Sunday, May 8, 2016

Pre-Arrival and Journey to Yosemite


Hey there everyone and welcome to my blog! I thought I’d take the opportunity to detail my adventure so that my friends and family can keep up with what I’m doing and so that others can learn from my mistakes (because I know I’m going to make them if I haven’t already). I’m writing my first entry on the train, but more on that later.

So for those of you who don’t know, I’m going to be a lifeguard at the pool in Curry Village, now also called Half Dome Village. I’m an employee of Aramark, the new concessionaire for Yosemite National Park. They’re taking over after Delaware North was in charge for like fifteen years, so there are some legal issues with the names of certain places—including Curry/Half Dome Village. Yosemite employs a couple thousand seasonal employees, so the hiring process has been kind of interesting.

I applied online for a few different positions in late January, and heard back from the General Manager there the first week of March, while I happened to be in West Virginia with no cell service for a Habitat for Humanity trip. The following week I had a preliminary phone interview with someone in HR. It took less than half an hour and basically checked to see if I was still interested in the lifeguarding position at Curry Village, got my availability dates, and ensured that I was okay with living in a tent cabin with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. Surprisingly they said that deterred quite a few people, so they now began to check in their first interviews. Seeing as how I’m a college student, I don’t really care.

I had read online in a few different places that it was important to be diligent about your application if you really wanted to work there. I soon found this to be true. After my interview, she said that I should receive a call by the end of the week notifying me of the result of my interview and the next step in the process. My interview was Tuesday…I emailed her the following Thursday to check on my application status because I never received a phone call. She apologized and said a hiring manager would contact me in the next 4-5 business days. Three days later I received an email from someone else in HR saying I would be contacted in another 3-5 business days for a final phone interview. Five days later I sent yet another email checking on my application. I received a phone call at almost 11:00 pm that night apologizing and confirming that I was still interested. Yes. I am still interested. That’s why I’m still pestering you. Silly people.

Well, long story short that interview went well—I had to drive to Iowa City to take a drug test the next day, fill out a bunch of online paperwork, and make travel arrangements. Bam. Job mine.

So I thoroughly analyzed all possible ways to get myself from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Yosemite National Park in California. Being an extremely frugal college student, I decided to take a train from Mount Pleasant, IA to Merced, CA. Flying exceeded my budget, and a bus was only a little cheaper and I felt that would’ve been far less comfortable. Because my train arrives in Merced, CA after YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) stops running for the night, I found a hostel to stay in. It’s run by an old couple and they said they’ll pick me up, feed me ice cream that night and toast in the morning, and drop me off in the morning at the bus station. All for $25. You can’t beat that. Who can turn down ice cream?!? :)

Currently my knowledge of my life once I get to Yosemite is pretty minimal. I know that I’m a lifeguard at one of two pools in the park. We work five days and get two days off (to go explore!). I know my hourly wage and that my tent cabin gets deducted automatically from my paycheck—it’s only $17/week—not bad at all, and we get 50% off from Aramark-owned food establishments within the park. Past that, I know nothing. Nothing at all. So I’m winging it! I am winging three months of my life. No big deal. Packing was a little bit of a struggle, which is why I piled all of my things that I thought I could need on the floor and jammed them into two suitcases and two backpacks to carryon. (Another perk of taking a train—you get two checked suitcases, as opposed to a bus or airplane where you only get one.) If for some reason, you’d like a detailed list of what I packed for future reference, message me and I’ll get it to you.


So then came Sunday, May 8th—my day of departure. Also Mother’s Day. Oops, my mother was not too thrilled. However, I needed to get to Yosemite on a Wednesday for their orientation, so I had to leave Sunday to arrive in Merced on Tuesday night. After church in the morning, I went to my grandparents’ house and got to say goodbye to my family there. As happy as everyone was for me (or pretended to be), I sure got a lot of lectures about staying safe… :P Fun killers. My parents drove me to Mount Pleasant in plenty of time to be early for my train. So I hopped aboard and got situated in a seat on the top floor. The seats are super spacious, and being as short as I am (5’5”), I can comfortably extend my legs and barely touch the seat in front of me. I also have room for all of my food for the next two days on the seat beside me and there’s an outlet for my laptop charger.


 

So then I waved goodbye to my parents out the window and started my adventure. Not surprisingly at all, my mother was crying. I tried to tell her not to, but I doubt she could see me say that through the window. (And my grandpa cried during the prayer at lunch today.) My parents are coming to visit in mid-July though, so they’ll see me again before they know it. Honestly, I could be in Cedar Rapids and they wouldn’t see me again until mid-July. There’s really no difference. :D


To wrap up my first ever non-academic blog post, I thought I’d leave you with the two songs that we ended church with today—both of which I found extremely fitting for my journey. The first was God Be With You Til We Meet Again and the second was Go Now in Peace, which we conclude every service with.

God be with you til we meet again. By his counsels guide uphold you, neath his wings securely fold you. God be with you til we meet again.

God be with you til we meet again. When life's perils thick confound you, put His arms unfailing round you. God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again. Keep love's banner floating o'er you; smite death's threat'ning wave before you. God be with you till we meet again.



Go now in peace. Never be afraid. God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith: steadfast, strong, and true. Know he will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love and show you believe. Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there, watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.

So on my adventure this summer, I pray that God will always be watching over me, helping guide me to serve him and go with peace, faith, and love.

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