I'm Back!

Oh my, oh my, oh my!!! How did it happen that I came back to the Alaskan Bush so soon? As they say, it's all depends upon whom you know. On October 29th - my birthday - I was having dinner with a friend when a phone call came in from Alaska. It was Jan. This year Jan is teaching at the village of Napaskiak. They needed a sub for six weeks for a 4th grade class - a good 4th grade class. I wasn't certain. I had to think about it. I mulled it over the weekend, talked to family and friends, and then on Monday evening emailed the district to see if anyone had been hired for the job. On Tuesday, I had my response - no, are you interested? Within 24 hours, it was decided - I was going back to Alaska! I could hardly wait.

I was still subbing at Dunlap HS. But I had time. I would finish teaching at Dunlap on Tuesday, Nov. 9 and start in Napaskiak on Tuesday, Nov. 16. I could do it. What was I thinking! I had to finish grading, winterize & clean my house, drive to St. Louis to see family, take the Praxis test to become re-certified in AK, say goodbye to friends, shop, mail my food, and pack. I left on Sunday, Nov 14 at 6 AM. I was exhausted. I easily slept most of the way to Anchorage. I stayed with friends in Anchorage, shopped again, got up at 4 AM and took the 7 AM flight Monday morning to Bethel. The flight is a little over an hour long. I then went to Yute Air for my Bush plane to Napaskiak. The village is only 6 miles away, but the river is too dangerous for travel at the moment. The temperatures have been too warm.

I waited an hour and thirty minutes for my plane! Once in the plane, it was a five minute flight. Joe, the school secretary and village mayor, picked me up at the airport with the school's four wheeler. As we drove to my house, we past the school. Jan was sitting at her desk in front of the window. I waved and she came out to meet me. We both just laughed. We met at Richwoods HS in Peoria, IL in the fall of 1976. Who would have ever thought we would be teaching together in the Alaskan Bush!