The job i've been waiting for!

You can ask anyone that knows me, and they will verify the response to this question. If anyone asks me: "what do you want to do with your future?", I often half jest with the response: "I want to be a rock star or a beach bum!". After all, it's the American dream, right? To lay around on the beach, soak up the sun with a cool drink by your side... gazing at the sunset and letting your troubles blow away with each passing breath of the ocean breeze? Well, I'm not a betting man, but i think it's safe to assume that a vast majority of humankind shares a similar dream of living in paradise and making a living out of it. And i never thought I would see the day where the opportunity was just OFFERED to me! Well... me... and the rest of the world. Still, how can one pass it up?

My name is Wesley. I'm 30 years young and reside in Columbia, Missouri, USA. And I've applied for the "best job in the world" which is being presented by Tourism Queensland. For my "initial" application I had only 60 seconds to somehow hook the attention of the employer, which is why I'm also taking time to offer up some information about myself on a blog. I figure the best way to tell my background is by offering up something that will be a major part of the job description. Besides, there are far too many reasons why i could qualify for this position that i do not have nearly enough time to compress them into 60 seconds of video.

I'll begin with why I'm applying here. On top of many reasons, I think it's time for a change. I've thought that for a while, but sometimes it's hard for me to put my finger on it. Some of it might be the monotony of working with the same company for over twelve years. It may be a sense of wanting to live my dreams while I'm still young. Or, it may just be boredom. I've lived in the same state my whole life, and it's been a good life here. It does get a bit old at times, as I'm sure most places seem after so long. However, it is home, but i often think of what it would be like to live elsewhere and enjoy different climates and cultures. That's where adventure kicks in for me. Being able to step out of bounds and see what the rest of the world has to offer. I recall an interview i read while researching this job, and the gentleman being interviewed said that one of the things they fear most is getting the employee to return back home after the 6 month stay is complete... Sure, i could see that. Spending 6 months living (rent free) on an island, in one of the most beautiful places in the world, while getting paid for it? Naturally, people aren't going to want to give that up.

And I can't say that I'd want to return back to Missouri for the weather. What you're looking at here is a shot from my front door. It's about seventeen inches of snow that was dropped (over night) last year. It's not always like that though. Example: For those of you who don't know what the weather here has been like, in this season, the morning i started this process, i had shivered my way into the office and saw that it was a balmy -2 degrees outside. (-19 or so for you in the land of metric). Our windchill made it feel much like -16F. In a couple of days, we could see our high temperatures climb back into the 50's... and that's the way it goes here. There's no happy medium with the weather in the state of Missouri. The summers are outrageously hot and humid, and mosquitoes tend to rule the skies. The pleasant temperatures tend to drift our way in the spring... bringing thunderstorms and tornadoes. Fall is lovely... for about a week. So you can see why the appeal of a steady tropical climate is in the air right now. But, home is home. And i can't see myself leaving it behind forever anyway. I would imagine that I'll be homesick while working on the reef. So, don't worry for me, Queensland! I'm sure I'll be sad to go, in the end, but I will be prepared to return home.

I've been Australia only once before. My mother in law married a gentleman from Kalgoorlie/Kambalda area and moved back to western AU with him. About 3 years ago we took a 10 day trip to visit. For anyone that knows a lot about Western AU, there is not much to "see" in the Kambalda / Kalgoorlie area, but the history there is very intriguing. One of the most interesting experiences in Australia was to see that the culture was exotic enough to know we were away, but the people were beyond friendly. We can hardly wait to go back. For having gone to visit family, it was one of the best "vacations" I've taken. We felt right at home with the population there. Especially when we spent our last couple of days in Perth. I can only imagine what the people are like on the reef.

Another reason I can't pass this up, is because I love the ocean. Of course, it's been that way for me as far back as I can remember. I have several family members who live in Florida, and over the years my family would make the 24 hour drive to the southeast for our summer vacations. Perhaps that's where i get the tropical crave from. I have had a fascination with the sea since i was a small child. Even now, standing on the beach with my feet in the water is one of the most exhilarating feelings i know.

As i had mentioned before, there are many reasons why I think that I qualify for this position. When visiting family in Florida, growing up, they could hardly keep me out of the Atlantic. I would swim as long as i possibly could. And though i am not a "certified" diver, I do have experience with some diving and snorkeling in the sea. In anticipation of this job, I'm also planning to take a diving class with a friend of mine. I've had some experience with diving in the past, but living in the middle of the US doesn't give me a lot of opportunity to put such skills to use. Regardless, i'm planning on traveling with friends in 2010 and there will be plenty of chances to explore the reefs of the Caribbean. I hope to be certified by this summer if i can make it work out. On a similar note, I'm an accomplished swimmer with plenty of experience in life guarding and a swim team. Snorkeling and inspecting the reef won't be an issue, i can guarantee that.

Aside from my love for the sea, I also have a lot of experience with the outdoors on land. On the family farm i had 60+ acres to explore, which seemed like all the land i would ever need as a kid. My father, grandfather, and great grandfather, taught me to hunt and fish from our farm. These experiences have helped me learn more about my surroundings in the outdoors rather than just enjoying it. I've spent several weekend theres to relax and get away from the city life for a while. Camping, hiking and floating (Google "float trips" if you're not familiar) are some of my favorite past times. I feel that i connect with God most when I'm experiencing His creation. I think a lot of my draw to the ocean comes from that experience, to know that the seas are vast, hold immense power, and are full of life that we haven't even discovered yet. With about 900 islands and 130,000 square miles to explore, i don't think I'll have enough time to see everything on the reef, but i simply can't wait to be in awe of living around one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet. Far too much to explore, so you may have to keep me longer. :)

The most important quality (and I've had some laughs from discussing this with others) is the fact that I'm a dedicated worker. I've spent 12 years with the same company that i started working for shortly after graduating high school. Why would that matter for this job? Well, for one, it IS a job, and I'm sure that Queensland wants someone in this position that's going to represent them the best possible way. I've had experience here with all aspects that you need in the perfect candidate. As much as I'd like to say that I'm only going for the surf and sand, I'm going to be working there. (I DO plan on having as much fun as possible, just for the record...) And not only working for Queensland, I'm working for the people who are interested in visiting the reef (and territory) to discover all it has to offer them. Hence the reason I'm doing this blog, and the blogs that I'll follow up with each week, until I'm either picked for the final interviews or passed up. And if i DO get picked, with permission of my new employer (wink wink nudge nudge) I'll roll my blogs into the work i do for the reef.

I've done customer service with my company for over a decade now, and it's part of me to make sure that anything i do for my job, I'm doing it for the benefit of the clients and the company. This is where i get the laughs. Do i really think that matters? Well... in short: Absolutely. A reliable, responsible and confident employee is needed. And i think i fit the bill. I'm comfortable with keeping up the blogs, presenting myself to the media, and becoming a spokesperson for the reef. So why not give me a shot? I've got the background, I've got the drive.

I'll close with this. I realize that this is a steep mountain to climb, but I've learned that if you don't start chasing your dreams, when they're right in front of you, they'll get far enough away that you can't catch them. The competition for this job is cut-throat, at best. I'm up against many qualified people. But I'll work as hard as i can to be the right person for you to tell the world about one of the most exquisite places on earth. And i appreciate you reading this blog, for your honest vote on my video, and for your consideration at handing me the opportunity of a lifetime. For the rest of the applicants applying with me: Good luck to you all! No matter what the outcome, we'll enjoy the journey together over the next year one way or another.