// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: European Au Pair

Hi! I'm Alex and I blog over at Her Wonderful Adventure.  I have been many things in my life: foster kid, ghost story enthusiast, and teacher -- but one of the coolest things I can say about myself is that I spent a year abroad in Sweden as an au pair. 

What an au pair actually does can vary from country to country and household to household.  The sky is usually the limit on where you decide to go, but the basic idea is the same; to help a family with their children and home, usually including teaching the children conversational English.  The term 'nanny' isn't quite accurate; actually the word 'au pair' is loosely translated as 'equal' meaning that the worker is treated as family and not a servant or housekeeper.  Some au pairs just skip the paperwork and work under the table, others go through agencies.  I used a web service called Au Pair World.  (It's free!) 

I got the idea in my head while in a really bad spot in my life -- crumbling relationship, unhappy with my pointless job, taken over by wanderlust.  I saw some agency posting on Craigslist for an au pair and I was like, "What the heck is that? Travel overseas?"  I researched and ran across the site, made a profile, and started contacting families.  It only took a few months before I found my perfect match (no seriously, we skyped and there were fireworks!) and right around Christmas, I made my way to beautiful Sweden for the winter.  I chose Sweden because I've visited before and had friends there, as well as being a little obsessed with the language and culture.  It's the land of the Vikings, of course!!

To be perfectly frank, the first month was ran on pure adrenaline and nerves.  I had never quite been a family member before, only the awkward foster kid, and I was unfamiliar with how families worked.   I did have a ton of experience with kids though, so I just ignored the terrifying feeling of being totally lost, and focused on the wonderful boys I au paired for.  They taught me Swedish relatively quickly, and their adorable broken English is probably one of my favorite things on earth!  After the two month mark things started feeling normal.  We were closer than ever.  The family and I went on outings, spent time sightseeing and showing me the culture, and having lots of 'fika' over delicious coffee while discussing the differences in our countries.  They were disgusted by things like cool-whip and flavored coffee creamer, and I was horrified at the lack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cashiers who would bag groceries for me!

The snow began to melt and the days began to get long (REALLY long...sunset at midnight, sunrise at 3am) and before I knew it this life was normal!  Riding the subway to get around, speaking Swedish to store cashiers, taking my shoes off as soon as I entered the house and lots and lots of fika.  A sweet sidenote that I feel I should mention here is that I met my current boyfriend, Henri, shortly after moving to Sweden.  I had no intention of falling in love with a dark-haired Scandinavian hunk, but it happened.  He became a part of our little family as well.  My friends and my boyfriend and my au pair family all took me on amazing adventures: overnight cruises to Finland and Estonia, a long train ride to the arctic circle, the Stockholm archipelago where we had our typical Swedish summer house. 

I was changed so much by Sweden and its culture and people.  The authentic friendships I built, and the genuine family I have over there will never leave the deepest part of my soul.  I actually recently wrote some of the ways Swedish culture itself changed me, but I will say this--no matter where you go as an au pair, you will grow and thrive immensely.  Of course part of that comes from just being away from home which is important for everyone seeking to learn more about themselves.  Another part of it comes from the courage it takes to just plop down in a foreign land where nobody speaks your language or knows the truth about your home.  It's isolating, and being isolated is a great learning experience.  And of course the job itself, caring for and looking after children, is so rewarding, exhausting, and exhilarating there are no words for it!

How to get started

If you'd like to get started on the road to adventure and finding your own overseas family, I personally recommend Au Pair World, just from my own experience.  You can also google local Au Pair agencies, just make sure you do your research on them and if possible interview some au pairs for suggestions and advice.  If you do find a family, always make sure you Skype with them first, and prepare a list of questions (What will my pay be? What chores would you like me to do?  What hours would you anticipate me working?  Can you detail an 'average' day in the household?)  Pick a country you'd like to visit and search for au pair families in that country! 

The people who are searching for au pairs need someone who is comfortable with kids, comfortable with cohabiting in their home, ready and willing to possibly learn a new language and teach each other their own unique culture.  And good au pairs are people who are creative, adventurous, and want something a lot more unique than just a nanny job or a babysitting night every so often. 

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Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!

// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: Social Worker

Hey all! My name is Allyson. I blog over at Allyson Wonderland Photography, but my full time job is as a social worker working with older adults. You won't find me blogging about my full time job since I'm bound by privacy laws from talking about my clients, but don't worry, there is still plenty to talk about! 

How I got into social work
& working with older adults 

My love for older adults started almost immediately after birth. My grandparents were 70 when I was born, and I loved spending time with them all throughout my childhood. I didn't realize that not everyone had a close relationship with their grandparents or that not all grandparents were as old as mine. Working with older adults always felt natural to me because it was familiar. 

In hindsight, I think my career really started with my high school job as a nursing assistant in a nursing home. For those of you not familiar with the health care field, that means I got to do fun things like help older adults get dressed, give them baths, and yes, even help them in the bathroom. At the time, it was the best paying job there was in my little town, and to be honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into!

What I didn't realize until later in life was how much working with people so closely really changed me. It takes a lot of humility to literally get pooped on from time to time. I quickly learned that for as difficult as it was for me to do those tasks, it was just as hard for the residents -- they had to trust me to provide for their most basic needs, ask for help with things they used to be able to do on their own, and let go of the privacy they had come to expect earlier in life. I learned more in those 3 years than I could ever have imagined. Here's where it really changed me -- sometimes I was the only human touch, the only actual conversation a person had that day because they didn't have family to come visit them. Having people trust me with the most intimate moments of their day made me want to be a more trustworthy person, someone who improved their days instead of going through the awkward motions & getting out of there. I learned about their lives -- their passion, their former jobs, their families, their dreams, their regrets. The not-so-comfortable parts of the job faded pretty fast. 

I went off to college not realizing how much this job had impacted me. I was dead set on being a writer, so being a writing major seemed like an obvious choice. It took a year and a half of being forced to write things I didn't care about before I realized that writing was more of a hobby than a career. The more I thought about alternatives, the more I realized that I loved working with people and social work was a perfect fit. I finished my four year degree and soon after, finished my Masters in Social Work, too. Somewhere in the middle of my Master's program, I realized that I loved working with older adults. I got a scholarship and officially changed my focus to aging. I did my thesis research with older adults, which solidified my choice to work with that population. 

Before I tell you more about my actual job, I have to gush a little about how much I love working with older adults. In my experience, they tend to have a lot of sass and a low tolerance for BS, and those are two things I can get behind. One of my coworkers recently went and did a home visit with an older woman who apparently said, "I live in the metallic age -- I've got silver in my hair, gold in my teeth, and lead in my ass!" 

Older adults aren't boring! 

What I actually do 

I am a care coordinator for older adults who are enrolled in health plans [think Medicare]. The purpose of my job is to help older adults stay at home for as long as possible. That means that I assess their needs, recommend and coordinate services, encourage and support informal caregivers, make sure they keep their benefits up-to-date, etc. The business side of it sounds a little boring, but much like that first job, I've seen how even a simple phone call or home visit can make someone's day. Sometimes I'm the only person who visits that person or asks/cares how they're doing. I might be the only one who will listen to their problems and help them find solutions. Sometimes a client has plenty of family involved, but they are too embarrassed to ask for help. I love being the person they can trust to help them. Don't get me wrong -- I'm no special snowflake. It's not me, it's the listening/caring/helping. Investing time in people always pays off. 

All of the warm fuzzy parts of this job are great and far outweigh the not-so-great stuff, but it wouldn't be fair to leave those parts out. There have been clients I've visited and found living in pretty terrible situations. I've had to report family members for taking advantage of the generosity of their parent/grandparent. Perhaps hardest of all is when a client really shouldn't be living independently anymore and I have to coordinate the difficult conversation that leads to them moving somewhere with more care for them. These situations SUCK, but in the end, that person is truly better for it -- not just because that helps me sleep at night, but because their needs are being met. 

How to get started

If social work interests you, I think a great first step is to volunteer. Maybe older adults aren't your thing -- volunteer at a homeless shelter or a hospital. Get a feel for the population and work that interests you and go from there. Making connections and getting experience are the best two things you can do if you plan to get a degree and get into the profession. Getting your foot in the door will not only help you feel out your passion, but will benefit you in the long run. Social work is not for the faint of heart -- it's not a great-paying field and the chance of burnout is always there, BUT it is endlessly rewarding and I love what I do.

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Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!

// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: Chocolatier

My name is Andrea Smith. I love it every time I get to say “I am a Chocolatier.” I use wonderful bulk chocolate to make creations like ganache center truffles, toffees, caramels, and shapes. It is my art. It is my passion. I learn something new about it everyday, wether it is through error or reading and experimenting. 

I have always been a fan of chocolate. I had been looking online for something when I came across a website that was selling really cute chocolates. I ordered some. When they arrived, I opened the box and was in awe. They were like little works of art. Some had little prints on them, some looked airbrushed with vibrant colors. The thought came to mind, that maybe I could do this, and make the designs into things that I enjoyed.  

I had gone to school for Special Effects Make-up. There I had learned sculpting and mold making. I did a bit of research and found out that I could use an FDA approved silicon to make molds and be able to use food product in them! From there the ideas were limitless… still are. I could make chocolates with imagery that I loved, Monsters, Tattoos, Sci-Fi, and other goofy stuff. I immediately fell in love. My goal was to make these creations in my own way, while respecting the teachings and following Chocolate Masters from all around the world.

I played Roller Derby at the time, and got injured. I was told I could not play unless I had surgery or got a brace. This brace was extremely expensive. I then offered everyone I knew a pre-ordered bag of Toffee, for a certain amount of $. I ended up getting ordered for 100 bags of toffee. I got REALLY good at making this stuff, and it tasted better every time I did it. It was a big hit, so big that I ended up winning Best Chocolate in Atlanta’s AJC.com Best of 2011. From there I couldn’t stop, I had done a lot of airbrushing in art school as well and learned it was pretty much the same, only the paint was replaced with colored cocoa butter. That made it easier for me to learn as well.  I found a job as head chocolatier and manager at a small chocolate shop in Atlanta, and worked there sharpening my skills for the last 3 years.

I have competed in 2 pastry competitions for Chocolatier of the Year against other chefs from all around the world and my placement has moved up each time! I have now moved to Nashville, TN. and just 5 weeks ago opened my own chocolate shop. Where I showcase my works of art and sell to the public. The response has been incredible. It only motivates me more to up my game and try new and exciting techniques and recipes.

Being a part of the chocolate industry is amazing, it is bigger than you would ever think. I have only to scratch the surface, but plan on making a name for Chocolate F/X real soon.  I only want to dive in more and more everyday. I cannot wait to someday travel and meet chocolatiers in France and Belgium.

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Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!

// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: Animator

Hey! I'm Angel Szafranko and I'm an animator. I've been working in the industry for almost three years now and loving it! What's an animator? What do I actually do? No I'm not a voice actor... but that would be cool. I help bring the characters on cartoons to life. I make them move. I animate them.

Growing up I always really enjoyed arts and crafts, I was obsessed with Disney and shows like; Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Gundam Wing, Escaflowne... but it never occurred to me that animation could be a job. (I always thought I'd be one of those starving gallery artists or an art teacher.) That all changed once I hit high school. I got educated in the different types of 'art' jobs out there and realized that animation was totally for me. I ended up going to a school a couple hours from home, where I studied both 2D and 3D animation for three years. Those years in school, learning and practicing animation were probably some of the most fun I've had. Being surrounded by other people who love art and animation was really great.

After school I moved out to Toronto during a time where not many studios were hiring, (especially someone with almost no work experience.) After my saved funds ran out I had to suck it up and get a joe-job (any job to pay the bills) I was stuck at a sad call centre job for a little over a year until I got my first animation job. I was so excited and nervous for that first job. After getting my foot in the door I started noticing that studios were emailing me back more and more. I got other job offers and things just kept rolling along. Currently I'm working on a (toddler) show called Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. If you have kids or babysit then you've probably seen or heard of it. Some other (more teen - adult) shows I've worked on; Ugly Americans, Brickleberry, Sidekicks, Grojband and Total Drama Island.

One of my biggest successes was actually getting that first job. I had help, and there is nothing wrong with that! But that first job was just what I needed at the right time. (because I was about to give up) I needed to see what a studio was like. I needed to see what it was like to actually work and get paid for what I went to school for. It was amazing. I also love seeing my name in the end credits. It's something I always look forward to, even though I know not a lot of people watch credits... I still really like looking. In a lot of shows now I can find the names of people I've worked with before. And that is pretty cool too.

One of the obstacles I had to over come were other peoples criticism. Telling me that I'll never get hired because I'm not good enough, that animation isn't a 'real' job and I should go back to school. I'm not kidding, people told me this. I had a huge loan from going to school for three years and people were telling me to go back. That is crazy! A couple months after I graduated even my parents started asking me when I was going back to school. Luckily I didn't listen to them (Ha!) and I had support from my boyfriend (who is also an animator) and a bunch of good friends. They got me through those tough times. And in the end it worked out. My parents in their own way apologized and are happy (for now) that I am happy and working.

A typical day as an animator is different from job to job. Some jobs I get to work from home, so my day starts off with me being lazy and spending half the day in my pajamas. Working from home comes with its pros and cons like; I can do stuff during the day (banking or appointments) and make it up later. But you miss interacting with people face to face, and sometimes you get a little crazy never leaving your house. Haha. Other jobs require that you come into a studio to work. Sometimes you get a desk, sometimes it's a cubical. Every place is different. Right now I work in a studio. I come into work for 9 - 5, I get in. Check what shots need to be done and get to work. Some days I have to do revisions, like maybe something moves too fast and I have to slow it down or the boss wants me to change something in the shot. No matter how good you are you will always get revisions. Some weeks I will need to do a week's worth of work while doing last week's revisions. This is normal. 

Also an animators job is never steady. Sometimes you can go weeks or months between jobs. You can get contracted anywhere from a week to two years. I've had a couple jobs where my contract was only a few months. It's fun but also stressful sometimes. Its exciting to be working on a new job but then after a few weeks you start stressing about trying to find the next job. It's not always fun. Personally I like the jobs where I am contracted for about a year. That way I can get settled in, get comfortable with what I'm doing and maybe even save some money!

Are you interested in animation? Maybe animator isn't for you but you love cartoons... well, did you know there are a lot of other job titles that help make a cartoon? Maybe you'd be interested in being a; storyboard artist, character designer, background painter, layout artist or effects artist? Those are just a few that I could think of, off the top of my head. That doesn't include 3D cartoons. 3D cartoons also need; modellers, riggers, texture artists, lighting artists, scripters etc. There are a lot of jobs within animation that are still very unknown to the general public but it's getting better!

If you're in high school and are interested in animation I suggest you talk to your guidance counselor and/or art teachers to get more information on the subject. If you are thinking of applying to an animation school they can help you make up a portfolio. Almost all animation schools, classes, courses will require you to submit a portfolio to get accepted. From what I remember, my portfolio had; some character designs, character rotations, character pose sheet, a couple of perspective drawings, some life drawings, hand and feet studies and some personal art. They shouldn't be asking you to submit any animation since that's what you're going to school for. But they will want to see your drawing ability. Even if you're going to specialize in 3D animation they still want to see some drawings from you.

If you're just interested in learning more on your own, (because you don't need to go to school to get a job in animation. I actually know a few people who never finished and got hired in their 2nd year in school.) and if you want more information I highly suggest getting the 'The Animator's Survival Kit' by Richard Williams. It's an amazing book that teaches you all about the basic principals of animation. It has all the lessons I learned in my first year too. This is a great book for animators of any level, I still look back at this book and take something away from it every time I open it up.

Some resources to check out: behind the scenes of Grojband - see how we work! // my final 2D film - my 3D film was so bad... no one will ever see it again! // a very cool site/blog with lots of pencil test animations, character sheets, etc. // a great blog that talks about some of the first animators and working for Disney // section of my blog where I post about each job with extra info and photos // and some of my older 2D assignments from when I first started my blog.

Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!

// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: Indie Podcast Producer + Host

 

Hey! My name is Kristen and I live in New Jersey, where I do hair, walk my dog, smush my cat, smooch my man and host a book club podcast called Book Club Shmook Club. So right off the bat, I'm going to explain what a podcast is for those who don't know, as I didn't not so long ago- I've gotten a lot of "I feel like I've heard that word before but I don't know what it means" type-stares when I've mentioned it to people.  A podcast is basically a talk radio show that can be downloaded and listened to over the internet, on your computer while you're working or cleaning the kitchen or on your phone while you're driving or working out.  I love listening to them because they can take things you do in daily life from feeling blah to being like "Oh sweet, I forgot I have that thing about going undercover at a Satanic mass to listen to while I fold the laundry!"  

There are a billion of them to choose from on a billion different topics that you can search for, some of them being established and funded by advertisers and some of them being self-produced labors of love.  My rad gig is a self-produced book club podcast called Book Club Shmook Club where every two weeks, my brother Will and I discuss a book we've just read, go off topic a ton and invite listeners to read along with us.

I started getting interested in doing some sort of podcast because of my brother.  We were both born with the gift of gab, which is a nice way of describing an inability to shut up, and he'd been using his for a couple years on his own podcast with our friend Bobby called Will and Bobby Know Everything.  They talk about what's going on with them and it just works because they're funny weirdos who are charismatic and fun to listen to, like you're hanging out with the friends you're stoked to run into every once in a while.  I'd been a guest on the show a couple of times and always had a good time, and Will had started encouraging me to do my own podcast.  I liked the idea but kind of blew it off because of all those naggy questions we sometimes ask ourselves that keep us from trying something new- what would I talk about?  How would I find the time to do it?  What if no one even listens?  But eventually it just came about naturally, and those questions didn't really matter.  

Will and I were always super into The Shining, the Stephen King book and the Stanley Kubrick movie, and when the book's sequel Dr. Sleep was being released 36 years later, we were all about it.  We originally talked about kind of "book club-ing it" on WBKE, and calling the segment Book Club Shmook Club.  But somehow the talk spun off into starting a separate podcast just about books.  I think the fact that there would be a solid thing to talk about each time made the idea of doing a podcast appealing to me in a new way, as well as the mellow recording schedule.  Since we wanted people to be able to take their time reading the books- and let's be real, let us take our time- we decided we'd try putting the show out every 2 weeks, with a heads-up at the end of each episode about what we're going to be reading next.  We started with a short intro episode introducing ourselves and letting people know we'd be reading Dr. Sleep and when to have it finished by if they'd like to follow along, and we've been blowing through book talks and tangents about our neighbors or our jobs or David Copperfield's hair (that's the REAL magic) ever since.  

Doing the podcast is great because I've always loved to read but I also love to mainline shows on Netflix or click around aimlessly online, and my book consumption had been all the worse for it. Doing the podcast gives me a concrete motivation to make sure I read at least some things on a screen that isn't backlit (this is a lie, I mostly use a Kindle) and punctuated by celebrity pictures. It's also been good to engage with what I'm reading a lot more, taking notes and keeping track of themes or patterns that pop up in a way that I might not without knowing that I'm going to be talking about them into a microphone.  And of course, it's nice to being doing something creative with my brother and our friend- Will, Bobby and I have formed a podcast network called WB2045, a jokey "cult" we've formed to promote each other's projects.  

I was very lucky to be able to start this with loads of help and motivation from somebody who had already been doing it for a long time, and while I'm trying to learn about the more technical side of things, Will still takes care of most of it.  I will say that while the idea seemed hugely intimidating when we started but broken down into smaller parts, it's entirely doable if podcasting is something you're interested in.

I think it's best to start pretty simply and make sure that this is something you want to do long-term, because advanced equipment can get really costly. You can download the recording program Audacity onto your PC or Mac and record directly into that.  Once that's done and saved, you need a service to host your podcast, and as there's no free, YouTube-like site for this,this is where an amount of money comes in.  We use the site Libsyn where you can pay as little as $15, but we go with the $20 option because you get more room to upload shows as well as advanced statistics that show you how many people are listening, where they've clicked over from, where downloads are coming from geographically, etc. Libsyn also gets the show from your work to other people's ears by adding it to as RSS feed that automatically submits it to iTunes.  You still need to make a show page...then promote that puppy!  Post about it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Friendster, whatever social media you use.  I personally try to write a different little blurb every time and not overdo it with constant promotion, because I feel like it starts to look like spam that people just scan by.

But I'd say the most important thing to do is find something you're passionate about, that you can talk about at length and get fired up over.  I know that the podcasts I most like listening to are the ones where you can tell that the people talking are really having a good time, you can practically feel their eyes getting big and see them talking with their hands.  Enthusiasm is infectious and if you have enthusiasm for something, chances are good that there are others out there who'd love it if you shared it with them.  I'm having a great time sharing mine.

You can find Book Club Shmook Club HERE or by searching for it on iTunes, and if you have any questions or want to keep in touch you can find my Twitter @krissypajamas and my Instagram username is Kristenrog.  Another rad gig I have fun with is writing for xoJane, and you can see what I've done there at xojane.com/author/kristen-rogers.

And thank you so much Kaelah, for being a rad gal yourself and giving readers a window into what other chicks are doing and showing us how we can do it, too. 

Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!

// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: Quidditch Captain

Hey there! I’m Z and I consider myself to be a real-life George Weasley. That is to say, I’m a beater for my quidditch team. Muggle quidditch started about seven years ago at Middlebury College in Vermont and has been growing ever since. It’s structured exactly the same as the books, with a few key differences – players run on brooms (as opposed to flying), bludgers are dodgeballs (instead of metal balls hit with bats), and the snitch is a person dressed head-to-toe in gold who runs around with a tennis ball stuffed in a sock coming out the back of their pants. Simple, right?

A real life snitch, just about to take off at the beginning of the game!

Despite the initial complexity of learning to play, quidditch is one of the easiest and fun physical outlets I’ve ever encountered. You see, I came into my college experience a little out-of-sorts. I had moved halfway across the country to a new city and wasn’t sure how I could find a group of people to bond with. I also wanted the chance to challenge myself physically, since I never had the time to play sports in high school. Turns out, the Park Street Pulverizers found me just in time.

snarly little freshman-year me on the left, pre-game stretch on the right!

I showed up to our “combine” – a chance for everyone to play be scouted by each of our six intramural teams – with high expectations. I had wanted to play quidditch since I had heard it discussed at my college tour and hoped it would click. It’s still hard to describe what I felt the first time I was given a dodgeball and instructed to throw it at opponents as they charged down the field. I had never been coordinated or graceful on any sort of sports stage…until there was a broom between my legs. I beat my little heart out that afternoon and left sweaty, dirty, and with a smile on my face.

After that first day, I was drafted to the Pulverizers, or the “Pulvies” for short. My freshman year of college is defined by my quidditch companions. We raised money to go Vermont to play in a fundraising event, held a carnival (Pulvie-palooza) in our school’s basement, and eventually went on to win the Griffith Cup, our intramural trophy. But more than anything, I made connections. As these things go, tackling strangers to the ground usually turns them into your best friends. (Granted, this has only been proven true in a quidditch context – don’t take my word for the rest of the world.)

I’m now in my third year at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Each year I keep playing quidditch and love it more each year. My other campus organizations know not to schedule things over our practices. Everyone clears their schedules for Sunday afternoon games. Through mud, rain, tears, and laughs, we play this ridiculous sport.

Now, I live with three other Pulvies. My boyfriend is a Pulvie. This past spring, I was elected to be co-captain. I owe most of my social life to quidditch, as well as almost every friendship. If the Pulverizers hadn’t found me, I’m not sure I’d still be at Emerson. So I pay it forward wherever I can, and make sure that quidditch continues to thrive here. 

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED:

First stop shop is the IQA: International Quidditch Association. They have all the “recognized” teams from all over! Find out if there’s a team at your college or in your area. Yes, this isn’t just for college – teams like The Lost Boys (Los Angeles, California) and The NYDC Capitalists (New York and District of Columbia) are great example of community teams that are finding success! You might even go to the World Cup!

Oh, right, yeah – did I mention there’s a WORLD event for showcasing the best teams!? Complete with bracket-play and full-tackle aggression, The Quidditch World Cup was a whole weekend of madness. This year it happened in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, April 4-6^th. It was an especially awesome weekend since Emerson made it to the Final Four! Go Lions! 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Quidditch, despite its magical history, is a very intense and demanding sport, especially if played at the World Cup level. Expect to run. A lot. Expect to fall. A lot. Bruises and a bit of blood are standard. But also know that you will love your teammates more than you thought possible. (And maybe not just in a friendship way – “quincest” isn’t necessarily frowned upon.) Oh and yes, broom burn is real.

Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!