Elizabeth: A Year Later

Greetings from Elizabeth!

Elizabeth here with an update from the year gone by!

Since I returned from Malaysia one year ago:

I resolved to be less fearful of change. GSE and the Rotary presentations I did afterward brought on a new confidence for me that, professionally, was noticed and commented on by my colleagues at work, and personally, led me to believe that the time was ripe for a major change in my life.

I was offered a job at another national park. After seven years at Oregon Caves National Monument, it seemed that the right job had come along. Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California offered me their newly created GIS Specialist position. 

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Source: National Park Service

I moved from southern Oregon to northern California. This was a big deal. Suddenly, I desperately needed a pair of sunglasses. Sunny California! But also, there were some new things to get used to, such as the nearest gas station is 48 miles away.

I had to flee a wildfire! It seemed like I'd barely gotten settled in when in August lightning started a wildfire that consumed the surrounding forests. From my porch, I watched the fire come nearer every day, until I had to evacuate. Thankfully, my home did not burn down even though the fire burned as nearby as a 1/2 km!

Wildfire approaching my residence in August 2012

Since the wildfire, things have taken a calmer turn. For one, I could move all my stuff back into my house! Then, this fall I took a trip to France, Germany, and the Netherlands to visit and travel with my sister while she studied abroad. During the holidays, I returned to Oregon to catch up with my friends. The turn of the year will find me in California to embark on building up the GIS program at Lassen Volcanic National Park and learning how to ski in the snowy mountains.

Cheers, and best wishes for a happy new year!

Pretending I know how to ski