Graduation came and went, and now it was time to split.
I was still struggling to make sense of it all, and anxious to escape the ceaseless questions being thrown at me from well-meaning neighbors and friends: What's next? Anyone special in your life? What do you want to study? What school are you going to? I DON'T KNOW!! All I really knew was that I was SO tired.
My sister and I decided to pack up and move 5 hours south, to live in the town my brother and his wife had settled in. It's a beautiful place. I've always loved the sunburnt rocks and prickly plant-life of the area.
We were lucky enough to live close to this natural, warm lake. Once, when we were swimming out to the big rock to do some cliff-jumping, an official on a jet-ski ordered us to get out of the water. Turns out they were evacuating the lake to look for a dead body... yikes!
We had fun when we could, but searching for jobs was our top priority.
Here I am, sitting in a smoke-filled kitchen in a cozy little apartment. I just burned my dinner and am forced to try again, which, being as poor as I find myself, is not good financially.
After applying all around, I finally got hired at McDonald's. It was my first job, and I was relieved to have a source of income. I remember the manager saying, "You won't last more than two months in this job." Stunned and hurt, I asked her why. She replied, "You're too good for it."
But I didn't feel too good. My first day was just watching training videos in the break room, and I took careful notes. I honestly learned a lot from those videos, about service and how to talk to difficult customers, and how to multi-task. I didn't care that I was flipping burgers. I wanted to learn how to work, and McDonald's was a great introduction.
Well my Jess, I will see you in only a few days. It was so nice to see your sister. I'm so so proud of you getting a job at "The Golden Arches." I hope it goes well for you, a little scary at first I'm sure. You have to tell me all about it when I come down. (Dad)
Marn got a job at a little grocery store called "Lin's." There are so many inside jokes hidden in this letter, I won't even try to explain them all.
My sister and I were relieved to have jobs, and we loved living together and hanging out with our brother and his wife, but we were homesick. My friends came out to visit. It was SO good to see them.
What was your first experience moving out like? Write back soon! -Jess
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