My flight was a blur. Between leaving my mom, grandma Cathy, and Bill at the security gates and getting on the bus in Healy, I experienced the worst bout of homesickness on record, was adopted by an Alaskan couple on the flight from Denver to Anchorage, found out the hard way my phone doesn't work in AK, and lost my wallet (cash, drivers license, debit card, and tribal id). Alone, scared, and exhausted, I wanted to leave immediately. I didn't care that this was the adventure I've been craving or that I was finally doing something amazing, I was terrified. But every now and again I believe in guardian angels and the power of good people. The shuttle driver from the airport to my hotel took pity and drove me for free, my family and friend Katie called and emailed everywhere possible to help fix the situation, and my shuttle driver from Anchorage to Healy gave me a few bucks to make sure I was able to eat lunch. It's incredible how much of a difference a full stomach makes on a person's panic response!
While the bus wound through surreal tundra landscapes and mountains taller than the skies, I had 8ish hours to relax and wait anxiously to reach where I'd be spending my next 19 weeks. If I wasn't sleeping, I was absorbing the landscape through the dusty bus window. If you asked someone to describe Alaska, it's likely they'll use one word: big. Colorado looks small, and the Rockies look like hills in comparison. The world stops here and you certainly needn't look elsewhere for everything you need. Clean air, not too many people, 60's/70's in the summer, mountains to explore, adventures to be had, and hiking boots to be worn. I'm in love, possibly even considering moving here after next year instead of Washington
A lot has happened and I'm not sure what all to share, so here's some work details and friends information:
Work: Had orientation on my first day then cleaned rooms which isn't the job I was hired for, but that's where I was needed. During orientation I learned that I'm still narcoleptic during presentations... Oops. Second day was working my actual job, well training anyways. Drove a golf cart for the first time! That was uber exciting. My job is a lot of cleaning bathrooms, picking up trash, and learning patience/teamwork. I want to make this job work. I want to work my butt off. I need to be good. Daycare was the best thing to happen to me in regards to work and work ethics. It taught me I am truly capable of whatever I set my mind to and that, yes, I can be good at something. Scrubbing toilets isn't glamorous, neither is cleaning up after tourists, but it's something and if I'm good enough there are promotions and benefits. For once I want to be good and do well for someone else. My one official coworker (so far and besides my supervisor) is proving to be a challenge. She's younger but extremely condescending despite having only been here a week longer than I have. I've been incredibly independent the last almost two years and now I'm tied to a team member I struggle to be patient with. This will be interesting, but it's nothing but optimism and problem solving right now. Keeping the peace is my main priority, pride be damned. Also! I got a Star sticker. The supervisors are in charge of passing them out to their employees who go above and beyond their workload on the job and then the names are entered in for prize drawings. Our whole team got one, but I was still very proud. I'm striving for a silver bar (you can get prizes and such) and then the gold bar (less than 25% of all employees receive these), also maybe an Employee of the Month. So strange having high aspirations at a job!
Friends: My first friend here, first day and all, is Mormon. Just like home! It's neat being able to connect over a religion that's not even my own, but my understanding is in-depth enough that I can relate and also educate people who might be too nervous or embarrassed to ask someone of that faith. Her (Clarissa) and I have become pretty close which is so nice, doesn't leave me with much time to be homesick. We went on a hike Monday with a few friends, two from Cali and four from Thailand. Learned some Thai (yoong = mosquito, ped = duck), took some high-quality selfies, and fell even more madly in love with Alaska. My roommates are really cool (so far), we seem to click and went out walking after dinner. I think this will be a summer that'll never be forgotten.
Yeah, I'm homesick, but I finally have a home worth missing and that I am immensely grateful for. I'm safe, enjoy my work, enjoy the people I'm surrounded by, love the scenery I get to live in, there are three meals a day, a warm bed, my own bathtub, a golf cart to drive around, people to miss me, people to meet. Ya know, good things.
And it is now 1;27am.
My dears, I think I've found my Great Perhaps.
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