It's the end of the long Thanksgiving weekend, and this year I certainly have a lot for which to be thankful.
First, I am thankful to have a job. At this time last year, I had pretty much already had my fill of subbing, and had come to the realization that I would do anything to avoid another year of being an on-call teacher. Well, wish granted. Here I am in the Alaskan bush, being a real teacher, getting some serious experience in a challenging and unique environment, and putting my college degree to good use (not to mention growing my bank account...ahhh, the joys of steady employment!).
I am thankful for my parents. Mom and Dad, you taught me the value of hard work, and for that I am eternally grateful. You enabled me to become self-sufficent by giving me the gift of a college education. You supported me in my decision to come to Alaska, both emotionally and financially, and you continue to support me with your love and encouragement. A mere 'thank you' cannot begin to express my gratitude!
I am thankful for my family and friends near and far who have made my day with a call, a card, a care package. Knowing that I have your support, even from a distance, means so much. I am thankful for my new friends here in Stebbins, too! It's always a bonus when you actually like the people you work with, and I am blessed to work with some of the coolest people I know :)
I am thankful for Skype. Being able to see and hear my family is a miracle of modern technology, and it has helped keep my homesickness at bay.
I am thankful to have Roman here with me. His prescence forces me to be less self-involved, and though he is very capable of getting on my nerves, he makes me laugh every day. And when I have days where all I can do is laugh just to keep from crying, that's when I am most grateful for the unconditional love of my silly poodle boy.
Finally, I am thankful for my students. Of course, without them, I wouldn't have a job, but it goes beyond that. Each and every one of them, even the ones that drive me berserk (especially those ones), are teaching me to be a better teacher. Every day I ask myself, "What went well? What could I have done better?" and I answer those questions based on how my students responded to my teaching that day. Some days the answers come easily. Other days, not so much. Some days, I get so caught up in MY teaching practice and MY lesson plans and MY expectations, that I forget that it's not about ME, it's about my kids. They are a constant reminder of why I am doing what I'm doing. Kids keep it real, that's for sure. And I'm thankful for that.
XOXOjane
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Traveling in the Bush
Most people don't have a concept of what "travel" is like up here...I certainly didn't, not really, until I came here and lived it. Getting from point A to point B in the arctic is never what I would call "easy", but then again I really don't miss sitting in traffic jams!
Here in the village, there are several different modes of transportation. Walking is pretty much always an option, as everything is so close. You can walk from one end of the village to the other in 15 minutes or so. If you want to get where you're going a bit faster, or if you plan on going anywhere outside of the village proper (the dump, the beaches outside of town, hunting/berry picking on the tundra, or even to neighboring St. Michael) you can get there on a honda (that's the general term for 4-wheeler) or once the snow falls, on a snowmachine. Most village residents have one if not both of the aforementioned vehicles. Hondas are good because you can use them in the spring/summer and in the fall/winter when it snows, so many of the teachers have them. When the weather is nice, going somewhere on a honda is no more of a hassle than going somewhere in a car - - all you have to do is hop on and go. When the weather turns colder, however, a honda ride becomes more of an excursion. This time of year, when the snow is falling, the wind is blowing, and temperatures are in the single digits, getting on a honda or on a snowmachine to go anywhere requires the full-on "getup" - snow pants/and or bibs, winter coat(s), boots, scarf, hat, gloves...really, as many layers of those garments as you can pile on while still able to move your limbs. Then, you need goggles to keep your eyes functional, particularly if you are going a longer distance or if you are going faster than say 5 or 10 mph.
There are a few people in the village who have automobiles, and the school has a truck, but I could probably count the number of cars in the village on my fingers. Honda and snowmachine are definietly the vehicles of choice here on our island.
If you want to travel any further than St. Michael (that's as far as our road goes), you will need to go by air. Both Stebbins and St. Michael have airports, St. Michael's being the slightly larger of the two. When I first came to the island back in August, I flew in on a larger plane with the new teachers from both Stebbins and St. Michael, and we landed in St. Michael because their airport could accomodate the larger plane (I think it was about a 20 seater). The largest planes I have flown out of Stebbins in have been Cessna Caravans - about 10 seats (depending on the flight/the amount of people/the amount of cargo). The smallest planes I have flown into Stebbins on are the little 207s, which can seat five but it's a tight squeeze.
Before I came up here, the thought of flying everywhere seemed slightly crazy. But now that I'm here, it seems just so normal; almost as normal as just getting in a car or on a bus. Flying in bush planes, even the tiny ones, is surprisingly enjoyable, especially when compared to the big airports and commercial airliners I was used to previously. I actually feel LESS claustrophobic in the little bush planes than I do in a big jet. There are windows everywhere and you can usually see out the front window as well. I actually got to sit co-pilot once, which, on top of the added leg room, was also the ultimate window seat. Bush planes fly low enough that you can actually enjoy the scenery below, which is another bonus. And the scenery doesn't get much better than the view flying over Norton Sound!
"Airports" out here in the bush were also a surprise to me. There is no such thing as going through security, for one. No one blinks an eye when you have a knife in your carry-on, because no one bothers to snoop through your stuff in search of bombs. The attitude is pretty relaxed at all the bush airports I have visited. Here in Stebbins, no one is really even around the airport unless a plane shows up. Of course, the relaxed attitude also means that the time a plane is scheduled to take off or land and the time it ACTUALLY takes off or lands are often two entirely different things. Flight times are always give or take an hour or two. Needless to say, there's a lot of "hurry up and wait" that happens whenever it's time to travel anywhere.
Even flying in the bush requires a proper dress code. Especially in the winter, or whenever the temperature begins to drop. It's pretty much expected that you will get on the plane wearing full snow gear. Ostensibly, it's because the planes can get kind of cold once you get up in the air, but you could also get stranded on the runway somewhere for hours on end, or, worst case scenario, your plane could go down, leaving you stranded in the Alaskan tundra. Did I mention I keep a knife in my carry on? ;)
Basically, what I'm getting at here is that travel in the bush is like no other place I've ever been. Like I said, it's hard to imagine it unless you've lived it, but I hope I was able to give you at least a sneak peek. I do not miss my car. I do not miss my commute. I love living 50 feet from my place of employment. I love not having to buy gas and I love not having to scrape the snow and ice off of my windshield. I love not having to worry about maintenance or snow tires or anything else related to vehicle upkeep. When you've got nowhere to go, you don't need any help getting there!
XOXOjane
Here in the village, there are several different modes of transportation. Walking is pretty much always an option, as everything is so close. You can walk from one end of the village to the other in 15 minutes or so. If you want to get where you're going a bit faster, or if you plan on going anywhere outside of the village proper (the dump, the beaches outside of town, hunting/berry picking on the tundra, or even to neighboring St. Michael) you can get there on a honda (that's the general term for 4-wheeler) or once the snow falls, on a snowmachine. Most village residents have one if not both of the aforementioned vehicles. Hondas are good because you can use them in the spring/summer and in the fall/winter when it snows, so many of the teachers have them. When the weather is nice, going somewhere on a honda is no more of a hassle than going somewhere in a car - - all you have to do is hop on and go. When the weather turns colder, however, a honda ride becomes more of an excursion. This time of year, when the snow is falling, the wind is blowing, and temperatures are in the single digits, getting on a honda or on a snowmachine to go anywhere requires the full-on "getup" - snow pants/and or bibs, winter coat(s), boots, scarf, hat, gloves...really, as many layers of those garments as you can pile on while still able to move your limbs. Then, you need goggles to keep your eyes functional, particularly if you are going a longer distance or if you are going faster than say 5 or 10 mph.
There are a few people in the village who have automobiles, and the school has a truck, but I could probably count the number of cars in the village on my fingers. Honda and snowmachine are definietly the vehicles of choice here on our island.
If you want to travel any further than St. Michael (that's as far as our road goes), you will need to go by air. Both Stebbins and St. Michael have airports, St. Michael's being the slightly larger of the two. When I first came to the island back in August, I flew in on a larger plane with the new teachers from both Stebbins and St. Michael, and we landed in St. Michael because their airport could accomodate the larger plane (I think it was about a 20 seater). The largest planes I have flown out of Stebbins in have been Cessna Caravans - about 10 seats (depending on the flight/the amount of people/the amount of cargo). The smallest planes I have flown into Stebbins on are the little 207s, which can seat five but it's a tight squeeze.
A Cessna Caravan
A cute little 207
This is what you get to look at when you sit co-pilot.
Even flying in the bush requires a proper dress code. Especially in the winter, or whenever the temperature begins to drop. It's pretty much expected that you will get on the plane wearing full snow gear. Ostensibly, it's because the planes can get kind of cold once you get up in the air, but you could also get stranded on the runway somewhere for hours on end, or, worst case scenario, your plane could go down, leaving you stranded in the Alaskan tundra. Did I mention I keep a knife in my carry on? ;)
Basically, what I'm getting at here is that travel in the bush is like no other place I've ever been. Like I said, it's hard to imagine it unless you've lived it, but I hope I was able to give you at least a sneak peek. I do not miss my car. I do not miss my commute. I love living 50 feet from my place of employment. I love not having to buy gas and I love not having to scrape the snow and ice off of my windshield. I love not having to worry about maintenance or snow tires or anything else related to vehicle upkeep. When you've got nowhere to go, you don't need any help getting there!
XOXOjane
Friday, November 5, 2010
How is it already November??
The first week of November is in the books - I just can't believe we are this far in the year already! We have had snow on the ground for more than a week straight and temperatures have been consistently below freezing. Our daylight is rapidly shrinking, and after we fall back this weekend, the days are bound to be even darker.
This past week was kind of an odd one in the middle school because we had a large chunk of our kids gone to the Jr. High cheerleading and wrestling tournament in Unalakleet. It was a good and bad thing, really - - good in the sense that we (the three of us middle school teachers) had a significantly smaller group of kids to tend so we were able to team teach together out in the middle school portables. It was also good in that we had a huge chunk of time to work one-on-one with students and get a lot of work done. I think we had 12 levels passed in three days, which is huge! It was a bad situation only because there was a large chunk of students gone for school travel, so other students just decided to play hooky, apparently. We averaged about 20 kids a day this week, when usually the middle school has about 50.
I must say, it was pretty thrilling for me to sign off on my students' end of level exams in recommendation of moving them to the next level. We are currently in a big push to get all of our students up to their appropriate BSSD levels and on track to graduate on time, so the more levels our students pass, the closer we are to that goal. We have even extended our school day an extra half an hour in the afternoon strictly for that purpose. After our first week of that schedule, I'd say that so far it has been a success. Granted, we were down a significant number of students this week, but still. The work our students accomplished speaks for itself :)
There are two and a half more weeks to go until Thanksgiving break. It will be strange spending this Thanksgiving so far from my family, but as we only have Thanksgiving day and the Friday after off (plus the weekend, of course), that doesn't leave any room to travel. I guess Roman and I will be keeping a modest Thanksgiving together here on the tundra. Maybe we will roast a ptarmigan, or something festive of that nature!
All the best from your correspondent up here in the arctic --
XOXOjane
This past week was kind of an odd one in the middle school because we had a large chunk of our kids gone to the Jr. High cheerleading and wrestling tournament in Unalakleet. It was a good and bad thing, really - - good in the sense that we (the three of us middle school teachers) had a significantly smaller group of kids to tend so we were able to team teach together out in the middle school portables. It was also good in that we had a huge chunk of time to work one-on-one with students and get a lot of work done. I think we had 12 levels passed in three days, which is huge! It was a bad situation only because there was a large chunk of students gone for school travel, so other students just decided to play hooky, apparently. We averaged about 20 kids a day this week, when usually the middle school has about 50.
I must say, it was pretty thrilling for me to sign off on my students' end of level exams in recommendation of moving them to the next level. We are currently in a big push to get all of our students up to their appropriate BSSD levels and on track to graduate on time, so the more levels our students pass, the closer we are to that goal. We have even extended our school day an extra half an hour in the afternoon strictly for that purpose. After our first week of that schedule, I'd say that so far it has been a success. Granted, we were down a significant number of students this week, but still. The work our students accomplished speaks for itself :)
There are two and a half more weeks to go until Thanksgiving break. It will be strange spending this Thanksgiving so far from my family, but as we only have Thanksgiving day and the Friday after off (plus the weekend, of course), that doesn't leave any room to travel. I guess Roman and I will be keeping a modest Thanksgiving together here on the tundra. Maybe we will roast a ptarmigan, or something festive of that nature!
All the best from your correspondent up here in the arctic --
XOXOjane
Sunday, October 24, 2010
What a difference a week makes! Bring on Quarter 2!
Ok, I apologize for my super-emo blog from last week. It was not uplifting in the least, and even I am depressed when I re-read it. I will try to keep those types of "vent" blogs to a minimum, but come on, it's my first year teaching - - I feel like I should be cut a little slack!
So, a week later and a week wiser, I am ready for the second quarter of school to begin. Well, I am ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. Do we teachers ever feel 100% prepared? All I can do is try!
We had a fun little quasi-vacation in Unalakleet for teacher in-service this past week. We flew in Monday, played a mean (if not victorious) game of volleyball in the all-district staff tourney, went to workshops all day Tuesday and Wednesday, and flew home Thursday afternoon. In between all of the work, we were able to snag some play time with friends from our own site and around the district.
Friday was a teacher workday back home in Stebbins, and I spent my day preparing myself physically and mentally for the new quarter. I rearranged my classroom which drastically improved the atmosphere and majorly boosted my morale, and I created new seating charts for my classes which helped me to visualize what my classes would look like and get me mentally prepared to greet my students for the new quarter. I finished the day with some mad collaboration time with my middle school compatriots, as we sketched out what our soon-to-be-instated after school intervention time would look like. All in all, a productive day at the end of a busy week.
Other highlights of my week included:
-My new handmade seal and beaver fur hat purchased in Unalakleet which has totally changed my life re: outdoor apparrel,
-A honda ride to neighboring St. Michael on Friday to test the integrity of said hat; it passed with flying colors. Rarely when outdoors have my ears been so not cold. Miraculous.
-Bonding time with my fellow Stebbins staffmates in Unalakleet = priceless.
-Way too much good food, including: homemade cinnamon rolls (Ben), lemon cake (me) and German Apple Cake (Kaisa).
-A refreshed and motivated attitude re: the second quarter of school. I am feeling much more comfortable with my job and teaching practice, even just a week removed from my minor breakdown at the end of the first quarter. Bring it on!
So, a week later and a week wiser, I am ready for the second quarter of school to begin. Well, I am ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. Do we teachers ever feel 100% prepared? All I can do is try!
We had a fun little quasi-vacation in Unalakleet for teacher in-service this past week. We flew in Monday, played a mean (if not victorious) game of volleyball in the all-district staff tourney, went to workshops all day Tuesday and Wednesday, and flew home Thursday afternoon. In between all of the work, we were able to snag some play time with friends from our own site and around the district.
Friday was a teacher workday back home in Stebbins, and I spent my day preparing myself physically and mentally for the new quarter. I rearranged my classroom which drastically improved the atmosphere and majorly boosted my morale, and I created new seating charts for my classes which helped me to visualize what my classes would look like and get me mentally prepared to greet my students for the new quarter. I finished the day with some mad collaboration time with my middle school compatriots, as we sketched out what our soon-to-be-instated after school intervention time would look like. All in all, a productive day at the end of a busy week.
Other highlights of my week included:
-My new handmade seal and beaver fur hat purchased in Unalakleet which has totally changed my life re: outdoor apparrel,
-A honda ride to neighboring St. Michael on Friday to test the integrity of said hat; it passed with flying colors. Rarely when outdoors have my ears been so not cold. Miraculous.
-Bonding time with my fellow Stebbins staffmates in Unalakleet = priceless.
-Way too much good food, including: homemade cinnamon rolls (Ben), lemon cake (me) and German Apple Cake (Kaisa).
-A refreshed and motivated attitude re: the second quarter of school. I am feeling much more comfortable with my job and teaching practice, even just a week removed from my minor breakdown at the end of the first quarter. Bring it on!
Modeling my fabulous new hat
Side view. No seals or beavers were harmed in the making of this hat.
....JUST KIDDING
Furniture re-arranging SKILLZ. I got 'em from my MAMA!
Facing the back of the classroom
Roman has become the king of the awkward sleeping position...on this couch, in particular. So funny.
Well, there you have it people...Life in Alaska goes on. I just finished getting my plans for the week wrapped up, and all I have left are copies to be made in the morning. Thank you, as always, for reading!
XOXOjane
Sunday, October 17, 2010
One Quarter Down, Three To Go...
Is it possible that I actually am done with the first quarter of my first year as an official teacher? It sure doesn't feel like it...the stack of 'to be graded' and 'to be entered' student work I have been hauling around hither and yon in my teacher tote is a daily reminder that I do not, in fact, have it as 'together' as I would like. Let's just say, purchasing the complete series of Sex and the City on DVD was a good idea in theory, but it hasn't done much to bolster my work ethic. When I leave school with my bag-o-papers, with the best intentions of spending the evening grading like a fiend, all of that motivation disperses as soon as I hit my doorstep. At that point, all I want to do is put on my sweats and fluffy robe, brew a hot mug of Starbucks Via, and curl up with Carrie and the girls. This lifestyle choice is going to come back and bite me in the butt sooner rather than later, of this I am sure. My tendencies toward procrastination have only been magnified since graduating from college, it would seem. I work my tail off in my classroom every day, just trying to stay a step ahead of my students. There are days when I close the door behind them feeling like I am God's gift to the teaching profession, and there are other days when I feel like Roman the Poodle could have taught the lesson more effectively. Lately, it seems like the latter, more often than not. I am starting to get bogged down with all the minutiae like toggling and test scores and intervention plans and standards and proficient vs. not and on and on and on...and suddenly I am the one feeling less than proficient!
We have this upcoming week off of school for teacher in-service. We will travel to Unalakleet tomorrow and stay until Thursday, then we will return to Stebbins and work here on Friday. It will be nice to have a week to sort of 're-set' myself as best I can, though at this point not only do I have weeks of work to get caught up on, I have weeks yet to plan. So while this break that isn't really a break will be a not unwelcome respite from my darling chicklins, I am still stressed to the max and looking for any excuse to crawl back in bed with my chocolate and my coffee and my escapist television.
I apologize to those of you who came looking for adventure and excitement on this page and found this instead...but if I can't vent on my own blog, where can I? I still love my job, I just don't love the way I am doing it right now. This one's on me...I need to seriously kick myself in the butt, or hire someone else to kick me, instead of waiting to hit that inevitable procrastination wall like I always do, where I have the motivation but I don't have the time. Someone please save me from myself!
The sun is out again today but it is freezing cold and the wind is howling. It seems appropriately tundra-esque, all things considered. Love and stressed out, chocolate covered kisses from your girl here in Alaska (and big, hairy, poodle smooches from Ro) - -
XOXOjane
We have this upcoming week off of school for teacher in-service. We will travel to Unalakleet tomorrow and stay until Thursday, then we will return to Stebbins and work here on Friday. It will be nice to have a week to sort of 're-set' myself as best I can, though at this point not only do I have weeks of work to get caught up on, I have weeks yet to plan. So while this break that isn't really a break will be a not unwelcome respite from my darling chicklins, I am still stressed to the max and looking for any excuse to crawl back in bed with my chocolate and my coffee and my escapist television.
I apologize to those of you who came looking for adventure and excitement on this page and found this instead...but if I can't vent on my own blog, where can I? I still love my job, I just don't love the way I am doing it right now. This one's on me...I need to seriously kick myself in the butt, or hire someone else to kick me, instead of waiting to hit that inevitable procrastination wall like I always do, where I have the motivation but I don't have the time. Someone please save me from myself!
The sun is out again today but it is freezing cold and the wind is howling. It seems appropriately tundra-esque, all things considered. Love and stressed out, chocolate covered kisses from your girl here in Alaska (and big, hairy, poodle smooches from Ro) - -
XOXOjane
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Update Time!
Hello loyal followers, I am pleased to bring you yet another thrilling installment containing the very latest updates from my amazing Alaskan life! It is October, and already the first quarter of school is coming to an end. I can't believe how fast this year is going! Some days I feel like I have accomplished very little in the past two months, and other days I am just amazed by how much my life has changed in so short a time. Teaching is going well for the most part. I am still working on finding my groove in the classroom and in my teaching practice, but each day brings more confidence and that much more experience. There have definitely been days where I wonder if I am really doing OK or if I am just doing a really good job of faking it, but on those days I know I can turn to my wonderful support net of friends and co-workers who are more than happy to prop me back up.
The weather has definitely turned in the past few weeks. It actually snowed a bit a few weeks ago, and temperatures are consistently in the 30s. The sky is blue, though, and the sun is still shining most days, though our daylight is shrinking rapidly. I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts - stocking up in preparation for the long winter, I guess.
Roman is enjoying his new life in Alaska, though I know he misses his poodle family. He has made lots of new human friends, and is a favorite of the staff and the students. To say that he is the most popular poodle in Stebbins is in no way an exaggeration! He enjoys his newfound celebrity and all the attention it brings :)
Volleyball season started for me two weeks ago, though it barely seems like it, as my team has shown up only sporadically. It frustrates me because I take volleyball perhaps a bit too seriously, but still - coaching is such a nice stress release, it would be a welcome addition to my day. We still have time to get it together before competition begins, so I hope my kids decide to make the commitment to come to practice every day. If not...well, Lord knows I have plenty of other things to keep me busy!
Overall, life is good. Stebbins and bush life in general seem to be agreeing with me, which is a pleasant surprise. It's nice to feel like I know where I am going with my life - this is something I can see myself doing for a few years at least. I am finally somewhat able to answer one of the most frequently asked questions I get about teaching up here: "How long are you going to be there?"At this point, another year (or more?) seems more than doable...provided I do, in fact, make it through the winter ;)
XOXOjane
The weather has definitely turned in the past few weeks. It actually snowed a bit a few weeks ago, and temperatures are consistently in the 30s. The sky is blue, though, and the sun is still shining most days, though our daylight is shrinking rapidly. I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts - stocking up in preparation for the long winter, I guess.
Roman is enjoying his new life in Alaska, though I know he misses his poodle family. He has made lots of new human friends, and is a favorite of the staff and the students. To say that he is the most popular poodle in Stebbins is in no way an exaggeration! He enjoys his newfound celebrity and all the attention it brings :)
Volleyball season started for me two weeks ago, though it barely seems like it, as my team has shown up only sporadically. It frustrates me because I take volleyball perhaps a bit too seriously, but still - coaching is such a nice stress release, it would be a welcome addition to my day. We still have time to get it together before competition begins, so I hope my kids decide to make the commitment to come to practice every day. If not...well, Lord knows I have plenty of other things to keep me busy!
Overall, life is good. Stebbins and bush life in general seem to be agreeing with me, which is a pleasant surprise. It's nice to feel like I know where I am going with my life - this is something I can see myself doing for a few years at least. I am finally somewhat able to answer one of the most frequently asked questions I get about teaching up here: "How long are you going to be there?"At this point, another year (or more?) seems more than doable...provided I do, in fact, make it through the winter ;)
XOXOjane
Thursday, September 9, 2010
My Favorite Village-isms
I have been an official teacher for just shy of three weeks now. I can't believe how the time has sprinted by! I turned 25 on Monday surrounded by a very kind and supportive group of new friends, Roman arrived yesterday, and so far I am keeping my head above water in the classroom. This is by far the most challenging work I have ever done, but conversely, it is also the most rewarding. My students have already become very dear to me (even the ones that drive me up the wall daily), and I can see how teaching out here in the bush can be so addicting.
Anyone who really knows me, knows I am a nut about language - namely, the usage and implementation of the English language. Therefore, I have been like a kid in a candy shop these past few weeks, listening to my kids speak and picking out some of the local colloquialisms that are part of their dialect and vernacular. The English language is so endlessly fascinating because it is spoken so many places, and in so many different ways. A few of the teachers here are from the Midwest, and I love listening to them talk, too. Even though I have been firmly told that "Midwesterners DON'T have an accent"...I beg to differ :)
Here are some of the words & phrases I hear in my classroom every day:
- "Stink". This refers to anything that is stinky. 'Stink shoes' is something I've heard more than once, and it is a very popular adjective in my students' writing.
- "I jokes" is what the kids say in the place of 'just kidding'. I hear "I jokes" most often when I call a child out on their behavior, because they think I will let them off the hook if they act like they didn't mean it (note: they almost always mean it, and I almost never let them off the hook).
- "How come?" is an automatic response whenever I make a decree or lay down the law. Example:
Student: "Can I sharpen my pencil?"
Ms. Demme: "No."
Student: "How come?"
Ms. Demme: "Unless the wood is scraping the paper, you don't need to sharpen your pencil. Sit down."
- "Of course" is another one of my favorites. The kids say this to me and to the other kids whenever they are trying to point out that something is obvious. The way they say it is so deadpan, it just kills me.
- "Be mischief" basically means running amok and causing mayhem. As far as I can tell, "be mischief" can run the gamut from innocent fun to getting in serious trouble.
- "Play out" is the general term the kids use for playing outside with friends. Playing out often leads to being mischief, so the two kind of go hand-in-hand. In the writing my students did about life in Stebbins and in their letters to me about themselves, 'play out' and 'be mischief' were often right next to one another on their lists of leisure pursuits.
- "Got gum?" or "You got gum?" - this is a question I hear far too often during the school day, especially since there is no gum allowed in school! My favorite is when kids actually direct this question at me. I give them my best withering look and shake my head, yet it seems like I still get asked pretty regularly.
Those are all the main ones I can think of right now, though I'm certain there are more that I am missing. Each day with my students is an adventure and each day we get to know one another that much better. They are still testing my limits which is to be expected....I am the new kid on the block in the middle school, and of the three of us middle school teachers, I am the lone female (which may or may not be working to my advantage...). Regardless, I am determined to earn their respect, and I can't do that by being, as one student suggested, "less strict, more fun." Right now strict is a good thing as far as I'm concerned, and we will be having plenty of "fun" as soon as they show me a bit more accountability as students. It's all good, though - - I love what I'm doing and I am going to continue to give 100% every day, regardless! They are middle schoolers, after all...school is pretty low on their list of priorities. I remember middle school ALL too well...'school' and 'learning' were two totally different concepts :)
"I never!" (See above).
Anyone who really knows me, knows I am a nut about language - namely, the usage and implementation of the English language. Therefore, I have been like a kid in a candy shop these past few weeks, listening to my kids speak and picking out some of the local colloquialisms that are part of their dialect and vernacular. The English language is so endlessly fascinating because it is spoken so many places, and in so many different ways. A few of the teachers here are from the Midwest, and I love listening to them talk, too. Even though I have been firmly told that "Midwesterners DON'T have an accent"...I beg to differ :)
Here are some of the words & phrases I hear in my classroom every day:
- "Stink". This refers to anything that is stinky. 'Stink shoes' is something I've heard more than once, and it is a very popular adjective in my students' writing.
- "I jokes" is what the kids say in the place of 'just kidding'. I hear "I jokes" most often when I call a child out on their behavior, because they think I will let them off the hook if they act like they didn't mean it (note: they almost always mean it, and I almost never let them off the hook).
- "How come?" is an automatic response whenever I make a decree or lay down the law. Example:
Student: "Can I sharpen my pencil?"
Ms. Demme: "No."
Student: "How come?"
Ms. Demme: "Unless the wood is scraping the paper, you don't need to sharpen your pencil. Sit down."
- "Of course" is another one of my favorites. The kids say this to me and to the other kids whenever they are trying to point out that something is obvious. The way they say it is so deadpan, it just kills me.
- "Be mischief" basically means running amok and causing mayhem. As far as I can tell, "be mischief" can run the gamut from innocent fun to getting in serious trouble.
- "Play out" is the general term the kids use for playing outside with friends. Playing out often leads to being mischief, so the two kind of go hand-in-hand. In the writing my students did about life in Stebbins and in their letters to me about themselves, 'play out' and 'be mischief' were often right next to one another on their lists of leisure pursuits.
- "Got gum?" or "You got gum?" - this is a question I hear far too often during the school day, especially since there is no gum allowed in school! My favorite is when kids actually direct this question at me. I give them my best withering look and shake my head, yet it seems like I still get asked pretty regularly.
Those are all the main ones I can think of right now, though I'm certain there are more that I am missing. Each day with my students is an adventure and each day we get to know one another that much better. They are still testing my limits which is to be expected....I am the new kid on the block in the middle school, and of the three of us middle school teachers, I am the lone female (which may or may not be working to my advantage...). Regardless, I am determined to earn their respect, and I can't do that by being, as one student suggested, "less strict, more fun." Right now strict is a good thing as far as I'm concerned, and we will be having plenty of "fun" as soon as they show me a bit more accountability as students. It's all good, though - - I love what I'm doing and I am going to continue to give 100% every day, regardless! They are middle schoolers, after all...school is pretty low on their list of priorities. I remember middle school ALL too well...'school' and 'learning' were two totally different concepts :)
That's all I have for now! Till next time....
EDIT: Here are some more village-isms, for your enjoyment.
"Not even!" is how you respond if someone is accusing you of something you didn't do. Except my students use it even when it was something they did do, and they are trying to throw me off. Not even.
"I never!" (See above).
"Try come" is a general summons. Sort of like "come here".
"You dumb kid" is an insult of the highest order (kind of). Often paired with 'not even' or 'of course', as in, "Of course, you dumb kid!"
"Holy cow" is still in its heyday up here as an exclamatory statement.
"This kind" is a stand-in for doo-dad or thingy. Example: "He stole my this kind!"
"Really" often begins an exclamatory sentence. Example: when the kids first met Roman, all I heard was "Really big!" "Really soft!" etc. Another favorite phrase is "Really cheap!" which is said in protest to anything thought to be lame or unfair.
Also, the speech patterns I hear sometimes tend towards the Yoda-esque, which is difficult to listen to with a straight face because it is so hilariously endearing. Example: "Really cheap you are!"
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way making fun of the way my students speak. I want to make it clear that I am simply fascinated by their speech patterns/colloquialisms/vernacular strictly from the standpoint of someone who is a lifelong learner of the English language. This is in no way a critique of village language/culture - it is simply a collection of observations I find interesting and which others might find interesting as well.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The day before the first day of school, or, the last day of my life as I have known it.
It all comes down to this. Months of preparation - packing, shipping, traveling, saying goodbye to family and friends, and leaving my old life (physically, at least) behind, and now I am here: on the eve of my first ever first day of school, in Alaska of all places!
Ever since my arrival in the state just two (is it even possible?!) weeks ago, I have been almost non-stop doing things I never imagined I would (or could) do. When I think about what I was doing at this time last year...well, if you had told me then that at the same time next year I would be getting ready to start my teaching career in the Alaskan bush, I would have laughed in your face. It's funny, the way things turn out, isn't it? As a friend pointed out to me just recently, you have to wonder if some things just happen for a reason. Life can seem really random and pointless at times, until you start to look back and connect the dots. I do think some purpose or plan larger than myself has helped me to reach this point, but at the same time, I have to give myself some credit. I also have to give credit to my incredible, supportive family and one very dear friend, who have in equal parts held my hand and kicked me in the butt. You know who you are, and I wouldn't be sitting here today if it weren't for you love and guidance.
I believe it was Eleanor Roosevelt who said "Do one thing every day that scares you." I have (almost unknowingly) made that my new life philosophy, and so far the payoff has been startling. And because of that fact, I am confident that no matter how nervous, stressed, and flat out scared I am about what is going to happen in the coming days, weeks, and months, I will only end up stronger for it. I will try to keep posting here as regularly as possible, but no guarantees...I am going to be slightly busy from here on out :)
Ever since my arrival in the state just two (is it even possible?!) weeks ago, I have been almost non-stop doing things I never imagined I would (or could) do. When I think about what I was doing at this time last year...well, if you had told me then that at the same time next year I would be getting ready to start my teaching career in the Alaskan bush, I would have laughed in your face. It's funny, the way things turn out, isn't it? As a friend pointed out to me just recently, you have to wonder if some things just happen for a reason. Life can seem really random and pointless at times, until you start to look back and connect the dots. I do think some purpose or plan larger than myself has helped me to reach this point, but at the same time, I have to give myself some credit. I also have to give credit to my incredible, supportive family and one very dear friend, who have in equal parts held my hand and kicked me in the butt. You know who you are, and I wouldn't be sitting here today if it weren't for you love and guidance.
I believe it was Eleanor Roosevelt who said "Do one thing every day that scares you." I have (almost unknowingly) made that my new life philosophy, and so far the payoff has been startling. And because of that fact, I am confident that no matter how nervous, stressed, and flat out scared I am about what is going to happen in the coming days, weeks, and months, I will only end up stronger for it. I will try to keep posting here as regularly as possible, but no guarantees...I am going to be slightly busy from here on out :)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Alaska snap-shots
I have been in Alaska almost a week and it has been a non-stop whirlwind so far. I have managed to take a few pictures in between shopping, flying, training, and overall acclimating to my new surroundings. Here are a few of my favorites so far - a mini photo-essay of my journey up until now.
This was the aftermath of our day of shopping in Anchorage. Jodi (my colleague and new friend) picked me up from the airport in Anchorage and I stayed with her at her aunt and uncle's house before we left for Unalakleet. We went from being complete strangers to being "bonded for life" after our experience shopping together at Costco and Wal-Mart. It was an experience I will never forget and I am so grateful that I had Jodi there to somewhat hold my hand through it all.
This is the Unalakleet airport on a beautiful summer morning. We were waiting for our flight out to Stebbins after our three days of new teacher training. The green plane on the right came to take our luggage, then a bigger green plane (bigger than the one on the left by a bit) came to take us to Stebbins. I was pretty nervous about the flight but we made it in one piece (and so did our bags)!
This is my view out of the plane. It was a gorgeous flight over Norton Sound. I think it took us maybe 20 minutes to fly from Unalakleet to Saint Michael, then it was about a ten minute drive from Saint Michael to Stebbins.
The view down the beach toward the bluff at Stebbins. It was a beautiful first day in the village and it was great to meet all of the other teachers I will be working with this year. I felt very warmly welcomed by not only the staff but by the village children as well. They were there to greet us when we arrived and were eager to "visit" our homes and play with us on the beach. The kids really enjoyed trying to get me to say Yupik words then laughing at me when I butchered them.
We set our net out in the sound in hopes of pulling in a big salmon catch the next day. It was an absolutely gorgeous night - the perfect end to an exciting day!
We pulled in the net this afternoon and found five silver salmon waiting for us. Usually they are caught and packaged so we can eat salmon all year, but since our catch was so small we decided it was salmon for dinner tonight!
I learned how to fillet a salmon today, and it was much easier than I thought it would be! We had the fish for dinner (as I said) and it was delicious. Does it get any fresher than this!?
My first two days in Stebbins have been fast and furious but lots of fun. None of my belongings have arrived apart from one bin of kitchen items and two bins of books. I guess they will continue to trickle in over the next few weeks. I am most anxious for my food (groceries here are killer expensive!) and for my bedding. My next task is to get my classroom set up. The school is beautiful, and my classroom is in what used to be the weight room (haha!) right off the gym. I found out I will be teaching everything but science - reading, writing, social studies and...MATH. Please pray for me on that one.
I am terrified yet terribly excited to start teaching! Everyone is so supportive and kind, I feel like I will be starting out with a pretty secure safety net.
More to come later - stay posted! The fun is just beginning!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
I AM OFFICIALLY IN ALASKA, PEOPLE. HOLY CRAP!!!!!
Ok y'all, in case you haven't heard, I am in fact now in Alaska. It is AMAZING!!! There is no way I can possibly describe everything I have done in the past few days just in this one post but I will try to give a brief overview.
SO I flew into Anchorage on Sunday night after saying a tearful goodbye to Roman (who I will be seeing in a month when Dad brings him up...still, it put me over the edge) and was picked up at the airport by one of my new co-workers who had generously offered to let me stay with her and her family in Anchorage and help me get fitted out for the bush.
It was a warm welcome, but after hearing some "horror stories" from life in the bush and coming to realize how vastly unprepared I am for the coming school year, no matter how exhausted I was from my travels, I didn't get much sleep that first night.
Yesterday we were out the door by 10am to start our day of shopping. We hit Costco ($450), then Wal-Mart (~$300), then we returned to our home base to pack up all of our food. I took some amazing pictures of that whole process but I will have to post them later because my poor computer just won't handle uploading any more of anything. We were able to take one load of bins to the post office last night but the others had to wait until this morning.
I sent 23 bins from Vancouver last week which contained all my worldly belongings. I checked three bags and carried on two for my flight. After shopping in Anchorage yesterday, I sent five bins filled with food out this morning. And my Wal-mart bush order will probably be at least 4 or 5 boxes. HOPEFULLY I will have some if not all (dare to dream) of my items by the time school starts. Until then, I'm living out of my suitcase(s).
Today we flew from Anchorage to Unalakleet, our district hub village. I will be here until Friday for new teacher training, then I will fly to Stebbins for the weekend. It's back to Unalakleet on Monday for the district-wide inservice, then back to Stebbins and school starts August 23.
My first impressions of Alaska are:
-Anchorage was gorgeous, like Idaho on crack. Panoramic mountains, lots of trees. Seems like a fun and welcoming city and I am anxious to visit again.
-Unalakleet is on the coast and it smells fresh and salty, not unlike the Oregon coast. The rain is also familiar. The hills in the distance are also reminiscent of Idaho and eastern Washington: golden brown with streaks of dark green trees. I haven't gotten out in the village yet, just holed up in the school for now getting my bearings.
Overall, I am doing pretty well here in my new home. Still feeling a bit daunted by the task at hand (my first year teaching, yikes), worried about my belongings getting here, but still having a great time meeting and getting to know the people I will be working and living with for at least the next year. I just can't believe I am finally actually here! Excited to get to Stebbins in a few days, and you can expect more updates and first impressions from that experience after I get there.
Stay posted, there's lots more to come!
SO I flew into Anchorage on Sunday night after saying a tearful goodbye to Roman (who I will be seeing in a month when Dad brings him up...still, it put me over the edge) and was picked up at the airport by one of my new co-workers who had generously offered to let me stay with her and her family in Anchorage and help me get fitted out for the bush.
It was a warm welcome, but after hearing some "horror stories" from life in the bush and coming to realize how vastly unprepared I am for the coming school year, no matter how exhausted I was from my travels, I didn't get much sleep that first night.
Yesterday we were out the door by 10am to start our day of shopping. We hit Costco ($450), then Wal-Mart (~$300), then we returned to our home base to pack up all of our food. I took some amazing pictures of that whole process but I will have to post them later because my poor computer just won't handle uploading any more of anything. We were able to take one load of bins to the post office last night but the others had to wait until this morning.
I sent 23 bins from Vancouver last week which contained all my worldly belongings. I checked three bags and carried on two for my flight. After shopping in Anchorage yesterday, I sent five bins filled with food out this morning. And my Wal-mart bush order will probably be at least 4 or 5 boxes. HOPEFULLY I will have some if not all (dare to dream) of my items by the time school starts. Until then, I'm living out of my suitcase(s).
Today we flew from Anchorage to Unalakleet, our district hub village. I will be here until Friday for new teacher training, then I will fly to Stebbins for the weekend. It's back to Unalakleet on Monday for the district-wide inservice, then back to Stebbins and school starts August 23.
My first impressions of Alaska are:
-Anchorage was gorgeous, like Idaho on crack. Panoramic mountains, lots of trees. Seems like a fun and welcoming city and I am anxious to visit again.
-Unalakleet is on the coast and it smells fresh and salty, not unlike the Oregon coast. The rain is also familiar. The hills in the distance are also reminiscent of Idaho and eastern Washington: golden brown with streaks of dark green trees. I haven't gotten out in the village yet, just holed up in the school for now getting my bearings.
Overall, I am doing pretty well here in my new home. Still feeling a bit daunted by the task at hand (my first year teaching, yikes), worried about my belongings getting here, but still having a great time meeting and getting to know the people I will be working and living with for at least the next year. I just can't believe I am finally actually here! Excited to get to Stebbins in a few days, and you can expect more updates and first impressions from that experience after I get there.
Stay posted, there's lots more to come!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Summer days, drifting away...
Tomorrow is my last day here at the ranch. I cannot believe how the time has flown. It's been a strange summer, to say the least...irritatingly unpredictable. For someone who craves routine and structure, it has certainly been trying at times. Add in the emotional roller-coaster of a hasty summer romance which has left me with more questions than answers, and it becomes more and more apparent that my departure to Alaska in two short weeks may be nothing short of theraputic. I need something I can throw myself into headlong, which will consume my mind and body thoroughly enough to cleanse any outlying "what ifs" from my system. Between a cataclysmic move and beginning my first official year as a full-time teacher, I think that pretty much covers all the bases.
As I reflect on the past two months, now that I am nearly on the eve of my departure, I am able to recognize the time I've spent here as a time of needed introspection and personal growth. Also, it has been a forced detachment from my family and familiar surroundings which, although not quite as extreme, will certainly prepare me for what is to come in the not-so-distant future.
Bittersweet as much of my personal growth and learning has been this summer, when I view it in full I am left with a feeling of accomplishment. I put myself out and took risks like I never have before. Sometimes I landed on my feet, sometimes I fell flat on the ground, and sometimes I was left unsure about what was up and what was down. But despite the outcome, through each new experience I have gained a greater sense of self and an enhanced confidence in who I am and what I am capable of doing.
I'm not quite sure what tomorrow will bring, or the day after that, or the week after that, or what my life will be like just one month from now, but I do know there is one thing I can count on: when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will still be me, and I am happy about that.
As I reflect on the past two months, now that I am nearly on the eve of my departure, I am able to recognize the time I've spent here as a time of needed introspection and personal growth. Also, it has been a forced detachment from my family and familiar surroundings which, although not quite as extreme, will certainly prepare me for what is to come in the not-so-distant future.
Bittersweet as much of my personal growth and learning has been this summer, when I view it in full I am left with a feeling of accomplishment. I put myself out and took risks like I never have before. Sometimes I landed on my feet, sometimes I fell flat on the ground, and sometimes I was left unsure about what was up and what was down. But despite the outcome, through each new experience I have gained a greater sense of self and an enhanced confidence in who I am and what I am capable of doing.
I'm not quite sure what tomorrow will bring, or the day after that, or the week after that, or what my life will be like just one month from now, but I do know there is one thing I can count on: when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will still be me, and I am happy about that.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
My first float down the river (or, How I almost died in 2ft. of water)
The South Fork of the Clearwater River
Looking Down River
Looking Up River
Well, I have had quite a few interesting adventures here at the Ranch this summer, and a week ago today I had yet another to add to the books. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not exactly into water sports. I am an excellent swimmer, but my crippling fear of sharks, sea monsters, fish, and other unknown creatures of the deep keeps me from going any further than knee deep into bodies of water that are not man made and chlorinated. I've also never been a big lover of boats.
HOWEVER, as of late I have embraced the life philosophy of 'trying things', which is why last Thursday, as Chuck, Lana, and I were setting up party central down by the river for Anderson's and my friends who were coming in on Friday, I offered unhesitatingly to man (woman?) the freshly inflated boat/raft thingy down the river from the barn (where it was currently living) to our party site right above the island. You can see the head of the island in the first picture above. I thought it would be fun to have the raft down at our party site so we could drag it out into the river, anchor it or something, and then lay out in it and get some sun. Wishful thinking, perhaps, on my part.
So, after Chuck got the raft inflated, he came down to the party site to get me, stating that "the Titanic was ready to sail." I maybe should have taken that as a bad omen, but let's remember, I am trying to think positively about everything. So we drove back over to the barn in the 4-wheeler, dragged the raft down to the river, and got ready to launch. I was thinking that Chuck and I were going to navigate the river together, but he assured me that I could do it solo, no problem. Bolstered by false confidence, I boarded the craft, and after brief instruction and reassurance that I could definitely keep my shoes on, Chuck shoved me out into the river.
Per Chuck's instruction, I was to make for the left side of the river, because there were fewer rocks and the landing site was on the left side. Seemed easy enough from the safety of the shore, but the river had different ideas. And as I was launched from the right side, attempting to traverse to the opposite shore became that much more difficult. My futile attempts to 'row' resulted in little more than spinning me in pathetic circles, and I quickly succumbed to the will of the current.
I basically traveled the worst possible course down the river. If there was a rock, I hit it. If there were rapids, I was in them. As soon as I cleared the rougher patches and reached the calmer waters before the island, I started rowing for shore like my life depended on it. Which in my mind, it pretty much did. I knew what came after the island (a narrow canyon with nothing but white water), and I knew that if I didn't get the raft to shore and soon, I was screwed.
Even though I was paddling with all I had, the forward motion of the swift current swept me right past my landing site. I waved to Lana who was standing helplessly on the shore, and shouted a resigned, "Well, I guess I'm going to Stites!" (the next town down the river). Chuck had made it back to our party site, and as I began to float down the left side of the island, about 10 feet from the shore, he yelled at me to get out and try to drag the boat to shore. I had just been wading in the river hours previously, and I knew the water was only about 2 feet deep here, so it seemed like a good idea. I swung my left leg out and tried to plant it on the river bottom. My hiking boot bumped and slipped along the rocky bottom, and barely even slowed the raft's progress down the river. Seeing I had no choice, I dragged my other foot out of the raft and tried to plant both feet on the river bottom. Holding on to the raft by a rope, I began to panic because while I was now fully out of the raft, we were still traveling down river at an alarming rate. I was wet up to my waist and still could not gain purchase on the slippery, algae-coated rocks lining the river bottom.
Then, the thing I had been dreading happened. I lost my footing completely, landing on my butt and dunking me up to my chin, and the unrelenting current continued to drag the raft and me down river. I knew I ought to give up at this point - let the raft go and worry about saving myself - but I am just stubborn (or stupid?) enough to get it in my head that I HAD to save the raft. I had already lost my paddle in my struggle to keep my feet - if I lost the raft too, I would never hear the end of it.
I dug my feet in for a last ditch attempt, somehow managed to regain my footing, and using all of my strength (aided by panic adrenaline) I flopped and floundered and dragged the raft (which felt like it weighed a ton as the current pulled on it) step by slogging step into shore. I flopped onto the rocky beach with all the drama of an old-timey sailor who has not seen land for months.
My legs were shaking from the effort, I could hardly walk, I was soaking wet and more than a little embarrassed, but I was alive and the raft was ashore. Chuck even managed to recover the lost paddle.
Once I got back up to the house and the adrenaline began to abate, I discovered that I was covered in emerging bruises from ankle to knee on both legs - souvenirs of my battle with the rocky river bottom.
As far as my 'trying new things' lifestyle goes, most of the time the result is positive. However, I think my first time floating the South Fork was also my last...well, at least for now :)
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Equine Acrobatics!
I WISH I had a picture to show all of you in my blog audience the amazing new experience I had today. For the first time in almost 25 years of on-and-off horseback riding, I was thrown by a horse. It was intense! We actually had three photographers on site taking pictures of us all dressed up in Western garb with the horses, and not one of them captured me flying through the air off of the back of a bucking horse. I was a little miffed!
Yesterday I had an amazing ride on Monty, a gorgeous red Missouri Foxtrotter, and everything was absolutely perfect. I had a lot of fun and was feeling very confident about being back in the saddle and was ready to take on any horse at the Ranch. We took video of some of my ride, and I'll post the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=137238182953274&ref=mf
So today, my original plan was to ride Monty again. After our good ride the day before, there were still a few things I wanted to work on with him, like steering him more with my legs than with the reins, as he appeared to be fighting the bit slightly and I was forced to choke up on the reins and ride with my hands in sort of a strange posture. Just like in all sports, it really helps to watch video of yourself riding so you can see what you were doing right and what you might want to change. When Lana mentioned that my hands looked funny, I realized that I could probably rely less on rein steering and more on leg steering with Monty because he seemed almost more responsive to my light leg squeezes than he did when I jerked the reins. Every horse is different - you have to ride A LOT to be able to pick up on their individual subtleties.
Anyways, I ended up not riding Monty today because as soon as he saw me come into the pasture carrying a rope, he initiated evasive maneuvers. I got sick of chasing him through ankle deep muck out in the middle of the pasture, so I decided to just choose between the other two horses in the pasture who were not purposefully avoiding me.
Monty's pasture mates are Ferrari, a red Tennessee Walker, and Prada, a white and red Spotted Saddle Horse. I had ridden Ferrari three or four times on previous visits to the ranch, and knew her to be a gentle, easygoing mare. Prada, on the other hand, is younger and a bit small for me and I have never ridden her before, even though I know she is a good little horse. Regardless, I wanted to be in my comfort zone with the photographers there snapping pictures, so I chose Ferrari as my steed for the day.
It was a lot of fun posing for the photographers while I groomed and saddled Ferrari, and she seemed pretty patient for the majority of the session. Finally, after about 45 minutes of picture taking, I was given the go-ahead (by the photographers) to get on the horse. Let me digress for just a moment to say that for this "photo shoot" we were instructed to wear as much "Western" garb as possible. I was weighed down by jeans, boots, leather chaps (w/fringe!) belt w/large silver belt buckle, denim shirt, vintage silver and turquoise squash blossom necklace (my Omi's, now mine), bandana, and cowgirl hat. It was quite the ensemble, to say the least.
One foot in the stirrup, I swung up onto Ferrari's back, as I have done many times before. I was barely in the saddle and my right foot wasn't even in the stirrup when a loose buckle or dangling fringe from my chaps brushed the horse's side in the wrong way, and she TOOK OFF and started HOPPING AND KICKING with me, one foot in the stirrups, trying to get purchase on my reins enough to pull her back. It didn't take long for me to figure out that I was no longer in control, and the horse was going to have me off one way or another, so I decided to make it on my terms. I swung my right leg back over the saddle, and even as the horse hopped into the air again, I pushed off with my one foot that was in a stirrup and became airborne. In that split second in which I realized I was going to have to jump or be thrown, I knew that I needed to plan my jump so I would land far enough away from the horse so there would be no risk of me being trampled, and to give me some time to get up and get away if she charged at me. The fact that she jumped at the same time I did allowed me to somehow meet my dismount objectives with a bit of added style. I really got some air! I landed on my butt, and was actually grateful (for once) for the added cushion. I dinged my knee up a little bit, but it's just a bruise. I DIDN'T land on my head, I DIDN'T require a trip to the ER, and I DID get back on the horse after we had both calmed down a bit (and I had removed the offending chaps).
All told, it was actually kind of awesome, and I am really thankful for all my years of athletics, which have trained my body and mind to react quickly (and land safely!) as the situation requires. In other news, we have a new baby here at Southfork! Louis Vuitton was born early Thursday morning to Porsche the black mare and Armani the palomino stallion. Mom and baby are doing very well (Louis is a handful! Lots of personality!) and Dad is very proud. Louis is a Tennessee Walker.
So today, my original plan was to ride Monty again. After our good ride the day before, there were still a few things I wanted to work on with him, like steering him more with my legs than with the reins, as he appeared to be fighting the bit slightly and I was forced to choke up on the reins and ride with my hands in sort of a strange posture. Just like in all sports, it really helps to watch video of yourself riding so you can see what you were doing right and what you might want to change. When Lana mentioned that my hands looked funny, I realized that I could probably rely less on rein steering and more on leg steering with Monty because he seemed almost more responsive to my light leg squeezes than he did when I jerked the reins. Every horse is different - you have to ride A LOT to be able to pick up on their individual subtleties.
Anyways, I ended up not riding Monty today because as soon as he saw me come into the pasture carrying a rope, he initiated evasive maneuvers. I got sick of chasing him through ankle deep muck out in the middle of the pasture, so I decided to just choose between the other two horses in the pasture who were not purposefully avoiding me.
Monty's pasture mates are Ferrari, a red Tennessee Walker, and Prada, a white and red Spotted Saddle Horse. I had ridden Ferrari three or four times on previous visits to the ranch, and knew her to be a gentle, easygoing mare. Prada, on the other hand, is younger and a bit small for me and I have never ridden her before, even though I know she is a good little horse. Regardless, I wanted to be in my comfort zone with the photographers there snapping pictures, so I chose Ferrari as my steed for the day.
It was a lot of fun posing for the photographers while I groomed and saddled Ferrari, and she seemed pretty patient for the majority of the session. Finally, after about 45 minutes of picture taking, I was given the go-ahead (by the photographers) to get on the horse. Let me digress for just a moment to say that for this "photo shoot" we were instructed to wear as much "Western" garb as possible. I was weighed down by jeans, boots, leather chaps (w/fringe!) belt w/large silver belt buckle, denim shirt, vintage silver and turquoise squash blossom necklace (my Omi's, now mine), bandana, and cowgirl hat. It was quite the ensemble, to say the least.
One foot in the stirrup, I swung up onto Ferrari's back, as I have done many times before. I was barely in the saddle and my right foot wasn't even in the stirrup when a loose buckle or dangling fringe from my chaps brushed the horse's side in the wrong way, and she TOOK OFF and started HOPPING AND KICKING with me, one foot in the stirrups, trying to get purchase on my reins enough to pull her back. It didn't take long for me to figure out that I was no longer in control, and the horse was going to have me off one way or another, so I decided to make it on my terms. I swung my right leg back over the saddle, and even as the horse hopped into the air again, I pushed off with my one foot that was in a stirrup and became airborne. In that split second in which I realized I was going to have to jump or be thrown, I knew that I needed to plan my jump so I would land far enough away from the horse so there would be no risk of me being trampled, and to give me some time to get up and get away if she charged at me. The fact that she jumped at the same time I did allowed me to somehow meet my dismount objectives with a bit of added style. I really got some air! I landed on my butt, and was actually grateful (for once) for the added cushion. I dinged my knee up a little bit, but it's just a bruise. I DIDN'T land on my head, I DIDN'T require a trip to the ER, and I DID get back on the horse after we had both calmed down a bit (and I had removed the offending chaps).
All told, it was actually kind of awesome, and I am really thankful for all my years of athletics, which have trained my body and mind to react quickly (and land safely!) as the situation requires. In other news, we have a new baby here at Southfork! Louis Vuitton was born early Thursday morning to Porsche the black mare and Armani the palomino stallion. Mom and baby are doing very well (Louis is a handful! Lots of personality!) and Dad is very proud. Louis is a Tennessee Walker.
Mom and Baby with Dad in the background
Just another day at Southfork!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
New Things!
Today I did some things I have never done before! It was our first truly nice day since I have been here at the ranch, and after the day getting off to a ridiculous start (long story short: I went to throw the discus up at the local h.s. and ended up losing one disc and gaining full-body hives), things got better in the afternoon.
Lana decided I needed to learn to ride a motorcycle. I was skeptical at first because I am SO bad with all things mechanical/electronical/beyond basic stone age technology. It was a big surprise to me when I was zooming around the back yard after just a few minutes of instruction! It really made me realize how much of a tool Bella (from Twilight...ugh) is in New Moon when she bails into a rock on her first motorcycle ride. I was scared at first that I would do the same or similar, but then, as I said, Bella is a huge tool and I am relatively competent in comparison.
We took the bike down to the horse arena so I could practice shifting and get up a little more speed. It was a lot of fun! Especially once I started to get the hang of it with the shifting and accelerating and whatnot. Amazingly enough, I did not fall off once. Lana took video and pics, and of course, made me pose at the end :)
Lana decided I needed to learn to ride a motorcycle. I was skeptical at first because I am SO bad with all things mechanical/electronical/beyond basic stone age technology. It was a big surprise to me when I was zooming around the back yard after just a few minutes of instruction! It really made me realize how much of a tool Bella (from Twilight...ugh) is in New Moon when she bails into a rock on her first motorcycle ride. I was scared at first that I would do the same or similar, but then, as I said, Bella is a huge tool and I am relatively competent in comparison.
We took the bike down to the horse arena so I could practice shifting and get up a little more speed. It was a lot of fun! Especially once I started to get the hang of it with the shifting and accelerating and whatnot. Amazingly enough, I did not fall off once. Lana took video and pics, and of course, made me pose at the end :)
I am unnecessarily smarmy. Haha!
Something else I did today that I've never done before is hit a golf ball! Ok, I've played putt-putt before, but this was full-on golf ball hitting with a real club and everything. I had quite a few spectacular swing-and-misses, but I told myself, "Ok, I'm an athlete, I can do this!" and pretty soon I was at least making contact. I would never say I have a future in golf, recreational or otherwise, but it was fun and challenging and I can definitely say I have a much greater respect for the sport now, knowing how difficult it really is!
And, once again, Lana was on hand with her camera to capture my special golf moments :)
Yes, I am golfing in cowgirl boots. Recognize!
Finally, we had a Jurassic Park moment with the ranch's largest equine occupant during our golf cart tour of the Demme homestead land. Reign did not appreciate having us in his pasture! Check out the video linked below, particularly the second half:
Just another day at Southfork!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Moving...it's never fun
For the second night in a row I am fighting off a migraine...it has been a long and exhausting weekend of lifting, loading, prepping, packing, selling, sunning, burning, beer-ing, and not enough sleeping. MOVING! I've done it so many times in the past six or so years, you'd think I would have gone pro by now. The amount of items I have accumulated from the beginning of college until now is disgusting. Or, it WAS disgusting. I have fallen upon my apartment like a black, scourging plague, dispatching of any and all unnecessary items...and believe me, when you've spent more than an hour sorting through anything, you begin to seriously question every item's worth. At this point, I almost just want to pitch it all out and start over!
I have to give mad props to my parents who have helped me with every move, working way harder than necessary and complaining only minimally ;) My mom is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to organizing and packing. She darts around like a hummingbird on Redbull, going in about five directions at once and somehow managing to bring a sense of order to complete chaos. My dad, on the other hand, goes into his surly 'moving mode', where he is happy to haul anything in or out, but will gladly rip you a new one if you as much as look at him the wrong way. Somehow, this combination works out, though I'm not about to ask why or how.
The garage sale Friday and Saturday was ridiculous, but I managed to rid myself of quite a few superfluous items and make some sweet moolah in the process. I also achieved a stunning sunburn, as Saturday was the first sunny day we'd had in weeks and I wasn't about to waste it. As soon as the garage door went up at 8am I was out in my chair in my tank top and wayfarers. Not sure if it was worth the pain, but it was nice to feel warm again!
Today was supposed to have been my day to head out for my summer at the Ranch, but the garage sale turned out to be more of a time suck than I had anticipated so I had to delay my departure one day. After slogging through the wreckage of my apartment for a few hours, it became apparent that a one day delay was not enough. Updated ETD: Tuesday AM, God willing and the creek don't rise.
I have to give mad props to my parents who have helped me with every move, working way harder than necessary and complaining only minimally ;) My mom is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to organizing and packing. She darts around like a hummingbird on Redbull, going in about five directions at once and somehow managing to bring a sense of order to complete chaos. My dad, on the other hand, goes into his surly 'moving mode', where he is happy to haul anything in or out, but will gladly rip you a new one if you as much as look at him the wrong way. Somehow, this combination works out, though I'm not about to ask why or how.
The garage sale Friday and Saturday was ridiculous, but I managed to rid myself of quite a few superfluous items and make some sweet moolah in the process. I also achieved a stunning sunburn, as Saturday was the first sunny day we'd had in weeks and I wasn't about to waste it. As soon as the garage door went up at 8am I was out in my chair in my tank top and wayfarers. Not sure if it was worth the pain, but it was nice to feel warm again!
Today was supposed to have been my day to head out for my summer at the Ranch, but the garage sale turned out to be more of a time suck than I had anticipated so I had to delay my departure one day. After slogging through the wreckage of my apartment for a few hours, it became apparent that a one day delay was not enough. Updated ETD: Tuesday AM, God willing and the creek don't rise.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Will I ever be warm again?
image credit: Anne Taintor
This afternoon, I returned home to Vancouver from a weekend in Tacoma at the state track meet. I have been to the state track meet six times now, and all I can say is, this was BY FAR the worst one on record. Even worse than freshman year when my throwing arch-nemesis beat me by one inch and I got 5th! I had no idea a worse state track meet was even possible, but I was very wrong.
When we arrived on Thursday afternoon, things appeared relatively normal, though slightly overcast. As the afternoon wore on, the clouds rolled in and the sun became obscured, and it became necessary to don a sweatshirt or light jacket. Still, with the unpredictable weather we have been experiencing lately, I think the general feeling in the community was that the clouds would blow through and we would be back under sunny skies shortly. This was not to be born. Rain began falling as the sun set, and our team took refuge first under our orange canopy, then, as conditions worsened, in one of our large eight-passenger vans. As soon as the evening's competition ended, we rushed back to the hotel and cranked our room heaters on high, confident that Friday would dawn fresh and bright.
Ahh, the naivete! Friday was a long, wet slog through running, jumping, and throwing events, with athletes, coaches, and spectators struggling to stay dry and warm. As we affixed more tarps to our canopy and squirmed into more layers of clothing, it began to dawn on us that we had gone from being at the state track meet to being on a really crap camping trip.
If I were to make a list of my top five most hated activities, camping would likely be in the top three. I hate, hate, HATE being cold! This is troubling to me because, as I mused aloud multiple times this past weekend, I am, in fact, moving to ALASKA in 2 short months.
This is what I'm in for...do you think I can handle it?!
http://www.wunderground.com/US/AK/Stebbins.html
P.S.: Yes, I knew when I signed my contract that it is really cold in Alaska and that I am a wilderness wimp. It's no use complaining about it...I just keep telling myself, "it's ok...you're getting PAID." ;) That one warm, happy thought will get me through the coldest of cold days, I think.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Parting is such sweet sorrow...well...maybe not.
As I have begun organizing and packing all of the items I have been lugging around for the past five or six years (longer in some instances...teddy bear Sparky, I'm talking about you), I have come to realize that I have WAY too much stuff. A lot of it was piled upon me by forces that were out of my control (my mother), but then there are just some things that I have not been able to part with...up until now. It's funny how preparing for a big move to the ends of the earth can prompt one to shed some weight in the belongings department.
As I sort through my clothes, books, and movies, and catalog my furniture, decor, and kitchen gadgets into four piles (pack, chuck, store, sell), I have noticed that tossing items into the 'chuck' and 'sell' piles is an unexpectedly liberating feeling. I've never really thought of sorting as being this cathartic, but it feels good to discard some of these superficial, material, layers of my life.
I will be the first one to say that I have a pretty cute apartment. I may not have top-of-the-line stuff, but I have configured my hand-me-downs and Ross finds into an arrangement that feels homey and looks pretty nice (compared to the living spaces of many of my peers). The thing is, I would never choose most of this stuff for myself. All my furniture was either cheap or free, and it is all in decent shape, but anyone who has spent much time in my apartment knows that I have the MOST uncomfortable couch on record in this world, and perhaps even in other worlds. It is also old and heavy and honestly I can't believe I have moved with it as much as I have.
The point is, it's really easy to get rid of this stuff because I am now moving on to that new chapter of my life where the next time I furnish my living space, I will be able to afford the kind of furniture I actually like and want. Who cares if I get rid of the stuff now or later -- it's gotta go sometime, so it might as well be now! If anything, this move is just a great excuse to flush out the sandy eyeball of my life and move on, Visine in hand (how often do you get the chance to use THAT metaphor, I ask you?!). There is one thing, however, with which I will be sad to part...
As I sort through my clothes, books, and movies, and catalog my furniture, decor, and kitchen gadgets into four piles (pack, chuck, store, sell), I have noticed that tossing items into the 'chuck' and 'sell' piles is an unexpectedly liberating feeling. I've never really thought of sorting as being this cathartic, but it feels good to discard some of these superficial, material, layers of my life.
I will be the first one to say that I have a pretty cute apartment. I may not have top-of-the-line stuff, but I have configured my hand-me-downs and Ross finds into an arrangement that feels homey and looks pretty nice (compared to the living spaces of many of my peers). The thing is, I would never choose most of this stuff for myself. All my furniture was either cheap or free, and it is all in decent shape, but anyone who has spent much time in my apartment knows that I have the MOST uncomfortable couch on record in this world, and perhaps even in other worlds. It is also old and heavy and honestly I can't believe I have moved with it as much as I have.
The couch in question...even Roman looks uncomfortable on it!
The point is, it's really easy to get rid of this stuff because I am now moving on to that new chapter of my life where the next time I furnish my living space, I will be able to afford the kind of furniture I actually like and want. Who cares if I get rid of the stuff now or later -- it's gotta go sometime, so it might as well be now! If anything, this move is just a great excuse to flush out the sandy eyeball of my life and move on, Visine in hand (how often do you get the chance to use THAT metaphor, I ask you?!). There is one thing, however, with which I will be sad to part...
...and that would be this little nugget, my not-so-sweet cheatie, Polly.
She is an absolute terror, but for some reason I just can't get enough of her vicious fangs and lovely lady lumps. She's the best frenemy I've ever had, but somehow I think she would find Alaska disagreeable. Or, at the least the bears would find HER disagreeable. Either way, I am trying to find her a tranquil new home which will include an option for me to take her back if anything should prevent her new owner from caring for her at any point in the indeterminate future. Because just look at that fuzzy tummy...could YOU say goodbye to that forever? Not that I've ever been able to touch the fuzzy tummy without being seriously maimed, but sometimes that's the price you pay for love.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Likeable Links!
For those of you who would like to do some IN DEPTH RESEARCH, or who just want to know more about what I'm talking about in my posts, you might want to check out some of these:
Here is where it all began, the Alaska Teacher Placement website, an AMAZING resource for anyone interested in teaching in Alaska.
http://www.alaskateacher.org/doku.php
This is the website for my new district, the Bering Strait School District (BSSD). Lots of info!
http://www.bssd.org/
This is the BSSD Wiki site, where both teachers and students contribute content. If you are interested in learning more about the villages, the standards we teach, and a slew of other interesting topics, you might want to check this out.
http://wiki.bssd.org/index.php/Main_Page
And finally, a shameless plug for Southfork River Ranch, the place I am privileged to call my second home, and where I will be spending the majority of the summer. It is a working guest ranch, where activities include horseback riding, hiking, hunting (or just wildlife viewing, for the non-bloodthirsty), fishing (the South Fork of the Clearwater River = fly fishing paradise), swimming (in the river if you are crazy enough and in the pool or hot tub if you prefer heated and chlorinated)...and really the list goes on, depending on your personal tastes. Chuck, Lana, and Anderson are amazing hosts, and if you don't have a good time here, there is something wrong with you. This is also the birthplace of my poodle boy Roman, and if you are a poodle enthusiast, there are plenty at the Ranch!
http://www.southforkriverranch.com/
Here is where it all began, the Alaska Teacher Placement website, an AMAZING resource for anyone interested in teaching in Alaska.
http://www.alaskateacher.org/doku.php
This is the website for my new district, the Bering Strait School District (BSSD). Lots of info!
http://www.bssd.org/
This is the BSSD Wiki site, where both teachers and students contribute content. If you are interested in learning more about the villages, the standards we teach, and a slew of other interesting topics, you might want to check this out.
http://wiki.bssd.org/index.php/Main_Page
And finally, a shameless plug for Southfork River Ranch, the place I am privileged to call my second home, and where I will be spending the majority of the summer. It is a working guest ranch, where activities include horseback riding, hiking, hunting (or just wildlife viewing, for the non-bloodthirsty), fishing (the South Fork of the Clearwater River = fly fishing paradise), swimming (in the river if you are crazy enough and in the pool or hot tub if you prefer heated and chlorinated)...and really the list goes on, depending on your personal tastes. Chuck, Lana, and Anderson are amazing hosts, and if you don't have a good time here, there is something wrong with you. This is also the birthplace of my poodle boy Roman, and if you are a poodle enthusiast, there are plenty at the Ranch!
http://www.southforkriverranch.com/
Cowgirl up!
Steelhead - Feb '10
Poodle Pajama Party!
This is what you look like after a few days at Southfork...tired but sooo happy :)
Let's start at the very beginning...
So, pretty much ever since I announced to friends and family that I was leaving civilization to pursue my teaching career in the Alaskan bush, they have been vehemently requesting that I keep them updated SOMEHOW (postcard? telegram? smoke signal?) about what I am up to, 'up there'. So, TA-DAH! Here it is: my own personal blog, where I can ramble on about the important(ish) goings-on of my life and keep everyone in the loop.
I first began my search for a teaching job for this upcoming school year way back in January. It was a New Year's Resolution, of sorts, because at the time I was not coaching, getting very few calls to sub, and in general, feeling pretty downtrodden and pathetic. I knew I could not go another year living the same way - - the unpredictable, unreliable life of a substitute teacher was not agreeing with my routine-loving personality. My sister and my mom both suggested that I look into Alaska...my sister because it had been suggested by the parent of a friend of hers, and my mom because she had just finished reading Sarah Palin's book and was super inspired. So, on January second, I submitted my application to the Alaska Teacher Placement website, where it could then be accessed by every school district in the state. Imagine my absolute surprise when only a week or two later, I got my first call from an Alaska school district! After spending the previous August and September submitting countless applications to the local school districts in SW Washington, applying for every position I felt even vaguely qualified for, and not even receiving an e-mail of rejection, to suddenly be getting calls from superintendents and HR people and to have my references telling me they had spoken to "so-and-so from ALASKA" was shocking, but in a good way! I finally felt like I was breaking through, and that I really had a chance.
I did a few over-the-phone interviews in late January/early February, and actually had one interview after which I was nearly certain I would be offered a contract, but suddenly it seemed the lines had gone dead. I would spend days sitting here in front of this computer screen, searching job listings in Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico...and applying to any job that fit my certifications. Of course, I also continued to keep my eye on the Alaska Teacher Placement site as well. All of my efforts towards job applications in the lower 48 states mentioned were about as fruitless as my previous attempts to find work in the Vancouver area: not one phone call or e-mail.
Feeling discouraged, I finally reached for the contact info my mom had given me a month or so ago for a relative of one of her co-workers who was a principal in Alaska. I hoped he might be a resource in giving me some advice about how best to secure a job in Alaska, in case there was something more I could do. After e-mailing Mr. Pickner, who I came to discover was the principal at Stebbins School in the Bering Strait School District, a district I had interviewed with in late January, I received a call from him which was very informative, and very encouraging. I appreciated that he didn't BS with me about the crappy retirement system I would be coming in on, or the challenges of working with a mostly native population in the bush. And the best thing he told me, after I expressed my concern at seeing the number of candidates listed on the ATP page grow exponentially day by day, was that if I REALLY wanted to teach in Alaska, I would have no trouble finding a job. Well, that made me feel better, though I still wasn't hearing anything back from any other districts at that time.
Track season started in March, my second year of coaching discus and shot at Washougal High School, and it was nice to have daily work, even if it was just an hour or two. Subbing seemed to pick up as well, and the stress of the job search lifted a bit. I was banking on the ATP job fair that would take place in Seattle in mid-April as my big chance to secure a position. A decent number of districts would be in attendance, and I would be able to interview right there and maybe even be offered a contract on the spot.
That was all well and good until I picked up a voicemail after school on a fairly normal Wednesday in the middle of March. It was from Mr. Pickner, the principal I had spoken to a month or so earlier, telling me that his district was going to offer me a position at his school for the upcoming school year and that he really hoped I would take it. I was quite shocked, and listened to the message over again a few times, to be sure I had heard correctly. When I had originally contacted Mr. Pickner, I was not stumping for a job, I was just looking for some friendly advice. To receive that message from him was the very last thing I expected! Even though I had done a phone interview with the district, having not heard from them since January, I had pretty much counted myself out of the running for their hiring pool. It was like going from zero to sixty in a second, and I was feeling slightly whip lashed!
Well, to wrap things all up, I got a hold of Mr. Pickner the next day, and was then contacted by the BSSD's HR department that weekend. I was e-mailed my contract, which I signed and faxed back a few days later. And that was that! My job search was over, and my journey to Alaska had begun.
I got to meet my new principal, Mr. Pickner (aka 'Pick') at the Seattle ATP job fair in April. After meeting him in person, and other district personnel with whom I had had contact over the phone and online, my confidence that I had made the right decision was solidified.
At this moment in time, I am focused on finishing the track season (we have a week and a half to go), getting moved out of my apartment (stuff to store, stuff to sell, stuff to send to AK), and getting out of Vancouver and on the road to our ranch property in Stites, ID where I will be spending the summer as a quasi-ranch hand for Chuck and Lana Melgin. Two months of summer, then on August 8th, I fly from Portland to Anchorage, and the adventure REALLY begins!
I first began my search for a teaching job for this upcoming school year way back in January. It was a New Year's Resolution, of sorts, because at the time I was not coaching, getting very few calls to sub, and in general, feeling pretty downtrodden and pathetic. I knew I could not go another year living the same way - - the unpredictable, unreliable life of a substitute teacher was not agreeing with my routine-loving personality. My sister and my mom both suggested that I look into Alaska...my sister because it had been suggested by the parent of a friend of hers, and my mom because she had just finished reading Sarah Palin's book and was super inspired. So, on January second, I submitted my application to the Alaska Teacher Placement website, where it could then be accessed by every school district in the state. Imagine my absolute surprise when only a week or two later, I got my first call from an Alaska school district! After spending the previous August and September submitting countless applications to the local school districts in SW Washington, applying for every position I felt even vaguely qualified for, and not even receiving an e-mail of rejection, to suddenly be getting calls from superintendents and HR people and to have my references telling me they had spoken to "so-and-so from ALASKA" was shocking, but in a good way! I finally felt like I was breaking through, and that I really had a chance.
I did a few over-the-phone interviews in late January/early February, and actually had one interview after which I was nearly certain I would be offered a contract, but suddenly it seemed the lines had gone dead. I would spend days sitting here in front of this computer screen, searching job listings in Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico...and applying to any job that fit my certifications. Of course, I also continued to keep my eye on the Alaska Teacher Placement site as well. All of my efforts towards job applications in the lower 48 states mentioned were about as fruitless as my previous attempts to find work in the Vancouver area: not one phone call or e-mail.
Feeling discouraged, I finally reached for the contact info my mom had given me a month or so ago for a relative of one of her co-workers who was a principal in Alaska. I hoped he might be a resource in giving me some advice about how best to secure a job in Alaska, in case there was something more I could do. After e-mailing Mr. Pickner, who I came to discover was the principal at Stebbins School in the Bering Strait School District, a district I had interviewed with in late January, I received a call from him which was very informative, and very encouraging. I appreciated that he didn't BS with me about the crappy retirement system I would be coming in on, or the challenges of working with a mostly native population in the bush. And the best thing he told me, after I expressed my concern at seeing the number of candidates listed on the ATP page grow exponentially day by day, was that if I REALLY wanted to teach in Alaska, I would have no trouble finding a job. Well, that made me feel better, though I still wasn't hearing anything back from any other districts at that time.
Track season started in March, my second year of coaching discus and shot at Washougal High School, and it was nice to have daily work, even if it was just an hour or two. Subbing seemed to pick up as well, and the stress of the job search lifted a bit. I was banking on the ATP job fair that would take place in Seattle in mid-April as my big chance to secure a position. A decent number of districts would be in attendance, and I would be able to interview right there and maybe even be offered a contract on the spot.
That was all well and good until I picked up a voicemail after school on a fairly normal Wednesday in the middle of March. It was from Mr. Pickner, the principal I had spoken to a month or so earlier, telling me that his district was going to offer me a position at his school for the upcoming school year and that he really hoped I would take it. I was quite shocked, and listened to the message over again a few times, to be sure I had heard correctly. When I had originally contacted Mr. Pickner, I was not stumping for a job, I was just looking for some friendly advice. To receive that message from him was the very last thing I expected! Even though I had done a phone interview with the district, having not heard from them since January, I had pretty much counted myself out of the running for their hiring pool. It was like going from zero to sixty in a second, and I was feeling slightly whip lashed!
Well, to wrap things all up, I got a hold of Mr. Pickner the next day, and was then contacted by the BSSD's HR department that weekend. I was e-mailed my contract, which I signed and faxed back a few days later. And that was that! My job search was over, and my journey to Alaska had begun.
I got to meet my new principal, Mr. Pickner (aka 'Pick') at the Seattle ATP job fair in April. After meeting him in person, and other district personnel with whom I had had contact over the phone and online, my confidence that I had made the right decision was solidified.
At this moment in time, I am focused on finishing the track season (we have a week and a half to go), getting moved out of my apartment (stuff to store, stuff to sell, stuff to send to AK), and getting out of Vancouver and on the road to our ranch property in Stites, ID where I will be spending the summer as a quasi-ranch hand for Chuck and Lana Melgin. Two months of summer, then on August 8th, I fly from Portland to Anchorage, and the adventure REALLY begins!
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