The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 6 - Village Life
Beyond the Yukon River boat trips, moose hunts and river logging, there is a village life that brings normalcy to the Alaskan Adventure I usually write about. As you read further on you will soon discover that normalcy takes on its own meaning, depending upon your own perspective. So many questions run through my mind as I wonder who sits behind the phone, tablet or computer reading these blogs? What routines do you follow in your big city, your village or possibly your small town? What do you do from waking up to laying your head back down each night? Do thoughts of how good your life actually is, run through your mind? I'm certainly doing a lot more retrospective thinking now that I'm here in Mountain.
I'd like to share with you what that normalcy looks like here as I experience it day to day. Mornings start with a shower, and a light breakfast. I'm not a morning person, but the shower helps get me going. The next part of my routine involves hanging out in the living room with my roommate Jeremy. Jeremy is the Minnesota transplant I've written about before. His accent is slowly creeping its way into my dialogue, but I'm fighting it all I can, right along with the accents of my group of Arkansas friends. I actually said, "Yall", the other day, unconsciously in conversation. Yikes! If you know of or can picture the old show The Odd Couple, I'm Felix and Jeremy is Oscar. We get along really well and have formed a great friendship. Jeremy is a morning person and can be found feet up, downing a cup of coffee and checking the latest news feeds on his phone. Jeremy sits on the gray couch and I find my place on the opposite side of the room on the red, reclining couch. Our banter begins. I check my messages, some social media and we share some laughter and expectations for the day.
We usually like to start the day at school pretty early to get a good jump on lesson plans and any copies we have to make for the day. School starts at 8:50 am, so 7:00 am starts our day. We've already come to the point where it is dark when I head over to the school and the days continue to grow shorter and darker by the minute. When I come home late at night it's dark too. The consistent darkness is another beast yet to come on a more serious level and I will have to address that sooner than later when it's dark for the majority of the day. It's just not something I want to face right now. Regardless, the school days usually go pretty quickly as the hours seem to fly buy with the schedule we have.
At 11:10 am I drop my students off at the lunch room and head over to my apartment for lunch. If you remember, I have ninety steps from my door to the school doors. Quick commute. Some days I may wander further east and take an extra one-hundred steps to the tribal offices to grab a can of pop (Pepsi) and back to my apartment across the road. Trying to quit the pop again. The half-hour seems to fly by and I cross paths with Jeremy at the apartment for the last ten minutes of my lunch. It's a quick visit with a few fun jabs, some laughter and quick conversation. The rest of the school day seems to go just as quickly and before I know it, it's time to walk the kiddos to what I call the Moose Foyer. It's the lobby to release the kids to their parents and out the door for the day. Hanging on the wall, watching over everyone is the gargantuan moose that almost takes over the lobby. Honestly, it's pretty cool. My kids leave with a, "Have a good day", a hand slap or fist bump and a smile to take home.
There are usually some loose ends to tie up in the classroom, but we gather our stuff pretty quick and head to the post office. The first month of school was spent ordering supplies and miscellaneous items from Amazon to have all the basics we needed. One thing you can count on is never actually knowing when your packages would arrive. What about the tracking number you might ask? Well, it doesn't really matter, because there are so many variables to the mail arriving on time. Weather grounds planes, packages get held up in storage at various airports and in rare occurrences, some packages are lost or stolen for their contents. This was sadly the case for me as I sent a package in the last week of July, it was received August 27 by my own post office and disappeared. It was searched for by countless people and entities and no luck. I can't even begin to tell you all that was lost, but it is heartbreaking. Not much you can do about it, but you deal with it and move on.
Post office runs have turned into a take-your-turn errand after school. A regular trip starts with getting the key to the school's pickup truck and driving three blocks through the dirt roads to the post office. It's easily a quick walk, but we always have multiple packages between the seven of our main group. You head in, say hi to our friendly mail guys, Issac and Blake and make the usual request. "Hey Blake, any packages for Matthew, Jeremy, Charlotte, Jack, Josh, Nicki or Carol?" You wait anxiously and learn that one of the others has five or six and you have none. Sometimes I'll ask Blake why he doesn't like me. We get a good laugh and he says, "Maybe tomorrow", with a smile. When I do have a package, I'm a kid in a candy store and Christmas has arrived.
After the post office, we're usually walking and head back home to our apartment. The walk home takes us back to the school and around the front to our apartment. A typical day, weather permitting includes as many as 30-40 students playing around the school and walking the roads. No roads are paved in the entire village. We cut through the playground and are summoned by the calls and shouts of multiple, "Teacher, Mr. Miller, Mr. Matt, hey Mr. Matt, hey Mr. Miller, hey Teacher", and kids run to talk with us. Everyone wants to know where we're going, what we're doing, why, and if they can have some candy. We have fun with them, joking, asking about school and finding something silly or humorous to laugh with them about.
By the time we reach our apartment, there may be two of our frequent flyers who are still with us. They're the little kiddos who stop frequently to serenade us with, "Hey Mr. Matttttt? Mr. Millerrrrrr? (Knock, knock, knock on the window off of our deck) Mr. Matt. Mr. Matt. Mr. Miller. Mr. Miller." Most times we answer and have a quick chat, but very often we just have to give a wave, share a smile and close the curtains. Kids often ask for a snack, a drink of water or candy. It's a tough thing to address, as it happens daily, but you love these little people and you understand that some of them are coming from some pretty tough situations.
Getting home after the school day is reserved for some down time. Jeremy and I usually come home pretty quick after school and grab a bite to eat. It's a good chance to decompress from the day and take some deep breaths. We retreat to our normal spots on the respective couches and share stories of the day and a few laughs to help wind down. My friendship with Jeremy has been a blessing in disguise and having someone to vent to and bounce ideas off of, has replaced a lot of stress I thought I'd be carrying, had I been living by myself.
After an hour of relaxing, if I don't fall asleep, we head over to the school to lift weights. Josh, the third person in our trio, another great guy from Arkansas, meets us at the school and the three of us work out together while his two sons shoot hoops in the gym. It's not much of a workout room, maybe 15' x 30'. Enough equipment and weights for us to get a good workout in though. We're just happy to have a place to lift and hang out together, as it gives us something to do and bond over. Once again, it's a great opportunity for us to share our days, tell what's new in our worlds, and again have some good laughs at the expense of each others' shortcomings, always in good fun.
After the workout is over, we usually pick one of a few choices. One is to take a walk down to the AC (Azachorok, Inc.) grocery store down by the river. Even if we don't need anything it's nice to get out and go for a walk. Jeremy usually stays behind and I'll make the long, but peaceful walk on my own. Well...peaceful until the big brown dog comes chasing toward me halfway down the road. He or she never comes right up to me, but it's enough that I usually change my pants when I get home, from fear-pooping. I know, I know, gross. But if you saw this dog and it was coming toward you the way it does me, you'd be changing pants too. And no, there is not another way to go. The other route around the village would add another half hour. Anyway, I now carry my small, extending umbrella with me and hope that my fury friend doesn't notice me on the other side of the road. The irony of this is that there are four or five other free-roaming dogs that either follow me along my walk or who cross my path on the walk and they're sweet as pie. Sometimes I'll pick up some additional walkers, as kids will see me walking and want to join me on the trek to the store. Some hopeful that there is a snack in their future and some just want to walk along with Mr. Matt.
When I do finally arrive at the store I have already passed and waved at five to ten various villagers passing on their four-wheelers or Hondas as they refer to them here. Most people I will know as they pass and if I don't, everyone is polite to wave. The AC is a bit of a hub for people and is the kind of neighborhood place where you do know almost everyone and have a chance to say hi and catch up a bit. The dirt parking lot always has a collection of Hondas scattered next to and around the entry way. You see fellow teachers, parents and the familiar sounds of, "Hi Mr. Matt. Hi Mr. Matt." It's a good feeling and never gets old. Honestly, it doesn't. And the cool thing is that it never gets awkward with parents. They are just as friendly and engaging as a neighbor or a friend. It's a really good feeling. So I'll check out with the five or six items that I didn't need and make my way out for my walk home. Same walk as I made to the AC, Hondas passing, kids calling, dogs chasing and this time...uphill. On my way back I usually take a shortcut through the lot of barge-size, shipping containers near the top of the hill, which leads through the path and overgrown brush to my apartment. Not that I don't love seeing the kids as I usually pass the playground, but it gives me a little anonymity for a brief moment in my day.
I'm now near the 7:00 pm hour and I start deciding how the rest of my night will go. If I'm still hungry, I'll make a little something to fill a void or tide me over from my walk to the AC. Jeremy and I will find our respective seats and debate whether we should relax a little longer or head over to school to work in our classrooms. Truth be told, that is a regular event in the week for us. Most of the teachers are smart and relax for the night. For Jeremy and I it is something to do and a welcomed distraction. I guess it became a habit as we went the first month without internet or a tv. Going to the classroom was the thing to do and we thought nothing of it. We have the benefit of internet in our classrooms so it was only a bonus to be working there too. Whether it be lesson plans, projects for the walls, work on the computer, or something else, we keep busy. To Jeremy's credit, he knows when to say when and usually heads home about 11:00-11:30 pm. For me and those who know me, I just can't do that. I feel more productive in the late hours of the night and try to make the most of my energy at that time. My hours usually extend to 12:00 or 1:00 am and I make the short, slow walk across the dirt parking lot (90 steps to my door) in the dark. Yes I'm usually exhausted and need more sleep, but keeping busy and embracing the late hours is what I need right now to make it day to day. Earlier in the week I did have one day where I made it home and was in bed by midnight, so I gave myself a big pat on the back for that one.
Each night you can also expect to hear the air sirens go off at 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm. The 9:00 sirens are the curfew warning for the kids in the village to get home. 10:00 sirens are for the teenagers to head home and for villagers to stop riding Hondas for noise consideration. In the summers the curfews are 10:00 for kids and 11:00 for teenagers and Hondas. I've been out pretty late a few times coming from friends' places and the kids are still out and playing. If there were any one thing (of many) that we would wish for the kids, is that they would get more sleep and there are just so many who don't. It makes me sad. So many are tired when they come to school. The sirens also have two other purposes. If the sirens go off in three successive rounds, it means that there is a fire in the village. If there are four successive sirens it means there is a lockdown. You lock your doors and are expected to stay indoors. I experienced my first lockdown on a Saturday, two weeks ago when a villager apparently had too much to drink and was on his Honda with a high-powered rifle. It was early in the morning and most people were sleeping, and safe in their homes.
Weekends are usually pretty laid back and Saturday and Sunday are 'sleep-in' days for me. I'm not a morning person by nature as I've mentioned, so I treasure that time to sleep a little longer on the weekend. It's usually a 9:00 am rise-and-shine, but that recovery sleep feels sooooooo good. Just like the weekdays, Jeremy is usually up before me and can be found fixated in his couch spot with coffee and phone in hand, catching up on news and emails. I take my couch spot and as usual we throw out ideas for the day. Honestly, I had originally envisioned my time very isolated and independent when I first got up here. Ironically, there don't seem to be many days that we are not all doing something together, whether it's the weekdays or weekends. There is just a comfort in having the camaraderie that goes with being here. With very little choice of things to do, friendships have been a Godsend.
So I've talked about most of the things to do during the week and the weekends offer a few more. We just got our tv a week ago and with welcomed timing, we got our DVD player from Amazon and a plethora of DVD's that my son Seth sent to me from Wisconsin. There is also a form of a Redbox at our AC Store, so that provides some opportunities to see newer films that have just come out. If you're wondering why we don't have cable, which is not available here, or DISH which is the only other option, we just chose not to get it. Many people do, but we just aren't in our apartment enough to warrant having it. If you do, it can be very expensive. Another question some people have is about internet. There is a company up here named GCI that has a monopoly on internet. You can get some cheaper packages, but if you go over your limits of data, you pay exorbitant overage fees. Your only other choice is to get their bigger packages, which run as much as $300 or more a month here. Not joking, $300 or more a month. If you go over on those data plans, get your checkbook and savings ready, because they'll get you. It's widely talked about here and is the reason we go over to the school to get our internet fix. So if you're feeling bad about Spectrum or whatever cable company you're with...B-O-O H-O-O. Nothing personal. I've been in Wisconsin and some other states and I know how the cable companies get ya'.
Okay, enough internet babble. The mornings on Saturday usually start off with a workout at the school weight room. Jeremy, Josh and I head over and try to wake up a bit. On the weekends we are usually joined by our friend and assistant principal Jack, who also happens to be our next door neighbor. Like the others, Jack is one of the nicest people you could meet. Jack and I share common ground as he was born and raised in Waupaca, Wisconsin and is a Packer fan. However, jokingly Jack lost some favor with me as I found out he moved to Arkansas and picked up an accent. I don't hold that against him. He's an incredible support for all of us and a welcomed friend and neighbor.
Saturdays have also come to be known as a St. Mary's day. St. Mary's is the only other village connected by a road, the only road out of Mountain Village and dead ends at St. Mary's. If you want to go to any other towns, you need to hop in a boat on the Yukon River or catch a flight from our Mountain Village Airport, which is a landing strip and simply that, a landing strip. We like to go to St. Mary's because they have a bigger AC Store, with a bigger variety of foods and household items to purchase. More importantly it gives us a chance to go somewhere and have some fun in the process. The ride is full of an unimaginable amount of potholes and bumps, as well as an endless supply of stories and laughs amongst the group. The roundtrip usually takes about four hours and we're back by dinner. Speaking of which, we have consistently began a trend to have dinner at someone's house either Saturdays or Sundays. It's just another way we have created a very strong bond and support system among the group and other teachers and staff.
That leaves a few remaining weekend options to consider. Again, the common one for Jeremy and I is to head over to our classrooms and try to do whatever it is we need to do for the upcoming week, or anything miscellaneous that we didn't get done during the week. It's a good distraction and as mentioned is a nice break and getaway from the apartment. Very often we're joined by our other roommate Charlotte who is the sixth grade teacher. She's not technically our roommate, but our duplex is connected by a common laundry room and we just leave the doors unlocked. Charlotte is one of the many Arkansas transplants and is a wonderful person with a heart of gold. She's become our sister and no topic is off limits, except that we promised her we would never fart around her. It's a fair compromise for the kindness and amazing cooking she often does for us. Anyway, Charlotte usually joins us at the school on those weekend nights of work. There are several more teachers who have become great friends as well and spend an equally amazing amount of time in their classrooms. I will tell you more about them in a future blog.
Back to the other choices. In no particular order, the village, city and/or tribe will offer events for the kids and adults. We have had dances and movies shown at the Community Hall (same place as Bingo), movies for the students in the school cafeteria, or city volleyball at the school gym, which I joined last Friday. I'm still feeling the physical affects of playing again as this 50-year-young body had to get used to running and diving around a volleyball court. The city volleyball is pretty cool, because they sell tickets to get in and concessions, and you'd be really surprised that the gym and bleachers get pretty full with people from the village who just want to get out and watch an athletic event. You get to see a lot of the students and their parents again and it's a really relaxed and friendly environment.
If we're lucky enough to have some good weather on the weekend and we're asked, we can catch a ride with one of our village friends and do some fishing. The commercial fishing season is over, but some villagers still go out to catch for their family. We spent much of our first month going to the Kwikpak Company to pick up free salmon and taking it home to filet as a group, to fill our freezers. Good weather might also afford me a walk along the river or time for Jeremy and I to fill all of our water containers at the natural spring, which is located about a mile down and along the river.
Well, that's all folks. That is what village life is like here in Mountain Village. I'm sure I forgot something or a variation of things we do from day to day, but that's a pretty good snapshot of my life here. One of Jeremy's favorite things to say is, "We're living the dream man." In many ways, we are. I've developed such an appreciation for my life after getting here and seeing how truly lucky I am in this life. There's no perfect life. We all know that. But I'm certainly appreciating my life in ways that I never thought or dreamed I would.
Until next time...
