2006
7
Features
Holiday travel provides escape from winter weather
u S ache H opkins ________________
Staff Reporter
Wintertime in Oregon:
rain falls, wind blows and
the sun doesn't show its face
for at least three months.
The holiday season is the
largest travel season with
people seeking sunny
beaches, snowy ski slopes
and a cultural experiences.
During the winter vacation
travel period, long distance
travel increases by 23%. Here
is a guide to the top holiday
travel destinations: Local,
domestic and international.
For those seeking the sea:
Local destination: Cannon
Beach, Ore.
Cannon Beach is a mere
hour and a half drive from
Portland and offers the best
scenery and small town life
on the Oregon Coast. There
are nine miles of easy to walk
beach, as well as tide pools,
wildlife and the famous 235
foot tall Haystack rock. The
town of Cannon Beach offers
many art galleries, small
bookstores, restaurants and
coffee shops.
Domestic destination: Oahu,
Hawaii
Oahu offers some of
the best beaches in the
United States. Snorkeling,
surfing, sea kayaking and
just relaxing are a few of
the many activities offered.
Although it may be very
crowded, Waikiki Beach is
Oahu's most famous beach
and is worth sharing.
International destination: Costa
Rica
Costa Rica offers over
750 miles of beach on both
the Pacific and Caribbean.
Whether you are interested
in a quiet, isolated beach or
a beach with a party, your
needs will be met. Black
or dark sand beaches are
also abundant, contrasting
with the crystal blue water.
Another feature Costa Rica
offers is the diverse wildlife,
such as sea turtles and
tropical fish, as well as coral
reefs.
For those seeking the slopes:
Local destinations: Mt. Hood &
Mt. Bachelor, Ore.
Nestled in Central Oregon,
Mt. Bachelor offers an escape
from the Portland area within
driving range. Very family
friendly, there is a snow
park, as well as skiing and
snowboarding. Just minutes
from Sisters, Sunriver and
Bend, Mt. Bachelor is in an
ideal location. Mt. Hood is
an hour and a half drive from
Portland and hosts multiple
recreation areas including Ski
Bowl, Mt. Hood Meadows
and Timberline Ski Area.
Historic Timberline Lodge is
another attraction, offering
rooms ranging from bunk
rooms, so you can take your
friends, to luxurious suites.
Domestic destination: Aspen,
Colo.
Aspen provides some of
the best slopes in the country
as well as some of the
most expensive. With four
separate mountains, as well
as excellent slopes for both
intermediate and advanced
skiers, Aspen is the place to
be.
International destination:
Whistler and Blackcomb,
British Columbia, Canada
Some of the best skiing
in world is featured here,
with very advanced routes.
The quaint village also offers
cafes, restaurants and many
international stores.
For those seeking something
The glow of the Eiffel Tower lights up the Paris night sky. A
unique international holiday destination with its cozy cafes, Paris
offers numerous museums and interesting architecture.
Photo by Malia Chong
little different:
Domestic destination: New
Orleans, La.
Most would assume that
since Hurricane Katrina, New
Orleans would be off limits,
it's quite the opposite in
fact. There was an incredible
amount of water damage,
and over 80% of the city
was flooded, but now it is
recovering and locals are
eager to please tourists once
again. New Orleans is home
to endless parties, great
music and food. Crowds are
smaller and local businesses
want to cater to your needs.
International destination: Paris,
France
Paris is an international
icon and a popular holiday
destination. Featuring such
landmarks as the Louvre,
Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe
and many historical churches,
Paris offers more sights than
you can see in a year. If quiet
and secluded is your style,
then there are plenty of cafes
and bookstores to cater to
your interests.
Career Center offers help to teenage job seekers
u CHRIS GARFIELD__________________
S t a f f R e p o rte r
There are many steps to
take when applying for a
job, but most teenagers are
not aware of the protocol
that they must follow. You
may not get hired at the
first establishment you
apply to but these steps will
hopefully guide you toward
getting the job you desire.
1. Visit the desired
company that you would
like to work for and ask
to speak to the manager
and ask for an application.
When you pick up an
application, introduce
yourself, shake their hand
and look them in the eye.
When you turn in your
application, shake their
hand again.
Shaking their hand will
impress them and make you
seem more mature. Proper
etiquette is to shake a hand
firmly but don't squeeze for
too long.
2. Your resume is one
of the most important
elements of getting hired.
The resume tells the
employer your school,
previous employment and
overall life history.
Attach your resume
to the application and
also bring it along to the
interview. If you're not sure
how to make a resume,
see Anne Bums, Youth
Transition Coordinator. She
will take you through the
steps of making a quality
resume that you could also
use for college applications.
Youth Transition Coordinator, Anne Bums, works at her office which is located above the library. Bums
helps students find job opportunities and also helps students revise their resumes.
Photo by Chris Garfield
3. When you turn in
your application with your
resume attached, make sure
to ask if they are hiring
anytime soon. This will
inform you of the chances
on getting hired or not.
Make sure that you
bring your Social Security
number, names, titles,
addresses and phone
numbers of at least three
people that you are going
to be using as references on
the application. Sometimes
the employer will not
provide the application to
take home but prefers you
to fill out the application at
their store or online.
4. Now that the employer
has your application and
resume, it is your job to
contact them again. Call the
establishment and ask for
the manager.
When you get hold of
them the conversation
should be something like,
"Hi, my name is [ insert
name ] and I turned in my
application a couple days
ago. I was wondering if
you have reviewed my
application and are hiring
soon?" If they say 'yes,' this
is a good sign.
Ask if you can schedule
an interview soon and it
then will be their decision
to give you an interview or
not.
Don't be discouraged if
they say they are not hiring.
Keep calling them so they
get to know your name. By
being persistent they will
remember you when they
are hiring.
If you obtain an
interview, there are steps
that need to be taken before
and during the interview.
1. Many people think that
overdressing will turn off
the interviewer but there
is no such thing as looking
too suave when it comes to
an interview. The employer
will like an employee that
dresses maturely and has
good hygiene.
You are more likely to get
hired if you're wearing a
dress-up shirt and tie than if
you are wearing your skate
clothes. Also, make sure
that you are not wearing a
hat or chewing gum.
2. Make sure to
have good eye contact
throughout the interview.
The employer will not be
impressed if you are afraid
to look them in the eye.
Companies are looking
for sociable employees
and by having good eye
contact will show that you
get along with others and
may be comfortable with
strangers.
3.
During the interview,
answer all the questions
truthfully. You do not want
to be stuck in a pickle
and tell the employer one
thing you can do when
you definitely can't follow
through.
Now that you have
had the interview, stay in
contact with the employer
to find out if you have
received a position or not.
All you can do is wait for
the employer to contact
you.
Don't expect to be
contacted if they are not
interested, but don't be
discouraged. Keep trying,
it will benefit you in the
long run and remember to
shake hands, be polite, have
confidence and be yourself.
For more information,
visit www.olmis.org to
help you find jobs, choose
occupations and locate
training resources. Also,
you could visit the One
Stop Resource Center where
you can walk into their
Youth Employment Lab
which is open to all youth
every Tuesday 4 - 5 p.m. It
is located at 506 High St. in
Oregon City.