Some Facts About this Journey

Some facts about this journey:

Many people have asked me questions about my new job and the place I’m actually going. I thought it would be a good idea to fill people in on some specifics. 

-I’m going to be living and teaching in Tuntutuliak, Alaska (it’s called Tunt for short). It is a small village in the southwest corner of Alaska.

-Tunt is considered an Alaskan bush village. What’s a bush village? Think of it this way: Basically, there’s two Alaskas-urban and rural. Urban Alaska is much like the lower 48 states. Anchorage is an example of an urban part of Alaska. The rural parts of Alaska are known as the bush (kind of like how small villages in Africa are called bush villages). Life is completely different in the bush. These areas are occupied by native Americans and for the most part people live on the land like they’ve been doing for thousands of years. Villages like Tunt are in such remote parts of Alaska that they are isolated from the rest of society. The only way in and out of a place like Tunt is by plane or sno-machine when everything is frozen over. 

-When I say plane, I don’t mean like the kind you’re probably thinking. I’m talking about Bush planes. Small, single engine planes are the lifelines to villagers. Planes are everywhere in Alaska, and with how big the state is, they need to be everywhere. Think of the single engine plane in Indiana Jones. That's the kind of plane you see a lot of in Alaska.

-The village of Tunt only has about 400 people. They are almost entirely Native American. More specifically they are Yupik natives. 100% of my students will be of Yupik heritage. 

-Since I’m the only secondary English teacher I get to be the department head (ha).

-I'm also going to be the girls' head basketball coach. It's a year of trying many new things.

-The biggest hobby in Tunt is basketball. There are basketball tournaments all the time for kids and adults. It sounded odd to me that basketball was so popular, but it makes sense. In a place where winter is so harsh, there needs to be an activity to help people burn some energy and not get cabin fever. Basketball is that outlet. From many of the people I've talked to, basketball is life here.

-There's so many more questions to answer, but I'll have plenty of time to get to those...

I'm in Alaska!

I made it to Alaska safe and sound! I left from Providence Saturday morning at 8:30 AM. After stops in Washington D.C. and Houston, I finally made it to Anchorage at about 8:30 PM Alaska time (midnight eastern time). It all adds up to 16 hours of travel and has left me catching up on sleep.

Anchorage is a beautiful place. It's got a lot of urban elements (big airport, lots of stores, big buildings) with mountains in the distance almost everywhere you look. Although it's a city, Anchorage's air just felt fresher to me as I walked out of the airport. It's also a hub for tourists this time of year. I felt out of place as I walked through the airport rubbing shoulders with bearded men in camouflage and large groups of fishermen labeled by personalized t-shirts. I realize as I walk around seeing the joy on these peoples faces that this is an absolute mecca for fishing and hunting. For someone that's never cut a fish or shot a gun, it's a place you quickly feel out of place.

Downtown Anchorage caters to these tourists. There are countless bars, restaurants, and gifts shops selling typical Alaska souvenirs. For every $50 you spend at one of these gift shops you get a free knife. I laughed inside every time I saw this promotion pasted on gift shop windows in big letters.

Anchorage is a fun place to be, but for me it's only another pit stop. I'm going to a forgotten part of Alaska in many ways. It's a place that has no bars, or gift shops, or restaurants. It's a small Native American village called Tuntutuliak. I'm still tired but I can't wait to keep moving.

Going Away Party

Last night I had a going away party at McFaddens in downtown Providence. Over 30 people were there to send me off and I had a great time. It made me think of how much I'm going to miss all my friends here. It also reminded me of all the good times I've had with these people over the years. Thanks to everyone that came out! I will miss you all.

Going Away Party at McFaddens

Leaving

In less than three short weeks, I will be leaving. I'm going alone to teach in a small village in Alaska, called Tuntutuliak, almost 4,000 miles away from my home in Providence, Rhode Island. Ever since I've taken this job, people have asked me all kinds of questions. The questions progress from very broad topics and they gradually narrow down to questions about obscure details. Most of these sequences start with a similar sentiment:

"Are you Effing nuts?!"

At least that's the first question most people have asked me. Or they've just given me a blank stare, or they've laughed, or they've shrugged my declaration off as some kind of bizarre prank I'm pulling (and I do have a reputation for stupid pranks). But in all honesty, I can't really blame anyone for having these types of reactions. Who the hell drops everything they know to move across the country to Alaska? I suppose you have to be a little crazy to do what I'm doing. I'm starting to accept that.

So why am I leaving?

There's really not one answer. The idea of leaving Rhode Island to teach somewhere far away has been manifesting itself in me for quite a while. I've had an adventurous itch that I can't satisfy by staying in New England. I've explored a number of options. Alaska became one of those options along the process. Those who know me well have heard me vent about wanting to get away and they've been patient with my, oftentimes, annoying rants about changing things up. I certainly appreciate the continuous support and encouragement of these people (they know who they are). Other than needing an adventure, I needed to teach. I couldn't bear with the prospect of being a substitute teacher (among other things) for another long school year. I'm good at teaching. I'm passionate about teaching. An opportunity to teach presented itself. The decision became clearer and clearer.

Along with my desire to become an adventure-seeking educator, I also have my own personal reasons for leaving. I'm relatively young (25), I'm single, I don't have kids (probably not anytime soon). But life happens fast. Things change. I'm not sure if I'd be able to do something like this a few years down the road. Internally, it just felt right.

I probably should be freaking out right about now. I have unanswered questions. I don't fully know what to expect. I'm leaving my parents behind, my brother, my close friends, and all the comforts of home to throw myself into an Arctic culture-shock.  I should be upset, and nervous, and confused, and fearful, but I'm not. I'm actually rather relaxed. Why worry? I'd rather just enjoy my time in Providence and when the time comes, jump right into this new world of mine.

Oh, and teaching English in Alaska gives me a reason to write a blog! I've always wanted to, but never had a legitimate reason. This blog will chronicle my life as a teacher in Tuntutuliak. I will write about my life, my school, my home, my teaching, my students, and any other random things I decide are worth sharing. Please feel free to post comments, ask questions, and share your thoughts. I hope you enjoy!