anchorage trip: volume I

As most of you know, I spent the week in the big city of Anchorage. We took our seniors on a trip around the area to visit various schools (UAA, ACC, AVTEC, AEC, Job Corps, and a College Fair, in no particular order). It was good for them, of course, to see. I was pretty excited, too, about seeing more of Alaska.



The plane ride was, of course, great. I was right next to the wing, as always, so all my pictures have a propeller in them. Oh well.



We did lots and lots of driving. We drove down to the Kenai Peninsula, first to Saldotna to visit ACC (Alaska Christian College), spent the night there, then to AEC (I don't remember what that stands for... something Alaska Education Construction? College?). And then we drove over to Seward to visit AVTEC (Alaska Vocational Technology Education C...? I have no idea). I've heard that Seward is beautiful, but it was wicked cloudy, so I saw just about nothing.



But Seward is right at the base of this gigantic mountain. There's probably more up there, but this was all I could see. It was still pretty cool, even in the rain.

The drive was fun, though. I drove most of the long distance stretches, which is just fine with me (I kind of miss driving, minus the mass amounts of gas we used in those giant vans). Carrie was one of the chaperones (her and I, then Jason, the shop teacher, and Gary, one of the senior's parents and a previous teacher at the school). Her and I were in one van, Gary and Jason were in the other. It worked out, we had fun. It was nice to drive and rest my mind. Anyway, Carrie said she'd take pictures for me while I drove, which was pretty sweet of her. Some of her pictures were pretty great.



I don't have her pictures yet, but I'll post a compare/contrast of my driving photos and hers. These are a couple I took while she was driving.



It was so foggy, you can barely see the mountains in the background. Oh well - another time.



My favorite one of Carrie's pictures was the one of the bald eagle... This was our conversation:
C: (nonchalantly) "He-hey, there's a bald eagle."
K: "Whoa!!"
C: "What?"
K: "Take a picture!"
C: "Of what?"
K: (are you kidding me??) "The EAGLE!"
C: "Oh, oh right!" (reaches out the window, snaps a shot of said eagle) "Well, I got a dot in the sky."
K: "Sweet..."
C: "Sorry! I see them all time, I forget that other people don't."
(ensuing laughter)

I don't yet have those pictures, but that one I will be sure to share.

Anyway, that is pretty much how it went. I said "oo oo" and she took a picture. Or, after a while, I just sort of put the picture idea behind me, but Carrie was dedicated, and she took a file full of pictures for me, in between her naps. You probably can't see it, but the glacier water made the river so blue, it was awesome.

Ironically, I actually know someone from Houghton who lives in Anchorage. I gave her a ring, and we were able to meet up at the hotel. It was super to see a familiar face and share stories of our new lives in Alaska. She's pretty cool, that Meredith.



Hopefully I'll get to visit her again (without 16 high school seniors) in Anchorage soon. :)

All in all, it was a fantastic, although absolutely exhausting trip. The city was very hectic, everything was fast and busy and everyone seemed to be running in circles. By Monday I was beginning to really feel the difference between bush and urban life - it's only been 3 months, but I'm getting used to the quieter life. It's nice. I was definitely ready to come home by Thursday!



So was the dog. She's ready for things to go back to normal.

I got some new pictures from Halloween, and some of them are just too good not to share.



Adrianna Lady Liberty and Janelle, the Wicked Witch of the West. (Songs from Wicked are running through my head...)



And I was a lamp. Underneath my shade is a headlamp that I tried to rig with a chain to turn on if I pulled it. It didn't work, but you can see the little circle of light inside my lampshade. I think was actually smiling for this picture. You can't tell, but I was really having a good time.



But my face and hair were covered in whipped cream. It was neat. I was glad to have the after-party with normal people...







This weekend was very do-nothing for me. I didn't want to hang out, I didn't want to be a teacher, I didn't want to do anything. I don't know how I dragged myself out of bed on Friday, but I was glad that the rest of the school was as tired as I was, because it made my life easier. I had to play lots of music on Saturday. I am re-learning the clarinet for pep-band. We play on Thursday. Here's hoping! And the talent show with our quartet (2 violins, viola, and cello) is on Nov. 20, or so I hear. That should actually go pretty well, I think. I hope. Anyway, it's good to be back home. Now it's back to work!! :)