We all have that one summer job we will never forget. Mine (sorry mom, I know you hate this story) was the time I ran away and joined the circus. Truth be told, it wasn’t really the circus – it was a fair ground food-service company that travelled around the country from Nova Scotia to British Columbia – but hey, saying you ran away and joined the circus just sounds so much sweeter – and drives your mother that much crazier.
Carny Fantasies
It was the best job ever. I had just finished my first semester at MUN and had a summer job that paid me to serve tacos in every province (except NL and PEI) in this beautiful country of ours while also experiencing some of the most amazing events Canada has to offer. Klondike Days in Edmonton, the Calgary Stampede and Toronto’s CNE; I lived, breathed, and partied with other university students as we lived out our carny fantasies (sorry mom).
What got me reminiscing? Well, because hanging our with this year’s Cruiser Team at their photo shoot for this week’s cover got me thinking about a time in my often-forgotten past when life was nothing but endless laughter with new-found friends. Back then, road-trips seemed to last forever and a flat tire was an adventure. And music? I can’t hear Whitney Huston’s I wanna Dance with Somebody or Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles and not smile. 1987 was a summer I will never forget.
Becky, Asha and Mitchel are now ready for their own summer of a lifetime, and the beauty of it is this; they know it. All three say they are super excited to hit the road on the May 24 weekend. Asha, who has a strong customer service background aided by her bartending experience, actually applied to be a member of the Cruiser team two years ago when she was 17. Too young at the time, it was a dream she never let go of. When we spoke, she hadn’t told her mother, toying with the idea of having her mom find out she got her dream job by seeing her daughter’s smiling face on the cover of The Newfoundland Herald.
Living the Dream
Mitchel was beyond excited to be “living the dream.” “Stephanie O’Brien is someone I’ve always admired, and she’s the reason why I was interested in coming to work with OZFM. Her personality, her giving nature; everything about her inspires me,” he said when we chatted. While in high-school, Mitchel actually did a job shadow with O’Brien. “The entire OZFM team were so great. I knew one day, I’d be here. I felt it.”
There’s another connection. Mitchel has volunteered on the campaign trail with Steve Kent in the past. Kent, a cruiser team alum himself, was also someone he looked up to. “It’s nice to see how a job like this can be a spring board into so many other opportunities.”
Becky gets that as well, saying that building her resume with an experience like this is gold. But more than that, she says, the next few months are about the experience of having fun and living the dream and having the best time possible. “This is going to be so much fun. I’m having an amazing time on day one! This will be the best summer ever!” says the girl with adventure in her blood, thanks to dad, Titanic explorer, Larry Daley.
Enjoy it folks! These memories will last a lifetime. Trust me, I know.