I'll Be Home for Christmas

Winter break is finally here! As I type this, I am laying in my bed in my mom’s house and nothing has ever felt so comfortable. I am having quite the lazy morning simply because I can. The past two days have been filled with travel, reunions, and lots of excitement! As a result, I am worn out! Not only was the travel tiring, but once I got off the plane in New Jersey, I wasn’t able to rest; I had a few people to surprise!

When I booked my ticket home back in October, I set this plan into place to try to surprise my parents for the holidays. I told them that I would be home late tonight (December 23rd) when in reality I was coming in very early yesterday (the 22nd). While I don’t like to lie to my family, my dad made that impossible when he asked to be the one to pick me up from the airport. From this point on, I had to come up with more lies about my travel arrangements. Not only because of my flights, but also because I would be spending the weekend before my return in Anchorage. Had my family known this, they would have been onto the surprise. If they knew I was in town, they would’ve questioned why I wasn’t on my way home. So I had to tell some white lies which I hope I have been forgiven for. 

Once I stepped off the plane yesterday, one of my best friends, Jenna, picked me up from the airport. It was so great to see her, but it was also incredibly strange. On one hand it felt super weird to be standing there talking to her after 4 months of not seeing her, but on the other it felt like I had never left. We were able to catch up and grab breakfast before heading to my mom’s house for the first of my surprises. I had her on the phone when I walked in the door and her reaction was great. After visiting with her, I went to my dad’s house and did the exact same thing. His reaction, along with my step moms, was just what I was hoping for. I loved seeing the looks of their faces when they realized that I was actually standing in front of them. 

After enjoying a nice lunch out with my dad, stepmom, and younger brother, I headed back to NJ (my dad lives in PA) to surprise my little sister, Katie. My plan had been to pick her up from school, but the weather was a bit icky and so we changed the plans. When Katie got home from school, she was asked by my mom to come grab something from my room. I sat on my bed waiting for her to come in, and the moment she did it took all I had not to ball my eyes out. I had missed her so very much and it was great to have her back in my arms. She crawled right up on my lap and wouldn’t stop hugging me and talking about how much she missed me. It’s going to be so much harder to leave her this time than it was last time. 

While I was very tired at this point in the day, I was not finished yet. My mom, Katie, and I headed to the tree farm so I could surprise my grandpa. Oh, his reaction was just as priceless as all the others. As we sat and visited, he just kept looking over at me as if he was worried that I would disappear from where I was sitting. I couldn’t stay too long because I was going to get dinner with my best friend, Shawnee and while she was in on the surprises, I was so excited to see her.

Shawnee and I have been almost attached at the hip since kindergarten and this was the longest we’ve ever been apart. So when I finally saw her, it felt like I was being reunited with another sister. Just as with Jenna earlier in the day, it felt like I’d never left. We slipped right back into our goofy ways and went to the mall as if it was just a normal day (the whole mall thing was almost too overwhelming to handle though.. baby steps!). It was also exciting to get dinner at Applebees, which was just one of many tastes that I have missed while out in the bush.

While it was an incredibly long day in which I was running on about 3 hours of sleep and being fueled by adrenaline and caffeine, it was great to be back home. I was so excited that all of my surprises went as well as they did and that I was able to see as many people as I did on my first day back. The next few days will be filled with happy reunions, great food, and hopefully catching up on some much needed sleep. I am so happy to be back home and can’t wait to have some adventures over the next two weeks. Let’s hope the time doesn’t pass me by too quickly!

An Incredible Chapter Has Come to a Close

I did it! I really did it! I have officially made it through my first semester as a teacher, and in rural Alaska nonetheless! I cannot believe that the time has gone so quickly and that I made it through four and a half months in the bush.

These past few months have been the most challenging of my life. I have spent countless hours in my classroom at school planning lessons and grading papers. On more than one occasion, weeknights and weekends were forfeited in the name of preperation or other school work. I have been pushed to my limits in regards to behavioral issues and planning for so many different grade levels. It has been hard and I have shed many tears, but I did it. 

As I type this out on the plane ride home to New Jersey, I can’t help but reflect on the trials and triumphs of the past four months. There have been many times, especially in the beginning, when I thought “what did I get myself into?!” or “will lesson planning ever become easier?”. Many sleepless nights were accompanied by thoughts of worry and doubt. But there were also many times when I thought “this is the most incredible teaching job I could ever ask for” and “how can I ever leave Pilot Point behind?”. The adventures that I have had are enough to make me wake up each day thinking “how did I get so lucky?”. Not only were my adventures found outside of the classroom, but they also took place within the walls of Pilot Point school. 

The “aha” moments I have seen, the moments in which you know a concept has taken root and actually makes sense to a student, have gotten me through. They are few and far between, but when that moment happens it’s enough to cancel out any of my worries if only for the briefest moment. I live for the “aha” moments that my kids have had during my time with them. Right now as I think of this, I can’t help but smile as I think of specific “aha” moments for each of my students. I am a proud teacher and I will forever be thankful for my first class of students.

I will also be forever grateful for the friendships I have made along the way. I never thought a school district could be made up of such caring and kind hearted people. My district truly is one giant family and I am so happy to be part of it. With each challenge I have faced, I knew that I was not alone and that I could reach out to countless people for help (which I did on many occasions). My questions have been welcomed and people have taken the time to share lesson ideas and to try to help out in any way. I have found friends with whom I can share my struggles and my celebrations and who also help me get through the tough days. These friends mean more to me than words can describe and I am so thankful to have them.

As I reflect, I must also think about the overwhelming support that I have received from my family and friends back home. I lost count of how many cards and care packages that I received during my time in Pilot Point. My bedroom walls were covered with cards and letters from my loved ones. Some days I just sat and stared at them thinking how lucky I was to have been blessed with the support system that I have at home. My students also loved the treats that family members sent; “peeps" from Pennsylvania, maple sugar candies from Vermont, Harry Potter jellybeans from Maryland, and even chocolate covered dates from Saudi Arabia! Each time I introduced a new item from within a care package, my students would exclaim “Miss Norman your family is so nice!” or “Wow Miss Norman, this is awesome!!”. Knowing that my family back home was able to make my students smile was just another instance in which I counted my blessings. 

On Friday as my students left for the day, I struggled to hold back tears. I have become so attached to my school’s 12 students and I will miss them all so much. Their smiles, jokes, and even their bad days will be missed. These children taught me so much about myself as a teacher and as a person and I am incredibly thankful for that. Not only was it hard to say goodbye to my kids, but saying goodbye to the community members was so difficult. As I was saying goodbye to a few of the women, I couldn’t help but tear up as one of them said “you keep an eye out for the postings down here and we will take you back any time”. I still cannot believe how much this community embraced my presence and who have supported my decision not to return. As I took one last drive down Dago and around the loop that circles my village, I tried to take as many mental pictures as I could. Pilot Point will always be my first home on my own, the place where I first taught my very own class, and the village in which will forever own a piece of my heart. 

While I could go on for days and days, my plane is about to begin it’s descent into Newark and I will finally be back home. When I stepped onto the plane back in August, I had never been more scared. I hadn’t ever flown alone or lived further than 30 minutes from home; and there I was moving to Alaska which is almost 3,500 miles from home! But now as I get ready to step off the plane in New Jersey, I cannot believe how much I have grown. Flying no longer makes me nervous and while the teaching is tough, I know that I am capable of much more than I ever thought possible. These past four months have been the most challenging and yet most incredible months of my life. I am so excited to visit my family and friends, but I am just as excited to get back to Alaska to begin the next chapter of my journey!

Playtime in Palmer

Once school was out on Friday, I had about two hours to make sure my classroom and home were cleaned out and ready for me to leave. I said my goodbyes and then before I knew it, my plane was buzzing the school and it was time to leave Pilot Point. After a short layover in King Salmon in which I was able to go to dinner with some colleagues, I found myself once again in Anchorage. I was excited because this time I would actually be able to stay and play for a few days.

Some friends of mine and I stayed with my principal who lives in Palmer. Palmer is located in “The Valley” which is about 45 minutes from Anchorage. Once we’d all gotten our luggage, we hopped in our rental cars and headed out. It was pretty late by the time that we got to the house, but we all spent some time catching up before calling it a night. It felt so nice to know that we were all together and that we’d get to spend time visiting before we all made our way home for the holidays. 

Saturday morning came with the best wake-up call from my principal. She was at my door telling me to get ready to go work-out (as I was on the elliptical, I promised myself that never again will I take exercise equipment for granted!). Later, as we ate a yummy homemade breakfast, I couldn’t help but envy my principal and her husband. Not only is their house beautiful, but their backyard has the most incredible view of mountains in every direction. Watching them transform as the sun came up was breath-taking. I can’t imagine being lucky enough to wake up to that every single day. 

While it is winter vacation, our day was not spent being lazy. We took most of the morning and afternoon shopping for the spring semester. What once was an overwhelming obstacle now feels like a normal routine. We packed up totes and got them ready to be sent; it feels so good to have it out of the way. Now, when I fly back in, all I need to do is buy my freeze and chill. 

Our night was spent eating a yummy dinner and visiting with my principal’s daughter and a few friends. My principal’s daughter is also a teacher and we have connected a lot over Skype and messaging this semester so it was great to finally meet her in person. I was happy to be in such great company, but I was also sad that three of the friends who I’d flown in with had to leave already. We each had such different flights out, but luckily we were able to coordinate and carpool to get everyone where they needed to be. Thankfully I was able to spend one more night in Palmer relaxing and enjoying the company. My principal even has a hot tub and I can’t even begin to explain how great that felt after the stress of this semester. 

My Sunday was spent in downtown Anchorage doing some shopping and other errands with Sam. I was glad to have some free time with him and it felt nice being able to just wander around and shop at our leisure (I didn’t buy much though because my suitcase was too close to the 50lb limit for comfort..oops). Before I knew it, I was at the airport and it was time to begin my trip back home for Christmas. I’m glad I was able to spend the weekend in Palmer with my friends and my principal’s family. It was a great way to break up the travel too, because flying from PIP to NJ in one day would have been such a long trip! 

You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch!

Come one, come all! Pilot Point School presents “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”! Last night was our school's annual winter performance. We did a reader’s theatre and the kids had practiced for two and  a half weeks leading up to the big night. They were so excited to show off for their families, and they did great! Some of the kids dressed up as “Whos” while others got more dressed up for the occasion. After the big show, we had a dessert potluck and there were so many cookies and treats from the community (I thought I was going to be sick afterwards from all the sugar). It never ceases to surprise me how much the community supports the students. We might not see them at all during the week, but when we have events that the kids are proud of, they always show up. 

Not only did the community show up, but Santa made a surprise visit as well! Members from the Town Office and Village Council donate money to buy the kids items from their wish lists. The kids have been talking about their presents for the past few weeks, and they were so excited when Santa brought them the presents they wanted. We had a nerf gun war taking place in the gym last night as many of the boys had asked for them. I am going to miss these gatherings, but it was such a fun night to see the community come together one last time! 

Kids Say the Darndest Things

 Throughout my practicum and student teaching experiences I picked up on a bunch of funny conversations that I often found my students having. Now that I look back, I can’t really remember any of the specific one liners that made me laugh at the time. As a teacher with my own class though, I often find myself laughing during class time because of something one of my kids has said to me. Early on I decided to keep a notebook of funny things my students say. I haven’t caught all of the funny moments but as I read through some of them I can’t help but start laughing again at my students innocent yet noteworthy phrases. Seeing as how I only have a few days left with them, I thought now would be a good time to share some of our conversations.

Things my students say:

J:”Miss Norman my cousin was on the news last night!”

Me:”Was it for something good?”

J:”No.. he was arrested for breaking and entering and theft…”

Me: “Use what you know about the term ‘contrast’ to describe this”

J:”All I know is that there’s a button for that on Instragram..”

(One of my students wanted to be called Mr. Norman)

A: If he was Mr. Norman that means he would be married to Miss Norman!”

J.J.: “He could be her step-brother or something.."

A.M.: “Is the answer that the Muggle Empire fell after A-K-Bar died?

Me:” It’s Mughal and Akbar..”

A.M.: “Yeah but I like calling him A-K-Bar..”

(While working on word problems in math)

K: “Sarah had seven ponies. Miss Norman, are ponies real?”

Me: “Yes they are”

K:”Really??”

Me: “Yeah I’ll show you a picture later"

D:“The answer is 3 unicorns”

Me: “Unicorns?”

K: “Miss Norman are unicorns real??”

(While eating a chicken teriyaki sandwich at Subway)

G: “Miss Paige I feel fancy eating this”

Me: “Why?”

G: “Because chicken teriyaki is fancy!”

(My first time driving in Anchorage for AFN)

M: “Miss Norman do you drive when you’re in New Jersey?…”

M: ”Miss Norman I think you have Altzheimers, you miss the parking garage every time.”

G: “Miss Norman have you ever gone cow tipping?”

J: “Quick grab the taser before Miss Norman goes ballistic”

D: “I think he’s been sniffing the markers again..”

K: “Look I’m a Unicorn!!”

(After learning about the new teacher coming to replace me)

K: “But what if she’s like the Trunchbull like in Matilda?!?”

(While watching The Polar Express)

A: "Is that the guy from “Castaway”? "

Me: "What country do we live in?”

D: “Alaska”

Me: “No, what country?”

D: “South America! No wait I mean North America!”

(At the end of the day they also say some of the sweetest things ever)

D: “Miss Norman, are you feeling homesick?”

A: “No! We’re her family here!”

Living Up My "Lasts"

 I can’t believe that four months have passed me by so quickly! I decided that this weekend I wouldn’t feel guilty about taking time to myself. While I had packing to do and lessons to plan, I decided that most of that could wait until Sunday night. I wanted to spend this weekend in Pilot Point doing all of my favorite things.

The weekend started off with a nice surprise from Sam who called me on Friday and told me to pick him up at the airport in a few minutes (he was supposed to be coming in on Saturday afternoon). I was so excited to be starting my weekend off with this surprise. Oh and then I was treated to a home cooked meal and my favorite movie so that was pretty great:) 

Saturday was a bit of a lazy day and I spent my morning catching up on some beading and just lounging around. In the afternoon however, Sam and I gathered up my dog and her boy and then all the kids in the village that we could find. We went for a really nice walk on the beach and it was great to spend time with the kids outside of school. They loved walking on the small frozen pools of water on the beach and playing with frozen jellyfish. 

The only downside to the walk was when my student (who is known as Mr. Norman in previous posts) didn’t want to participate much. He was excited to start the walk with us, but his mood quickly went down the drain. I was trying to figure out what it was that was causing the problem, but just couldn’t think of it. As we were walking along however, Sam said to me that he thought K might have a crush on Miss Norman and might be jealous of Mr. Sam. It then dawned on me that this might be the cause of K’s attitude change. I made sure to go over and spend more time walking with and talking to K. His mood didn’t change much but the next day he was back in good spirits so I felt relieved to know that our last week wouldn’t be spent in a negative mood. 

Once the sun finally came up on Sunday, I went for one of my last runs with the new teacher and it was nice to get outside. It felt surreal knowing that depending on the weather that it would be my last time running “my loop” and I was happy to have some company along with me. I spent most of my afternoon in my classroom, but it was nice to have spent a good portion of the weekend having fun and enjoying Pilot Point. I am going to miss my PIP weekends, but I am oh so excited to spend some time at home in New Jersey before moving up to Nondalton! 

All Aboard the Hot Mess Express

My name is Paige and I’ll be your conductor for the foreseeable future We’re leaving Sanity Station and heading straight for Emotional Avenue. Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and make sure to have tissues on hand; it’s going to be a bumpy ride..

I don’t even know where to begin in explaining my current state of mind. The past week has been like a never ending emotional tidal wave. One minute I’m stressed about end of the semester lesson planning and grading and the next I’m laughing with my students and the stress is gone. Not even ten minutes later I’m back in a panic about having lessons ready for my replacement. We have our school’s Christmas show this week and we’ve been trying to get decorations up around the school and the students prepped for their roles. Just last week, my co-op and I were talking about grades when it suddenly hit us both how much we’ll miss each other (insert the waterworks here) and that’s just another of the goodbyes I am not looking forward too. Oh and did I mention I’ve been packing up my apartment and trying to send out totes to my new village? It’s been non-stop movement and as if I didn’t have trouble sleeping already, this week has caused me to start drinking coffee again. I’m thinking about starting a caffeine IV drip, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. 

Once you factor in the exhaustion of the semester, all of the things that still need to be done, the knowledge that I’ve almost made it through my first semester of teaching, and the bittersweet feeling of leaving Pilot Point, you’ve got the end result of an emotional wreck. I cried more than once last week just because I knew I’d get to see my friends from home in just a week and a half. Not only am I excited to be home with my family, but I am excited for my next adventure to begin in Nondalton. There are just so many emotions swirling around and they are all hitting me at once. Sometimes I just sit at my desk and go into an almost catatonic state just because my mind is so far into overdrive. 

As if all of my own emotional turmoil wasn’t enough, I have 12 students who are slowly checking out of school for the semester and becoming upset at my impending departure from their lives. I have faced quite the amount of defiance from my students in the past week and I can equate most of it to them pushing me away. While I’d like to leave my kids in good spirits, the reality is that they are hurting and I have caused this hurt. I know that I am doing nothing wrong and only doing what’s best for me, but for these children it’s a form of abandonment. They are putting on brave faces and trying to stop their hurt by pushing me away. One minute they are talking about the things they want to do with me before I leave and the next they are refusing to do school work and talking back to me. At one point last week, I just wanted to scream because my math students were acting like we haven’t learned a single thing all year.

At the end of the day however, I am just reminding myself how amazing this journey has been up to this point. I’ve dealt with stress and chaos before and I can handle it now. I feel like I’m drowning in such varying emotions, but when it comes down to it, I’m just trying to enjoy my last week in Pilot Point. I took a break from the sad emotions and focused on making more happy memories by rounding up half of my students this weekend to get out for a walk on the beach. Outside of the classroom, they showed no defiance whatsoever which was great. We’re all tired and ready for a few weeks off, but I know that most of the behavior problems are caused by the change coming their way. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that my last week of teaching out here in PIP goes smoothly and without too many emotional meltdowns (from myself or the kids). 

It's a Twister! It's a Twister!

No wait, it’s just Sunday in Pilot Point.. While I’ve been told how windy it can get in my village, I didn’t think I was going to experience a truly windy day in PIP before leaving. However, when I woke up last Sunday I was surprised to find that the wind was blowing in full force. The weather outside looked nice, but the wind was huffing and puffing and wanting to blow my house down. I didn’t think much of it until I tried to walk over to the school that afternoon. I’m not joking when I say that I struggled to make the 30 second walk. I was laughing to myself as I fought against the wind to make it to the door of the school. Later that afternoon my co-op and I were leaving at the same time and we were just laughing up a storm as we tried to make it home without being blown away. When I finally got home for the day I just listened to the wind howling and thinking about how much panic wind like that would cause at home. Here though, we don’t have trees to get knocked down so it’s not really anything to worry about. Oh and we didn’t even lose power or cell phone service so that’s always a plus:) When I talked to our cook the next day, he told me that the wind was about 50-60 miles an hour all day, but that at one point it got up to 75 miles an hour! 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year. This is mostly because it is when my family’s tree farm is open and every weekend is spent outside selling Christmas trees (insert promotional post here- go to Wyckoff’s Tree Farm in NJ to get your tree!). While I am having the most amazing time in Alaska, I have been aching to be out on the tree farm with my family. Not only do I miss the farm, but I miss all of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that are connected with Christmas. It’s one of those feelings that I can’t quite explain but I think people will understand what I mean by that. 

Luckily, along with the help of others, I have been able to remedy most of this holiday homesickness. I’m constantly listening to my Christmas Pandora and I have a candle wax warmer that makes my apartment smell just like Christmas. In my classroom, my students and I have a countdown chain to Christmas just like I’d always had growing up. My students love coming in each morning and racing to be the first to ask to pull down a chain. We then count the days until Christmas as well as days that we are going to have visitors or important events; we call it our classroom family tradition:)

Well, I must have mentioned missing the tree farm a few times over the Thanksgiving weekend because when I went to the post office last week I was in for a surprise. The postmistress carried out a big box with a smile and I just knew that inside there was a Christmas tree. My incredibly thoughtful boyfriend had gone out and gotten me a real Christmas tree! It even came on a stand with lights; I still cannot believe that he did this and it is exactly what my apartment needed. All of these things combined really puts me in the Christmas spirit:)

As if all of this wasn’t enough, our cook and his wife had a Christmas party last night. I was excited but I also wasn’t sure what to expect or who would be there. When I walked in the door however, I was surprised at how many people were at their house. I’m not exaggerating when I say that over half of the village was there (they had to count people at one point for a gift exchange and I think there was about 40 in all..). It was so nice to be able to visit with everyone while eating delicious food. While I had been worried that the community would be mad at me for leaving, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Last night I was shown how much these people have embraced and accepted me as part of their lives. I found that they were sad to hear of my leaving, but they all said that they understood why I was leaving and they hope that I enjoy Nondalton. I was overwhelmed by their support and it truly made me feel like I’ve made some positive impact in my short time here. 

While I visited with different families and people that I don’t often get a chance to talk to, the big gift exchange was getting started. I’d never seen a group of people so excited for a gift swap! The thing about this one though is that you don’t just give/receive a present. It’s been called a “White Elephant” exchange in other places, but when I said that name no one knew what I was talking about. How it works is that everyone gets a number and then when you’re number is called you can pick a gift. However, anyone after you can choose to steal your gift or pick a new one. If your gift is stolen, you can steal from someone else or pick a new gift. Let me tell you… It was intense and filled with laughter. 

At one point, there was a painting that kept getting stolen and I stole it on my turn. It was then stolen from me right when I thought I was in the clear! I’m perfectly happy with the glass float that I ended up with (and it technically crosses of my PIP bucket list item of finding a glass float.. I technically did find it under the tree as someone rationalized). Oh it was such a great time and there were quite a few “gift wars” towards the end when someone would steal and then it turned into a domino effect of presents being stolen. Everyone was in great spirits and laughing so hard by the time we all had our final presents. 

Last night was just what I needed to really feel like it’s Christmas time. It was also a great way to see people and talk to them, just in case I don’t get to see them during my final two weeks in Pilot Point (I can’t believe that’s all I have left here!). I came home, sat by my Christmas tree, turned on Pandora, and just thought about how lucky I am to be on this adventure. While this has been a great Christmas season away from home, I am incredibly excited to be back home just in time for some of my favorite Christmas traditions:) 

Can You Hear Me Now?

I thought it was bad when Dad and I got cut off once or twice during phone calls. However, trying to have a full conversation with Sam is like trying to tame a polar bear (just for you Aunt Kris); almost impossible. Each time we try to talk on the phone, it consists of a lot of roaming. By roaming, I mean I am usually wandering around my house in search of a good reception spot. From sitting on my kitchen floor to standing in the corner of my spare bedroom, I’ve explored almost every inch of my house in an effort to keep my service. Just last night, I ended up laying on my bedroom floor because that’s where I had enough bars. Of course I then fell asleep there after we hung up (like I said in my last post, I’m worn out..). 

Often times we get cut off more than three times during any given phone call. Whoever’s end it was on, usually mine, will go find a better spot to call from. Then we repeat this cycle until we actually finish the conversation we were having or until we don’t want to keep rushing our words in fear of a cut off. Sam always says, “that’s Alaska for ya” which I have found can be said for so many of the quirks to living in this state, in the bush specifically. Oh well, just another moment that makes you appreciate the little things like uninterrupted phone calls and having the ability to talk on the phone at all. However, I am looking forward to when he’ll be in Pilot Point next weekend and we can actually have a full conversation without getting disconnected a million times throughout. 

Miss Norman Needs a Nap

And a stiff drink.. This week was the one from you know where and when 2:15 rolled around yesterday (we get out early on Friday) I was so happy I could cry. The week started out smoothly, but that only lasted until Wednesday morning. From there on out, things took a turn for the worse. My kids didn’t want to listen and I was short on patience. The combination did not make for a good few days.

While I cannot blame it solely on my students, their attitudes and behaviors really got to me this week. In talking to my co-op, I found that I was not alone in this, and I think I know why they are acting out. First of all, the full moon is tonight and I truly believe people start to get crazy around this time. Second, they are ready to have winter break and their minds are checking out. Third, I think it is a defense mechanism because my co-op and I will be leaving. All three of these things put together made for kids who refused to listen and who acted as if we’d never learned any concept in any subject or aspect of life this entire year. 

Needless to say, it wore me down. Wednesday night when I usually stay at school and do lessons or bring home work, I went on strike. I put on a chick flick, grabbed my comfy blanket, and parked myself on the couch where I remained the rest of the night. I felt a little guilty at first and then I quickly tossed that notion out the window and just let myself relax. For once, I was asleep by 10pm (the earliest in my time in Alaska I think..) and I still woke up late at 7 the next morning. My body is starting to go on strike too I think. I’ve pushed myself to the point of mental and physical exhaustion these past few months, and this week it caught up with me and is knocking me off my feet.

However, I only have two more weeks to get through. I say “get through” only in the sense of actual lesson planning and school work. I am wishing I could slow down all other time and have more hours of daylight in my last days here. While my body is tired, my mind is begging to explore and adventure up until my final hours in Pilot Point. I want to visit with my kids, go for runs, and watch the sunrises and sunsets. I want to go down to the beach, out on the honda, stop by the post office to talk to the postmistress and go to the store just to see people. This semester has worn me down, but I wouldn’t trade it for a single second. I can’t wait for the sun to come out today so I can show the new teacher (who got in on Monday) around the village that I call home. Miss Norman got some sleep last night (after a nice glass of wine) and isn’t letting this week stop her from enjoying all of her remaining time in PIP. 

Just Call Me Maverick:)

The adrenaline is still rushing through me as I type this. I cannot believe the afternoon I just had! While I wanted to stay in King Salmon until tomorrow, the pilot said it was going to snow tomorrow so decided today was the best day to fly. So this afternoon I had my stuff packed up and after a nice lunch with some good people, I was ready to go. Eddie got us loaded up and then we were headed back home. Once we were up in the air, Eddie looked at me and told me to take over..

He certainly didn’t have to tell me twice! I had the wheel in my hands before he could change his mind. Of course then I quickly and nervously asked what it was that I was supposed to be doing. He showed me how to steer and what to do to keep it steady. Then he just let me take control! Whenever Eddie wanted me to go a certain direction, he’d just point. We spent the whole flight just talking about flying and all sorts of things. He explained a lot about the technique to flying and explained how similar it is to driving a car. The flight path was pretty easy to follow because we were following the coast, but Eddie let me decide where I wanted us to go. We were about 200 feet above the ground for the majority of the trip but it felt like we were right above the water. 

While I was perfectly content with the opportunity to take charge in the air, Eddie took it one step further and taught me how to land! I was panicking at first, but he talked me through it (and helped a bit) and I was able to make a total of four beach landings along the way:) He also taught me how to take off both from a quick touch-down and a complete stop. I still can’t believe I was flew a plane for almost 100 miles! 

As we were flying, Eddie mentioned a few times that I would be very easy to teach how to fly. He is currently teaching another woman how to fly and he said I’d be a quick learner just like her (which I take to be a huge compliment as he’s mentioned her skill a few times in the past few days). While we talked, I became more and more interested in learning and I plan to ask him to teach me how to fly in the spring:) I think it would be an incredible thing to do and the freedom it brings with it is amazing. As children we are always asked what superpower we would want and many times our answer is “to be able to fly”; well today, I got to have that superpower and I want to be able to do it whenever I want. While Eddie claims he could teach me to fly in just a few hours, I think it would take longer (let’s not get ahead of ourselves). 

When Pilot Point came into view Eddie said I needed to buzz town. He then laughed as I excitedly said “okay!” before he even had the full sentence out of his mouth. I got to fly above my home and then I landed the plane on the runway! He showed me how to drive it on the runway and then as if no time had passed at all, I was back on the ground in Pilot Point. I couldn’t stop laughing and smiling as I got out of the plane and looked around. I flew a plane today! I’m going to keep saying that to myself all night and I don’t think it will feel real anytime soon. 

There are so many times when I question if this is truly my life, and today is just another on the list of instances. I constantly feel like I am in a dream and that I will wake up in my bed in New Jersey any second. However, even if that were true, I would be content. This adventure just never stops getting better and I am feeling both blessed and in shock at the opportunities that I am offered out here. It feels good to be back home in Pilot Point for my final stretch, but I am looking forward to when Eddie and I can go out flying again!:) 

Thanks a Million

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays because it has always meant that I’d get to eat some yummy foods and spend the day surrounded by family. This year was my first time not being home for the holiday and I was anxious that the homesickness would really kick in. While I did ache for home throughout the day, I actually had an amazing Thanksgiving. There are so many things that I have to be thankful for that it would take pages and pages of writing to fully cover the whole list. However, I decided to list the top 10 things (in no particular order) that I am thankful for this year (I’ll try to keep it brief):

1. The professor at Centenary who brought LPSD to my attention- Without him, I would never have known that this opportunity existed nor would I currently be on the adventure of a life-time. He also provides me with support along the way and it’s nice to have someone in the lower 48 who knows what it’s like out here. 
2. The support I receive from my family and friends-Never once have they questioned my decision to move out here and have continued to support me from afar. The letters and care packages I receive get me through some tough days.
3. Skype and Face-Time- Being able to see my family and friends when we talk has been great. I always look forward to skyping with my dad while I’m getting ready for school throughout the week. This journey would be much harder without the ability to see the faces of my loved ones.
4. Having a job- I still cannot believe that I secured my first teaching position four days post-grad. Nor can I believe that I actually get paid to be living this dream. 
5. Supportive co-workers- At this point I consider many of my co-workers to be great friends. I can’t believe the incredible personalities that I have the fortune of working with; from my principal to our guidance counselor and so many other teachers. There are many times when I get emails or messages from co-workers who just want to check in and see how I’m doing. I am so thankful for the friends I have made along the way and hope that we only continue to become closer. 
6. The district’s tech guy- Somehow along the way I got lucky enough to find him. Sam puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh throughout each day. I’m so thankful to have been able to spend my Thanksgiving weekend with him:)
7. Amazon- And any other company that ships to us out in the bush. While I don’t buy much online, it’s just nice to be able to buy what I need. It’s also exciting to have it waiting in the post office whenever it makes its way to PIP. 
8. Pilot Point- My first home on my own and the place where I have grown so much. The people in my village have welcomed me and have made this experience so much better. I love to wake up each morning and look out at “my” lake and “my” volcano. Pilot Point will forever own a piece of my heart. 
9. My students- My “kids” as I call them have been a pain at times, but at the end of each day, I care for them all so much. I feel so lucky to be able to be their teacher. I am going to miss them all, but I am so happy for the time that I was able to spend with them. Even on their worst days they make me smile, and I have grown so much as a teacher because of them. 
10. My camera- Not that I could ever forget the beauty of the state I’m living in, but it is great to be able to get pictures of the sights I have seen. Whether it’s an animal, my students, or even the empty tundra, I am so thankful to have a camera to snap some shots. I don’t want to lose any memories in the bank of Alaska moments, so taking pictures helps me remember the way I felt at certain times. Whenever I look at my pictures, I am reminded of the moment in which it was taken and it’s like I’m reliving it all over again. 

I have so many more items that I could add to the list, but these are just a few of the ones that I feel thankful for each day. I feel so incredibly blessed and fortunate to be on the adventure that I am living. I can only hope that others feel as fortunate as I do, no matter what their circumstance. I try to capture each moment and take part in every opportunity offered because you never know when situations will change!

Not Your Typical Holiday Road-Trip

Oh did I say road-trip? Because what I really meant to say was Air-Trip (well maybe that’s not right either, but moral of the story is that this post is about a plane ride not a car trip). I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend Thanksgiving in King Salmon which means a 40-minute plane ride from PIP. Well that’s 40 minutes on a good weather day and Wednesday was a great day for flying so I was excited for a quick flight.

The woman, Jenny, who had invited me up for Thanksgiving was able to fly in and pick me up with the pilot, Eddie. I was anxious because this was the smallest plane I’d been in yet. It was only a three seater and my seat in the back was more of a beach chair than your average plane seat. This in itself was enough to make me anxious, but I was a bit nervous to be flying with a pilot with whom I’d yet to fly. I was also a little confused as the Eddie turned the plane south instead of heading north towards our final destination. So begins the best plane ride of my life..

Eddie wanted to give me a view of Pilot Point from the air which I’d never been able to see yet. It was so great to be able to see my home from above. But then things got even better as he said that he was going to take us to see Ugashik; this is the village that has about five residents and is about 15-20 miles from PIP. I couldn’t contain my excitement as he flew us right above the water and gave us a great view of the village. He then landed the plane so he could say hi to two of the people who live there, both of whom I’d actually gotten to meet when PIP’s store opened. While we didn’t get out of the plane, I can officially say that I have been to Ugashik. Another great thing was that the view of “my” volcano was incredible from Ugashik. I wished so badly that we could have flown to it, but I am content knowing that I was even closer to it then when I’m home.  

While I thought this was the extent of our excursion, Eddie quickly proved me wrong. He continued away from King Salmon as he took us to see different parts of the south that I had no clue even existed. We got to fly past a house where only a man and his wife live. It was a gorgeous home in the middle of the bush and my understanding is that when they decided to retire out here, the man’s wife agreed only so long as she had “everything”. Well I’d say that they have everything, and I just can’t believe they live there alone with no people for miles and miles. As we flew by, the man was out on his deck taking pictures of us (which Eddie later got in an email, it was so cool). 

Our journey continued as Eddie flew us around and just told me so many different things that I didn’t know about the region in which I live. I was blown away and couldn’t stop asking questions. At one point he gave me his phone which has a flight app (seriously there’s an app for everything) and he let me tell him which way he needed to be heading. We landed once more (if you even call it that, we touched down and were right back up again) on an airstrip at Fort Jensen (I think that’s what it was called at least..) where there’s now a hunting lodge. Again all of this is just in the middle of tundra where you’d never think people live or even get away for a vacation. Alaska is full of surprises!

As we headed back towards King Salmon I was once again feeling like the luckiest person in the world. And then it got even better! We were flying along the coast when Eddie turned around and said we were going to land again, on the beach.. I couldn’t help but let out an excited shriek. I had no idea this was even possible and both Jenny and Eddie got a kick out of my excitement. While it seems I have this feeling often out here, I felt like a kid on Christmas getting the gift that they’d begged Santa for. Eddie landed us and then turned the plane to face the water; I sat there speechless as I looked around in awe. I’d have loved to have gotten out to walk around, but we were only there long enough for me to take a few pictures before Eddie had us back in the air. 

The rest of our trip was filled with my peppering Eddie with questions about where he’s flown and the things he’s seen. As we neared Naknek  (which is about a 20 minute drive from King Salmon), Eddie flew us around pointing out all of the processing plants and giving us more history lessons. Once we landed we even help push the plane into the hangar and I could not stop smiling as I thought about our trip. Of course I then had to answer some texts of people who were worried about why it took 2 hours to get from PIP instead of 40 minutes (oops). Everyone was understanding once I explained that I’d gotten to go sight-seeing. I still can’t believe how blessed I am to be experiencing so many amazing things in such a short time! Just another incredible day in this beautiful state:)

The Moment of Truth

This morning contained my least favorite of all my moments since my whirlwind journey began almost four months ago. Today was the day that my co-op and I decided it would be best to break the news of my departure from Pilot Point. I can’t remember the last time I was so nervous to talk to a group of children. As they all gathered in the welcome room for our morning meeting, I didn’t think I was going to be able to go through with it. 

Had my co-op not have been telling the kids about her replacement and the tutor that will be coming in January, I would have chickened out. The kids have known since the start that my co-op would not be returning, but none of them knew that I was only hired on a half year contract. The look on some of their faces when I told them won’t soon be forgotten. My third graders seemed to take it the hardest as my little girl started to cry while one boy looked away and the other got the most somber face I’ve seen on him since my time here. Another one that got to me was M, my 11th grader with whom I’ve built a strong connection with. It was rough, but I held in my own tears as I excitedly told them about their new teacher. 

Once we shifted into my classroom for reading, the questions began. I was able to explain it a bit more and I think they get it, but still I am so sad to be leaving them. It made me happy to hear them asking if the new teacher would make math fun like I do, if she would have “Fluency Friday” , and if she would use the Smartboard like I do. Happy teacher moment knowing that the strategies I’ve been using with them have stuck with them. We created a list of questions to ask the new teacher before she comes and I am hoping to be able to email her this weekend. My third grader who always comes out on runs with me asked if the new teacher would go on runs too while the other asked if he could come in my suitcase. We were able to laugh as Mr. Norman asked “But what if she’s like the Trunchbull??”. Of course I then I had to promise that we'd watch Matilda before I leave (which is convenient because I just got it in the mail this weekend). I also let them know that they aren’t getting rid of me anytime soon and that I will be still Skyping in with them as often as I can. 

As the day progressed, some of them would just look up at me and say “I’m going to miss you” or just give me sad eyes. It was mutual and we took a lot of time today talking about the things we want to do while I am still in Pilot Point with them. All I know is that I promised to go on a lot of runs.. When my older students joined me in the afternoon, I was able to talk to M who broke my heart when he asked if I was leaving because they “had come on too strong” to which I couldn’t have said no quicker. While this seemed to make him feel better, I think he and I will be having some more conversations in the next few weeks . By the end of the day, all of our students had seemed to grasped the reality of my co-op and I leaving. My next worry is for tomorrow once all the parents have gotten news of my leaving. I can only hope that the adults will be just as understanding as their children. Today was definitely not my favorite, but I am so relieved to have this out in the open and not worry that someone will find out before I have the chance to tell anyone. 

Stop, Drop, and Drive

This is just another one of those posts that I’ve been meaning to write since August but keeps getting pushed back because it’s one of those continuously occurring events. One of the frustrating things about living in the Bush is the flights in and out of villages.. Not only does it cost and arm and a leg, but flights don't work on a precise schedule out here. While planes may be set to come at a certain time it truly means nothing because the pilots fly based on the weather. If it’s a good weather day, they might take advantage of this and leave early. On the other hand, if it’s too windy or there's little visibility, they might be delayed or not able to fly at all. 

The only way to really know when a plane is coming is to call the company or pilot the morning of a travel day to get an estimate. If you’re lucky, they’ll give you a call to let you know when they’re on the way. Sometimes though, the only warning we get is when we hear the plane coming in. One of the quickest adjustments I made when I got here was to pick up the sounds of an incoming plane. Sure I’d heard planes all the time back home, but now I know it means one of three things; visitors, mail, or a plane passing by on it’s way to another village. 

One of the worst parts about this is that before we had our school bus up and running again, it if we had visitors, either my co-op or I had to stop our lessons when the plane buzzed the school. We’d give the other a heads up to ask them to watch over our class and then hop in the truck to get to the airstrip. There were a few times where this was inconvenient, and we were happy to have the bus fixed so we could leave a vehicle at the airstrip for arriving visitors. 

Another downfall is that on days when people are traveling in or out, you never know what to plan for. For example, we had visitors this weekend and we’d been planning to get out to the beach for a walk. However, before we were able to do so they got a phone call saying the plane would be in PIP in about 20 minutes (meaning that the plane was about an hour and a half early). If we had been out on the beach, they might have missed their plane; You just never know. So we quickly got their stuff packed up and headed to the airstrip. Of course communication had been off and we ended up waiting for about 40 minutes, (which is okay because I didn't want to see them go anyway) but that's life out here! Only a few days until I get to head up to King Salmon for Thanksgiving, so fingers crossed for a nice weather day with an on-time plane!:)

Because of Winn-Dixie...

I got to see the best smile on one of my student’s faces this morning. From earlier posts, this is my student who likes to go by “Mr. Norman” any time that he can. While he is one of my students who often has behavioral issues, K is also my weak spot because he’s such a sweet boy. Two weeks ago, we read an excerpt from the book Because of Winn Dixie in our reading group. As we read, K expressed his interest in wanting to read the book many times and since then he’s been asking to find the full book in the school library. 

The teacher in me noticed right away that this book had become a hook to get K motivated to read more. So of course, I hopped on Amazon and ordered a copy which just came in over the weekend. I was so excited to see K’s face when I brought out the book. Of course this morning when I planned to start this as our read aloud, K was the only student in my reading class to come to school.. While he usually likes being in my class, reading is not his favorite. When it’s just us he isn’t thrilled because it means he really can’t get away with not doing work. 

While I didn’t really want to start the book without the other three, I decided that it was worth it to reward K for being in school. As he got his things together for the morning, I pulled out the book to surprise him. When I showed him, he let out the briefest and most genuine smile I’ve seen on his face yet. This fleeting moment was the one that keeps teachers going and I was so excited about seeing that smile. I made a big deal of the fact that he got the special privilege of hearing it first while the other kids will catch up another day. For me, today was all about getting K motivated and excited to hear this story. By the time we were done today, he was asking when we’d read the next chapter and was clearly still happy that we’ll be reading this book. I can’t even imagine the look he’ll give when I show the movie at the end of the read aloud:) It’s all about the little moments!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice-Cream!

Since the moment I arrived in Pilot Point, there are certain things that I have heard again and again; “last year our teacher did this”, “Miss Norman that’s not how we did things before”, and many variations of these two sentences. But there is nothing I’ve heard about more than the phenomenon that is ice-cream making. My students have talked about making ice-cream so many times since August, and finally this past week we were able to make some.

The process was relatively simple because all we had to do was add water to a mixture, stir it around, and then add it to a machine. However, the process is not instant and it took many rounds to complete the whole batch. Each round took 45 minutes and yielded about 6 cups of ice-cream. I think we had to do 10-12 different batches (I lost count somewhere after the fourth batch). Once it was done, the students put it in cups and then took it to the freezer so it could set. 

By the time our family game night rolled around on Friday, we had people who don’t normally come waiting at the door just to buy ice cream. When one of my students made an announcement to the village about family game night and how we would have ice-cream, the locals became really excited. Ice-cream is no joke in PIP... We sold the ice-cream as a means of raising money for PIP’s student government and we made a pretty good earning from both family game night and the ice-cream sales. My students were happy that they’d been able to make it again and it was nice to be able to see them working hard to get it ready. Hopefully this will keep them motivated to want to make it again. While it certainly wasn’t Mackey’s (my favorite ice-cream place back home) or Dairy Queen, it was pretty tasty and I’m happy there are extras for when an ice-cream craving sets in!

H is for Honda!

While the cat’s away, this mouse will play! Last week, I was given the gift of freedom when I was lent a Honda by my favorite cook. He was heading to Anchorage and thought I would like to get out and about. His wife, not knowing I’d ridden one before, was worried that I would crash. I reassured her that while I’m from Jersey that I know how to ride a honda. Before they left, I was given the orders to “ride the hell out of it”, so that’s what I planned to do.

However, mother nature had some other plans in place and of course the first three days after I got the honda were rainy, windy, and cold. Knowing that it sat in the shed, waiting to be ridden, was killing me. Finally, on Friday I was able to take it out for about an hour and I was like a kid on Christmas. I flew down the beach, simply enjoying the fact that I could do so. I think I could have gone up and down the beach for hours and it wouldn’t have gotten boring. 

My plan had been to get out for a few hours on Saturday, but of course luck was not in my favor. When I went out to start it up I encountered a problem; it wouldn’t start.. After trying unsuccessfully for about 15 minutes in which the weather had taken a turn for the worse, I retreated back to my house. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Having the honda in front of my house, right in my sight, and knowing that I could not ride it was torture. 

While I don’t like to bother anyone out here, especially on the weekends, I also knew that I couldn’t sit back and waste away my Sunday inside. I went out and gave it my best shot at starting it up and again had no luck. So I texted the mom who owns the dog that I run with and asked if her husband could spare any time at all to take a look at it. Within minutes, he was knocking at the door and had already begun to give the honda a charge. After a few minutes, he was able to get it started and instructed me to let it run for a little while before heading out. I thanked him over and over again and then I ran inside to get on some warm clothes on. I can’t describe how excited I was that he had been able to get it running. 

Twenty-five minutes later, I was cruising down the beach, in the direction that you can only travel with on a honda. Down the beach a little ways sits a group of houses that belong to the set-netters who come to fish over the summer. I’ve wanted to get down to see these houses since I got here in August. Better late than never right? I drove around and snapped some pictures (which we all know by now means too many) and then went to ride around the village. During my ride, I ran across some of my students who were clam digging which was cool to see. I was also able to watch about 30 or so beluga whales swimming in the bay. Watching them never gets old. I still can’t believe that I can see them on almost any given day!

It was raining and pretty cold so I only stayed out for two hours. My co-op thought I was crazy for going out in the rain, but she also understand my need to get out and explore. By the time I got home I couldn’t feel my fingers (I had gloves but didn’t take my really warm ones out), but it was worth it. I am hoping that I’ll be able to keep it until this weekend so that I can get out again. Seeing as how I’m the first to drive the honda since fishing season, I don’t think this will be a problem. It’s blowing rain right now as I write this, so fingers crossed that the weather clears up a bit before then!

Lights On, Lights Off: The Sequel

Well I apparently spoke too soon when I wrote about our power outages last week. Since then, we’ve had four more outages; all of which have been in the span of 48 hours. The wind just keeps blowing and PIP’s power is not strong enough to endure it.. As I type this, I am experiencing the worst outage of my time in Pilot Point (of course when I am able to post this, it will mean the power has returned). 

While I have many power outages under my belt from back home and know what to do to take care of myself, village power outages are different. Especially when the sun has yet to come out.. I woke up this morning at 6:30 (this whole not being able to sleep in on the weekends is starting to get annoying) and quickly realized that the power was out. When this happens back home in the lower 48, your first instinct is to look out the window to see if it was just your house or if the other houses on the street lost power as well. However, out here, if one house is without power it almost always means that they all are.

So when I went to look out the window (like I said, instinct), I saw only black. Normally when I look out my windows at night or in the early morning I can see a small light from outside the school, a streetlight, or even the lights from the house across the lake. It isn’t much, but it is always a comfort knowing that I am not in total darkness. This morning though, I am in complete and utter darkness. It’s as if someone has covered my house with a black curtain and if you can’t already tell, it’s freaking me out. Not only is there no light, but the normal, ever present hum of the generator in the building next to the school is absent this morning. All I can hear is the wind, but even that takes breaks; besides my typing right now, there is no sound at all. I’m currently cursing my aunt and uncle who made me watch “30 Days of Night” before I moved out here.. I  have locked myself in my room with a few candles and I am just waiting for when it becomes daylight. I don’t care if it’s rainy and gloomy, as long as there is some light outside I will be happy. 

*The power has since come back on. And then gone out. And then come back on. Seeing as how it's only 9:00am, it looks like it's going to be one of those days! It's light out now though and there's now rain which is a plus. It must be a sign to stop lesson plans and get outside on "my" honda (blog to follow) for awhile:)

Strike a Pose

Every time I think I’ve witnessed it all out here I get proven wrong.  Each day, the travel coordinator from district office sends the list of who will be flying where the following day. Sometimes this is the only warning we get to let us know that we will be having visitors in PIP. On Tuesday we were surprised to find that we’d be having visitors the following day. And so begins the story of the village event that is known as picture day.

Our two visitors were the school photographers and they would be in Pilot Point for 24 hours taking school photos. You would think that with only 12 students (our senior finished this past week and so she’s no longer in the village) we wouldn’t need that much time. However, the photographers not only take school photos, but they also offer a window of time for families in the village to come out and get pictures taken. At first I didn't think that any of the locals would come, but I was happy to find that the families with younger children all wanted pictures of their kids. 

Once they got set up and ready to take pictures, we had been planning to send the kids out one by one. Our initial hope was to try to keep out daily routine intact.. Well in traditional PIP fashion, our kids could not help but want to know what was going on in the library where the pictures were being taken. I can’t blame them because I wanted to be out there too. The photographer was a really funny guy and we all kept hearing giggles. Slowly, we all started making our way towards the library to get a glimpse of what was going on. Before we knew it, Chris and I had both put our lessons on hold and picture day officially became auditions for Alaska’s Next Top Model.

As each student went up for their picture (wearing a variety of clothing choices from PJ’s to sparkly dresses and button up shirts), they had a small audience cheering them on. Not only this, but our kinder was commentating the event and her innocent brutal honesty was hilarious. Our students had so much fun with the photographer and watching each other make their best picture perfect smiles was a  great break in our afternoon. Granted, this didn’t last very long because we only have 12 students, but we were all laughing by the time pictures were done.

That night, a few different families came out to get pictures taken, but there aren’t very many families so that didn’t take long either. Because I live there, I was at school during this time. I spent most of the evening talking with the couple that came out to take the pictures. They were so friendly and as we talked, I felt like I had known them for years and not that I had just met them a few hours earlier. What I have come to realize about meeting new people out here is that we aren’t shy to share our lives with each other. We live in an environment where someone is always coming and going and so we don’t have time to hold back. When we have visitors, we don’t make small talk about the weather, we dive in and get to the “real” stuff. I love the honesty and the stories that come along with the people I meet. My favorite thing to learn is everyone’s “Alaska” story; I’m always curious to know if people have grown up in Alaska or if they are like me and they’ve just been lucky enough to stumble upon the opportunity to come out here. In just a few hours, I knew quite a bit about this couple and their lives. Needless to say, my Wednesday night was spent in good company:)

The next morning our photographers had to push the schedule forward because their plane was coming earlier than planned. It was blowing hard outside so most of our planes would be grounded for the day if they didn’t get out at the right time. Thursday’s schedule only consisted of shooting the whole school photo (which my biggest fan chose to opt out of) so it didn’t inconvenience anyone. There was a very brief break in the rain and the wind in which it looked beautiful outside, so we went and took our picture in front of the lake (yes with schools as small as ours, our photos can be taken outside!). As we stood there waiting for him to get ready we all became shorter as we began to sink in the mud. The ground had looked firm, but we quickly learned that it was not; a few of our students had to just wear their socks for the rest of the day because their shoes got so muddy. And just like that, our photo was done and the photographers were out the door and headed to Egegik. It was a very nice albeit unexpected visit to break up the week. We’ll see how the school photo turned out when my copy arrives in two weeks!