When we got in from the field Sage gave us some time to clean up a little. I put my stuff away in my car while the others used the showers first. I didn’t have a towel or soap with me, so I borrowed one off the wall and used some of the shampoo that was set on the bench. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. Warm water all over my body never felt so good. The water running off of me had turned brown from the dirt and probably would have turned into mud had it not drained. In that moment the only thing better would have been a bathtub large enough to lay down in.
Sage sat us down in the Staff room and handed out to everyone a packet accompanied by a pen. “This is your written test, good luck.” Over the course of the week Sage had been teaching us different things about the program ranging from camp setup to star constellations to the different stages of change. Now we had to prove that we were paying attention. Some of the questions hadn’t been covered, while others were entirely too easy. Of the 50 or 60 questions, I missed 5 or less. Bam! We switched papers and went over the answers together. To finish things up, Sage pulled out a compass and GPS to show us how to orient ourselves with the field map. From there we had some paperwork to be doing. Fingerprints, W4 forms, automatic deposit, phase books, etc. A few of us also had the chance to meet with Mark Noe, AKA Earth Warrior. Warrior was over staff relations. He grabbed two of us at a time and took us into the administrative offices down the hall. Tim and I had already been fingerprinted so we went first. Warrior pulled me into his office first and sat me down in a comfy chair. He asked about how I’d found RCA, my desires to work, and what sort of time commitment I was hoping to give. I expressed a desire to work 8 months before heading back to school in September. We talked for a few more minutes about other things – school, girls… He passed on some feedback that he had received from Sage. Apparently I ask really good questions and grasp understanding very well. It felt really good to hear that. He thanked me for my time and I exited to the hall.
I later learned that contracts were only offered upon completion of the internship. Internships are the first three shifts out in the field, usually taking a month and a half. That puts me clean into March until I am offered a contract. March to September is only seven months – not quite the 8 that I had planned to give. The nice thing is that I am only required to stay 6 months. No contract is awarded, but if I were to complete my commitment I would be allowed to return next year to work again. However, sign an 8 months contract and receive a $1350 completion bonus at the end. Sign a year contract and be awarded $2000 for completion, have benefits after six months, and have access to pro gear deals. I don’t have to sign an 8 month contract… I could just put in 6 or 7 months before school and then come back the following winter for another 4 months during my off track...
The last couple days that I’ve been thinking about this I’ve come up with this explanation – and you readers are free to check my thinking.
First off - I’m not here because of money. I don’t NEED the money like some others do. Back at school I had a part time job that was paying for my living expenses, my school loans were at a minimum - I could have continued surviving just fine. Between the two jobs I’m working right now I plan to save as much as I can and put it away for some future need. Money is not the immediate issue.
Second – I want the experience. I want to have this on my resume in ten years when I apply for my first school administrative position. Though I don’t fully understand how valuable my stay here will be, I get the feeling that it will only boost my confidence with teenagers and be able to handle myself more professionally in sticky situations.
Third - I want to be able to experience the fullness of the program, not just put in a few months and get out. Let me explain – The state of Utah requires Field Instructors to have 6 months of experience working with youth before taking the role of Head Instructor and being able to lead a group. So – the first six months in the program I will be like an assistant staff – not able to lead my own group. If I were to only work the 7 months before heading back to school, I would only have a couple of weeks that I would be able to lead my own group. I would be just leaving as my opportunity for more involvement opened up.
Now – If I were to stay 8 month I would miss the starting date for Fall semester of school and have the rest of Fall and Winter semesters to do nothing. I might as well commit the year and work the whole time until returning to school next Spring.
Fourth – Though I’m taking time off of school, it’s not like I’m ditching to screw around. I’m working two jobs, saving my money, and gaining relative experience to my career goals.
To help me with my decision, I’ve talked to a few people that I trust will give me sound advice. My mother was one of the first people. She is the master of difficult decisions. Pro/Con graphs were her forte. Her only worry was that I would be away from the dating scene and put off marriage yet another year :). My next source of advice was my good friend and sister from another mother Alana Lewis. She didn’t like the idea of me being away for another year, but thought that it would be a good experience in the long run. My next consultant will be my best friend and cousin Bekah. Though I haven’t decided yet, I hope she can steer me one way or the other and help me to feel confident in that choice.
One wrench in the year plan would be taking time away from school. I am allowed only one semester personal deferment. If I stay the year, I would need to take off two. I called the Admissions office and explained the basics of my situation. She gave me a few options.
Option One – Withdraw from school and reapply at the end of the year. BYU-I has a 97% acceptance rate and would most likely take me back. However, when reapplying there would be no guarantee of getting put back on the same track, creating the possibility of a semester or two wait.
Option Two – I could take a one or two credit class online each semester to keep my enrollment status. I just had to be careful not to slack because if I bombed a one credit class my GPA would plummet and I would be put on Academic Probation. I would have to find a course that would be workable with my 8/6 schedule – allowing me to turn in assignments early/late.
So – this is my dilemma. Put in the minimum time requirement and not experience the program, or commit the year and take a few semesters off of school.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Jacob Lake - Snow Mobile Gang Round Three, Sunday School
Friday night after closing down we had a meeting with management. We went over rules and scheduling. Each night after close we had an activity planned. Saturday and Sunday nights were blocked out for Sunday School and Sacrament meeting. Salesi said that Gospel Doctrine class would be postponed a week because no one had been assigned yet, and it was too short notice to do so now. I volunteered myself to teach the class. I could prep a lesson during my break the following day. After the meeting I took the chance to square away my RCA work arrangement with Laura. At first I was kind of nervous bringing it up, hoping that she had already been informed. I didn’t want to spring something new on her and start off on her bad side. Luckily she already knew that my time was going to be limited and was extremely understanding and willing to work with my schedule. She basically told me that I was to manage my own time, informing her when I could and could not work. Thank you Laura. I blogged for a few hours and then hit the sack.
The following morning was the busiest I’d experience yet. A few of the Snowmobile Gang came in for breakfast, along with three other parties. I had two in the diner, and two on the counter. I was running from one place to the next to the next, tending to all four parties at the same time. This would be nothing to an experienced waiter – but for me it was clearly pushing my limits. And to make it worse, the kitchen was training a new employee as well, making things even slower. When I brought Tanner the bill, he asked for a lunch menu as well – that way he could put his order in now and have the food be ready by the time they came back.
Another fun party that came in later that day was a Hispanic group from Columbia. They were on a guided tour, visiting some of the attractions in the area. I wanted so bad to speak Spanish with them, but thought it better to hold off a bit. However, as I was waiting their table and listening to their conversation, it just slipped out as I asked for them to hand me their menu. Haha. They were pleasantly surprised and continued their order in their native language.
After a busy morning, I took my break time to organize a Gospel Doctrine binder. I grabbed the glass of orange juice that I had poured myself four hours before, but not had the chance to drink. I found an empty binder in the office and printed out the first ten lessons of the 2010 Old Testament Teachers manual. I stapled each packed and whole punched them to be put in the binder. This way whoever was going to be teaching could just grab the next lesson out of the binder and be good to go. I also printed off a few other talks that I thought were amazing along with a copy of the Proclamation.
My lesson that night was the first out of the Old Testament. It was all about the ‘work and glory’ of God through the plan of salvation. I did an overview of the last two lessons dealing with family and Zion, and thought it extremely insightful to include a few parts from a talk from Julie Beck to seminary teachers on the family. She spelled out the importance of the family, and how the reason for everything we do revolves around it. The Creation – to have a place for families to be born. The Fall – to allow families to grow. The Atonement – to bring families back together. Every part of Christ’s doctrine points towards families. And those that oppose families ultimately oppose the plan of salvation, labeling themselves as an antichrist. Powerful.
The following morning was the busiest I’d experience yet. A few of the Snowmobile Gang came in for breakfast, along with three other parties. I had two in the diner, and two on the counter. I was running from one place to the next to the next, tending to all four parties at the same time. This would be nothing to an experienced waiter – but for me it was clearly pushing my limits. And to make it worse, the kitchen was training a new employee as well, making things even slower. When I brought Tanner the bill, he asked for a lunch menu as well – that way he could put his order in now and have the food be ready by the time they came back.
Another fun party that came in later that day was a Hispanic group from Columbia. They were on a guided tour, visiting some of the attractions in the area. I wanted so bad to speak Spanish with them, but thought it better to hold off a bit. However, as I was waiting their table and listening to their conversation, it just slipped out as I asked for them to hand me their menu. Haha. They were pleasantly surprised and continued their order in their native language.
After a busy morning, I took my break time to organize a Gospel Doctrine binder. I grabbed the glass of orange juice that I had poured myself four hours before, but not had the chance to drink. I found an empty binder in the office and printed out the first ten lessons of the 2010 Old Testament Teachers manual. I stapled each packed and whole punched them to be put in the binder. This way whoever was going to be teaching could just grab the next lesson out of the binder and be good to go. I also printed off a few other talks that I thought were amazing along with a copy of the Proclamation.
My lesson that night was the first out of the Old Testament. It was all about the ‘work and glory’ of God through the plan of salvation. I did an overview of the last two lessons dealing with family and Zion, and thought it extremely insightful to include a few parts from a talk from Julie Beck to seminary teachers on the family. She spelled out the importance of the family, and how the reason for everything we do revolves around it. The Creation – to have a place for families to be born. The Fall – to allow families to grow. The Atonement – to bring families back together. Every part of Christ’s doctrine points towards families. And those that oppose families ultimately oppose the plan of salvation, labeling themselves as an antichrist. Powerful.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Jacob Lake - The Snowmobile Gang
Here at the lodge they say that one day in July brings in as much business as the entire winter season. We look forward to each weekend when fine gentlemen let their hair down after a hard weeks work and bring their snow sleds out for some fun. My first encounter with ‘The Snowmobile Gang,’ as we call them, was the night before New Year’s Eve. An older man with a shaggy beard and out of control hair walked up to the counter and asked to be seated in the dining room. I told him that we closed that room for the winter and that he was welcome to take a seat at the counter. To my surprise, he insisted that I let him go into the diner like they did the last time that they were here. Mike came to the rescue and told me that it was alright for groups to use the dining room. Huh. I apologized and led them to a table.
Jim seemed like a nice guy. He gave me a hard time for my many mistakes. I find that it’s when they don’t say anything that you know they’re really annoyed. Jim and his 5 other friends sat down at the table and started their beer tab. “I’ll take a Michelle Ultra” “I’ll have a Coors Light” “I want a Merlot” and so on. I wrote them down as best I could – having only heard of Coors before. I grabbed the cans and bottles from the alcohol cooler and set them on a tray. Kelly was shadowing me the whole time. He chuckled and suggested that some time I ought to learn my alcohol. I took the tray back to the table and started handing out their drinks. “I asked for Coors Light, and I told you three times… this Coors isn’t Light. Looks like you’re buying this one ;)” My apologies continued as I stumbled through the night. When I brought back the correct can I set it on the table next to the man and opened it up for him. When I returned to the table a few minutes later I noticed that there was beer all over the table. It was slowly leaking out of the top of the can. “What the…” I asked the man what was going on and he taught me about frozen beer. I guess the cooler was on too high and had turned all my alcohol to ice. I cleaned up the table and got another can from the back storage.
The Snowmobile Gang seemed to find my errors entertaining. Kelly helped to laugh it off by offering that it was my first couple days doing this. Jim seemed to take it well, and turned the conversation into questions about school, life, future plans and of course girls.
As I brought them their bill Jim suggested I get a little more practice in before tomorrow, ‘cause they could be back again. A few others started talking as Jim tried to introduce all of his friends to me. “Now this is Joyce, and this is Kevin, and my wife…” Everything else was lost. As they started to get up to leave, Jim spoke up again by saying, “And ya know what young one, I’ll make ya a little deal. If you can remember all our names tomorrow when we come, I’ll tip you one hundred percent.” I gave a few chuckles and told him that I hadn’t gotten all their names yet. “Sure you did, I just gave them to you.” I named those that I could… but the names of Jim’s wife and his Coors ‘Light’ friend sitting next to him were nonexistent. “Fine, I’ll give you a hint. Her name starts with a C, and his starts a T. It’s a Mormon name too so that one oughta be easy!” Christy? Thomas? I had nothing.
Then next day I told the crew what the deal was - all their names for 100% tip, or a big fat goose egg for failure. Their excitement died off a little when I informed them that I was missing two of their names. Ofa a few hours later came to the rescue. After having served them breakfast that morning, she handed me a piece of paper with each of their names written on it. “Now here Vita, go study it and bring home ‘da big one.” To help remember their names, I drew out a table and 6 chairs where each person was sitting last night and labeled them accordingly. Ofa quizzed me randomly throughout the afternoon trying to engrain their names into my brain. For the life of me it seemed as if I couldn’t remember the name of Jim’s wife.
When six o’clock rolled around sure enough Jim and his gang walked in the door. Jim poked fun and asked if the dining room was closed again. Their party had grown a few since last night, three new faces. They took their seats at the long table in the diner and called out their beers once again. “Now David, do you remember what I drink?” I could only remember the ‘Ultra’ part. “That’s right, Michelle Ultra.” “…and a Coors LIGHT for you, with a Merlot wine for you…” I gave them a small surprise with my memory of alcohols I’d just barely been introduced to. Overall dinner seemed to go well. I was still a little clumsy and not incredibly efficient with my motions, forgetting things and taking excessive trips back to the kitchen. After having taken down their order and dropped it off at the kitchen, I found out that we were all out of chicken strips. Oh no… Jim ordered those chicken strips… I slowly walked back to Jim in the diner. He could see the discomfort on my face. “Jim, I have some bad news for you…” I put my arm on his shoulder. “You don’ have no chicken tenders lef do ya.” I shook my head, awaiting what I feared to soon follow. However, to my surprise, it didn’t seem to faze him as he had a second choice out of his mouth within seconds.
Jim and his Snowmobile gang finished up their meals and asked for their ticket. Before I handed it over I asked Jim a question. “Jim, do you recall what you said last night about me remember all your names?” Silence. “Do you remember Tanner? And you Cory, and you Kevin, and Joyce…” I named every single one of them. Smiles and claps came from everyone at the table but Jim. I set the $152 ticket on the corner of the table and walked back out of the room. As I was leaving I could hear Jim asking, “What’d I say?” The table around him replied almost in unison, “You promised 100 percent tip if he remembered our names!” I was all smiles, ear to ear covering my entire face.
Jim seemed like a nice guy. He gave me a hard time for my many mistakes. I find that it’s when they don’t say anything that you know they’re really annoyed. Jim and his 5 other friends sat down at the table and started their beer tab. “I’ll take a Michelle Ultra” “I’ll have a Coors Light” “I want a Merlot” and so on. I wrote them down as best I could – having only heard of Coors before. I grabbed the cans and bottles from the alcohol cooler and set them on a tray. Kelly was shadowing me the whole time. He chuckled and suggested that some time I ought to learn my alcohol. I took the tray back to the table and started handing out their drinks. “I asked for Coors Light, and I told you three times… this Coors isn’t Light. Looks like you’re buying this one ;)” My apologies continued as I stumbled through the night. When I brought back the correct can I set it on the table next to the man and opened it up for him. When I returned to the table a few minutes later I noticed that there was beer all over the table. It was slowly leaking out of the top of the can. “What the…” I asked the man what was going on and he taught me about frozen beer. I guess the cooler was on too high and had turned all my alcohol to ice. I cleaned up the table and got another can from the back storage.
The Snowmobile Gang seemed to find my errors entertaining. Kelly helped to laugh it off by offering that it was my first couple days doing this. Jim seemed to take it well, and turned the conversation into questions about school, life, future plans and of course girls.
As I brought them their bill Jim suggested I get a little more practice in before tomorrow, ‘cause they could be back again. A few others started talking as Jim tried to introduce all of his friends to me. “Now this is Joyce, and this is Kevin, and my wife…” Everything else was lost. As they started to get up to leave, Jim spoke up again by saying, “And ya know what young one, I’ll make ya a little deal. If you can remember all our names tomorrow when we come, I’ll tip you one hundred percent.” I gave a few chuckles and told him that I hadn’t gotten all their names yet. “Sure you did, I just gave them to you.” I named those that I could… but the names of Jim’s wife and his Coors ‘Light’ friend sitting next to him were nonexistent. “Fine, I’ll give you a hint. Her name starts with a C, and his starts a T. It’s a Mormon name too so that one oughta be easy!” Christy? Thomas? I had nothing.
Then next day I told the crew what the deal was - all their names for 100% tip, or a big fat goose egg for failure. Their excitement died off a little when I informed them that I was missing two of their names. Ofa a few hours later came to the rescue. After having served them breakfast that morning, she handed me a piece of paper with each of their names written on it. “Now here Vita, go study it and bring home ‘da big one.” To help remember their names, I drew out a table and 6 chairs where each person was sitting last night and labeled them accordingly. Ofa quizzed me randomly throughout the afternoon trying to engrain their names into my brain. For the life of me it seemed as if I couldn’t remember the name of Jim’s wife.
When six o’clock rolled around sure enough Jim and his gang walked in the door. Jim poked fun and asked if the dining room was closed again. Their party had grown a few since last night, three new faces. They took their seats at the long table in the diner and called out their beers once again. “Now David, do you remember what I drink?” I could only remember the ‘Ultra’ part. “That’s right, Michelle Ultra.” “…and a Coors LIGHT for you, with a Merlot wine for you…” I gave them a small surprise with my memory of alcohols I’d just barely been introduced to. Overall dinner seemed to go well. I was still a little clumsy and not incredibly efficient with my motions, forgetting things and taking excessive trips back to the kitchen. After having taken down their order and dropped it off at the kitchen, I found out that we were all out of chicken strips. Oh no… Jim ordered those chicken strips… I slowly walked back to Jim in the diner. He could see the discomfort on my face. “Jim, I have some bad news for you…” I put my arm on his shoulder. “You don’ have no chicken tenders lef do ya.” I shook my head, awaiting what I feared to soon follow. However, to my surprise, it didn’t seem to faze him as he had a second choice out of his mouth within seconds.
Jim and his Snowmobile gang finished up their meals and asked for their ticket. Before I handed it over I asked Jim a question. “Jim, do you recall what you said last night about me remember all your names?” Silence. “Do you remember Tanner? And you Cory, and you Kevin, and Joyce…” I named every single one of them. Smiles and claps came from everyone at the table but Jim. I set the $152 ticket on the corner of the table and walked back out of the room. As I was leaving I could hear Jim asking, “What’d I say?” The table around him replied almost in unison, “You promised 100 percent tip if he remembered our names!” I was all smiles, ear to ear covering my entire face.
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