At Last

An old friend from NYC, "Belle," showed up recently. She had quit her job in Manhattan at our old non-profit and joined NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership Academy). She's probably THE most active, outdoorsy, fit person I have ever known. In fact, she's on her way to Tucson now where she'll take a climbing course in the desert.

One fun thing is that she is a Thai-phile like me, and LOVES to chat in Thai - her skills being far more advanced than my own, which is slowly slipping away save for some choice food vocabulary (of course). She and a local friend met Beau and I at a local Thai restaurant for lunch, and I had a really nice time.

Over some very delicious pad thai, Belle chastised me though for not keeping in touch since I came to Montana. This is the same problem I've had for the past year -- I haven't really kept in touch with people because I feel I have nothing good to say. "Yes, I'm still temping, Beau's still at Wally World, no, there really AREN'T any teaching jobs, yes, we're broke and cranky, and we're starting to hate Montana." Who wants to hear that shit over and over? (Sorry guys, you all who read this are given little choice!). So, I've just been waiting until I had some good news to report. Sadly, I've been waiting a year. Still, at the meal, Beau and I told our story, tried not to dive too deep into the Life Sucks pool, and attempted to focus on the many irons we have in the fire: Beau's recent interview at the University of Montana, as well as his initial interview with a Missouri high school, my recent interview at University of Missouri, and another upcoming interview at Missouri State for me, and Beau's attempts to get us back to New Zealand.

And of course, Belle's Missoula friend, who has lived here about three years, talked about how her first two years in Missoula were total professional hell and how she had "gone into a deep depression" because of it. Now, she has a great job at a great non-profit, but she understood our gripes. Naturally, I liked her. ;)

Belle, who can be quite the happy optimist at times, was full of enthusiasm, "Something will happen soon! Something's gotta! You're both so smart!" We smiled and nodded hopefully, and then Beau had to leave to go to work at Wally World. We've heard that before, but if we lose our hope, we're finished. Later, when Belle was driving me back to work, she reiterated, "You know something will happen. You're the hardest worker I've ever known, J., you always make it work, no matter where you are or where you go." Flattery is nice, but a paycheck is nicer. :/

About an hour later back at my office, I got a phone call from Beau.

"I got the university job," he said.

What happened next was me pulling out every self-control trick I could summon to keep from screaming at the top of my lungs and doing cartwheels (I can still do them!) down the hallway. I seriously started to tear up. I wanted to laugh and sob. My happiness (and relief) for Beau were so powerful I felt like I was overflowing. I dashed into my boss' office and jabbered off the news, while profusely thanking her for her husband's help - he is a professor on campus who was able to lend Beau some scientific equipment for his university interview, as well as chat about what Beau planned to do (a fun experiment involving a vacuum pump, bell jar, and some marshmallows).

There are so many wonderful levels to this: Beau will have a REAL job that involves science and education, and a great deal of professional advancement as well. He will have the opportunity to expand his scientific knowledge and collaborate with local educators. Although the job is only 6 hours a day, he will be paid several dollars more an hour than Wally World. He will get medical insurance, which he definitely needs! He will get tuition reimbursement at the university, as well as retirement. And best of all...

HE CAN FUCKING QUIT WALLY WORLD!!!!!!!

I texted Belle and told her she must be good luck, for he got the job after all. She called back and was completely thrilled, almost matching my own enthusiasm. Who knows, maybe she did bring us a bit of luck after all?

I don't know what this all means for our future, since we really do want to return to New Zealand, or at least, Missouri, but we are so focused on the here and now - that the present is all that matters.

Yay!