Final Thoughts (and future thoughts)

Hi everyone!

Though I'm no longer a candidate for the Australia job, I'm still pursuing adventure and the best job, wherever it happens to be. To those who followed the blog, thanks for your interest and support! If I decide to revamp this one or start another, I'll be sure to let you know. For now, here are my final thoughts on the Australia campaign and a few on life in general. 

Opportunities come, and opportunities go. 

They always have, and they always will.

In November I was offered a position on the board of directors for some local radio stations. It was a unique chance to work alongside some impressive, accomplished men and women, but deep down I knew it wasn't the right fit or the right timing. So I turned it down.

6 weeks later I came across the "Best Job in the World" campaign and was immediately enamored. I knew I was a good fit for it and, more importantly, that I could present myself in the right way to get selected. And I was right! Well, at least for a little while. The point is, if I'd taken the board position last fall, I wouldn't have had the freedom to even consider the Australia job. That's the way life works. Every opportunity, no matter how good, carries an opportunity cost. And when one door closes, another always opens. 

I'm not sure what the next 7 months of my life will entail or what new "open doors" I will discover. But already I've got a trip planned to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro at the beginning of July in support of Young Life Africa, and I'm hoping to visit the Mediterranean with my family later this summer as well. Those are things that never would have been possible had I been Island Caretaking, and I can't wait to see what else is in store. Plus, I've got a good job in a tough economy, and there's plenty to be thankful for.  God is good. Always has been and always will be. 

I extend my thanks to Tourism Queensland for coming up with the brilliant idea and for letting me be a part of it for so long. I now wish the final 16 all the best as they fly out this weekend for interviews and adventure on Hamilton Island. The ones I've gotten to know are fantastic people, and I hope they enjoy every minute of the trip. 

That's all for now. We'll see what happens in the future. 

Kind regards from Texas,

Steven

Me as a baby in Benin, Africa (where the world travels began)

Getting dumped by email...

Sarah Louise wrote a brilliant blog post correlating her interaction with Tourism Queensland to a bad relationship. One of the drawbacks she listed was that it would end by email. Last night I had the displeasure of receiving that email. They said they'd also follow up with an explanatory phone call, but I have yet to receive it. [It took a few weeks, but I did receive a call and had a very nice chat with TQ representatives.]

I've since experienced a weird combination of emotions. Devastation at being rejected for something I felt qualified for; relief at being done with such a time-consuming, stressful process; excitement at the new possibilities now available; regret at watching an exciting opportunity slip through my fingers.

To tell you the truth, I felt a bit like Eddie from the film "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" after he realizes he's lost a fortune in one hand of cards and stumbles bewildered into the street with the weight of that reality. It's a bit dramatic, but that's partly how I felt.

The negative thoughts will pass in due time, and what is left will be the excitement of new adventures and opportunities. I'm interested in everything from the film industry, to private equity, non-profit work, and world travel and cultures, and I'm eager to find the right fit in any of those areas. If you've got any ideas, please leave me a comment and let me know.

It's a big world, and I'm eager to explore it.

All the best,

Steven

Hiking with friends in Malibu, CA