it's been a little while

Since the last post, I've been to a job interview in Washington, D.C. and to Porter, Maine. There are no negative things to say about either of them! My job interview went better than I expected. I left the morning of the interview and got there with barely 10 minutes to spare. I had wanted at least 30 so I could collect and prepare myself. I found out the hard way that googlemaps gets confused by metropolitan DC. I got to Polaris Project's office and waited for my interviewer. I was a bit flustered and road-weary, but got more comfortable after the interview started. I think it went so well because I genuinely want to work for this organization. I am not just trying to get any old job, and I told my interviewers that. I interviewed for a position that isn't even open yet; but they are expecting a couple of promotions and switches in the next month, so it is highly likely that this position will open up. After the interview, I was given a tour of their four story office. I really like the space - it is a converted town home near Dupont Circle. Everyone seemed really nice and fairly laid back. I realized after the interview that in my rush to get to the office on time, I had forgotten to change out of my flip flop sandals and into some nicer shoes! Oh well. 

I left the Polaris Project office in high spirits, with the promise of being notified within two weeks about the position. I spent 3 nights with some very good family friends who live in McLean, Virginia. They were so good to me, and I really felt at home with them. I ate so much good Korean food! There was also a teeny tiny dog there - I think it was a toy poodle. 

My good friend Norah from high school met me in McLean, and we hit the road in my car. It took 12 hours to get to Maine because of rush hour traffic in NY/NJ. Norah successfully learned to drive my stick shift car on the way, and very impressively navigated stop and go traffic. We arrived in the small town of Porter, Maine late that night. Porter is in the southwest corner of Maine, and is about 45 minutes' drive west of Portland. Maine is somewhere I have always wanted to go, and the small taste I had this past week made me want to get back there asap. Norah, our friend Jesse who lives in Maine and at whose house we stayed, and I get along really well. We are all no-drama folks, and I really enjoyed the time we spent together. Good friends are so valuable. I often think to myself that I don't make friends, I simply enlarge my family. Cheesy I guess. 

My four day stint in Maine was filled with beautiful mountains, greenery, hiking, cool antique stores (I got a new wallet!), and yummy seafood. We went into Portland twice and tried some great Maine brews (Gritty's) and heard some awesome live music. Pictures here.

The short stay really just made me want to go back to Maine soon. Norah drove the whole way back to McLean, where she left her car. I was too tired to drive all the way back to Asheville, so spent one more night in McLean at my friends' home. I got up early the next morning to go home and babysit! The first day I was back in Asheville, I got a call from the friends I stayed with in McLean who told me they had heard from a very reliable source at Polaris Project that I was probably going to be hired!!! I won't know for sure until they call me with an offer, but things look and feel good! 

Right now I'm getting ready to spend a week or so at Kure Beach in NC with my cousins, uncle, aunt, and dad. Should be a fun time. And I should hear for sure about the Polaris job while I'm at the beach!