Over 4,000 Hits - Wow!

I can't believe that this blog seems to be so well-read. I really started this for my family & friends to read & keep tabs on my life. In fact, I get a weekly response from my grandpa after every new note-worthy blogpost.

I write assuming that you know me. I don't normally explain the little things. BUT - my friend Owen linked my blog on the Alaskan Teacher Placement site and so I think I have a few people who don't know me checking out my site.

So I've decided to explain and elaborate on some things:

*I decided to move to Alaska after being pink slipped in California. It started out as a joke by the school secretary (it's all your fault Nell!!) and another teacher (Mr. Douglas - that's you!!!!) but I decided to go for it. I went to a job fair in Anchorage and interviewed with my current district. Then I got my job back in California. I actually had to choose between staying and leaving. I chose to leave and come to the bush.

*I am a girly-girl. My students call it being "Miss Perfect". I don't really like the outdoors...I don't like to camp & I've never fished. I don't like my fingernails dirty and I don't like it when I get scuff marks on my shoes. Okay, so I had to get over the shoe thing, but I was told you really need to be outdoorsy to make it out here....and that's not true...sure, you'd have more fun doing more activities, but you can still make it out here even if you don't.

*I can't cook. I thought I would have to learn how to cook when I moved out here. And I learned how to make one new thing out here. The rest was my normal meals, minus pizza and fast food. But I really can't cook - I set fire to my kitchen in my old apartment and since then, I've been pretty freaked out.

*I never really had to put my foot down professionally. I tended to go with the flow and just suck it up. I hate confrontations and would try to avoid them. But out here, I actually made a stink about something and refused to do something I didn't think was fair. And I didn't have to. I never in a million years thought I would/could ever do something like that.

*I don't consider myself brave. I don't feel that my choice coming out here was brave. Adventurous, yes....and that's what I wanted in my life. Some adventure, which I got!! I do think I am and I strive to be strong. Sure, I have moments of weakness, but I think in order to make it out here and do well, it does require a certain amount of strength. And you need to be flexible...the power goes out (and sometimes the water) and you have to make life work. I just come back to that book, you have to Keep Going.

*I am a total movie buff. I love movie trivia. Not that being a movie buff has anything whatsoever to do with living in rural Alaska but I just thought I'd throw it out there. I got a movie trivia game for the wii and I'm awesome at it.

*I don't freak out about shopping for food here. Not since I discovered Swanson's in Bethel. You call them and talk to a nice lady and give her your list. It's not as fantastic as picking out your own stuff but you pay $30 to ship it and it's there by the end of the day most of the time. I shop at Sam's Club for bulk when I'm in Anchorage and yes, I pay the 49% shipping fee because I don't want to box the stuff up myself and take it to the post office. I'm just lazy like that and I can live with myself and get a good night's sleep just paying someone else to do that. I ship Walmart COD because if your order is lost or damaged, you don't have to pay for it.

*I save money living up here. Even when I shop online. Living in the Bay Area was more expensive than living up here. And I still shop and buy stuff online when I want to.

*Full Circle Farms did not work for me. Full Circle is a service that ships fresh organic produce to the bush. Well, I struggle to eat healthy....and it was too much produce. I was getting a box once every two weeks and I am just not someone who eats that much produce. So now I just order a bag of this or a bunch of that from Swanson's and it works much better for me.

*I have two kitties. Both of them are rescue kitties - one I got as a four week old kitten, whose mom was feral. The other one was totally feral that I tamed from my backyard. Lola & Daisy - they traveled with me from California. My roommate doesn't care for Lola because she's kinda a pest. I get that....if I didn't bottle feed her when she was no bigger than my hand maybe I wouldn't care for her antics. Daisy just lies around but she's not terribly friendly. She just wants to be left alone and would rather you ignore her. But I had better give her attention when she wants it or there's heck to pay!

*I am totally about the kids as a teacher. I have always loved my kids and the kids in Akiak are no different. It is harder to teach here than in California but my class was eager to learn and were wonderful to work with. And I have no doubt that next year will be awesome too. I was "warned" that I wouldn't be able to do things at grade level with my students by some "in the know" and they were totally wrong.

*I don't like asking for help. And here, I don't really have to. My friends volunteer before I have to ask. And if they find out anyone needs help, they will make it happen. Most of the time, I find people just jump in and start helping you without saying a word. People really take care of each other out here. I like that.

*I'm not quite a city girl.....but that's pretty close. I grew up in the Bay Area and lived there my whole life. I lived & taught in the same town I went to high school. I thought Benicia was a small town, but it's more a small city compared to other places I've been now.

*I don't like hot weather. Which is just another reason Akiak works so well for me. It's 46 degrees and I've got the window open.....life is good.

I hope that helps shed some light on who I am and helps you know why I react to things the way I do. This past year has been like nothing I've ever known.....and I can't wait to see what this next year brings me!!!!

Some Excitement Down By The River.....

Here is a video I took tonight of the ice breaking on the river. I had just gotten out of the shower when my roommate told me that the ice was breaking and did I want to go check it out. Of course I did! I threw on some clothes and we walked down...I wasn't sure what to expect.

Break up happens very quickly I found out. By the time we got down there, the ice was moving very quickly! By the way, the video was shot about 9:30 p.m. and we are 20 hours of daylight right now.

So many people were out watching. There was a level of excitement, even from those who had watched the river breaking up their whole lives. It was exciting and fun. All along the river bank, there were groups of people standing and watching. At one point, even a dog ran out over the ice.

But there was one scary moment. A group of hunters had gotten stranded on the other side of the river. They had their boat with them and we were watching them try to find a safe path back to the bank. The police were trying to help get them over. There was open water on one side of the bank and on the other side, but in the center of the river, the ice was still frozen over....

So in order to get back to the other side of the river, those men had to drag their boat over the ice. And we watched them. My camera could zoom in pretty close and I could make out what they were doing.

But I realized, if one of the them fell through the ice, they would be under that ice and the current would just take them down....and it hit me: right at this moment, I could watch someone die.

And then one of the hunters wive's pulls up on her four-wheeler and says, "That's my husband." I turned to look at her and that's when I realize: yep, I know the hunters. I could be watching while someone I know falls through the ice. You could tell the boat was heavy....and I couldn't take my eyes off of them. I didn't want to watch this, but I couldn't move. All I could do was pray for them.

Suddenly, I hear "Oh no!" and a woman's gasp. Thankfully, it was just a 3rd grader falling in the river on our side. He went in about knee deep and was okay. But seriously, when ever would I think it was "just" a kid falling in the water. Oh yeah, when you are watching men do something truly dangerous....

But they made it back into their boat just as the boat hit water. And then we watched them drive the boat through an opening to our side of the bank...

Whew! You know, I'm okay not watching anything like that again any time soon!

One Door Closing.....

This is the last week of my 5th year teaching......

And while I'm used to the winding down of school....getting report cards done, cleaning out desks, and the rest of the classroom, this time is a little bit more bittersweet......

Because right now, my roommate is packing up her things.....only 3 elementary teachers are coming back to Akiak.....we are getting 4 new teachers, a new principal, a new counselor, and losing our athletic director....granted he and my roommate are going to the next village, and it's not really goodbye....and even that one teacher I don't like is going too.....but it's that this year is really coming to an end....and there won't be another one with the same cast of characters....

I should be packing too really. I am moving to a new place as well. It's uber tiny.....in fact, I think my old studio in Benicia was bigger! But it's bright (now that they ripped out the old carpet!) and I should be very happy. It's across the path from my current house. I would say I'm moving 50 feet away. And I'm not sure when I have to move....they have to paint the houses and I've asked they they paint my new house first, but we'll see what happens and when that house will be ready.

I also won't have internet access at home anymore until the fall when they process internet requests for housing. So I'm hoping I can keep my key to the school so I can use the school's internet, plus, I'll need the key for summer school. And I want to re-organze my classroom this summer. So I'll need to be at the school quite a bit. I've sent out an e-mail, let's hope someone gets back to me rather quickly...

But back to packing......yeah, my plan is to throw some stuff in a tote, carry it over to the new house & put it away, then repeat the process.....I mean, it's only 50 feet! And I may have plenty of time to move (although, is 2 weeks plenty of time???).....I've asked about when I have to move too. So we'll see what happens.....

I am getting excited...next week I'll be in Salt Lake City....then.....California...for a few days anyways....but it will be good to see everyone!

sigh....I guess I better pack the stuff I'm not using right away.....my roommate's rolling her eyes at me.....

The Student Has Become the Master.....

Okay, not really.....

Why am I up so late writing you may ask? Well! I am waiting for my Nyquil to kick in (this post may get quite interesting once it does) and I've been thinking.....

So next week is the last week of school. And then my traveling will begin...I am going to observe a school for a week in Salt Lake City, Utah for work, then I am going to California for a quick visit (the airfare was soooo cheap and it was crazy for me not to take a side trip - plus, I miss everyone!) and then it's back to Akiak to move into a different house and get ready for summer school.

But my thoughts were on those new teachers....because right now, they are going through the same thing I went through last year...what should you bring, what about shopping, and of course, what winter gear should you get....plus, all the other new household stuff that you need to know....a water filter OR a water distiller? And if you have pets, wow! those questions are nearly endless: how do I get my pet there? will my pet be safe? how will I get food/bedding/litter up there? What if my roommate doesn't like cats?

And let's not forget those questions involving bush life and your actual job!

Yessiree, I certainly know what's going through their heads right now. I don't know if any newbies read my blog, I know there are people from other countries who do...but if this is your first visit here, start at the beginning. I actually went back and read some of my earlier stuff. Man, this has been quite a year!! And it's not done yet!!!

But, since I am going to be running the summer program with my friend Owen, I will be working with the "newbies" for the same new teacher orientation that I went through last year. And I have some advice for those coming in June:

You MUST bring:
*mud boots (the taller the better!!!)
*bug spray (I had 30 bites in one week!!!)
*a sleeping mask (we are on 20 hours of daylight right now, and your house may not have curtains)
*a jacket for cooler days (but expect some warmer days too)
*other pairs of shoes (I didn't and was lucky to borrow my roommates hiking boots)
*food (shipping it up in a tote is the best way (priority will take a week, regular may take a month) but I stuffed camping food in my suitcase, but it got old really quick)
*other household items to make your two weeks easier on you - trust me it's worth it!
*a camera - you'll want to take pictures


Things to Remember:
*you will go through culture shock
*some people will try to scare you with gnarly stories...i had more gnarly stories in that one week than I did for one school year
*you will meet some amazing people
*it will be green and beautiful but you probably won't see much wildlife - I had to go to a zoo here...
*the floors in the school where you sleep at during the workshops are hard....bring something for that!
*shopping doesn't always have to be a huge stress....there's are TWO stores in Bethel that will ship food to you normally the same day....it saved me when I was waiting for my bush order, AND amazon.com will ship groceries to Alaska for free now....plus, there's Fred Meyers too. But my two favorite stores to shop at in Anchorage is the Walmart & Sam's Club (the ones at the Diamond Center) where you can do bush shipping. Go for a COD at Walmart just in case something happens to your order. But you can shop a lot cheaper than I do but I don't care, I make life easier on myself. Also, you can check totes as your luggage on a plane, coolers too. So that's another way to go too.
*the mail takes a long time...and the post office may or may not be open when it's supposed to....out of all the stores I have shipped stuff from, Old Navy is the fastest. (who knew???)

And that's just for those two weeks in June!! I haven't even begun to cover the stuff for the rest of the year!!

I still don't have all the answers and shortcuts for living out here in the bush. I don't think I took full advantage of all the activities you can do here. I'm hoping over the summer, I can get involved in more activities and hopefully visit some fish camps. I want to do more and now that I've gotten accustomed to life out here, I'm ready to try! I hope those who are need the advice found it helpful and the rest of you found it interesting....I just thought I'd throw it out there, just in case someone needed some direction.....

Let There Be Mud!!!

Sadly, spring is not a very pretty season here.....

The biggest adventure this week has been getting to and from work. It was a struggle. One day coming home from work, I tried a new path that went behind the major ponds around my house. And there was less water, true. But the snow was very slushy and my boots went in just as high as the water in the ponds. I had to work harder on that path than I did walking through the pond.

I got a ride the next morning so I wouldn't be late trying to walk ever so carefully through the ponds. But on the way home, I tried the small lake that was in front of my house. On the bottom of this lake was a sheet of ice. And you know how fond I am of walking on ice. Except now if I fell, I'd get wet all over. Which doesn't appeal to me. So I took it slowly and talked to myself (gotta keep your feet straight so you don't topple to the side....), telling myself I was doing great and I was almost there....taking it a step at a time....when my neighbor sticks his head out & tells me he wishes he had a video camera cause boy! I sure do walk funny!

So I threw in the towel. I give up trying to walk in this mess. Mother Nature - you win! So for the next couple of days, I got a ride to and from work. And life was fine. The ponds started getting smaller and the road was drying out. But I was no fool, the lake in front of my house was still there....

Earlier that day, I took my kids outside for recess. The kids were playing and having a great time. However, there was a pond by the basketball court. One of my boys and I were looking at it, when he says "It's deep." I agreed with him when one of my girls (my no-nonsense girls) shouts, "It's not deep! Watch I'll show you!" and she proceeds to stomp out to the middle of the pond and says while standing in calf-high water, "See? I told you!!!"

And the thought started gnawing at me that maybe I was being a little silly.....

And then my principal left the village with the set of car keys. Everyone had to walk. Hmmmmmm......

So I walked home. It was raining, but the road was no problem, but now it was time for the ponds....granted, it was now broken into two smaller lakes...but still pretty daunting in my book. But as I started my trek, it was just mud. Mud, mud, but the ice had melted. It wasn't bad at all! I could totally do this. I had made it past the first pond! Now, the second one should be a breeze!

And that's when a VPO (village police officer) drove by on a four-wheeler and asked me if I'd like a ride. Which I totally took....

Okay, so it was still a moral victory.....

But the next morning, I did walk through the ponds. Both of them. But the coolest thing, was there was a thin sheet of ice over the top of the ponds, so I had to break the ice to walk. I stomped, I shuffled....and all around me I could hear the ice cracking as I walked through it. The water wasn't very deep at all and it was a lot of fun.

But pretty? No, it's just shades of brown out there now.....but I think I can handle this mud stuff!