Now, hiking along the C&O canal with 12-year-olds may not have the same appeal as getting paid to whale-watch, but the appeal is in the magic of both experiences. In both roles, a sense of wonder is a must-have. It is the thing that generates interest in the job in the first place, draws others in, and
creates and validates the job’s challenges. It takes a sense of wonder on my part to keep exploring and learning, as well as a sense of wonder on the part of those that I interact with to keep the jobs exciting.
In either role, uniformed or tie-dyed, one thing has been consistent: the connections. Seeing what connections people form and create is what drew me into facilitation back in 2012 at Florida Gulf Coast University, and it is what encouraged me to pursue a Certified Interpretive Guide course through the National Association of Interpretation. That brief fascination with the world of coastal geology was sparked, again, by a love of making connections—in that case, bringing elements of coastal pasts to explain their presents. This spark was almost immediately dwarfed by my realization that I much preferred leading guided hikes through waist-high water in South Florida Cypress domes over spending hours analyzing sands under a microscope.
Both jobs have definitely had their downsides, but their benefits far outweigh their detriments. There is always the occasional park guest who makes a ranger question society. There is always that middle school student who makes an educator wonder about the future of society. But for each of those, there are the innumerable more who not only ignite the spark of excitement in learning about a new subject, but also whose curiosity serves as the fuel for my own. I wouldn’t know half of the things that I know had I not had to teach them to someone else along the way. Seeing the excitement to learn is no different, regardless of where it comes from.
Having an adult stand with their feet wide apart to illustrate a lighthouse’s intentional buttressed design for stability and seeing the knowledge click into place like an old friend at a social gathering is equally as rewarding as watching an 11-year-old get wide-eyed at the notion that the one mile of their summer backpacking experience ties into the 2,190.9-mile experience of Appalachian Trail through-hikers. They are different types of excitement, but the common thread is the lightbulb that goes off when a new piece of information finds its home. It is these lights that continue to draw me to the work that I do.
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'Hiking along the C&O canal with 12-year-olds may not have the same appeal as getting paid to whale-watch, but the appeal is in the magic of both experiences. In both roles, a sense of wonder is a must-have.'