Back on the topside

After Australia, we headed back to Texas for a while to finish up digging a well for my Dad. That did not go as planned, but the details are not every exciting, except that I'm pretty sure there is a huge cavern under the ground that we created, but the well is not currently pumping water. Some sort of a collapse happened underground. It was messy and it made us nervous to stand too close to the well. 

Here's what the process looked like when it was relatively clean:

It's pretty janky.

My dad bought the thing off howtodigawellinyourbackyard.com or something silly like that. 

Aaaanyway, then we moved to Michigan because Chris felt like he'd like to live close to his family for a while. So we made the trip with all our stuff, moved in with a friend, and I got some jobs. I now have three. 

In my first job, I'm a temp in the marketing department at a sign making company. I love that job. It's not something I'd want to do for much longer than I'm doing it, but the people are really nice and I'm treated well. My second job is at the front desk of a kid's indoor playplace. That's all I want to say about that job, except that I am learning patience and humility. My newest job involves grading students' short answer responses from standardized tests. And that is all I'm allowed to say about that one. 

Chris is working for a couple of friends doing construction and carpentry work. He works with a non-profit that gives underserved youth training and job experience. It's actually pretty cool. He also bought a car, so we're not dependent on each other for everything. Hooray for independence!

Okay, the most exciting thing to happen since we finished the trail is that I applied and got accepted to a graduate residency program at Western Washington University and the North Cascades Institute. I'll be spending the summer learning in Bellingham and then move out to North Cascades National Park for a year to learn and work at the Environmental Learning Center. Then I'll move back to Bellingham and take classes until I graduate the following spring with a Masters in Environmental Education and graduate certificates in leadership and nonprofit administration. 

I'm really honored to be working with and for The North Cascades Institute. I respect the people who make that place run very much. I'll let you read more about it here. 

But here are some pictures of where I'll be living:

That little blip is the Environmental Learning Center.

the lake in the summer

The Environmental Learning Center, picture courtesy of ncascades.org

Bellingham

So I'm really looking forward to June 19, my first day of class. 

I'm also struggling with the idea of going into debt. I don't have any school debt yet and I really hate owing people money. So you may have noticed the new ads on the page. I thought I'd try it out and see what it would pay. So far I have made like three dollars. Woo! I'll get a check as soon as I hit $100... so in about three years. That'll be nice. 

Now it's time to do some things that are more likely to pay: apply for scholarships and go to my night job. 

More soon!