That’s a happy question that a family member asked me the other day via email, and that is a GREAT question. This seasonal employment thing is a very different kind of lifestyle, but I think I could get used to it.
Obviously that “unknown” component of seasonal work can be stressful (perhaps more for some people than others) – but to me it’s not that different than people who are self-employed contractors or who own their own businesses.Glacier Point Wilderness Safari near Haines
Those entrepreneurs also don’t always know for sure when that next job is coming or where it might come from – so in both cases it’s a matter of “doing your homework” to plan what you can, and then rolling with the unknowns until things come together. And it helps if we can simplify our lives and pare down our belongings and expenses, because then that waiting process is perhaps a bit more financially and emotionally tenable. As with most things in life, it’s all about my choices and how I deal with whatever consequences comes from them.
In thinking about what is next for me, I’ve learned a lot from talking with and listening to friends and acquaintances of all ages and backgrounds who have been doing this kind of work for a while. And co-workers are also often terrific sources for ideas and leads for what to do next as well. And right now, the “what’s next” question is one that we are all asking each other as we wind up our final days at our current position and go our separate ways in the world – at least until next May when some of us will meet here in Alaska again.
Davidson Glacier near Haines
And the answers are as varied and interesting as the people giving them. Some people, like me, are going home to family who were unable to be here this time around. So they are returning home – perhaps to school to finish undergrad work in college or to pursue an advanced degree, or perhaps to another seasonal job where they live and work the rest of the year. Some are teachers who do this in the summer vacation months from school or other jobs that are not year round. Others are returning to wherever they’ve stored their belongings while in Alaska, and once the next job is lined up they will move those belongings there for seven months until it’s time to store them again for another season in Alaska or somewhere similar.
I guess to some people this vagabond sort of life may seem strange. But when I think of this I am often reminded of a quote by writer and adventurer Tom Neale, who along with his wife lived aboard and raised two daughters on the Chez Nous (French for “our house”) sailboat, I believe including home schooling their children as they traveled. I read in Tom’s book, “All in the Same Boat”, about a question he received from someone once when they asked: “Why do you live on a boat?” And his answer was a simple but yet profound, “Why do you live in a house?” That pretty much says it all.
Chilkat Mountains near Haines
Our choices in life may be different than someone else’s, but that doesn’t make one “better/worse” or “more normal/stranger” than the other. Granted there are probably more people who choose the “typical” path, and that’s cool. But I’m reminded of a friend and co-worker from Skagway who--upon telling friends “back home” what she and her husband do in the summer--received the response “Gee, I wish I could do that.” And her question to them was simply “Why can’t you?” It’s amazing how we can be taught (or conditioned) by society to think we “can’t” (or "shouldn't") do things if they are out of the ordinary. Hmmmm…..I guess it mainly depends on whether or not we want to be ordinary. For me, if someone decides to follow the more traditional path for their life, then that's cool -- many amazing people do exactly that, and do it very well. But if someone else decides to follow a different path from mine, then if I expect other people to respect my choices about my life and support me in that, then shouldn't I be just as willing to accept and support someone else's choices for theirs?
Jewel Gardens and restaurant on the north end of Skagway
One advantage of moving around in life is that it sort of opens our eyes and minds to other "ways of thinking" or "ways of being" that we might not have even known existed before. And sometimes it also allows us to discover just how narrow our own minds were before the experience, when we perhaps associated only with those who were"more like us." Funny, how doing that now sounds kind of boring to me. If I open my mind to other lifestyles, religions, careers and types of families with an accepting and non-judgemental heart, then that "black and white" life changes to a beautiful kaleidoscope of color that I might have missed (or not appreciated) before. And if I'm lucky, I might even begin to think about options that I never even knew existed before back when I had that much narrower scope.
There are lots of different ways of living, both personally and professionally. And there are always potential "extraordinary" opportunities out there if we’re motivated enough to seek them out and make them work - which of course means accepting and dealing with whatever "downsides" that come with that choice. Sort of a yen and yang thing. And of course we can sometimes stumble onto things too – especially if we’re open to the possibilities and paying enough attention to be aware of it when one presents itself.
So as to what's next for me, I don't know yet, but it's interesting to look at the possibilities. One gentleman I work with here mentioned they need drivers in Vail Village for the winter and he seemed to think I was a good fit with the types of employees they recruit. And while I might enjoy doing that if Tim and I could relocate there as our “home base” for a while with our dogs and rent our house in the meantime, I doubt that’s in the cards this year for very pragmatic reasons.
There are also potentials in the Caribbean near St. Vincent that have cropped up since my extended time there earlier this year – so it’s likely that I’ll return there for at least part of the winter to continue paving the way for what we hope is a more permanent fixture in a few years. As an LL Bean seasonal employee last year, I recently received a letter inviting me to apply again for the holiday season, and given how physically fit I felt after working there for a few months, that has a certain appeal. Or perhaps I'll look for something more "in my field" and go back to that for a while -- who knows? And of course, my volunteer work in Maine with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Mercy Hospital and hopefully the incredible PopTech conference in Camden are probably highest on my priority list for next steps. So again, who knows?
So in answer to that question about “what is next” for me – I’m afraid I’ll have to get back to you on that. And to me, the process of figuring it out from the “potentials” and putting the pieces together to make it all work is half the fun. If you follow this blog, then I’ll keep you posted. So as they say….please stay tuned….
Best, Carla
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