Nothing sweeter than summer time and American honey...

As I type this I am sitting at a pretty little round table with a red flowered table cloth and colorful place mats.   I’m surrounded by a neat quaint little kitchen complete with a grocery list and calendar for future events.  Behind me sits my washer and dryer which have yet to be run…   A little bit further is my turquoise living room where I’ve been sitting doing most of my reading, movie watching, and Skyping.  Down the hall, take a step up, and to your right is my green bathroom, complete with a frog toothbrush holder.  At the end of my hallway is my little bedroom which is just big enough for little old me.  It’s outfitted with pink and black and soon a bit of zebra flair. 

Getting here was an adventure… as you figured out in my last post.  Being here was also a feat in itself.  I moved in to the apartment and began to make it my own on July 26^th.  There were several kids here to greet me so I was able to use their extra hands to help with cleaning out the stuff from the teacher before me.   

So far I’ve not had too much time or chance to go through my classroom.  It’s quite nice in size though, which 2 whiteboards and 1 Smartboard.  There’s also a fridge, kidney table, and kids things.  I can’t go through the room and make it my own just yet because most of what is in it right now is actually the 2^nd grade teacher that is moving into the room next door.  What I do know is that it has a view directly to my apartment.  I literally walk 20 yards and I’m home.

Since being here I’ve been setting up the apartment, going in and out of the school, reading up on some of the curriculum, and meeting the towns people.  The children around here seem excited to meet the new teacher, and can definitely tell that I’m not from around here.    Every person I’ve met has said hello and then asked what grade I am teaching.  Guess I stick out like a sore thumb.

There are a few things that keep catching me off guard.  The ground itself around here isn’t exactly stable.  The town is actually on wetland, which means if I step in the wrong spot I might be going under.  Instead of roads or sidewalks we have dirt paths and boardwalks.  All of the buildings here sit on stilts because of permafrost.  There are almost no working cars around here, so most people use bikes, 4 wheelers, and snowmobiles.   The thing that strikes me as strange is how much the children spit.  I found out that it’s because they are chewing tobacco that is specially made so that the pH level is changed.   Kids will be spitting regardless of whether they have the tobacco or not… which still catches me by surprise.

So far… I’ve had dinner with the principal and her husband, aka: my next door neighbors.   This will definitely be an interesting year.  I’m looking forward to what has yet to come. 

She grew up in an Indiana town...

This is another long post.  This is your warning. 

Trip to Atmautlauk

1.  1st flight....
My trip started in Chicago at the O'hare Airport.  Getting checked in was quite the process, because I was hauling around 2 MASSIVE suitcases and sent to 3 different stations.  Thankfully there was a kind worker behind the desk who gave me a break because I was flying out to Alaska to teach.  God bless good Samaritans.   Then when I went through airport screening, I was pulled out to do extra screening.  This made me laugh because I just so happened to be between 2 huge buff looking gentlemen.... Guess it's those small people you gotta watch out for. ;)   When I finally made it on to the plane I was placed by a married couple form the UK.  They were quite adorable and very friendly.  The first four hour flight went by with no turbulence and 2 diet cokes.  That's a great flight if you ask me. :)

2. 2nd flight...
My second flight was from Seattle to Anchorage.  This flight was a bit different than the first one because there were tons of children on my flight.  I LOVE kids... but red eye flights and kids don't exactly mix.  My seatmates this time was a single mother and a 2 year old.  I know what you are thinking... :/  But it wasn't too bad.  First the mom asked me if I was a teacher, which took me by surprise, and told me her name.  She's a second grade teacher in Seattle and her name is Ms. Wilson.  Small world eh?  Anyway the rest of the flight was pretty decent thanks to more diet coke and really good headphones.

3. 3rd flight...

First glimpse Alaska

Those are mountains in the distance.

My third flight was from Anchorage to Bethel.  The flight itself was not terrible at all.  It was the waiting for it that was the most terrible.  When I landed in Anchorage the temperature outside was 54 degrees and the airport was running the AC.  :/  Besides the neat decoration the airport had (this included polar bear taxidermy and Yupik artwork) the stay there was cold and long.  The flight itself was actually really nice.  I might just start flying with Alaska Airlines all the time. :)

First Alaskan sunrise at 4:00 AM

4.  Rest of the time spent traveling...

This is where things got crazy!  I got off the plane in Bethel and waited for my luggage. I waited for 20 minutes and until the beltway was turned off.  As you can probably guess... my things were left in Anchorage.  Someone didn't properly check my baggage all the way to Bethel, my last major airline flight. Thankfully the people in Bethel are the nicest people ever.  One of the women who works for my school district came out and helped my get things in order to come directly to my town.  She also drove me around Bethel, which by the way is incredibly small compared to a town like Avon.  I also met the assistant superintendent while I was in town.  It happened to be incredibly awkward since I was still wearing my sweatpants and t-shirt. :/  Thankfully everyone was understanding about my situation.   When we left the office we stopped by AC, the closest thing they had to a Walmart, and picked up a few things.  You know... food, pots & pans, and drinking water.  Then it was time for my last and final flight.

Meet the pilot of my first bush plane

That's the size of the plane I rode in.

My final flight was on a teeeeeeeny tiny airplane which was just big enough to carry 4 people and packages.  I was kind of freaked out when I first got into the plane because of how unfamiliar this process was.  When we finally got into the air, my mind was blown by how beautiful and foreign everything seemed.




5.  First time in the village...

Aerial shot of my village at the district office.

I was greeted by my principal's husband, also the school's 4th/5th grade teacher, who took me to the school on the back of a 4 wheeler.  That was the first sign that things would be completely different here than what I've been used to.  At the school, I was greeted by town's children, my principal, and my new apartment.

Since this has been such a long post, I will make another one soon describing my classroom, apartment, and town.   Stay tuned for more Alaskan updates.

Baby You Were Born to Run

This is post one.  I apologize ahead of time for the length.

Post one means... this is my first time writing about my move to and living in Alaska.  In case you hadn't heard by means of mouth or social networking sites, I applied for and got offered a 3/4 grade teaching position in Atmautlauk, Alaska. 

The questions I've been asked:

1.  "Are you serious?":  Yes, I'm serious about this.  I do plan on picking up and moving from Indiana and making a life in Alaska for a little while.

2.  "How'd you hear about this/ get the job?":  Before graduation I attended a job fair in Danville, Indiana.  That morning when I was getting ready I saw my binder from interviewing for student teaching and decided to bring it, even though we all know how interviewers hate stuff like that. 
      While at the job fair I noticed a booth that wasn't completely bombarded with prospective teachers.  It was for Alaska.  I decided it wouldn't hurt to introduce myself and maybe get a "practice interview".  The gentleman told me all his slots were taken... but he'd squeeze me in during his lunch break.  When I sat down he did the normal get to know me questions and asked about my experience with technology, diversity, etc.  Then he asked what was something I'd done that was exciting with 3/4 graders.  REWIND back to when I said I'd brought my binder... Junior year our class was required to come up with reading and writing lessons about sled dogs.  My kids wrote a How to Raise and Breed Sled Dogs for Dummies book!  Perfect, right?! 
       I got a call back from the district 2 days later asking for me to file a full length application.  With graduation and open-houses, I was incredibly busy... but they kept calling.  I turned in the application and within 3 days I received a phone call from the assistant superintendent.  I was the #1 candidate for the job!  A few days later I'd talked via phone and email with the principal 5 times.  Then there was silence for about a week span of time.  With 2 days left before my mission trip to Mexico and vacation to San Diego, I decided to call and ask about the status of my application.   No answer from the superintendent.  Spoke with the principal, who by the way told me I was her #1 pick!  Left a message with the HR department.  Waited 4 more hours and found a voice-mail with the official job offer!

3.   "Where is this place and where are you living?"  Above is the picture of the town I'll be living.  I've been placed in an apartment across the street from the school.  The town is itty bitty with few roads, cars, stores, etc.  Think of the Mayberry from the Andy Griffith show and think smaller.   When I get there I promise to take pictures and email my address to those who want to send care packages from the Lower 48.

4.   "When are you leaving?"  As of right now I'm looking at leaving the last week of July.  My contract requires that I am in Alaska on August 1.  I think it'd be good for me to be there at least 3 days before then to get my things ready and moved in before training.  I do not have an absolute date set out... merely because of ticket prices. $576 is the lowest one way ticket I've seen. :/

5.   "Can we hangout before you leave?"  Of course.  Unless I don't like you... but you wouldn't be reading my blog before then.  I'll keep everyone posted on my final plans for leaving and if you want to spend time before my departure feel free to message/text/fb/tweet... And who knows I might end up having a going away party for myself.  ;)

There are probably a million other questions people have... but I have already spent too long staring at my computer screen.  Again this is only post one... of many many many more to come.  I think I shall set a goal to post at least once a week while I'm actually in Alaska.

Now... as Bruce once sang, "Baby You Were Born to Run".  Time for me to wash clothes from Mexico and San Diego, as well as get ready for Independence Day.