What Resumes Don't Tell You

Humor the teacher inside me and raise your hand if you are a recent graduate and can't find a job to save your life. You are applying for jobs like it's your job. You maybe even have not one, but TWO degrees that you slaved over for, in my case, 18 out of 23 years of my life...which, if you do the math you learned in school that won't help you get a job either, equals approximately 78% of my life. Your resume is littered with relevant jobs here and there - literally, for our generation is traveling more than any other before us. You've nit-picked your resume and rewritten enough cover letters to deem yourself a professional cover-letter-writer (and you're now thinking, "Can that go on my resume??"). You just don't understand....WHEN will someone take a chance on you?!

Trust me, I've been there, done that...or...well...live there, do that all the time. When will someone looks at my piece of paper that outlines a fraction of my life (aka: my resume), and say "There's got to be more than this. A simple piece of paper cannot begin to describe what this girl is capable of, even though she's 24 years old and never worked somewhere for more than 6 months at a time. I think she can be a life changer."

Please, just put me in a classroom and give me a long leash to teach how and what I want, and most importantly what the kids want, and I know you won't regret it. Just crack the door so I can stick my little pinky toe in. That's all I need. A pinky toe in the door.

But that's the problem. Our society relies too much on that little piece of paper...a completely non-exhaustive list of the "relevant experiences" you've had along your still blossoming career path. What if employers were able to read between the lines? What if they saw the intense journeys in between those minimum-wage jobs that changed your entire inner being? In truth, resumes don't tell you much.

For one, resumes don't tell my potential employer about the path I took to become a teacher in the first place. They can never illustrate the dusty, paint-chipped, cinder block walls of the first, over-crowded classroom I ever taught in, the holey uniforms and rot-spotted teeth of my students, or my acute disquiet as I tried to teach English in a Spanish only classroom even though I spoke about five words of Spanish. This volunteer experience may have only lasted two (painful) weeks, but it changed my entire career path.



Resumes won't tell you the stories of each student who sat in my classroom in Puerto Jimenez. On that piece of paper, you won't find the inspiration I was able to squeeze out of my most difficult students. Those four intense months of teaching were pivotal to me, and the freedom I had in teaching allowed to me discover my true teaching style. I thrived in my passion for teaching there....But oh, you won't find that under "summary of responsibilities" section on my resume (although maybe I should try that...).

Read aloud for 3rd-6th graders

Resumes don't show you the intestinal fortitude it took to climb up one of the world's highest active volcanoes to get to the glacier, hike that glacier with crampons and ice picks in white-out conditions, or the pride I felt afterwards, nor will they show you the smiles on the faces of the beautiful people you met, helped, and overcame the language barrier with along the way. They also don't show the courage it takes you to overcome a fear of heights while repelling down a 100 foot waterfall.

Hiking the glacier on Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Repelling Ecuadorian jungle waterfalls

Resumes may outline job experience, but they will never outline the internal transformation that accompanied those experiences. I may have been a dolphin tour guide in Costa Rica, but no words on any piece of paper can describe the awe, curiosity, care, and patience that comes with witnessing Mother Nature's greatness first hand (remember those close-call waterspouts?!), introducing guests to the wonders of our Earth, helping others overcome their fears, or challenging passengers to make wiser, sustainable choices. Those moments are the ones that allow me to be enthusiastic about an elementary science lesson, and they are also the moments that inspire me to delve deeper in the realm of sustainability.

Sea Cucumber

Waterspout

Sometimes, lesson plans can be overwhelming, but I am able to overcome obstacles. If my resume allowed examples, my employer might know that I have hiked Sallqantay in the Andes up to 15,5091 feet on my way to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail. My body hurt so bad I questioned whether I would finish, but I did. Then, when I stepped out of my comfortable life as a student to pursue a teaching job off in the unknown jungles of Costa Rica, I questioned if I could do it, but the results have been rewarding and life changing. I can step up to challenges in and out of the classroom, but I doubt my resume says so.

Sallqantay, Cordillo Vilcabamba, Peru

We made it to Machu Picchu (it's behind me..)

Remember the time you pushed past your limits to reach greatness? You gained a better sense of yourself and showed determination in reaching a goal? Those moments of courage and determination...I wonder if they're is listed on your resume?

Don't employers want to know that their candidates are motivated, goal-oriented, and determined? Often employers are seeking "passionate team players" and "experienced employees."  How in the world does a list of my past jobs express that better than my true stories. Employers may see that I volunteered in Ecuador or worked abroad in Costa Rica, but what about all the things that come with that?

In closing and in my opinion, resumes can't even begin to describe who we are as humans and why we are suitable for this job or that internship. Only WE can do that. Our experiences define us, yes, but ALL of them do, not just the ones suitable for listing on a resume.

To those future employers, know that I am more than a few four-month job stints in far flung places; I am everything that comes with that - passion, enthusiasm, hard work, motivation, determination, courage, self-awareness, and positivity. In fact, my experiences do define me, so when you read my resume, please read between the lines.

A Taste of Farm to Table

(^ hahaha pun intended...)


It's only the my third day of work, but I am proud to say that I am already living the farm to table lifestyle! We've accomplished so much in the garden just in two days too!

Good morning, garden. :)

Yesterday, Maggie, various interns, and I spent the whole morning digging potatoes. The sun shone down on our backs as we searched for purple, gold, red, and tan potatoes, filtering through the raw umber colored soil like we were digging for colorful gemstones.  We sorted the perfect ones in one bin, and the half-eaten-by-the-gopher-but-still-good ones in another bin. We even chatted and laughed along the way. After washing them, and letting them dry, Maggie and I weighed them this morning, and I now know why my muscles are so sore...Turns out, in 3 hours, from 3 rows of potato plants, we harvested around 300 POUNDS of potatoes!! Looks like we'll be set on potatoes for a while...and we even have 6 more row that aren't ready yet!

Gemstones!

That's not even all! There were even more in those washtubs!

Last night was also my night to cook dinner for the whole group. I was paired with Amelia and her visiting Tico boyfriend (turns out there will be 3 of us girls with boyfriends living in/from Costa Rica!), and I'd like to think we did really well for only three sets of hands. We were even able to clean up BEFORE we ate because we had finished in time!

Now here's the exciting part....wanna hear what we made?! Well first, Amelia was in charge of the lentils dish, which she also made a sauce for, so I cannot really speak for that dish. However, my dishes were so literally farm to table, it makes me even more excited to learn more about my job. First, I made a salad. Ingredients included sungold cherry tomatoes (the ones I harvested Monday and are pictured in my blog), pears Amelia picked from our orchard on her way to the kitchen, mixed greens I harvested from the garden on my way to the kitchen, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and a vinaigrette I made from blackberry honey and balsamic vinegar.

Then, I also made Vegetable Tian. The potatoes were the ones I had dug that morning, the tomatoes/zucchini/squash had been picked the day before, and I grabbed the eggplant and onions on my way up to the kitchen. We also used thyme and garlic from our garden, so the only things in the dish that WEREN'T from our garden were olive oil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Pretty good, I'd say, and everyone else said so too.

(P.S. if you ever want any farm to table recipes, please message me on Facebook or comment on this blog! I am happy to share! All of our recipes must come gluten free, vegetarian, and/or vegan too, so everyone can be included!)

This morning was the first morning I was not in the garden until lunch. Just like any other religion, Quakers worship too, so we have worship and community meeting time blocked off on Wednesday mornings. This is really our only time during the week that everyone is together at the same time, other than meals. It sounds like worship time is just a gathering of silence, but this morning, as an intro, we were guided through a group meditation that took us through some Quaker steps to worship or something....Not quite sure. Basically, we meditate and reflect upon ourselves and how we can overcome challenges or negativity to become the best version of ourselves. That's the best way I can think of it. 

However, my meditative state was quickly ruined once community meeting started. This group time is when members of our community can introduce new ideas, bring up issues they may have, or generally just share joy or concerns. It's also a time for announcements and school policy stuff. It got a little heavy, but thankfully (oops?), Maggie and I had to skip out to the garden to pick our CSA boxes. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, so basically, we put together produce boxes for members of our community that want a share in the garden - it's the same idea behind BarkBox and BirchBox and all those trendy sample boxes (except ours is nutritious, healthy, and clearly as fresh as it can get!). Today's box included tomatoes, kale, arugula, mixed greens, shallots, fennel bulbs, cauliflower, potatoes, and raspberries. YUM! I enjoyed harvesting and packing these boxes with the freshest produce you can find, and again, I felt truly farm to table. 

They're not ripe yet, but these are Pink Bumblebee Cherry Tomatoes. I picked some beautiful red and pink striped ripe ones for our CSA box today!

Raspberry HEAVEN.  

Today I learned that I really enjoy being in the garden. I like that I get to be outside all day in the beautiful weather (ask me again when I'm freezing in January...), and I feel like I'm doing something that makes even the smallest difference. I haven't even gotten to have class with the students yet (that's tomorrow!), so I hope that is also just as rewarding. At night, I am a good kind of tired - it feels good to work hard and be productive, and "work" hours fly by. Lastly, it's also nice to be able to eat as many perfect raspberries as you pick. ;)

Welcome to Woolman

To say these last 48 hours have been anything but an emotional roller coaster would be a lie. I have been up, down, and all around so much that I am making myself dizzy! Let's rewind 48 hours and start from the beginning.

This time just two days ago, Paco and I were between a wonderful week spent together and an upcoming airport drop off. We had camped, hiked, jumped off waterfalls, visited with friends, made amazing meals, attended a beer dinner, and played volleyball, and I was a happy girl - on the happy scale, I'm a 10, with stars in my eyes. The cherry on the cake was when Paco's flight got delayed, which allowed us one more spontaneous dinner date in downtown Atlanta (I can confidently recommend Tamarind Seed Thai the next time you're near Piedmont Park!). Still, a sad airport drop off whacked me back into reality, sending me down to a 3 on the happy scale. My man was leaving for an unknown amount of time, but at least I had a new job and adventure to look forward to.

Paco and I all dressed up for his birthday beer dinner at Ariccia!

Back at home, the exhaustion hit me - the nonstop excitement caught up with me, and the last thing I wanted to do was pack. Thankfully, I had Alex for packing support, and honestly I would have gotten a lot less done without her encouragement. A miracle happened, and I was able to fit 2 sets of sheets, 3 blankets, 1 pillow, a coffee maker, mugs, books, 7 pairs of shoes, a hammock, a laptop, work clothes, and living clothes all in 2 bags and a backpack. Granted, I will need to ship my art stuff and my fuzzy winter bathrobe (clearly, a staple when my bathhouse is across the way), but on the other hand, those vacuum space bags did wonders!

After only 3 hours of sleep, it was time to head back to the airport for a little dejavu action. Hadn't I JUST been here?! Almost 12 hours of travel time later, I arrived at my new home, an A-frame cabin in the woods. The girl who picked me up from the airport was able to answer most of my questions on the way, and turns out, her Tico boyfriend is visiting for the week! Also, about 6 staff members have either lived or studied in Costa Rica! Ah, a little taste of "home." At this point, I'm around a 5 on the happy scale - a mix of excited, anxious, curious, and tired.

I had seen pictures of the A-frame, but one that was well lived in. Naturally, when I arrived, mine was empty. Duh, you think....except I panicked. Even after unpacking, there was so much wall space and empty shelves, and there was no trace of any other interns around. It was still and quiet, and I was reminded of exactly how lonley I felt. I missed my family and friends and boyfriend and I didn't know hardly a soul here or anything about the campus culture. And I was past exhausted. Engage Panic Mode (happiness scale 0).

After texting home and talking to Paco, I was able to calm down and sleep, pretty well I might add, in my tiny little half-twin size bed (A-frame remember, so it's kinda squished by the slanted wall). I woke up this morning for breakfast and work, unsure of what my schedule even was for the day. Breakfast was eggs, mixed veggies, toast, yogurt, and granola, and thankfully, I was able to meet some of the staff, all of whom were more than welcoming. After breakfast, I found my way to my sweet garden.

Today is the first day of classes, so even though the rest of the staff and interns have been here a while, many things are still new. Maggie (the Farm to Table Teacher that I work with) led us on a garden walk through, where she explained how we will conduct walk-throughs each Monday morning to determine what needs to be done in the garden for the week. We take notes and hang them on the shed door so that when other interns and students come to work in the garden, they know what needs to be done. She showed us all around each section of the one acre garden and 2 green houses. It was so cool to see what a wide variety of things we can grow here! I never realized how narrow (or maybe just different) our agricultural options are in Alabama. Our garden grows the usual veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, spinach, beans, herbs, and corn, but we also have berries of all sorts, several varieties of kale and salad greens, carrots, cabbage, melons, grapes, fennel, garlic, beets, radishes, and some stuff I wasn't familiar with at all! We even have a medicinal and tea sections of the garden where we grow and dry our own types of medicinal herbs and teas! Of course there are flowers too, and of course, I couldn't resist picking some to hopefully help my A-frame look and feel a little more like home.

My "First Day of School" flowers from my garden :)

Other than flowers, we worked all morning in the garden picking 20 or so pounds EACH of sungold cherry tomatoes, regular red slicing tomatoes, radishes, squash, and cucumbers. We also harvested 8 bunches of kale, about 10 bunches of basil, and about 8 bunches of one of our tea plants. There wasn't even time to dig the potatoes or pull up the onions! Many of the interns (there are 8 total not including me), were in and out of the garden this morning, helping with harvest, so it was nice to have some time with each one of them to get to know them a little bit. So far, I have met staff/interns from Michigan, Massachusetts, California, Vermont, Missouri (I think), and Washington. One girl used to live on a homestead, and another studied sociology at Yale. I am happily surprised by this outstanding variety - surely a little ole Alabama girl who taught and tour-guided in Costa Rica can find a place to fit...

By the time lunch came, I was starving. If you didn't know already, our kitchen at Woolman is vegetarian. Not by choice, either - everyone I've talked to so far is an omnivore! However, our school doesn't have certification to serve meat yet, and most of our produce comes from my garden anyway, so it's our best option for now. We do have eggs and cheese though, so that's a relief! Haha! The dining hall is also a wooden A-frame, but it's obviously much bigger than mine. There are little round tables with enough seats for 5-6 at each, and the whole front wall is made of windows to let plenty of natural light in. Handmade decorations hang in loops on the windows, and hundreds of paper origami cranes hang from the center of the ceiling like a chandelier. A colorful medley of coffee mugs line the shelves over by the teas and sink, and stacks of equally as colorful and mismatched dinner plates are stacked on the buffet-styled table by the serving dishes. Before each meal, we all stand around this buffet table in a cirlce and hold hands. We don't pray necessarily, but I think we are supposed to practice mindfulness and thankfulness for the food we are about to eat. I'm also not sure who decides when it's over or how, but when the person next to you squeezes your hand, the silence in the circle is broken, and it's time to eat!

After lunch was a meeting with Maggie to go over my schedule and other orientation-type things. Looks like I'll be in the garden MTF from 8-12:30, with chores, intern classes (I take Cooking & Nutrition, Non-Violent Communications, and Gardening), and shared work (wood chopping, cleaning, and other community stuff) varied in the afternoons. Wednesday morning is for "worship" (aka silent sitting in a group together time...?) and agenda/community meeting type stuff. Thursday mornings Maggie and I teach our Farm to Table class, and my weekends are left for play. Dinner is served each night at 6:30, and I will be responsible for cooking one dinner per week (vegetarian, gasp...).

While my day is not over, I do feel a little bit better about my upcoming time here. I am not longer in panic-mode (for now at least), and I'd say I'm like a 6-7 on my happiness scale. Spending time outside in the garden in such beautiful, sunny, low-humidity weather was relaxing, and I'm happy to have some down time until dinner. I've met a few people now, so I won't need to sit at the lunch table by myself like an outcast middle-schooler, and everyone has been more than welcoming. I also looted the empty cabins for decor to trade out for my hideous circus-clown-inspired rug and curtains. I even found some extra pillows and made my extra bed into a couch area! Ahhhh, much better, but a long way before I can call it "Home Sweet Home" - next I plan to paint my door a pretty color and get some pictures up on these walls! Little by little....

My cute little "couch" area

Bed, couch, stove, window, new rug and curtains

Shelves and the front door/porch!

New Job, New Adventures

Exactly one year ago today, I graduated from college and began my big adventure. In exactly three weeks, I will begin the next leg of that big adventure called life. So many things have changed dramatically for me in the last year, and I can't even fathom what might be to come this next year!

For those of you who have kept up with my blogs and posts, you're pretty well up to date. But for those of you who haven't checked in in a while, here's the scoop. In one year, I have left Auburn to move to Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica, a town that went from completely unknown territory to a place I will forever hold dear in my heart. I overcame my fears there; I healed and grew stronger there; I learned to surf there; I grew tremendously as a young teacher there; I lived the good life as a dolphin tour guide there; I applied to more jobs than I can count there; I met my wonderful boyfriend and many friends there; and I found a quiet place for my soul there, surrounded by the raw beauty of Mother Nature.

At the end of May, I moved back to the States, knowing that I only had 6 weeks of camp to figure out what I was going to do next. At this point, I had been so all over the place and flying by the seat of my pants for a year. I was used to the uncertainty, but that didn't make it easier. I JUST WANTED A JOB, and of course, not just any job...one that would allow me to do what I was passionate about and break the educational mold that so many students are forced into. I never felt that I naturally fit into the cooker cutter education system that is so overridden with standardized testing, so I wanted a job that would let me teach what I actually believed in. Our world is changing, and our education system needs to catch up! Despite pressures from others and my finances, I was more than determined not to settle.

And now, here I am, three weeks away from starting a job that will allow me to follow those dreams. It will open so many doors, and the experience in a learning environment like this one will be priceless.

So what IS this exciting new opportunity, you ask?!?

I WILL BE THE NEW FARM TO TABLE INTERN AT WOOLMAN SEMESTER SCHOOL IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA!!!!!
(Here's the link: http://semester.woolman.org/ )

Ok, now let me explain the FAQs.

1. How did you find this job?!
Paco (the aforementioned wonderful boyfriend) works at a Quaker camp during the summers, and one of his former coworkers now works at Woolman. Back in the spring, Paco recommended that I look at Woolman because he thought I would like it and be a good fit, but alas, there were no job openings! I friended Paco's friend on Facebook, and a few weeks ago, he posted something about a new internship that was open at Woolman! I simply emailed the Farm to Table contact person for more info, and we talked for an hour and a half on the phone! Needless to say, we got along well, and she offered me the internship a few days later.

2. Wait a minute...You're going to be teaching at a QUAKER school? Don't they wear blue smocks and shun electricity and the modern world?!?!?
No silly, those are the Amish you're thinking of. Quakers are quite open to the ideas from the modern world actually, and yes, I will have electricity, and no, I will not have to wear a smock. Basically, the Quakers believe in spreading good and love, non-violent communication/conflict-resolution, and cooperation with nature. In fact, several of the teachers and staff (like me) do not consider themselves Quaker, and that's perfectly okay.

3. So what will you be doing as a Farm to Table Intern?
I will assist the Farm to Table Teacher, Maggie, in teaching Farm to Table classes to 11th and 12th graders, planting/harvesting/managing a one acre, organic garden plot, learning to tend to the orchards, taking seed inventory and preserving harvest for the winter, writing and developing curriculum, and possibly even attempting to write some grants. As an intern, I will also be required to take Non-Violent Communications class, and I will be in charge of cooking one of the dinners each week for the staff and students (all meals are provided on campus, and most of the produce that we use will come right from my garden! They're also completely vegetarian....). Maggie's background is in farming and mine is in education, so we should make a great team!

4. You keep saying "Farm to Table"...what is that?!
Farm to Table is a rapidly growing movement that encourages people to buy fresh produce locally from small farmers, or better yet, grow their own food! The idea is that the closer you are (in the supply chain) to your food, the better it is for everyone. Small farmers (opposed to large-scale corporate farms) and the economy benefit, and since food has to travel shorter distances, it is fresher and has less environmental impact. I will be an advocate for this movement as I teach students how to work in our garden and cook the produce we harvest. We will also discuss topics related to this movement or gardening or cooking in our class. The best part? No standardized testing, and students are encouraged to explore their own interests instead!

5. Have you found a place to live yet?
Interns are not paid (GASP), but the school does provide on-campus housing and all (vegetarian) meals. Therefore, I pretty much just need to pack my bags and show up! I will have my own A-frame cabin on the edge of campus, tucked up by the evergreens in the mountains.  I will not have any roommates (unless Paco decides to come!!! But that's a whole different story for later ha). My A-frame will be tiny, with two twin beds and two desks, and it is heated entirely with a wood-burning fireplace. Yes, I have to chop my own firewood! Haha! The bathroom will be a shared bath house, and I will have access to the school kitchen whenever I need it. I will even have my very own patio that I am free to decorate and use as I please. Home sweet home.

6. How long will you be there?
I leave on Sunday, August 24th for a 9-12 month placement. I am required to stay until May, with the option to stay for the summer quarter if I choose to. I will get big breaks to come home around Thanksgiving and Easter.

Whew. Well that just about covers the major points I think! I am so relieved to have a plan and excited to see what's next! I am a happy camper.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES! Can you keep up? :)