Finding direction in ambiguity
Finding work in Wenatchee was another hurdle in our move. I had not worked in a permanent full-time position since November 2018. I quit my job to pursue the PhD and after that, life had many other twists and turns that included an international move, which halted my job search after I completed the PhD. Honestly, it was a challenge for me to not start working immediately after graduating. I had big plans for myself and big ideas about where my life could go after getting the doctorate. But the American opportunity landed as I was finishing my PhD, so I took on the spousal role of facilitating the move and helping us to settle into our new life in Wenatchee.
At the time, I was too caught up in the chaos and uncertainty of life to contemplate my career. I knew that I had to take on the bulk of the responsibility with helping us to adapt. However, once we started having a routine, I was jealous of Tomas who got to go out into the field and make a difference with his skills. Granted, it was his career that brought us to Wenatchee, I harboured some envy that he got to keep going with his career and development, while I was in a basement in an Airbnb waiting for Bogart to arrive and looking for a house to buy. All of which were exciting endeavours, but frustrating when you are the one who just finished a massive challenge that was supposed to propel your career forward. I started questioning if I was falling into gender roles or if it was the mature decision. Finally, when Bogart arrived to live with us permanently, bought a house and another pup (Dora) and I received my employment authorisation documents, I started the job hunt.
Of course, I then started mourning my life of leisure and did not want to give it up – grass is always greener and all that. I decided that I wanted to be picky. I wanted to find the right role for me rather than the first opportunity that I could land, which highlighted to me how privileged our life had become that I could make these choices rather than settle for anything. In that sense, I am thankful that I could be conscious about my career decisions. I had to decide where I wanted to work because Wenatchee did not have many options, yet I felt that one of us had to work locally because the other was gallivanting off to the surrounding towns. My thinking was – how do we make connections and find a community if one of us does not work in Wenatchee proper? I had by now formed a community locally (see post) but I wanted work connections that gave a different perspective to my every day and could engage with my work identity, whom I had yet to meet because it had been six and a half years since ‘working Rhema’ was out.
There is a local community college in our town, and the institution became my beacon of hope. I decided that I wanted to return to higher education, as well as it being my best bet of finding a rewarding role in the town. Long story short – I stalked their listings, and a role did pop up. Longer story short – I got it! You are now reading the writing of the latest Director of First Year Experience at the Wenatchee Valley College. Look out for my next post about the application process and how it feels to apply for a job as a foreigner in a small town!
