills he learned at NOLS. Thus, we joined the NOLS alumni job list and started looking for jobs daily. In September I saw one that I thought might be a good fit. Sean filled out the application, wrote the essays, asked his references to send in letters and turned in the completed application. Much to his surprise, he was granted an interview which was to take place in the wee hours of the morning (because of the NZ time difference) during our road trip with Susie.
The interview was over Skype and consisted of four people asking questions and asking Sean to consider various scenarios and lasted for one hour. When I asked him how he thought it went he didn't feel confident about it at all especially since they were interviewing 50 people for 12 positions. Five days later he got an email saying that he got one of the positions - a conservation crew leader for the Wyoming Conservation Corps. The position is funded by Americorps and works with the National Park Service along with the Bureau of Land Management.
From January to May he will take a leadership and conservation class at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, get other training and certification such as in chainsaws and wilderness first responder medicine, volunteer in something conservation-related for 10 hours a week and work at an additional part-time job. In the summer, he will lead a crew of 12 college-aged youth on "hitches" (10 days of work in the back country) where they will camp and work on trail building, historical site restoration and other various conservation projects. At that time he works for 10 days and then has 4 days off.
If you are doing the math in your head you might realize that we aren't going to see each other for 8 months (!). I know. It's a big decision and a scary one. But we think it's the right one and we will be able to Skype, email and talk on the phone for most of the time. Actually, in the past, most of our relationship was long distance and we are well aware of the fact that it totally sucks. So here we go again. After Sean finishes in late August he's hoping to head back to Holland for an annual "Bridge Trip" with his close guy friends and then fly to Brazil for my last three months there. That's the current plan at least, but we'll see how it goes.
For now, Sean is in Laramie undergoing an intense 10-day EMT course and flies home on Christmas Eve. I just talked to him on the phone and he said that he's glad that he wore his Carhart jacket because he fits right in. Maybe he'll come home wearing a cowboy hat and boots . . . a girl can dream, right?
My brother spent three years in Laramie to get his MFA. He came home with cowboy boots, a pick-up truck, and a dog.
Wow, that's definitely daring. You are a stronger woman than I am! Prayers as you head out on your different adventures, that the time would go quickly and the separation would be better than expected.