What is your ultimate dream job? Getting paid to travel the world? Running a bookshop on a tropical island? Spreading positivity? Or anything that gets you out of the office? We caught up with three people who landed their dream job in 2019 to find out what the dream actually looks like in reality. Spoiler: it’s pretty sweet.
Chrissy
Chrissy Ryan had been working in London as a communications director for an independent publishing house when she came across a article that took her halfway around the world for her dream job. The piece described how Ultimate Library works alongside the five-star Soneva Fushi resort in the Maldives to create a pop-up bookshop. They were seeking a ‘Barefoot Bookseller’ to run the shop for six months in this luxury resort.
“A friend sent me the link to the article, saying she thought of me as soon as she saw it and I knew I had to apply,” says Chrissy, who describes herself as a driven person with an adventurous side. She had the right experience and personality for island life and began her role as the Barefoot Bookseller in November, with her daily commute consisting of a two-minute bike ride through a tropical jungle. Her days are filled with engaging conversations with guests about books, writing blog posts, hosting creative writing classes, and curating libraries for other Ultimate Library bookshops in the Maldives.
However, she’s not confined to the bookshop. Chrissy’s work also takes her around the island. “After lunch, I go to the children’s club – a magnificent ‘tree house’ in the jungle – to read stories to the children. I have a couple of hours off in the afternoon so I might swim, snorkel, read on the beach, do some yoga, or go scuba diving,” she shares. In the evenings, she returns to the bookshop and sometimes hosts sunset dolphin cruises or introduces films at the island’s cinema under the stars. After work, Chrissy might join a cocktail party, meet friends for dinner, or curl up with a book.
Her dream experience is temporary, as Ultimate Library will seek a new Barefoot Bookseller in May for 2020, marking the end of Chrissy’s placement. She plans to return to London but remains open-minded about future opportunities. “If you’d asked me six months ago where I’d be now, I never would have thought I’d be living on a remote island in the Maldives. For now, I’m taking each day as it comes and enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Harry
Harry McNulty, a rugby player from Ireland, beat 37,000 applicants to take part in Royal Caribbean‘s “shore explorer apprenticeship.” He spent three weeks traveling the globe to test and document land-based experiences and was compensated £6000 for his efforts. “I was sent the application from my aunt Siobhán who messaged me saying, ‘you are perfect for this.’ I thought what is there to lose?” he recounts. Fortunately for Harry, the travel dates coincided with a gap in his rugby season.
All transfers, meals, and accommodation were covered. His enriching experiences included a cruise to Paris and Bruges on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, exploring Alaska’s glaciers, touring Osaka, and riding the world’s longest zipline. “No two days were the same,” Harry states. “Dog sledding on top of a glacier in Alaska, temple hopping in Japan, dune buggy bashing in Dubai.”
“Every day had an activity scheduled. I would be collected from the hotel by a tour operator and head to the meet point. In Japan and Norway, I had private transport or a tour guide due to language barriers or time constraints. It was then up to me to engage with each activity while capturing incredible content along the way.”
Now that the apprenticeship has concluded, Harry has returned to playing full-time professional Rugby Sevens for the Irish national team. Currently in Dubai ahead of the first game of the season, he is still contemplating ways to travel and document his adventures. “Being able to be on the ground exploring new cultures, food, sights – life,” he reflects on his goals. “Showcasing to people what is happening in the world.”
Queena
Queena Bergen from Franklin, New Jersey, made the bold decision to quit her stable job as a software engineer earlier this year to follow her passion as a professional poet and public speaker. She took the leap by entering a contest from sustainable clothing brand PrAna, which invited applicants to submit a short video explaining their current jobs and how $100,000 would allow them to pursue their dreams. Queena emerged as the winner, securing the funding merely by pitching her dream job.
“I’ve been writing and performing for over 10 years with limited financial success, so entering this competition was a no-brainer,” says Queena. With the support from PrAna, the poet plans to embark on a cross-country tour, merging technology with her passion for poetry to create a uniquely engaging experience for her audience. “I want my audience to feel valued and inspired, to help them develop the tools necessary for achieving their dreams,” she expresses.
Queena advises anyone feeling stuck in their career to reflect on their desires and to be prepared to work for their aspirations. “Try, fail, succeed, and even change your mind. There’s no blueprint for success; ideas evolve as you shape them. Choose something, anything, and commit to it. Nothing changes if nothing changes,” she asserts.
Looking ahead to 2020, Queena aspires to share her message in various cities like Los Angeles, Hawaii, or even New York, but she is also eager to travel wherever opportunities lead her to inspire others. “I cherish it when people hear my pieces, but it is truly a profound compliment when someone tells me they resonate with my message,” she concludes.
This article was first published Dec 7, 2019 and updated Jan 27, 2020.
