The Best Job in the World

On January 13, a friend in Texas left a comment on my Facebook wall that said, "You can thank me later for finding you the best job in the world." With the comment, she posted a link to a Yahoo news article. I read the article and was impressed. It was about a job opportunity as an island caretaker of the Great Barrier Reef. Such a job exists?

That same morning, a friend in San Diego texted me with a similar message; she had heard of a job that I would not only love, but one for which I would be perfectly qualified. I tried unsuccessfully several times to view islandreefjob.com to read more details, but the page would not load. I was suspicious that it might be a hoax. After all, the article claimed key responsibilities included cleaning the pool, feeding the fish and getting the mail. Who wouldn't be skeptical? I made a mental note to come back to it in the near future and filed the note in my short-term memory, ready to forget.

The next morning, I received an email from a friend at home. The subject line read, "I thought of you!" When I opened it, the email was the same message I had heard twice the day before. Is it possible to be spammed by friends? "Ok." I thought, "You have my attention now." Three friends in three different locations had heard about the same job and thought of me. I figured if it were a hoax, it had garnered an unusual amount of media attention.

I visited the job's website. This time the page loaded, but it was slow. I read through the job description, responsibilities, information about applying, etc. It seemed the job was legit. There were even applications already submitted. In order to apply, one must upload a 60 second or less video introducing themselves, stating their qualifications and demonstrating their knowledge of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. I had a look at some of the videos. I realized it was a one in a million chance, but the job was made for me and I would never get it unless I applied. Besides, I couldn't let my friends down...

Over the past month, I have worked on my video. I filmed scenes in the Seattle area while visiting friends, on a train to Canada, in my alma mater's library and in my bedroom. Each scene was meant to reflect a small part of me; my introduction at Snoqualmie Falls to show my love of the outdoors, skiing off of a jump to demonstrate my athleticism and adventurousness, on board a train for my love of travel, at the UC Davis library for my educational background and in my bedroom to show the simple side of me. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, there was a lot I had to cut. But thanks to the amazing editing abilities of a friend, the video turned out far better than I had hoped.

What I did not mention or emphasize in my video I hope to do here. I started this blog soon after deciding I would apply for the job. Although this blog is new, my entries are all writings I did in the past to keep friends and family updated along my travels. They were sent as emails and posted as blogs on Myspace. They often included photos or links to photos and videos I uploaded as I traveled. I have always kept a journal while abroad and am very trigger happy when it comes to snapping photos and videos of where I am. It is important to me to document my travels, but my photos and updates were always meant to encourage my friends and family to explore and discover the fascinating and beautiful world around them.

If it is not already clear from my video or if you have not already read it in my profile, I am passionate about a lot of things including travel (of course), music, the environment and nature. I have been PADI Advanced Scuba certified for 9 years and have been mesmerized by the ocean and its inhabitants for as long as I can remember. I hike, backpack, ski and mountain bike and dabble in rock climbing. I play guitar and am rarely sitting in silence because I am often listening to music. I was very active in grassroots organizing for environmental issues in college and am no stranger to public speaking. In fact, one of my current job tasks is to lead school group tours teaching children the life cycles of native anadromous fishes and their freshwater habitat, the local American River. (You try keeping an eight year old's attention while speaking to them for an hour and a half!) Other current job tasks keep me well-rounded and include writing articles and reports on the control of invasive plant species and assisting with investigations of pesticide-related fish and wildlife losses. I have also worked in the field on seasonal projects such as assessing habitat for Western Pond Turtles. Work-related photos can be found here.

I feel I am extremely qualified for the position of island caretaker for the Great Barrier Reef and hope after discovering the virtual me, you will agree.