American expat in S'pore in top 16 for "best job in the world"

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/419866/1/.html

American expat in S'pore in top 16 for "best job in the world"
By 938 LIVE/ Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 03 April 2009 1348 hrs

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Islands of the Great Barrier Reef

Video

American expat in S'pore top 16 for "best job in the world"


SINGAPORE: An American expat in Singapore is one step closer to clinch what is touted as the "best job in the world".

Grey Reynen, 31, has made the final shortlist of 16 candidates. The physical education teacher was clearly overjoyed when he received the news on Friday morning.

He said: "I had like a good feeling about it, I thought I was going to get it. So I was waiting and waiting... I was getting nervous, and finally the phone rang with a plus 61 country code. I think (from) Australia!

"(The caller) went, 'Hi Greg, this is Minister from Queensland Tourism Board. Congratulations!' I said yes! Whoo!"

The contest is organised by Tourism Queensland, Australia. The six-month job involves being the caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Leong Pik Yin, marketing communications manager, Tourism Queensland, said: "They'll get to experience and explore the island in the Great Barrier Reef. They will do various types of activities, maybe like sailing, hiking, snorkling the Great Barrier Reef.

"And then they are supposed to write about it in blogs, take photos and videos, we will see how they perform in those tasks. We will also see how they interact with the locals."

The successful applicant will have to report to a global audience about his or her experiences via blogs and video diaries. The contract is worth A$150,000.

The final shortlisted applicants come from 15 different countries, comprising 10 men and six women, and include students, journalists, TV presenters and an actress.

Mr Reynen thinks everyone will stand a good chance. He said: "It's going to be a cool group of people. I've looked through the list online and some of them I figured would be in, and I'm excited to meet them.

"Some people have lots of experience in blogging. Other people have TV experience, all with different kinds of travel experiences... So, you never know who's got the best chance."

As part of his preparation, Mr Reynen will be starting his own blog soon.

Fulfilling an earlier promise should he make it to the final stage of the contest, he will he shaving his head and painting the colours of the Singapore flag on it on Friday. He will then run down Orchard Road in his flippers and snorkel.

The winner will be announced on May 6.

- 938LIVE/CNA/yt/vm

 

[red amoeba]

i will vote for the taiwanese girl but not for the stupid FT.

 

[ahleebabasingaporethief]

Singapore TV news spin it under these words,,,"Singapore Teacher" has made it blah blah....really ccb scrapping bottom of barrel news leeporters we have in S'pore.

They also interviewed the S'pore based MKTG. company for this competition. It was an SPG or looked like SPG on TV. She said..balah blah blah........but looked si beh like SPG......so no surprise ang=mo based here was chosen.

Now luck I came into this forum and saw the proper headings that teacher is an expat. When they interviewed him on TV, I said how can this angmo teacher be a Singapore teacher? CCB...SPIN SPIN SPIN....

Never believe our NEWS or our Ministars. NEVER EVER!

 

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http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_358210.html?vgnmr=1

S'pore resident a finalist
By Felicia Wong

Aptly describing himself as 'gregarious and personable', Mr Reynen told straitstimes.com on Friday morning that he first heard of the contest through a colleague who suggested he give it a shot. -- PHOTO: ISLANDREEFJOB.COM

AMERICAN Greg Reynen, a physical education teacher at the Singapore American School (SAS), has been shortlisted as one of 16 hopefuls vying for 'The Best Job in the World' - the role as an island caretaker at Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Hours before the finalists were announced, Mr Reynen had a fitful night, dreaming that he had missed a phone call. He didn't, as he picked up the call prefixed with '+61', Australia's country code, at 6.45am on Friday.

The estastic 31-year-old said he was 'really excited' and immediately called his mother and sister to share the good news, but not before his sister hung up on him, thinking he was a telemarketer, he said with a laugh.

His colleagues and students were also told of the good news when the school announced it during its assembly on Friday morning.

Aptly describing himself as 'gregarious and personable', Mr Reynen told straitstimes.com on Friday morning that he first heard of the contest through a colleague who suggested he give it a shot. A week later, he decided 'on the spur of the moment' to apply for the role.

Helped by a filmmaker friend, his video submission showcased his antics, including running through a crowded MRT train dressed in a wetsuit and flippers, and careening down a path in a park while sitting on a tiny skateboard.

Mr Reynen grew up on a small farm in Minnesota where the closest town was a community of just 250 people. 'Singapore is very different,' he said, compared to the 'very cold winters' Minnesota has to endure.

Observing the crowds on Orchard Road when he first arrived, Mr Reynen said he did a check on population density and found that Singapore was 'easily 15 to 20 times denser' than even the biggest city around the area he grew up in.

A semester spent as a translator in Spain during his undergraduate years sparked the wanderlust in Mr Reynen and took him all over Europe. Since arriving in Singapore four years ago, he has travelled extensively in Southeast Asia, rattling off India, Bali and Thailand as some of the highlights of his regional trips. He said Singapore 'feels like home' and that its geographical location is 'awesome for travel'.

Mr Reynan taught Spanish in a high school while he was in the US and was told that he had a gift for teaching. Seeking to combine his love for travel with his love for teaching, he attended a job fair seeking international teachers and ultimately landed a job with the Singapore American School. He now teaches physical education in middle school, working with 11 to 13 year olds.

Travel, mountain biking and rock-climbing are some of Mr Reynen's favourite past times. 'You know, if you don't get hurt a little, you probably didn't try hard enough,' he said in jest about his knack for adventure.


'Will go with the flow'

Mr Reynen will travel to Queensland for interviews slated for May 3 to 6, and he intends to 'go with the flow'. He plans to be there earlier so he can explore Queensland's islands.

Asked about his chances of landing the Best Job in the World, Mr Reynen quipped 'one in 16!'.

'It's going to be an awesome experience to meet the others,' he said. 'Everyone's from various backgrounds, from different countries, and we can swap travel stories,' the affable American enthused, adding that this was 'not meant to be a trip to size up the competition'.

'I'm up for anything, personable and I like to explore stuff,' he said. 'And I love to try new things'. Mr Reynen also feels that, as a teacher, he is 'pretty good at telling people about stuff' and would be in a good position to educate visitors about the Great Barrier Reef.

While it may be too early to determine if he would clinch the coveted spot, lots of friends and family are already dreaming about visiting him at the island paradise.

But he has a promise to make good first. He said in a previous media interview that he would shave off his scraggy locks if he gets shortlisted.

Living up to his claim that he's 'up for anything', Mr Reynen will run down Ochard Road at 5 pm on Friday in the wetsuit-and-flippers get-up that he donned in his video submission, before shaving his head and having a Singapore flag painted on his head.

Way to go!


16 FINALISTS NAMED
SYDNEY - AN AMERICAN who lives in Singapore is among the 16 finalists announced on Friday for what's been dubbed the 'Best Job in the World' - a A$150,000 (S$160,000) contract to serve as the caretaker of a tropical Australian island.
Greg Reynen, 31, a physical education teacher at the Singapore American School, was shortlisted because he 'impressed us with his passion and enthusiasm, which were on show when he donned his flippers and goggles and paraded around central Singapore as part of a media stunt to promote his application,' said the organisers on their website.

Some of the finalists screamed, a few swore and one man from Ireland downed a Victoria Bitter, a popular Australian beer, upon learning they were one step closer to snagging the dream gig - a six-month assignment to swim, explore and relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef while writing a blog to promote the area.

'The Europeans have been partying all night,' Tourism Queensland CEO Anthony Hayes said of the finalists from France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom who received the good news on Thursday night.

'I can't think of many more fun mornings that I've had at work lately.'

Nearly 35,000 people from across the world applied for the job, and officials initially planned to select 10 finalists, in addition to a 'wild card' candidate previously chosen by the public.

But Mr Hayes decided to expand the short-list to 15 'mostly to stop my staff from killing each other,' he said with a laugh. 'We just couldn't get to 10.' All 16 hopefuls will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for formal interviews.

The job is part of a AU$1.7 million campaign to publicize the charms of northeastern Queensland, and Hayes said it has already generated more than AU$100 million worth of publicity for the region.

The winner will be announced on May 6, with the job set to begin July 1. -- AP