I have reached the halfway point of my stay here!
The first month here was a bit overwhelming as I navigated learning how to get around, a new job, and a different way of life.
In my second month here, I have settled into the surroundings, the job, and living as a seasonal worker in a community filled with tourists. August, I learned, is known here as “Angry August.” The visitors here in August are more demanding and in general rude.
I have learned that tissue paper is the panacea for the traveler taking home jam. Every time someone asks me to wrap their jar of jam in tissue paper because they are traveling, I want to say, “When was the last time the grocery store wrapped your jar of jam?” I get it, jam from the grocery store is not packed in with your clothes. But people, if that jar of jam breaks, no amount of tissue paper is going to save the sticky gooey jam from seeping all over your belongings. Tissue paper is not security!
The living arrangement here also changed in August, when one of my roomies, I will call her Zelda, was relocated to another apartment following an outbreak of fruit flies. Zelda had not removed her trash or recycling for two weeks. In addition, she would leave dirty dishes in the sink for days. Eventually, her pod mate sent pictures to the housing supervisor, by late afternoon Zelda had been moved. A few days before this, Zelda and I had a conversation about work ethics. The conversation ended with her saying, “We will have to agree to disagree.” To which I replied, “Fair enough.” Zelda and I work at the same shop, she has not spoken to me since and rarely makes eye contact. Oh well, her loss.
My pod mate leaves here in two weeks, then I will have the pod to myself. At the end of September, the other pod will be completely empty, and it looks like I may have the apartment to myself. I was anticipating having some visitors in October, however due to the pandemic no overnight guests are allowed this year. It will be interesting to see how October unfolds. I plan on using this time alone to consider next steps and new adventures. I may even start to work on my book again.
August was so busy, I had little time to get to the park as much as I had hoped. I am still waiting to get on a boat to go whale watching, the tours have been sold out everyday I have had off. However, September is here and the amount of people here has started to dwindle a bit. I did get out on a lighthouse tour. The lighthouses I saw are no comparison to Michigan’s lighthouses.
My greatest joy, so far, has definitely been in nature. My hike around Jordan Pond was surreal, so beautiful, and so peaceful. On my lighthouse tour I saw harbor seals bobbing in the water. I could not stop grinning and felt so joyful to watch them looking back at me.
I am living "The experience, of the experience, of the experience." as Bill McGrane III, a past mentor of mentor would say. Today begins the second half of my Bar Harbor Adventure. I sill have a list of things to do here, so stay tune. Until then . . . . .
Love from Bar Harbor xoxoxo