The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 16 - A Good Year
If you talk to most people and ask them what they thought about 2020, it's likely they are going to give you a list of a lot of bad and unfortunate things that happened this past year. The Corona Virus for sure and probably quite a few other events. While the Covid-19 situation significantly affected our village, our school and the day-to-day life in our village, I have to say personally that it was a good year for me. It really was. I'm trying to take away as many positives as I can. Unbeknownst to most people other than my family, the first three months of the year may have been some of the most difficult and emotionally trying times in my life, in over 30 years. Reflecting on that time won't bring any value to my story by sharing it, but I can say it changed my life for the better and gave me clarity at age 51, that I will forever be grateful for.
April brought the start of some really wonderful things in my life and that was the start of what made my 2020 so special. I made a big decision in April, when I decided to make Mountain Village my home permanently. I knew it was going to be a sacrifice to family with my son, daughter and grandchildren back in Wisconsin, but I really felt that Mountain was a good fit for me and where I wanted to be for years to come. I was making new and amazing friendships with more and more people in the village and I felt like people were really going out of their way to make me feel welcome, and that putting in roots was the right decision. I also wanted people to know I wasn't just there for myself, but that I wanted to help the community in any way that I could and really make an impact on the people of the village.
I couldn't have been happier about my decision as it led to so many wonderful experiences and friendships that I will remember forever. Things that I realize many people may never have the chance to experience. Reflecting back, I will always remember...my new friendships, buying my first boat and motor, camping at the Bering Sea, whale watching, moose spotting and catching my first moose, boat rides, camping on the Yukon sandbars, taking long rides and exploring on my Honda (four-wheeler), collecting photography on some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises in the world, helping and sharing in the heartwarming traditions of family funerals, setting net and catching King Salmon and Chum, shore manaqing for Whitefish, campfires on the edge of the village, seeing my first Grizzly Bear live and up close, being invited to a variety of family, fish camps, having 1/2-hour visits on Hondas during nighttime rides, experiencing 22 hours of light into the wee-hours of the night, rod and reel fishing for Salmon and Pike at Clearwater, catching as many as 20-plus fish multiple times, helping the village build safer steps to our spring water, doing some fun videos of my adventures on the mountain and river, and most importantly, seeing my friendships and relationships with the families of the village grow.
I have to say that the Covid-19 situation was bittersweet as it related to my teaching. For the first time in 22-years of teaching, I had less contact with my students over the course of two school years that I ever have before. We closed down school in mid-March in the newness and fears that the Corona Virus was bringing for the first time. In the fall, I had limited half-days with my students until we had to go to a code red and close school for a second time. It was disheartening. I have been very lucky in my first two years in Mountain Village to get amazing kids and classes. So while it was very sad to have significantly less time with the kids than I ever had, the 'sweet' part of my experience was how I was able to get very close to them and their families. As we went to mail-home packets, a big part of my responsibility was to maintain contact and home support of my students. This meant bi-weekly calls and texts to students and parents to check on their well-being and homework progress, offering as much support and help as I could. It was the first time in 22 years of teaching that I got very close with not only the students, but with their parents and families as well. In some cases, making some very good friends. I can only remain hopeful and optimistic as the new year comes, that I will be able to have my students return to the classroom and we can be in school the way it was intended to be. The way it should be. I'm excited to share about those experiences and changes as time goes on.
The end of the year brought an opportunity for me to head back to Wisconsin to see my son and daughter, two new grandchildren of four now, two of my brothers and sister-in-laws and a few friends for the first time in over a year and a half. I flew on 11 different planes in the round trip. Six to get there and five to get back. Wow! The time, while quick and short was as wonderful as could be and I was so happy that opportunity came to me. There is never enough time to see everyone I wanted to and sadly the Covid-19 situation hindered some of those reunions as well. It just made me appreciate and value family and friendships that much more in this short life we're given.
Since I'm in Alaska, I'm not quite to the new year yet, but much of the lower-48 already is. That gives me a little more time to reflect on this last year and think about what I want for the new year. I've traditionally done the new year goals and resolutions, with some some success and some I can't remember to save my life, lol. I guess it just gives me something to look forward to and I like setting goals for myself. So what might you see from me in 2021? Well...with all the optimism I can muster, I'd probably look forward to the following things; enjoying and getting excited about being back in the classroom with my students, spending an exciting year-two in Mountain as my 'home', enjoying the growth and stages of my new puppy Yukon and all the adventures we'll have together, finding a place down river that I can consistently camp and retreat to, writing more snail-mail letters to my kids and grandkids, getting my health and weight in a better place (again, lol), taking more pictures of the Lower Yukon, building and respecting the friendships I have in Mountain, maintaining and respecting the friendships I have in the lower-48, and keeping in touch with my kids and family as much as humanly possible. There might be more, but you'll be the second to know after I figure it out. Hoping for happier days in 2021 for everyone.
I wish all of my family and friends in Mountain and the lower-48 a very Happy New Year. If I'm not always able to tell you, you're very special to me and I'm a better person for having met you and having you in my life.
That's all for now. Until next time...stay tuned!
