Southern Hospitality

"You possess the skills, experience, and motivation it that will take to successfully build school gardens, teach hands-on nutrition education, and get healthy local food into cafeterias. It's going to be a very exciting year."

Somehow,  I have managed to receive at least  4 position offers/welcome letters, and I think each one had a link to some sort of intake survey for me to fill out. There must be so many spreadsheets to keep track of right now at headquarters. I am feeling very welcomed. The above statement was the intro to the latest Welcome! emails. It does indeed seem like this will be a very exciting year.

I have to take a moment to remark on how amazing this whole 'networking' thing is. Never having done any internships in college, or had any sort of job where the hiring process wasn't simply apply, interview, get job, I am generally skeptical of the concept of networking. I have a linkedin account, and I accept people's invites, but only as a sort of stockpiling for some future time when I understand the whole point.

BUT

There's always a but. Earlier this week I sent one email to the host site and service site directors looking for leads and guidance on finding housing in Yellville. They forwarded it to others, gave me names and phone numbers, and the results are outrageous (in the best way possible). I have received probably ten responses at this point, all of which are FULL of advice, congratulations, and suggestions. Someone not only gave me a new contact person, but offered to let me stay with her while I get settled in. Maybe this is some 'west coast' thing, but I am so taken aback by the outpouring of selflessness and generosity. I am looking forward to sharing a community with these people.