Nobody said it would be easy. I just think it has to be worth it.

These past few days have been filled with so many ups and downs  this experience is truly shaping up to be an amazing adventure. The 4-bedroom house I am staying at in Cox Bay, isn’t really what I thought it to be. I don’t know when it happened, but at some point I have grown out of the resort lifestyle. As shocking as it may be, no one I work with surfs. No one is really into health, and few can be distracted from anything else but where the next party is at. For the past little while, I have really been focusing on asking myself what truly makes me happy, and I’m finding little of that in this current place. I didn’t realize how much I disliked housekeeping until I did it again. The days are so long, and there has only been two of them. Last summer I was a housekeeper, but there was a certain magic to the environment that made it likeable, Strathcona will forever be the first and last housekeeping job I have. I realized that this job, in an ideal world, will last me through the nine months I have off. I had to get serious about finding one that fit my interests and unique sense of happiness better. After my first day of work, I rode my bicycle into town- without question my most sacred possession right now, a lifeline as you will. On my way into town, I stopped at the Botanical Gardens (where I had previously applied to work, and turned down an interview) I spoke with someone who told me to come back the next morning. The Gardens themselves are gorgeous, what a lovely piece of land. I kept peddling into town and started talking to some people about finding accommodation.  As I wondered up to one neat looking house, someone pulled in the driveway. A middle-aged woman jumped out of the truck and introduced herself as Joan, one of the tenants in the house. I asked her about housing in the area and she couldn’t offer much help, but after some discussion she gave me her business card and said perhaps she could help me out with employment, she is the assistant manager of the credit union- well I’ll be.  I took her card and was happily on my way, rein stilled by the goodness in human nature. I went to the COOP bulletin board and say an ad for tenants in a quiet, four- bedroom apartment by the ocean. I emailed the lady, thinking what did I have too loose. Later that night, I heard back and I’m hoping to go and see her accommodation as soon as possible.  $475 everything included, it will be interesting to see what it looks like for that price, but hey, beggers can’t be choosers. After grabbing a $4 slice of pizza (food is super expensive here) I wondered into the local pharmacy to ask some more questions about accommodations. The teller was super helpful and directed me to the Tofino Motel, which also operated as a large property manager for the area of Tofino. I was able to have a super good conversation with the lady there and left with a very promising feeling. I decided since it was getting dark, and I most likely had a 45 minute bike ride in front of me to get back to the resort that I would try and find a hostel bed to sleep in for the night. I lucked out and found one for $25 breakfast included. Later that night, I sat around a table with a couple from Ireland- the lady was also named Norah, a girl from Australia, and Nick, the man that owned the hostel, and had a fabulous conversation to top off the productive night. Later on though, when I was trying to get to sleep, the lady below me was quite a snorer, let me tell you, it got to the point where I had to put my ipod in and cough loudly to wake her up- I’m not kidding I think I heard a thank you applause from the other people sleeping in the room with us.  I woke up at 7 and had a waffle and was off anticipating a great meeting at the Gardens. My dear friend Mere, had wolfed there over the winter and had put in a good word for me, Thank you Mere! Upon arriving at the gardens, I got the chance to sit down with George and Harmony and discuss what the job looked like and chatted so they could get a good idea of who I was. Immediately upon walking into the gardens, you feel a certain sense of magic that doesn’t happen that often, I loved it. I eagerly answered their questions, and was even told of the possibility of living in the garden with harmony in a cabin. It all sounds exciting and like a much better situation then I am currently in. The position is majority front-desk with a side of housekeeping that I can handle. After chatting, they told me that they would make a decision within the day and get back to me. Well how excited was I when I got off work I had both a phone message and email, extending a job offer. The only thing that holds me back from totally embracing this opportunity is my worry about meeting people and creating a sweet social circle, as the gardens employs very little. But to be honest, my mind goes back to what I’ve said in an earlier post, life is really simple- surround yourself with people that make you happy and spend your time at something that challenges you and peaks your interest and I think the rest will look after itself. Needless to say, I took the job. Another way I was able to calm my nerves about meeting people was, upon talking with the motel, they told me about a two bedroom apartment that exists in the downtown of Tofino. There is already a girl living there but she is in need of someone to fill the other room. I think this might be a great opportunity to have the best of both worlds. I’ll live in town but work at the gardens, being only an 8 minute ride out; it is definitely doable. The only negative thing is that the apartment does not become available till May 15^th, but I am hoping the Gardens will allow me to stay in their hostel room until I am able to move into the apartment. In the past three days, I have been faced with so many choices and realizations; it’s hard to put it on paper. Three things I know for sure is: keep it simple- surf everyday, a happy life is lived by the ocean, by doing what you love, things come together in a way you could of never of imagined.