Getting There, Part 1 - PDX to Anchorage

It finally happened. Mom and Dad drove me to the Portland airport, and we said our most heartfelt goodbyes. It's always strange when excitement and joy are accompanied by sadness, but such is life. I've been blessed to have such a wonderful family and such hilarious friends, but this is a journey I must take alone.

Alaska Airlines Terminal, Anchorage 1:30am

Now boarding seats one through two.

The flight from Portland to Anchorage lasted a little over three hours and went off without a hitch. Seated next to me was a special education teacher from Portland and her husband. They were really nice, and we yammered on about all kinds of teachery stuff. Even though they don't officially count, I still consider them my first Alaska friends.

My first 'authentic' Alaskan food (from Starbucks)

Sorry folks, no exotic stink flipper or muktuk on the menu here. While it's not quite subsistence living, it was the last sandwich in the cooler, and apparently the water is from Fiji. That's gotta count for something, right? Ok, signing off, about 4 more hours to get to know this terminal.

Lost in Translation...

In the Yupik language, 'Kipnuk' means 'bend' referring to the bend in the nearby Kugkaktlik River. 

In the English language, Google tries to auto-correct 'Kipnuk' with 'Chipmunk' and my dad occasionally refers to it as 'Nip-Tuck.' 

More on this story as it develops...  

Rita Hayworth and the Kipnuk Redemption

In the 1940s, Rita Hayworth came to symbolize all that American servicemen fought to uphold and protect. A wounded G.I. once said of Rita, “We see in her the beauty of American womanhood, for whom we have fought and to whom we hope to someday return.”

I ran across this 1940 LIFE Magazine, and thought it a fitting companion on my upcoming journey. When home seems too far away and the sun refuses to come up, Rita will still be there, enjoying a summer’s picnic and reminding me to smile. So here’s to hoping that Rita and I make it to Kipnuk in one piece!

So what about fruits and veggies?

Fresh produce can be hard to come by in rural Alaska. Here's a great article about rural Alaskans growing their own fruits and veggies using greenhouses.

Greenhouse project on remote Alaska island gets a boost:
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/greenhouse-project-remote-alaska-island-gets-boost

Flying Wild Alaska

In rural Alaska everything and everyone gets around by bush plane. Once I got interested in teaching in rural Alaska, my parents and I started watching 'Flying Wild Alaska' on Netfilx streaming. The show follows Era, a bush plane company that flies people and supplies all over western Alaska. These are some of the best pilots in the world! The show gives a great sense of how important community and humor are to rural Alaskans.

Check out a full episode here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmOEd8gYMmo

Preparation AK

Well, it turns out the entirety of my physical life can fit in nine boxes, two check bags, and one carry-on backpack. Tickets from Portland to Anchorage to Bethel cost around $350. Shipping my boxes to Kipnuk through USPS came in around $260. All told, it was a lot less than I expected. Also, the LKSD (Lower Kuskokwim School District) reimburses new teachers up to $1,000 for shipping and travel expenses.

Stuff I shipped:

Candy, Food, Kitchen Stuff, Some Clothes, Bathroom Stuff, Survival Gear, Movies, Books.

Stuff I'm flying with:

Computer, Hard Drives, Cameras, My Bear 'Brownie', My Pillow 'Pillow', Chocolate, Clothes, First Aid and Emergency, iPod, Star Wars Comics, a copy of The Call of the Wild and White Fang.

A lot of people have recommended traveling light and ordering other stuff once you get out to the village. Apparently, some teachers end up leaving a lot of housewares behind, and the locals will help you decide what else you need to order. I basically shipped and packed enough to get me through the first few weeks out there.

In the age of computers, a phone call can go a long way.

Once I decided I wanted to begin my teaching career a little bit off the beaten path, I filled out an application at alaskateacher.org. I applied to rural schools all over Alaska and started making phone calls and leaving messages. About a week later I received a voice message from the vice superintendent of the Lower Kuskokwim School District. I immediately rushed to my computer to see where on earth the Lower Kuskokwim School District was. I was pleased to see it was below the Arctic Circle and not on an island! After a Skype interview with the vice superintendent and a phone interview with the principal at Chief Paul Memorial School in Kipnuk, I was offered a third grade teaching position. I would have never heard from them if I hadn’t made some phone calls and left messages. So to all you teachers/job hunters, remember to pick up a phone once in a while!