Oregon
The five of us that make up team CoolWorks have all had our lives changed by taking a chance on the road less traveled. Since 1995, legions of adventurers have used our site to find their new path. And as a part of that journey, they often discover new courage, new passion, new love, new family, a new home – a fork in the road to a future that they never expected as the result of a seasonal job.
We’ve created these journals with the belief that storytelling cheers, emboldens and encourages us to tell and create our own stories. We built this venue in the hopes that learning about other people’s experiences might help some dreamers work up the courage to take the plunge themselves. Has a seasonal job changed your life? We would love to hear about it!
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My journey into seasonal life began in the summer of 2019. I was approaching my senior year of college as a Creative Writing major at the University of Iowa, and after just spending the previous summer studying abroad in Ireland, I was seeking another adventure to fuel my creative…
I fell for Yosemite hard. The winter sparkles in the Sierra Nevada. The summer smells of Bay Laurel, duff and smoke. Happiness can be fleeting and contentment can be elusive, but I found more of each in Yosemite than anywhere else.
Now, at 62, I have over 30 years of front desk and hotel management experience under my belt and I no longer have to hitchhike from park to park hoping to be hired.
Even before I ever traveled, I had made up my mind that I wanted to live a life of nonconformity. As a teenager, I became well aware of the lifestyle most people led – they go to college, get a job, buy a car, house, etc., and work long…
My journey into the hospitality/seasonal job industry started back in 2016. Sweating on a Toyota car lot washing cars, I texted my friend who had spent the past two years living the dream in Alaska. I simply asked “Hey man, I’m tired of this Atlanta heat. Just curious, is…
Adapting to seasonal work during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a test of my personal integrity and resourcefulness, as well as a very welcome break from the oppressive inactivity of months of quarantining and disconnect from beloved friends, family, and coworkers.
Having lived in the mountains of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and California working seasonal jobs guiding horseback trail rides, I’ve learned so many life lessons, had many questioning times if seasonal work was right for me, and have had a lot of time to reflect on what it is I…
It’s funny how this all comes full circle. What started as a way to just get out and explore somewhere new for a few months has now become a full-time career that still affords me the opportunity to travel and see more of world. Every decision I’ve made that…
My story has been long and bumpy at times, but the lesson from all of my experiences is this: I am human and I have made mistakes. I hope going forward I can embrace love, tolerance, patience, and a willingness to be teachable in my next adventure. I hope…