It's already been a week!

I have been in my new home for one week now!

I stayed inside mostly the first 4 or 5 days and focused on unpacking and getting settled. I need organization in my life and felt the apartment was the most important priority before I could enjoy what faces me here in Alaska. After getting mostly settled, I was invited be my vice principal to go salmon fishing. He uses what are called gill nets and myself and another teacher and her daughter were the cleaners of the fish he caught. We spent about 3 hours on the Togiak Bay cleaning 31 salmon! My freezer is no longer empty :)

Dirty and tired, we decided to stop at the local little Alaska Commercial (AC) grocery store so I could get an idea what they had to offer and the prices... Sticker Shock! But, I do have to say that I ordered a pork/poultry package from them and am very pleased at the price and products! I bought 45 pounds of meat variety for $234 and it was delivered and brought right up to my freezer. I think the AC and I will have a love/hate relationship.

Togiak is a subsistence village, as is most of Alaskan villages - I decided today to join in on the fun and went berry picking. The tundra and open spaces are just indescribable! I can't wait to make blueberry muffins this winter with my pickings - I will also be picking more in the next few weeks :)

I finally made it to the school and saw my classroom too - I can't wait to get in there (probably today) and start getting organized!

The adventure has begun... I can't wait for it to continue :)

The lazy way to update a blog...

So - I am HERE!! Been unpacking a million boxes!

Anchorage - I arrived really late that night and stayed at an airBnB home; it was so nice to have a beautiful home in the rugged mountains to sleep and refresh to prepare for the next 2 flights to my final destination.

Finally! Togiak Bound!!!

Here is a video of the bush plane ride - that was SO FUN! I really enjoyed riding in that plane - the view was stunning and breathtaking the entire trip!

So, as the title of this post says - that was the lazy way to update things! It will probably be another week before I really have time to do much on here. I am unpacking, organizing, etc. my apartment and then I will head to the classroom and do the same. The dogs did GREAT; they were such troopers :)

See you in a week or so!!!

On my way!

I will update this post as the next few days progress... I left Wichita, KS yesterday and stayed at a hotel in Oklahoma City, OK for the night. Am now waiting at the airport in Oklahoma City for flight 1 of 4. The dogs are actually asleep in the stroller; I am happy to see them comfortable and not stressed at this point. I have 5 hours to kill at the airport - coffee, free WiFi, a comfortable table at the window, and my Kindle will keep me not stressed! My focus is just keeping my girls safe and stress-free for the next few days,

At the hotel... waiting for the airport shuttle - The girls in their stroller; this is the best thing ever and they're very comfortable in it... it keeps them safe and I don't have to worry about them getting away from me in crowds or unfamiliar places.

Next stop... flight 2 of 4 - Seattle to Anchorage for an overnight layover.

Baby Steps...

I will leave Kansas at noon today and head to Oklahoma City to stay overnight in a hotel with my pups. I decided to do this about a month ago in hopes that I can relax knowing I will not have any snafus come Monday when my flight leaves; I think it was a great decision! I plan on walking with the dogs a bit this evening (and tomorrow morning we can take a nice long walk to kill time), watch Netflix, relax, and breath...

I'm getting asked by a lot of folks if I'm nervous or excited - I'm SO EXCITED for this journey, for the job, for meeting my students, getting my classroom ready, checking out the curriculum, planning, meeting awesome folks, getting settled into my apartment, and being a speck on the huge state of Alaska! But - I am nervous about the actual events of getting there. I don't really like flying... it doesn't make sense to me that this huge ginormous piece of equipment can stay up in the air and all the added weight of passengers and baggage. I hate take off... I hate landing... and I am not too fond of the in-between either. Once I'm on the ground in Togiak, Alaska, THEN the excitement of what I'm actually doing can sink in!

The jist of my itinerary is as follows:

Sunday, 7/17: Leave Kansas at noon, check into hotel in Oklahoma City after lunch with Stephen

Monday, 7/18: Fly out of OKC to Seattle - Fly Seattle to Anchorage - grab a cab and crash at an airBnB home for the night

Tuesday, 7/19: Back to the airport in Anchorage - fly to Dillingham - then to Togiak on a bush plane - sleep until Wednesday, 7/20

Wednesday, 7/20: I have no clue! :)

Adios all! And - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY KIDS!!! (Erin 7/16, Greg 7/17)