A few more things checked off my long to-do list: I had a dental cleaning just before going to Florida, an eye exam early this morning, and received vaccinations for Hepatitis A and Typhoid later in the morning! I will need one more Hep A shot after at least 6 months from now, but I should be able to get that on Kwaj. Hep B was also required, but I had that vaccine when I was a kid.
This afternoon I boxed up most of my books (and I have lot!), dividing them into four groups, ranging from what I definitely want shipped to the island to what I definitely just want in storage.
I also went through most of my clothes and tossed a lot of old stuff out. My graduate student budget does not allow for new clothes very often, but now that I’ll be working with a “real” salary, I can afford to replace a lot of old clothes that were longing to meet the garbage bin. I felt a bit like the show “What Not To Wear”, where they throw out most of the person’s wardrobe in favor of newer, better clothes!
The packing is a daunting task as I have a lot of stuff and I’m going through it all by myself, so I just plan to do a little bit each day and I’ll hopefully be about ready in a couple weeks!
Soon I’ll have to attempt to sell some furniture. The living quarters on Kwaj are furnished and I don’t want to bother storing my furniture when I can replace it with nicer stuff when I get back. Items for sale will include a table and chairs, bar stools, a couch, a bed, a coffee table, bookshelves, DVD and CD shelves, lamps, a dresser, a desk, a file cabinet, a TV, a TV stand… And anything I don’t sell I’ll probably just give away, so I don’t have to take it with me up to Washington.
Poked and prodded. Sounds like so much fun!
I fear that parting with everything I have “gathered” for the last 20 years will be the hardest part of taking a job with KRS. We will see what happens if that day comes.
Would you be willing to answer a couple questions for me? Ok, thanks! 😉
How long did it take to hear back from KRS from the time you submitted your resume?
How long did it take until you signed your contract?
Without disclosing exactly what you are getting paid, is your pay similar to what you would make in the states, a little less than, or quite a bit less?
Do the benefits seems comprehensive at first glance?
If you would rather answer privately via email let me know and I will get you my address.
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
Yeah, parting with some of my stuff is a little difficult; I could put more of it into storage, but don’t feel it’s worth it for most furniture and appliances when I can buy that stuff again when I come back and set up house somewhere. I am just a college student though, so really haven’t acquired a whole lot. I will be most sad to part with my dear cat.
I didn’t apply for a job through KRS, so can’t answer questions about that very well. I’m working with a weather company that has a contract through the army, and since I used to work for the company (internship a couple years ago), I didn’t have to go through a full application process. They knew me, knew I was looking for a job, and pretty much just offered me the job. It was a huge blessing. 🙂
I thought about the job for a couple weeks, but already knew people who had worked at this position on the island and enjoyed it. So after some more information gathering, it didn’t take long to make my decision and sign a contract.
While I can’t discuss the actual salary, I will say the starting pay is about as much or even a little more than I would expect to make starting my career as a meteorologist in the states, especially considering the perks. One of the perks is that everyone on the island receives free housing and a free meal card to eat in the dining hall. The housing for unaccompanied status is similar to that of a small studio, dorm, or hotel room, from what I’ve heard: a furnished bedroom (bed, desk, kitchenette, etc.) and private bathroom. If I was living in the states, I’d be paying rent with a fair amount of my salary.
Other benefits for my job anyway are pretty comprehensive, including health/dental/vision/life insurance, disability, 401K, etc. It’s good to know that they take care of their employees, especially when embarking on a journey to a small island in the middle of the ocean. 🙂
I’m sure I’ll be able to answer more questions when I’m there in just under 2 months. Feel free to email me as well, at rebekah@greenskychaser.com
Rebekah
Great info Rebekah. I have heard both sides of the salary story. Some complain that it is not enough while others say that combined with the housing and vacation it works out about the same, if not more, than state side.
I am sure you will enjoy it either way.
Here is a blog I started about my Kwaj job hunt last week if you are interested.
http://kwajhunt.blogspot.com/
Take care, maybe we will meet up on Kwaj someday.
John
P.S. You would have enjoyed the weather up here in Minneapolis this past weekend. Some good photo ops. Here’s a link.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/05/22/minneapolis-storm-damage-photos/