The Best Job in the World- the Verdict...

And the shameless self-promotion has ENDED. Lowell and I in fact did not make the top 50.

On February 26th, Lowell and I received an email from Tourism Queensland inviting us (well, ME as the application was done in only my name) to complete psychometric/personality tests as we made the TOP 200 out of nearly 35,000 applicants! The world was not to know, however, because we were to keep this information under our hats. My Mom asked me POINT BLANK if we had made the top 200, and I denied it. I LIED TO MY MOTHER’S FACE (via skype)!

We knew that on March 3rd at 1pm (our time), the shortlist would be announced and top applicants contacted. Yesterday afternoon, Lowell and I—phones pressed to our ears—were on our respective computers (at home and work) constantly pressing ‘refresh’ as we waited for a good-news email and/or the website to load with the shortlist. All of our mounted anticipation crumbled to bits when no such email appeared, and the shortlist was posted sans US.

So, wanna to hear our bumbling list of reasons (read: excuses) why we didn’t make the shortlist? Okay then.

1. We applied as a couple and ALL the shortlisters were individuals. Silly.
2. TQ seemed to make sure there was proportionate representation from each of the main applying countries, and Canada had a giant truckload of applicants. Oops, we should’ve become NZ residents. Dang.
3. Apparently there are other cool people out there.

So, either it’s those things... or I just have a terrible personality and horrible abstract reasoning skills.

Last night, Lowell and I buried our sorrows in the black sand at Muriwai. We walked a few kilometers up and down the beach, then snuggled on the couch back at home with our favourite dinner, and watched a movie about Australia to gain some closure on what was not to be. Very therapeutic!

(Uh... I think we're doing a-okay.)

(Nothing cures the "didn't-get-the-job blues" quite like a dead washed-up blow fish.)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all your support, blog posts, facebook comments, emails, notes, and 5 star ratings! We checked our video on the website yesterday, and it was one of very few that had tons of views PLUS 5 stars. We felt the occasion was worth documenting…

Have I thanked you yet??... THANK YOU!!

Despite two months of dreaming coming to a grinding halt, we are chugging along just tickidy boo, and continue to see the glass as half full. Let's review, shall we?

1. It was super fun and exciting while it lasted.
2. To quote my wise Mother, “if nothing else, it was a great little marriage enrichment course!” Throughout this process, we definitely learned that we are waaaaaay better together than individually. You don’t get one without the other, people.
3. We can start to sleep at night again.
4. We’re free to book plane tickets and plan our trips for the near future (as I finish my job IN TWELVE WORK DAYS (not that I’m counting)).

And let’s face it. We have over 3 months of pure unadulterated adventuring in NZ, Thailand, and Aussie ahead of us… so don’t feel tooo sorry for us.