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.
