Telecommuting Didn't Work Out For One Transplanted Worker

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

This summer, we're also focusing on the high rate of youth unemployment and hearing what some out-of-work younger adults are doing to make ends meet. Christina Gastlelum is 32. She recently moved to Maine from New York City. She tried to keep doing her job as vice president of a nonprofit remotely which did not work out.

CHRISTINA GASTLELUM: That was not an ideal working situation for that particular job. So at the end of March, we broke up. While I'm collecting unemployment, it really isn't enough money to survive or even pay my mortgage at all. So I am renting out rooms in my house via Airbnb rather than having a full-time roommate.

Last time I was between jobs, I got a license and got trained to drive a pedicab which is a tricycle that has seats in the back for customers. It is a really fun, very hard job. I'm also looking to do some part-time yoga teaching. Another thing I'm doing is - a friend of mine owns a company, and I'm going to make some branded dresses for her.

You know, this life is - in a lot of ways it's scarier because I don't have - I don't have a paycheck. I don't know what my cash flow is in a couple of months from now. I'm hoping that by winter, one of these things that I'm kind of dabbling in will come to the fore as the thing that I really want to dedicate my time to.

INSKEEP: That is Christina Gastlelum in South Portland, Maine. We'll hear from more unemployed younger people hustling odd jobs in the weeks to come. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.