Making Plans

Sitting along the East River with the Brooklyn Bridge on my right and the Statue of Liberty on my left, I ponder the John Lennon lyric "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." I had a plan: move to New York, get a job and go to grad school (the latter depending on the former). Knowing that unemployment rates and the economy were the worst they'd been since the Great Depression, I arrogantly assumed that such statistics wouldn't apply to me because I was overqualified for the office jobs I was applying to, and I had a large and diverse network of New Yorkers pulling for me. So in January, I left Hawaii to pursue my dream of living in the Big Apple and have now, seven months later, found myself still without a job and a severely depleted savings.

I applied with multiple temp agencies, universities, countless postings forwarded by my network, and even Starbucks' through their online application, all without success. And I feel like I could have done more. Job-hunting in NYC is a unique experience. It seems for every position scores of more (overly) qualified candidates with JD's and PhD's as well as the inexperienced, more malleable recent graduates are applying--the different traits apparently appealing to different employers. Had my initial cockiness not blinded me to the truth of my situation, I would've been scouring Craig's List from the start, thought more creatively about my own abilities to broaden the types of jobs I was looking for, and found better ways to market myself.

Also gnawing at my mind is how much time I spent outside of the city. Even though job searching these days only requires a working internet connection to send out resumes and cover letters, it's hard to argue that leaving so much didn't, at least partially, take my head out of the game. However, I'm not upset I went. That time away was spent consoling a friend in Portland, attempting snowboarding in Syracuse, spending Passover with my parents in Connecticut, watching my brother graduate from college in Hawaii, and fishing with my boyfriend in Alaska. (The generosity of friends and family often made these trips more economically viable than staying in the city--a very expensive place.)

As the title of this blog Vacilanda and its meaning indicate, I understand the value of "the journey." However, New York was a destination that mattered, and one in which I was ready to settle down. I haven't given up on that plan. For now, I'll go back to Hawaii and regroup. I'll take some courses at the University of Hawaii to create a more competitive application and reapply to the programs that most interest me. I'll spend quality time with my 2-year old nephew, whom I miss and my 3-month old niece, whom I have yet to meet. And there's a chance I'll get my old job back and be able to take on more responsibility there. Honestly, Hawaii is the best fallback an unemployed person could hope for, and New York will still be here when I'm ready to give it another shot.

With boxes of my stuff already on their way across a continent and half an ocean, I have reservations but few regrets. I put in a solid effort to make a life for myself in NY and fell in love with the City all over again; from the museums and lectures to the picnics in the park and bars with friends... heck, I even enjoyed grocery shopping and going to the laundromat simply because it was a reminder that I lived in New York. The city of internationalism, competition, grit, and glamour--and I was a part of it.

As I gaze longingly at Manhattan's famous towers of glass and concrete, I think back on the past seven months and can only be happy with and grateful for the life that happened while I was making other plans.

To Teach a Man (or Nik) to Fish

Jarrett asked me if I wanted to join him and the rest of the salmon seining crew of the Pamela Rae for the trip from Seattle to Alaska. While I had no idea what that would actually entail, I knew I wanted to go. As the date neared and no job prospects were imminent I reserved my flight from New York to Seattle. Figuring I'd be spending about a week with guys who wouldn't be showering or changing their clothes that often, I took the opportunity to pack light. So with my polkadot rain boots and a small back pack, I left for the west coast.

By June 4th Jarrett was driving me to Ballard where the boat was docked and being prepped for the season, and I met the rest of the crew: Tommy, Jen (yup, a female--pretty badass too), Magnus and Matt (the captain), and also hitching a ride for the fun of it was Matt's lawyer friend Donny. The crew was really great. They all had great senses of humor filled with sarcasm, ridicule, and dirty jokes--I fit right in. Other than some crudeness, they all defied fishermen stereotypes--including that they all hold college degrees. Well, not Magnus. He hasn't graduated from high school yet.

By the evening of the 6th, we were on our way to Alaska. We rode up with the Favorite, an older seining vessel captained by a friend of our crew, and it was a good thing we did as they needed some help on the four-day journey.

It was an awesome trip. We enjoyed some of the best weather and conditions that Matt could remember through the inside passage--I didn't reach for the dramamine once--and the scenery was beautiful. We cruised between the green peaks of islands dotting our path and watched as more of them became snowcapped the further north we went. Most of my time was spent hanging out in the top house laughing and talking with the crew while keeping an eye out for whales, seals, otters, and dolphins all of which we saw.

I helped with different tasks around the ship including driving, learned how to tie a few knots, and was generally educated about a world I'd never seen. I even felt like I was a part of it, but mainly as a mascot. The crew enjoyed having me around, so when they invited me to stay longer and watch them actually fish, I couldn't resist.

Everything happened so quickly on deck with the lines (ropes) and crew all doing different things. And while it seemed chaotic, it was obvious that all the moving parts were working together to haul in the quarter-mile-long net and its catch. I liked being on deck and a part of it whether I was pursing the net or just helping where I could.

I killed some salmon myself--I won't go into the details of how--but felt it was important to do to maintain my philosophy of eating what I personally would or could kill. And we coined the term wild-caught-itarian to describe my dietary habits.

Some dungeness crab fell out of our net, but we're not supposed to keep them, so I can't tell you we ate them or that they were delicious. We did keep and eat the smallest King salmon we caught, which was still a huge fish (13 lbs?) and shared some with the crew of the Favorite. That was probably the most expensive free meal I've ever had.

This crew impresses me daily. They seem able to fix anything, they perform very physical labor for hours and stop fishing at 11 because "that's when it starts to get dark," (Oh, Alaska) and wake up to start again by 3am, not that it's light then. It's a job that, no matter how many times someone explains it, you just won't fully absorb until you live it. To be around such hardworking people with so much expertise and skill is humbling and inspiring. For all their toughness, they spend most of their time joking and laughing. And as with most jobs, it's the people around you that make all the difference.

After seeing one haul dump over a thousand pounds of fish onto the deck and the next haul pour nothing but jellyfish and flounder, I can better understand why some fishermen hold to superstitions; searching for some explanation of or pattern to nature's unpredictability.

I'm happy that my being unemployed (or a "member of the leisure class" as the crew likes to call me) allowed me to accept Jarrett's invitation. And even though, the crew has invited me to stay longer, I think it's time to make my way back east and get my own job... One that lets me sleep normal hours and doesn't make my muscles ache.

Like a poster of a cat from a branch, I'm hangin' in there

I have been putting off the next post until it could be filled with good news.  But I figure it’s best to just keep you updated no matter what.  Bad news quick like a Band-aid: I did not get into NYU, and I still don’t have a job.

I think my application to NYU didn’t properly demonstrate my analytical abilities, so I’m currently studying for the GRE’s and plan to take an economics course this summer, both of which should help me if I choose to apply again.  I did, however, get into The New School’s program, and they even gave me a merit-based scholarship.  Unfortunately, the scholarship is not enough for me to be able to afford their program.  I have one more school deadline on May 15^th to the City University of New York (CUNY), which is not only an affordable program, but is one of the better ones in the nation.  [Fingers crossed]

In the meantime, I’m still applying to jobs and using my network to keep their eyes and ears open for me.  In fact I just interviewed this past week for a position that I think I’d be great at.  I’m also in touch with some temp agencies who can hopefully find me a position in the interim.  At the moment, I’m cooling my heels with my parents in Connecticut for the holidays and to seclude myself while I study for the exam.    

I still love being back in New York and with my friends.  I had a great birthday party and got to catch up with people I hadn’t seen in a while.  I’m very happy I made this decision and this move, and I want to stay here and make it work. 

Hopefully, I’ll be able to post again soon with good news.  If not, know that I’m hanging in there, and I’m still committed to making this happen.

So Far So Very Good

The reason Jarrett and I drove from Syracuse to New York on a day where everyone was worried about a huge, incoming winter storm was because I had a job interview on Wednesday at NYU for an administrative assistant position at the Middle Eastern Studies department.

I interviewed with them, and I think it went pretty well.  Also, I have a few other job prospects at NYU that look pretty strong.  More details to follow.

So phase 2 of my plan is looking good: "get job, preferably at school I've applied to."

And a quick recap of phase 1: "find a (temporary) place to live." I'm living with my friend in Queens, and I love it. I'm just a few blocks away from a plethora of restaurants, grocery stores, and at least three bagel shops. (If you've never had a New York bagel, you don't know the potential for bagel deliciousness.) I'm close to a laundromat, two subway lines (half an hour to NYU), the main thruway (for those who may drive in), and the airport bus stop. There's even a diner nearby that was supposedly "voted best diner in New York by Daily News." (I'll let you know how it is.)  So basically, I. Am. Set.

Phase 3: "get into a public policy grad program in the city" is still in the works. One application is complete (NYU), and I hope to find out in March if I got in. The New School and CUNY applications are almost done. Ideally, once I get a job at NYU, I'll get into their school and go there. However, if I don't get into their school but still get a job, then I'll go to CUNY, which is much more affordable than New School.

So far things are going very well for me here. Even though it's cold and snowy and I only have one moveable arm, I'm stoked about how things are turning out. Thank you all for your support during my move. I hope you'll come visit me!