I fell into being a paramedic... I had been a back-packer for 4 years, and came home with nothing. I didn't even have enough money to buy a coffee at the airport while I waited for my Dad to meet me. It was hard moving back in with my Dad and his wife, after going where I wanted, wherever the wind blew... I had changed while I travelled around the world, I'd had experiences, met people, seen things. I came back an adult, different... it was hard to find my place here.
I worked a couple of different jobs, went out with friends, met a guy, married. Followed him and his job interstate. But I couldn't settle. I was lonely. We got a dog and it helped. But when my hubby was away, I felt sad, depressed. I had no sense of belonging, self worth. I wanted to connect, be a part of something. I wanted to matter to someone. I gave up on my marriage and left it behind.. (with a fabulous bright yellow casserole dish which I have never seen since!)
I started again. Not alone now, with a dog. I answered a few ads for jobs in the Saturday papers, (thats how things were done back then!) and as fate would have it, I went for two aptitude tests on the same day. The morning test was for a large international company that planned on opening a casino, right in the centre of town. I had grand visions of 'high rollers' and croupiers and had a applied on the off chance of getting a gig. One of my friends had started 'stripping' to pay her rent, and another worked in the 'typing pool' as she called it. (She was a 'tranny' and the 'pool' was a brothel.. but it was the 90's!) I had no talents in either of these 'crafts' and had to turn my attentions to more mainstream jobs.
The second test, the same afternoon, was for the ambulance service. There were hundreds, and hundreds of people there. I later heard that 3000 people sat that test, that year! I didn't feel nervous sitting the test. Most of the questions were the same as the morning, so it was easy for me to whip right through it. I answered every question with 8 minutes to spare. I felt good about it when I left, but I had no idea what my future was going to be.
It took about 2 weeks before I received the letter to say that I didn't get a high enough score to become a croupier in the fabulous, stupendous, most dazzling casino in the southern hemisphere. I wasn't heart broken. I had an ignorant optomism back then about life and windows and fate. I waited to hear from the ambulance service. I got a job at a high profile tourist place, even got to be a 'manager' when she went away. I also got 'head hunted' by a local sporting shop, who I had enjoyed hanging out with in my spare time. They offered me more work and training... how could I say no????
So after 3 months of working and playing I finally got a letter saying, 'Congratulations- you are going to be one of newest paramedics!' It was hard to believe. I sat the test for 2 jobs on the same day, but I didn't get a high enough score to be a card shuffler. Instead I was to become a PARAMEDIC!!!! I knew from that day, that I would retire in this job!
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