Back To Alaska!

DD2 is going back to Alaska!  She was along with us for the Alaska trip we took in 2017 that was part family reunion (hosted by DH's aunt & uncle who have since moved back to Oregon) and part "we always wanted to go to Alaska" vacation.

Wouldn't you know, that one of the places we visited on that trip, posted a job opening in July.  A job opening that DD2, newly degreed in Wildlife Ecology and Management, and with a summer 2018 internship in animal rehabilitation, decided she would apply for. She hoped to get an interview, but kind of doubted she would, being fairly fresh out of college and all.

Wasn't she surprised, the very next day, to get an email requesting an interview! Since she's in Michigan, and the job is in Alaska, they very much wanted to interview her via Skype.  They were booking interviews for several weeks out, so it was a bit of a wait for interview day.  Her nervousness grew.  She almost convinced herself that she couldn't possibly be who they were looking to hire.

Meanwhile, she researched that part of Alaska.  She'd been there, but that was in the summer.  She wanted to know about winter.  And what she found was that her four years of living in the U.P. during college had been great practice for what it would be like to live in Alaska in the winter.  In fact, the area of the U.P. her college is located is colder and snowier than the part of Alaska where the potential job is located.  The main difference would be the fewer hours of daylight in Alaska in the winter months.  She researched housing. She researched grocery stores. She researched industries for a potential second (part time) job in case she would need it to pad her budget what with student loan payments looming on the horizon by the start of winter and all.

When it was time for the interview, she aced it.  She was relaxed, she communicated well, she exuded confidence.  Less than a week later, they contacted her asking for a second interview. 

That interview also went well.  In fact, they mentioned on-site housing would be a possibility through the winter.  DD2 was both stoked, and worried about what to do if she should be offered the job.  In terms of duties and work environment, it was almost exactly her dream job for a first step in her career.  In terms of location, well, Alaska itself didn't intimidate her.  BUT, all her friends and family would be so far away.  No one to call on in an emergency.  And coming home would be probably just a once a year thing.  

Then the day came that her phone rang, and it was Alaska calling. To offer her the job. She asked for a few days to think about it.  After hanging up the phone, she danced in joy.  Then, later that evening, had a panic attack about leaving everyone she knows. Followed by another panic attack at the thought of passing up this dream opportunity.

Two days later, she called Alaska and accepted the job.  She's going to Alaska.  It's going to take a week of road tripping through Canada to get there, but she's moving to Alaska.  Bears and wolves and moose (all part of her new job), oh my!