I have never felt so compelled to start writing a blog. Perhaps it's due to the sheer lack of internet here, the inability to share, that makes me want to do just that. Perhaps it was my first day today. Completely unlike anything I'd imagined it'd be.
This is my third season. I've had a "check in day" twice now. For two different positions. They were both quite similar. Go through Gardiner and get your paperwork done, my first year I had orientation in Mammoth, but I don't HAVE to if I don't CHOOSE to now.... Continue on to your location, check in with personell and get a room. Unpack as much as possible until you need to report for work, eat, go home and unpack, explore, etc. Reporting for work is a mere meet and greet and perhaps a bit of paperwork. Then, the next day, "training". More paperwork, videos and tests and lectures.... Finally, someone signs off that you're capable of working in a kitchen and learning to do your job without killing yourself. Then you're handed over to your manager and you learn what you're going to be actually DOING for the next six months until you're contract is up, and you dig in. It's a bit like the first few days of school... predictable, slightly boring, and full of meet-and-greet.
Not this day.
This day I went through Gardiner and did my paperwork. Got a letter from the park supervisor for EDRs to meet him in the Canyon EDR at 3 - after I get my room and unpack and such. Ok. I get to Canyon and after chasing and looking and asking and being led I learn that the personell office is closed - and the personelle people for Canyon aren't even in the park! So I meet with Will (the supervisor) early. Say, ten ten-thirty. A thirty second "how's it going" later, I'm working. My manager isn't there, any of the people I'm working with. No one. I don't have a room, all my stuff is still locked away in my car.... It's just me and Will prepping the EDR for the real work. A few hours later my manager, Matt, shows up and joins in after another thirty second meet-and-greet. There is snow stacked up almost as tall as I am EVERYWHERE, but the doors are open to air the place out and fans are blowing. SO, in the jeans, shirt, and shoes - and luckily Chris' oversized hoody - that I started the day in, I'm on my knees cleaning and working from ten thirty ish on. We break for lunch. Sure. Matt gives me the ten scent tour since everything is connected. Our third person for the day shows up... SHE somehow has a room, with her matinence boyfriend. Somehow they know exactly where they'll room for the season.
Cutting a long story shorter, the end of the day was the other girl and I breaking down the EDR, Matt and Will having gone home already. I got a key to a temporary room around four oclock in the mens room of a dorm, that I hadn't seen yet. I spent all day on my feet - and knees I suppose - in shoes that weren't meant to actually work at all. I am tired and cranky and cannot bring myself to have an altogether hopeful outlook on life at the moment.
I'm sitting on the lower bunk of a bunkbed in a room where my key doesn't work so I can only lock it when I'm IN it - that doesn't worry me terribly though. I'm the only person in this side of the entire dorm. And I would love to look up at my boarded up window (protection from the snow that is up, I beleive, to the second story on this side of the dorm) and pretend I'm looking out at clear blue skies and bright shining snow and say hopefully to you and myself that "tomorrow is going to be another day and a new adventure" but I don't have enough hope to tell myself that that "new adventure" is going to leave me any more satisfied than this one did.
Today for dinner we fed a grand total of 16 people, including Matt, my other EDR person, and myself. And somehow, I'm the only one on this location that A - has never worked here before and B - not only doesn't know everyone there already, but doesn't know ANYONE there yet. I'm learning names and faces, and luckily everyone is pretty kind. However, it has been a long time since I've felt like this much of an outsider.
There is a huge part of me kicking myself for doing this. The entire reason for leaving OFI was to get a more southern position so driving out to see Chris would be easier. That didn't work out, this is a more northern area. And now I'm away from all my friends and all the comforts of home. I understand that part of what makes this SUCH an adventure is just that - I'm away from all my friends. They're not unreachable, they're just not there to see every day now.
I will try to maintain a positive outlook. I think once more people arrive - and more first timers - I'll feel less like a complete newbie and outsider. Maybe next time I just shouldn't pre-season. Right now I'm tired and dehydrated and wore out.... And I can't remember a single funny quote or story or anything from the day. Though I'm sure there were some.
I shall report back later. For now, I am going to sign off and read and sleep. I hope Mom doesn't worry about being unable to reach me. My phone is telling me it has no bars here, and my computer is telling me there is no internet to be had here. Maybe that will change too. I doubt it.
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