Ship High in Transit

How did I end up here?

That's a question I can easily answer, the more difficult part is why.
To reach the conclusion of why, I need to address the how.
I got done with my first year of college in July, with the next 5 months and an empty bank account staring me in the face. I had been talking about moving in with one of my sisters for a long time before that point, and then in June I decided to seriously pursue my plan to live with my sister, Bean, in southern Utah. A major reason being that I need 400 pre-internship hours relevant to my major, which there is a lot more of in southern Utah than in my hometown in Washington.  I spent countless hours upon hours building my resume, researching various companies, writing cover letters, and sending those out. With finals coming to a close, no word in return for all those applications, and a car waiting to leave for Washington, I went North to be home. I refused (and still do) to return to the same job I had last fall of working in a coffee shop. For one thing, I need to make a dent in those 400 hours, gain more skills/ work experience, improving my resume.
Three days later three places in southern Utah call me back about setting up interviews. I was FREAKING OUT. Luckily I was home alone because the only action I found rational for that moment was to run around in my underwear.... screaming.
So with interviews under-wing, I made plans to go to St. George, UT. With my best friend's ex-boyfriend, whom I had never met, to Provo, UT. Where I stayed with my sister's best friend from high school. The awkward part was that BFF and boy had broken up only 3 days prior, from an almost engagement relationship. Potentially awkward situation? I think yes. Reality: not awkward. We did't even mention my BFF until 1 hour to the end of the drive. The drive which was supposed to be 12 hours turned out to be close to 15 due to the fuel stops every quarter tank and the trunk we were caravan-ing with was towing a horse trailer, which was towing a WWII Jeep. Random? Yes.
And then the trailer blew a tire, so naturally the car I was in had to get all new tires as well, which made a 1.5 hour stop in the beautiful city of Deer Lodge. But it was super cool because I bought what I swear was the world's largest apple fritter for only $1 - say what?!

 And this is the most ramshackle shed I have ever seen.

 This is where my feet have been. It also poetically symbolizes the diverging path that my life took when I decided to be St. George bound.

 It really was a WWII Jeep, and we really towed it for 12 hours. With an effectual 8 MPG. (It had to be off tow for the tire shop.)

So we finally got into Provo at about 11:30ish, then I caught a shuttle from Provo to St. George. Where I got my first sighting of red rock, palm trees, scorpions, cockroaches, Joshua trees, and wild lizards (in abundance!). This was my first palm tree, located in front of the hotel where the shuttle dropped me off, and Bean picked me up.

So I went to my interviews, and none of them worked out. Mostly because of my short term availability. So I  started applying everywhere. Starting from the week before I arrived, I sent out at least one application every day for two weeks. It was exhausting. I never had to job hunt like that before, and never understood why people always complained. They're not lazy bellyachers after all - who knew? After arriving in the luxurious 105 degree weather, and 19 hours of travel time, I was not about to turn around to my old coffee shop job. 

I heard Zion Lodge was hiring, but b/c of min. wage pay and cost of housing, I did not apply right away. But then I got desperate after 4 days. So I applied. And I got a phone call the next day, and an interview the day after along with an offer of employment as a hostess in the restaurant. But with the math, hosting would not be flying my self paid college tuition boat. Giving them that information, they promised me I could become a busser, which would give the opportunity for tips. Along with a threat that if I did not work hard enough, or was not capable of the filling the demand of the job, I would be a host exclusively. 

With no other offers of employment, I took it. I packed my things and moved for the third time in a month. And life as I know it has been different ever since. 

With this lengthy intro out of the way, I can just stick to telling funny stories of a generally shorter length. Family and friends, welcome to Zion.