Through the Looking Glass

I have accepted a permanent, subject-to-furlough, position at Ft. Larned National Historic Site in Kansas. I'm guaranteed to work from May to December, but whether that will get stretched out is not known. During the furlough, I will be able to work at another site! It may not be a dream job because it's not year-round yet, but with the permanent status come many benefits. Later on, I will have a much better chance at obtaining a different permanent job elsewhere.

I've been employed seasonally since 2005, and this is the opportunity that I've been hoping for. The permanent jobs just don't come along very often, and when they do, they are so competitive it's usually not worth trying. Even the seasonal jobs I'm competitive for usually fall through. But my strategy of applying for a job that opened while everyone else was working (during the summer) and in a place no one knows about, in a state people don't usually flock to, seems to have paid off again.

Duties are more limited at Ft. Larned so my job classification is "Park Guide." I will do some of the usual duties of visitor centers and guided programs, but I will also get to do living history demonstrations. Ft. Larned is a historic U.S. Army fort on the Santa Fe Trail.

Of course, I owe thanks to the many people that have helped me all along the way at Glacier National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and Pipestone National Monument.