Got a Job?

If you are one of those few that answered yes to this question you do not realize how lucky you are. Indeed, jobs are getting difficult to come by nowadays. I have been in New Jersey for a month and have been looking for a job for almost double that time with no positive results. Sure, I have been on several interviews, but none of them ended up being the job for me. Sometimes because they were down right awful and sometimes because the pay was way too low. I always thought (maybe wrongly) that if you had a college degree you would always be able to find a job after you graduated, even if it was just an entry-level position. Well, as has been proven to me over the past few months this is clearly not the case.

It leaves one feeling as if the degree you received was a waste of time, and more and more I am realizing that mine also falls into this category. College is great IF you chose the right degree. A trade degree is exactly what one needs in order to be successful in today's hostile job market (Ie; engineering, nursing, physical therapist, etc). Another inportant reason to get a 'specialized' degree would be because most jobs look more for experience in a given field than they at your actual education and GPA. In a specialized degree you get exactly that through internships, and trade oriented in-classroom education. But with a general degree like mine, you dont receive that and when applying for a certain position the employer will most likely hire the person with the experience and no college degree over you with your general degree and high GPA.

These are just some of the things I have learned over the past few months. I have realized that in order to be successful I will either have to go back to school or jump through an endless amount of 'hoops' to get into one of these specialized fields that provide a secure career (for me probably education/teaching). So, next time you hear someone say 'hmmm, what should I major in?' or 'I really like philosophy or political science', you should say NOOOOOOO!!!! Really think about it in light of today's world and not the world as it was ten or fifteen years ago.

New York

Just this past weekend Kamron and I made our first venture into the big apple. We really enjoyed the environment, the food and the shopping.
We took the train from our town into Penn station which took only about an hour and a half.
Our first stop had to of course be Times Square! We ate a street hot dog there, walked around and ate at Bubba Gumps (I know, kinda lame for NY but we were hungry!)

Next we took the Subway to China Town/ Little Italy. We ended up doing some shopping and stopping at a little Italian cafe for some drinks (limonatas and Italian beer). It was so busy everywhere and the shopping deals were great. I think the thing I will always remember the most though is the fake designer everythings.... purses, watches, jewelry, clothes, etc.

The last thing we had time for was a stop at the Empire State Building. Although I didnt get to go inside (it was too expensive and too long a wait) I took some pictures of it as we were walking by it.....

Overall, it was really fun and Kamron and I plan to go back many more times and explore a different part of the city each time. Just remember if you want to come visit you can come with us too!!!!

Our New Home

New Beginnings

In the Reeding Terminal in Philadelphia

It has officially been a week living in our new apartment by the sea in Long Branch, NJ. The weather is absolutely wonderful here, breezy, sunny, with highs in the mid 70's. Our front yard is the ocean, with a view of the pool as well. It reminds me of Grenada so much, minus the extreme humidity, mosquitoes, and lack of proper grocery stores. This apartment we are living in is only temporary however. In about two or three more weeks we will have to move upstairs to a different, slightly smaller apt on the second floor. I am definitely not looking forward to having to move all of our furniture and things upstairs on the elevator.......

The differences between coastal U.S. and Grenada are very stark. I enjoy having a seperate bedroom in my apt, and not just everything in one room like our studio in GD. I also like how I have so many choices at the grocery store, I can get milk or cheese anytime, and dont have to wait weeks to see a tomato....haha...... However different NJ is from Grenada though, California seems like another planet as well. For example, I find it impossible to get used to the "if you need to make a left turn you have to make a right turn" idea here. It just seems unnatural and a waste of gas. Also, the BYOB policy in most restaurants and the lack of alcohol in grocery stores. The thing that is the hardest though is the abscence of anything familiar, especially family and friends. It is always hard starting somewhere new and not knowing anyone.

Aside from that, Kamron started his orientation this week in Livingston, NJ, which is about an hour and a half away. Poor thing has to get up at the crack of dawn just to make the drive there and be there by seven. But thats only until Friday. Next week he will be at Monmouth Medical which is only a couple blocks from our apartment. I meanwhile have been looking for jobs constantly...... I think that I have probbaly applied to close to 5o jobs already with only one response and one interview.

Geez, what does it take to find a job in today's world??? I have a college degree, Im young, hard-working, and have volunteer and work experience. Yet the only job I have gotton any response from wants to pay me slightly above minimum wage? I feel like I went to school for nothing and it might just be McDonald's for me. haha.....