From the Land of No Trees

After another whirlwind week of traveling, training, and shopping, I finally found myself on a plane headed to my new home away from home, Nondalton. I have been looking forward to this move for quite some time and was relieved that it was finally here. Not only was I eager to work with a bigger teaching staff and student population, but I was also excited for the beauty that the northern part of our district holds. From the moment the plane began its descent, I knew that I would not be disappointed.

While I appreciated the beauty that the tundra held in Pilot Point, I was excited to see the mountains, lakes, and trees! Sure I had obviously noted the absence of trees in my life over the past four months, but it had become normal for me not to see them. I couldn’t help but laugh though from the responses I received upon meeting two of the school custodians. I met them at separate times but both of their immediate responses to hearing I was from Pilot Point were “you come from the land of no trees” and “there’s no trees there”. Hi my name is Paige and I hale from the land of no trees.. 

Anywho, I was able to get settled into my new apartment and visit with my roommate and other co-workers. It is definitely going to be such a different experience than in Pilot Point. Not only has the on site staff quadrupled, but there’s double the amount of students; it’s quite the change! As I finished unpacking, I was invited out on a honda ride by one of my co-workers. He and his wife have lived in Nondalton for almost 10 years and he offered to show me some trails that I could go running on. They have two hondas so I was able to take my own out and riding through the muddy and icy trails was a nice way to let loose for a bit. Truth be told, the trails were a little too far from the safety of the village for my comfort, but it was still great to see where I could go exploring when I have someone to go with me. 

I’ve been here for almost one week and I have already grown to love this village. Everything is much different than what I’ve been used to. However, the people are kind yet reserved which is a similarity to what I had in PIP. I already miss my tiny little village that served as my first home on my own. Once again, I couldn’t help but get choked up when my phone rang this week and it was the school cook from PIP. He had called just to check in and see how I was doing and I thought it was the sweetest thing ever. I’m also feeling lucky to have been placed in an apartment with someone else. Life in the bush can get very lonely, so I am feeling blessed to get the chance to live with a great woman who has quickly become a substitute mom to me (She even helped me cook dinner for Sam the other night when he was out in Nondalton). 

Once again I am just overwhelmed by how blessed I am to be on this journey. From the land of no trees to the land of many trees, my Alaskan journey just keeps on getting better. I am looking forward to the experiences I will have during this chapter and can’t wait to see what the future holds!