"If there is anything that adventure has taught me- it's that there is so much more out there."
                                                                                                        -Yours Truly

Escaping the Monotony 

I think my ultimate desire in life is to create a truly unique and authentic life. I was raised in middle America. In a middle class family. Where everything was relatively normal. I use the word relative loosely as I am completely a product of my colorful life. But on the grand scheme of life. It was pretty normal. I had very average life desires: A career, house, family, dog. The full picket fence image. And that was the general track I was on. I think college is where my desire to start seeing the world began to develop.  I really wanted to study abroad. I wanted to go to Ireland, Wales, Cyprus, Italy....  I think this is where I had my first taste of "shit or get off the pot".  I didn't do it. I talked about. I researched it. I let the opportunity slip away from me. I think it was equal parts of wanting too much and not making a decision, no one else in my family had ever done anything like this and that first leap was scary, and being too worried about money. I had a job, I went to class, I had bills to pay. I hadn't even started my career and I fell into the rat race. After I graduated school with my undergrad I sent myself on my first abroad adventure. I saved for a few years. I had planned a few trips with friends before and someone was always backing out. I invited a few people on this adventure but planned a trip that I would have the guts to go on alone. I had only been on a plane once before. And really left to my own devises I tend to find some of the more odd life experiences that people tend to avoid. I planned a tour through Europe with Contiki. It was perfect for where I was in life. Totally manageable money wise. Everyone was 18-35 I believe. And I didn't have to think about anything at all. So. for my very first adventure. This was what I needed. It opened the gateway to the magical world that I call "outside my bubble". And from there I only wanted more and more. Would I do that again? Probably not. Probably is not accurate. I know I would not. Not because there was anything wrong with it at all. I just have more confidence and want to dig a little deeper than the surface level travel experience a tour provides.

North to Alaska

I returned home. Finished grad school and began looking for my first teaching. I had a job mostly secured in my hometown of Longmont, Colorado. It was a 10 minute drive from my cute little studio apartment and a 15 minute drive from my parents. It was a ridiculously easy transition. But you always wonder. I went to a job fair just check things out. I hadn't signed a contract and having a contingency plan is always a great idea. But when I got there none of the Colorado districts I was possibly interested in were there. I wandered around aimlessly killing time. I found an empty chair on the outskirts of a college gym and enjoyed some quality people watching. That's when I noticed one of the booths wasn't a Colorado booth at all. They were from Anchorage. Anchorage... is in Alaska. Weird. I people watched some more and took a few laps around the gym. And there was that Alaska booth again. Who lives in Alaska?? That's nuts. I decided to do a walk-by. And I noticed 3 more Alaskan school districts. And I became a little curious. I wasn't standing in front of one of the booths for more than 30 seconds when they were ready to book my for an interview. I wasn't interested. But I decided that a good interview is always good practice. I had nothing better to do. During my interview the first question I was asked was "How do you feel about small planes?" This is the point that I felt like I might have actually entered the twilight zone. But- why not ride this wave? Along with HR in my interview was this man named Aaron. I probably remember him more than anything. He was Yupik Eskimo and had a very soft demenour. He spoke slowly and calmly as if everything he had to say had great purpose and meaning. And he said "You have a kind heart and soul. I can feel it. We need you. We need you to come and share this kindness." I remember thinking. "Well YOU have a kind heart and soul! After the interview they showed me a list of villages in their district and open elementary positions want wanted to know which one I wanted. I think this is literally the definition of a deer in headlights. Eventually I came to the conclusion that the easy life choice was to stay in my home town and make the logical choice of what I know. But leaving and living on the Bering Sea in an Eskimo village with no roads, cars, or grocery stores was crazy. And maybe. Just maybe. Crazy was the right choice. Welcome to Alaska. ​

Alaska: The Real Gateway Drug

Okay. So I probably shouldn't joke like that. There are real drug problems. And the world is sensitive. But I feel like adventure is my drug of choice.  My endorphins are soaring when I make it up those last few steps on top of a mountain. My heart was pounding the first time I saw an enormous gray whale's tale slap in the water. Every ounce of me gets fired up when I think about the next thing I want to do. And everyday I see, read, or imagine something new that needs to be in my life.  The more I explore- the large the world gets. 

So moving to Alaska was able to fuel my new found passions in two ways. I started seeing the world and an endless array of possibilities that didn't really seem within reach before. And I made a lot more money in Alaska which allowed to travel more. 

But Let's back up. I moved to an Inupiaq Eskimo Village called Brevig Mission. It is roughly 80 miles north of Nome, Alaska. There are just under 400 people. To get to Brevig I took a plane from Colorado, to Seattle, to Anchorage, to Nome, to Brevig. Whew. On each leg my planes grew smaller and smaller until I had my 100 pound lab Baloo strapped in his crate beside me with 4 other passengers. I wouldn't see any more cars, restaurants, or grocery stores for the next 3 months. Life would never be the same. I spent 3 years living in Brevig Mission. If you want to be thrown into teaching and pack several years worth of experience into a single year- move to bush Alaska.  I have never been challenged so much in my life. But that is what stepping outside of your comfort zone is about. I can't really explain how many opportunities I got teaching here that I know I would never have gotten anywhere else. I was pushed, I was challenged, I cried, I grew and every single day was worth it. It was unbelievably rewarding. But 9 months of isolation every year also left me a little bit stir crazy by summer. 

In the 3 years I lived in Brevig I was able to travel to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, and New Zealand. I'd come back in August every school year completely exhausted and start all over again. I'm honestly not really sure if a person can pack more memories into such a short period of time.  My house is now my own personal museum filled with artwork I have collected. Few things bring more joy to my heart that seeing these things everyday and reliving my adventures. They are probably the only possessions that I have any real attachment to. 

Alaska is a big state. The biggest state. During my last year in Brevig I came to the conclusion that when your crazy adventure starts to just feel like your normal life... it might be time for a new adventure. Will this be my forever rule of thumb? Who knows. I left Brevig and have been living in Kodiak Alaska for the past 2 years. 

Kodiak: a Rain Forest in Alaska? Clearly the Next Obvious Choice...

The first things I learned about Kodiak: 
  • The largest island in Alaska. Island. I come from a landlocked state. Sold.
  • It is a temperate rain forest. Lets start with the word temperate. No above 100 degree summers, and I won't be experiencing -40 degree winters... Medium weather in Alaska of all places. And a rain forest. That doesn't sound real. I'm in. 
  • Kodiak bears are the largest bears right after polar bears. Go big or go home right?
  • Google images lead me to believe it was one of the most beautiful places on earth (Google wins again. It is.)
  • There is a REAL grocery store, at least 8 restaurants, and while I'm not a normal lover of Walmart... 
  • Finally, it is expensive. But sometimes you pay for a quality of life. We'll revisit this...
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