Being "Outside"

The world isn't such a bad place... being in motion has been good for my soul. It's been 2 months now since I left the island and have traveled many miles. Here I am, my last night in Sydney, Australia; the place I have called home for the past 7 weeks. Saying goodbye will not be easy. I'm going to keep this post short and bittersweet. It has been a wonderful summer so far, what more can I say?

Pictures (from top to bottom) are from Royal National Park, Palm Beach (Northern Beaches), Blue Mountains (me, Dad and Jordan at Minnie Ha-Ha Falls, the Three Sisters), and Fraser Island in Queensland (Karina wading in Lake MacKenzie; Jordan, Dad and Karina; Lake Wobby, a wild dingo on the road, and camping in the rainforest)

Living in Oz

I arrived in Sydney on June 2nd (June 1st, 2008, did not exist in my world), and here I am two weeks later feeling very much at home. I've always known that I was a very adaptable person, but sometimes it amazes me how quickly it happens. My life in Metlakatla now seems like a distant memory, far, far away. In the present time I am very happy with my surroundings, and am trying not to look into (or worry) about the future. It doesn't exist anyway, so what's the point?

Living with my dad in a tiny apartment isn't that bad. He's so busy we hardly see each other except for the weekends and an occasional evening meal. I'm quite content lounging around all day, although I have recently joined a yoga studio and am taking full advantage of their "Power Yoga" classes every day. There are also tons of places to walk, even some bush walks! One can pretty much walk all along the Inner Harbour on tracks (trails) through the bush. I plan to walk to Manly Beach as soon as we get a good sunny day. The sun comes in and out, but there has been quite a bit of drizzle too, fast moving clouds, but warm temps (20 C, 68 F). Yes, I'm still a bit weather obsessed, nice to know some things don't change.

Here are some pictures of where I am living: the view from my dad's place looking out at the Sydney Harbour (the top of the Opera House is visible, along with the Harbour Bridge), and some shots taken during the 21 gun salute for the Queen's Birthday.

Also, took a week long trip down to Kiama to spend time with my Grandmum and her husband Jim.

Larger Than Life

I kicked off the summer with a 1600+ mile roadtrip that started in Prince Rupert, B.C., on May 24th and ended in Anchorage on May 28th. The scenery was breathtaking, so only these pictures can truly describe the experience.

Saw an abundance of wildlife along the remote highways of British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska: caribou, fox, black bear, moose, trumpeter swans, and the occasional human. The rivers and lakes were breaking up under the warm sun, just in time for me to take a quick bath in Watson Lake, Yukon. I definitely fell in love with this area of the world, hoping to someday make my home near the majestic Wrangell-St.Elias mountain range (that's me pointing at them).

Climbing on the Matanuska Glacier where I couldn't resist rubbing mud on my face.

Two More Days on the Island

Last weekend I procrastinated. It was my last weekend before summer break and I had a lot of packing to do, BUT the weather was just too perfect to spend indoors. Nevada took her sea kayak out for its maiden voyage and I got to try it out. We were wearing shorts and sandals on this warm day, laughing at how our definition of "warm" has changed by about 10-15 degrees.

Here I am with 24 hours left before I have to vacate my classroom. My desk is still cluttered and there's a lot of work yet to be done, but I have no doubt it will all be done in time (with the help of my darling student helpers). As part of my procrastination activities, I collected a bunch of sea greens and have been drying them to make into seasoning blends for next year. This is what my living room has looked like for the past 2-3 weeks:

I will be kicking off the summer with a road trip. My friend Katie is moving to Anchorage and I'm helping her drive. So on Friday we leave on the ferry and arrive in Prince Rupert, B.C., Saturday morning. Then we will start driving up the Cassiar Highway across the Coastal mountains, into the Yukon, crossing into Alaska and finally arriving in Anchorage on the 28th. I'm most excited about passing through the Wrangell-St.Elias National Park and going on a good, long hike outside of Nabesna.

After the road trip I will be flying to Sydney, Australia, where I will spend most of my summer break. I'm excited to spend time with my family and hopefully make some money working as a sub at my dad's Montessori school. Then in late July I will return to the states for some "summer" fun in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. The rest of my plans are yet to be determined.

I'm so glad summer is finally here. I'm ready for an adventure, to travel and be free to roam as I please. Stay tuned!

Ketchikan Getaway

Last weekend I took a little "vacation" over to Ketchikan. I needed to get away (and put gas in my car, at least that was my excuse). The weather had been beautiful all week and Friday evening was perfect for camping-- clear, warm (50 degrees), and no wind. That all changed by Saturday afternoon, and that night can only be described as WET.

What I really needed was to explore, to move, to hike. So Saturday morning I took the Tongass highway North to the end of the road (about 18 miles from Ketchikan) and went on a nice, long hike-- Lunch Creek Trail. I started out at 8 AM and had the trail to myself for the whole 8 mile round trip. It was overcast, no rain, and the creek was raging from the melting snow up in the mountains. I got as far as I could go until I hit deep snow and found myself post-holing up a steep mountainside, not very pleasant. So I sat and breathed in the oxygen next to these beautiful falls before heading back down the trail, feeling refreshed and relaxed. I spent the rainy afternoon at one of my favorite "hangouts" in Ketchikan-- Parnassus Books.

The Days are Getting Longer...

And when the sun is shining, that means there is a LOT to do around here and plenty of time to do it in (as long as you don't mind sacrificing a bit of sleep). It seems like just days ago I was walking to school at 8 a.m. in pitch black night, gazing at the stars, the same stars that would shine above me when I walked home at 4 in the afternoon. Now I wake up at 6:30 and think I've overslept-- the sun is already high in the sky!

Speaking of sun, we have had 4 straight days of sunshine!!! The weather is even "warm"... might get into the 50s today! I'll be rid of this pale Alaskan skin in no time. Last weekend, friends Shannon and Randy took me, Kelly and Todd out on their new boat. It was chilly, but the sun made up for it. We couldn't go too far out due to the winds and high seas, but Randy took us to the ship graveyard on Hemlock Island and we toured around Chester Bay enjoying the ocean with friends.

Kids...

As much as I would love to post pictures of all my lovely kids, I can't. But I can post their artwork! This mobile was made by a second grader. The lesson was around the concept of balance and they were free to decorate their mobiles anyway they wanted. Most kids chose to decorate them with cute little stars, hearts and rainbows, colorful, pretty things. This kid had something else in mind. I didn't notice it until after they had left and I was hanging them up from the ceiling... and it made me laugh so hard I just had to hang this one right over my desk. Quite a sense of humor and an imagination... and you don't even want to know what he drew on the backside!

Only 27 more school days... I am so ready for summer.

Nothing Says Spring in Alaska Like Snow in April

I woke up this morning to snow falling outside my window. Keep in mind I live on the ocean, and it's April, so this was quite a suprise... Then again, Southeast Alaska is all about surprises and unpredictability.
On Friday I actually got to use the expression, "I'm hot!" (and I wasn't referring to my looks either). It sounded so nice coming out of my mouth I had to repeat it a few times, adding gestures like placing a cold water bottle against my forehead, taking my socks off and wiggling my toes in the sunshine. Yes, folks, it was a warm day... 50 degrees and sunny. I wasn't the only Alaskan doing the sunshine dance... I went over to Ketchikan afterschool with 3 of my girlfriends for a night out on the town and it felt like summer. All over town people were walking around in tank tops and shorts, sandals, sunglasses. In a town famous for its liquid sunshine, it was quite the celebration.
Oh, but back to today... and the snow. I have to admit, I love suprises (and weather).

Nothing Says Spring Like Herring

Last Friday my friend Eddie, also the janitor here at school, walked into my classroom and asked me if I was a good walker. I'm used to these sort of direct questions that seem to come totally out of the blue, but also knew he was about to send me on an adventure. "Wanna see a Tsimshian fire drill?" He asked. OF COURSE! I replied, not sure what he was talking about but knew it had to be cool. Turned out herring season had just begun (they wait until the moment the fish spawn and then make the announcement) and the fleets were out with their nets pulling in the little fishies by the hundreds.

I rushed home and changed, then walked (yes, I am a good walker by the way) out to the graveyard and made my way down the forested trail that meanders along the coastline. I noticed right away the air smelled different-- like live fish (the fresh, ocean smell). And the symphony of excited eagles, gulls, ravens, and crows filled the air. I felt the flapping of giant wings above me and watched as a bald eagle struggled to fly inside the canopy of the old growth forest, knocking off branches with her powerful wings. She landed right above me and we shared a studying glance, just enough time for me to whip out my camera and snap a quick photo. Then I realized I was crying. The beauty, the sounds, the moment, it was purely magnificent. THIS is life.

I crept through the trees and onto the snow-covered beach where dozens of fishing boats were busy sweeping up the herring along the rocky shore. As they cranked their nets in it sounded like drumming, and I gazed out at these fathers, grandfathers, sons and uncles, realizing I was witness to a tradition that has helped sustain this community and would continue for generations to come. It symbolized the beginning of spring, and attracted not only the fishermen, but the wildlife of southeast Alaska-- in one afternoon I saw hundreds of bald eagles, ravens, crows, gulls, oystercatchers, sea lions, and even a pod of porpoises. There were so many different species of birds, so many different calls, I wished for a telephoto lens and recording equipment so I could capture every minute detail of the life that surrounded me. I'm not sure if all that equipment (or these words) could convey the absolute majesty of this amazing experience. It was the energy in the air-- all life was giddy with excitement (from the trees to the people), the animals all well fed after the long winter, and on top of it all it was sunny and bright. Herring season is awesome.

Spring Break

I can honestly call the time I spent last week a "break." I broke away from the fast-paced routine, the constant stimulus that surrounds a classroom full of children, the beep of the alarm clock, workout schedules, bedtimes, all of those carefully managed elements that form the "organized chaos" that is my life. I enjoyed the feeling of being able to do whatever I wanted (given the constraints of living on an island, of course) when I wanted. It was liberating and I needed that.

After a day of rest, I baked a loaf of bread (that was so terrible I gave it to the crows) and headed into the mountains with my new home strapped to my back. The weather report was not good, hard to believe on such a sunny calm day. But I knew that by nightfall there would be 60 mph winds and snow, so my goal was to make it across the island (from west to east) before dark. It didn't happen. I soon found out that southeast Alaska is not a place meant for travel on foot. Between the wetlands, the thickets of the montane forests, steep glacier-carved streams, and endless other obstacles, I found myself with no other choice but to turn back after a grueling bushwacking trek that brought me just halfway across Purple Lake along the steep left bank. I thought about climbing up to the ridge, but there was too much snow and without the proper gear (like an ice axe, at least) it would have been too dangerous. While I was backtracking out of the mess I had gotten myself into I noticed some paw prints in the silt-- wolf tracks!

The experience did more for my mind than my body. I came back feeling rejuvenated, humbled, excited about further exploration and learning, and this clear realization that I was indeed content with my life and my surroundings. I felt myself becoming a part of this place, letting go of attachments and surrendering myself to nature. I was no longer trying not to worry about stuff (the future, time, meaningless stuff), I was simply and genuinely free of worry. With that gone I could only see the peace, trust and joy that has always been there (just gets a little hard to recognize sometimes).

So back home safe in my little shack, I slept comfortably listening to the howling wind and rain beating against my windows, waking up to the trembling of my walls that were being pounded by the strong SE winds. I was glad I wasn't in a tent. This fresh energy inspired me to work on some unit plans so that I could finish the school year knowing I put my best effort into teaching these kids. Now that the end of the year is in sight (8 more weeks!), I can push myself harder knowing I will have a nice long summer to rest.

Towards the end of Spring Break I took a quick trip to the Anchorage area. I spent time with my dear friend Eli, helped Katie get her moving arrangements made, and enjoyed the long days and bright sunshine. I even took a road trip up to Talkeetna and got to see Denali! It was a short trip, but a very full and happy one.

San Francisco

My district sent me on an all expense paid trip to San Francisco this February to attend a workshop on teaching hands-on algebra (being the Elementary Math and Science Specialist sure has its perks). I'm not really sure why they sent me on this trip, but I speculate that it had something to do with the contract that was handed to me minutes after getting back to the island. Come to find out, I am now the first Science teacher to return after one year (it's not that bad, really)! Did the trip/bait work? Of course it did!

Somehow my principal knew I was burning out, like one of those campfires that smolders for days on end but never dies. He approached me one afternoon, handed me a brochure and said, "You need to get out of here." Algebra, huh? Well, not exactly something I teach but might as well add it to my repertoire of teaching qualifications, right? I didn't really have to talk myself into it.

Right before I left I was turned on to this thing called Facebook (now I'm banned from it). But anyway, I was able to connect with some long lost friends... one being my friend from Colombia, Leslie, who happened to be living right outside of San Francisco! Of course we met up in the city and had a fabulous time catching up, reminiscing on our childhood days, laughing a lot. It was the highlight of my trip. Oh, and I also had a lot of fun playing algebra (really, I'm not kidding) and hope to someday apply the wisdom that I gained from this little workshop.

You Asked For It... Pictures of my Home!

From Top to Bottom: Looking out at Prince of Wales Island from the beach; Point D in early Fall on the south end of the island; A stormy sunset view from my house

A Time for Family

My first trip back to the "lower 48" was over the holiday break. I spent a week in North Carolina with family, and a week in Portland with friends. When I first got to North Carolina I found a sunny spot on my Aunt Rainslee and Uncle Bill's back porch and soaked in the rays. It was a warm 60 degrees and bright, my eyes squinting but welcoming the warm, red glow behind my closed eyelids.

It took me a few days to get used to being out in the "real world." I caught myself waving at every person and car I saw while driving, even on the freeway. It was then that I realized how nice it is to live in a place where everyone waves at each other... it's just an unspoken rule in the community. The best part about the whole trip was getting to spend time with my cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. The pictures above are of us on Christmas Day.

My week in Portland was also enjoyable, as I got to rediscover my little city that I once called home for many years. I stayed with my good friends Jeff and Heather, who should really consider opening a bed and breakfast someday-- my, what hospitality! And Heather is a mean cook! I walked all over the city, for miles and miles, people-watching and poking my head into my favorite shops. One of the highlights of my trip was seeing my cousin Mike, his wife Melinda and their lovely children Tristan and Sequoia (in picture below).

I rang in the New Year with friends but made an effort to think about each and every person who has inspired and supported me throughout the years-- THAT MEANS YOU! I look forward to the future and wish all my friends and family good fortune and happiness this coming year and always!