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!!!!