Ready for Winter?

Canned Goods

Lots of Frozen Meat!

It's been like Christmas around here...in September!  Unfortunately, I've been funding it all.  Oh well, it'll be well worth it in a few months.  I've been busy ordering and receiving things I'll need for the winter.  My first big purchase was food!  Kind of important for survival, I would say.  I spent a little over $1800 ordering food online through Span Alaska.  I also had my mom do a lot of shopping for me down in the lower-48, getting mostly canned goods, sugar, spices, baking products, etc.  She spent a little over $300 and then shipped it all flat-rate (I actually paid for it, she just did the work for me).  So what do I have to show for it now, two weeks after I ordered all that stuff?  Mostly full cupboards!  I'm still waiting on a few things that were back-ordered, but most of it has come in.

My New Coat!

I also ordered my big winter coat, gloves, and winter gear.  Thanks to my wonderful SHR staff this summer, I got some of it from REI using my $100 gift card!  I also did some shopping from Cabela's and through the Under Armour website.  I'm now the happy owner of a micro-down coat with coyote ruff, big thick gloves, tons of Under Armour Cold Gear (long underwear, gloves, hat), and wool socks.  My friend who also teaches in Alaska is sending me her boots because she bought new ones this year.  My dad gave me his thick bib-converalls that he didn't like for hunting, because they were "too hot."  I'm pretty excited for the snow now...well, as soon as those boots get here.

And now for the toys.  I ordered a MacBook Pro through my school district.  We get an educator's discount, as well as the offer to have it split and taken directly out of our check over the course of the rest of the year.  It's like an interest-free loan.  We can order anything off the Apple website.  I got my Mac, a new iPod touch, and a Time Capsule (it's the wireless internet device, but also a backup device.  It has 1 TB of memory, which is a ridiculous amount of memory!).  I also ordered my Wii.  The Wii was part of my weight loss self-bribery awhile ago, but after I signed my contract to move to Alaska, I post-poned buying it.  (If I lost 20 pounds, I could buy a Wii and the Wii Fit).  Now that I'm here, I bought the Wii, the WiiFit, and the Wii Active.  I'm still waiting on my WiiFit and Wii Active to come it, but I love my Wii so far!  It's so much fun!  I even got it connected to my internet!  I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not, or if it will just mean that I will not be able to save any money!  HaHa!  It'll provide some good entertainment, I'm sure!

Post Office Predicaments

The Post Office here is quite different from anything you've ever experienced in the Lower-48.  First off, imagine for a second your neighborhood post office.  Most likely, it's open Monday-Saturday, with hours that resemble something like 8am-5pm and is staffed by at least 2 people usually.  There are strict rules for P.O. Boxes and picking up packages, especially if you have insured them.

The blue building in the middle is our post office in Koliganek.

Now, when you get to my quaint little village, you have to toss that idea right out the window.  Our Post Office is a small room that is also in the Village Council building (at least I think that's what the building is called).  It is run by one older lady named Lucy.  The Post Office is only open 11am-1pm during the week, and for an hour or so (if you're lucky) on Saturdays.  The building itself is open from 9am-4:30pm.  Right now, there is not enough PO Boxes for everyone in the village, so I still use the school's PO Box.  Needless to say, if I have to actually go to the post office for anything, I have to go during my lunch break.  And I have to wait until the school picks up their mail to get anything of mine (which is once a week).

Getting packages or large boxes, well, that's completely different too.  All packages are left in the large open area of the building.  As long as it's not a COD (Cash-On-Delivery) package, you can just go grab your box from the open area when you have time.  Okay, I know what you're probably thinking.  "Don't your boxes get taken if they're just left in the open?!?!"  Well, no.  There are less than 200 people here.  Everyone is pretty honest.  It wouldn't take long to figure things out I'm sure.  COD packages have to stay at the post office until you pay Lucy for them.

Lucy is quite the character.  She's nice, but sometimes seems a little cranky (I always try to give her a smile and tell her to have a good day).  She couldn't figure out who I was for awhile.  She asked me every time I came in if I was Victor Green (one of the other new teachers in the village, who is old enough to retire.  I'm pretty sure I look nothing like a "Victor").  I think she's figured me out now though....after all, I'm the only blonde girl in the village.

Welcome to Alaska!

I’ve been here a little over a month so far, and so much has happened!  I finally got my internet hooked up at home, which means I can finally get this blog rolling!  This first post is going to be a long one, so be prepared!  But I want to make sure I get anyone and everyone as caught up on my life as possible!

Moving to Alaska from Colorado was quite the ordeal.  I packed up the important things in my life into 10 Rubbermaid tubs, 4 large flat rate shipping boxes, and the box I shipped my TV in.  I shipped most of my stuff in July to Alaska, while I was still working at camp.  I spent around $600, just on shipping.  And that doesn’t include all the things I’ve forgotten and had to have my mom send me!

A fountain in downtown Anchorage

I embarked on my journey to Alaska on August 5th, at 9:30pm MST.  I finally arrived in Alaska at 1:30am, and had to kill time at the airport until Wal-mart opened at 6.  Once 6am rolled around, I got my rental car, went to Wal-mart and placed my first COD Bush Order.  That was...uhh..an experience.  I realize now that there were some things I should have got that I didn’t, and of course, there were some things I didn’t need because my house already had them.  Oh well.  Live and learn, right?  I drove around Anchorage the rest of the morning and early afternoon until I had to be back at the airport to catch my flight to Dillingham.  Once I got back to Dillingham, the superintendent picked me up, drove me around town a little, and the drove me to the hotel.

I stayed in Dillingham until August 12 for inservice.  The first 2 full days (Friday and Saturday) were solely for new teachers.  On Saturday,  a lot of the people from district office with boats took us out on Alegnagik Lake.  We had salmon over the fire, hot dogs, and I got my first taste of agutaq (Eskimo ice cream, which is made of fresh blue berries, sugar, and crisco).  Ummm, let’s just say it’s not my favorite dish, but it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever eater either.  Maybe it’s an acquired taste.  I can say that I enjoy the salmon here, and if you know me at all, I hate fish.  We had Sunday off.  Then Monday through Wednesday, all of the returning staff joined us.  Monday evening we had a BBQ, complete with a dunk tank.  Because I was wearing running clothes, I got volunteered to be dunked!  What fun!

We left for our villages on Wednesday afternoon.  It was pretty cloudy and rainy when we got to Koliganek.  Rick (one of my fellow high school teachers, who has been a life-saver all summer long) showed me to my house, and even brought me my luggage that came on the second plane later that afternoon.  He toured me around the village after we went to the dump (let me tell you, the dump is quite an experience!).  I got all unpacked that night (had to, needed to find my bedding!).  And we started working in our classrooms on Thursday morning.  I think Vicky and I (Vicky is the other high school teacher) worked all through the weekend, trying to organize and set up.

We started the school year with a half-day and a community pot-luck.  It was nice to get to meet so many people!  I’m teaching so many grades and subjects, it’s almost crazy.  I teach Middle School Science, PE, Health, and Math in the morning, followed by High School Physical Science, Health, and Current Issues in Science in the afternoon.  Because Middle School is 7th and 8th grade, the math class is actually two math classes at the same time.  So, that’s 8 preps, and it’s only a 6 period day!  I have to do weekly lesson plans, and that helps me stay organized.


As far as the village goes, things are pretty laid back here.  It’s very small and quaint.  I enjoy it.  Everyone drives around on 4-wheelers.  Prices are pretty high though.  Gas is $6.25/gallon I believe.  We have a store in town, but things there also cost a bit.  I spent $60 on 6 items when I was there last.  I just placed my big bulk order though, so I shouldn’t have to shop at the store very often (between my Span order and the shopping my mom did in the lower-48, I’ve got over $2,000 worth of groceries on the way!).

Very yummy blueberries from the tundra!

The people here are also very nice!  I’ve been invited to go berry-picking already with one of the local ladies.  It was so much fun!  And I’ve been given lots of wonderful gifts in the form of fresh salmon, moose burger, and fresh veggies.  The are truly wonderful people here who take care of each other and take pride in their community!


Well, I guess this is long enough.  I’m really enjoying myself here in Alaska so far!  Even the weather is cooperating so far (mid-50s to 60s usually, usually sunny).  Oh, and right now, its sunny from about 7am-10pm.  Pretty awesome!