We arrived in Australia 15 months ago after a 2 year trip on our catamaran sailing between Cape Town and Brisbane. After spending time finding our marks in a new country and running around for few months sorting out visa issues, the kids are now going to school and I am in need to do something with my free time, preferably earning some money at the same time. A job seems the right solution, right? But which job?
During this amazing sailing experience, I was wearing few hats. I was the co-skipper doing my normal shift which consisted of a 3 hours watch 4 times a day. I was also the teacher of my three kids (now 6, 9 and 11). I used a corresponding teaching system which helped tremendously by structuring the content of each subject. However I was the one supervising the kids work and ensuring that their lessons were understood and learnt. I was also, like most land mothers, in charge of the “pink jobs” of cooking, cleaning and washing up clothes and boat. On a reassuring note I am not blaming Greg, the captain, as he was in charge of the boat maintenance and all the admin when we arrived in a new country.
On board, I also learnt so many new things, from adapting easily in all kind of situation and countries, using our modern technologies to post news regularly on our travel blog or provisioning the boat with healthy food for 6 months.
So I could say that I have exceptional organisational skills, strong written and verbal communication skills and I am able to multitask and prioritise.
In fact, I am not a sailor! I am a marine biologist by training. I did a PhD in France studying the ecology and the biology of the jellyfish. I went sampling at sea, I did fun experiments feeding jellyfish, I analysed a huge amount of scientific data and I went to international conferences to share my results and gain more knowledge. As I wanted to pursue my research in another country, I was delighted when the project I wrote about studying jellyfish around South Africa was financed through a cooperation agreement.
So, I suppose, I can tick the boxes tertiary qualification, did demonstrate a high level of management skills or willing to take on challenging work, with a drive to deliver outcomes.
It is in Cape Town that I met the one who is now my husband and who, easily, convinced me to stay in South Africa longer than my grants allowed me. I found some new funds and continued to go on cruises and feed my adorable “jelly pets” even during the week-ends.
While I was breastfeeding my second child during a conference that I had organized, I thought that I would love to do something “more useful” and less theoretical. I then switched to science teaching and spent 5 years enjoying the spontaneity of kids aged between 8 and 18 and their joy when they understood the complex scientific principles. I had fun being creative about various projects which were hands on and related to todays’ concerns such as environment, health, etc.
This could be summarized by saying that I have a positive approach and passion for my work with the ability to manage my projects effectively, within time and budget. I am also willing to do extra hours.
And now, after all these experiences, here I am, looking for a job for the last 6 months, ticking most of the boxes and not even getting one interview. As there are no jellyfish positions available and because I don’t hold a proper teaching degree, I have the feeling that my qualifications and experiences are just useless and that I might have wasted my time. Am I too atypical? Too far away from the normal standards? I have been sending hundreds of resumes, after a certain number it was too depressing to count, writing letters proving that I had all the demanded criteria and contacting various companies dealing for example with environmental and scientific issues. I even offered to volunteer for different institutions (eg Marine Parks or the Queensland Museum) but even these queries were rejected. New studies could be a solution but not being an Australian citizen it represents a financial investment that I can’t afford right now.
In the meantime, I have my words to keep me company, my eyes to watch our world swirling and lots of stories that I would like to share. I am still filling up merlinsvoyage blog with pictures and content and I am having fun doing it. I am doing contract work in a field which is really not mine but it gives me back some lost confidence and might lead to something else at a later stage.
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