Alaskan Adventures

This is a compilation of all the emails I've sent thus far about our adventures in Alaska. So, if you've been reading all along, you can skip this entry. I'm not putting any pictures in it, so you won't be missing out on anything.

August 24th, 2007--Week 1

Hi! We finally made it to Alaska. Moving was a bear, especially being 4 1/2 months pregnant and having my back keep going out on me. Seth was quite the trouper through it all. We rented a huge Penske truck and moved all our belongings, minus what what fit into suitcases, to a storage unit in Idaho.

Then we flew out of Idaho Falls, Idaho. It was supposed to be an 11am flight, but due to mechanical problems in Boise before even getting to I.F. didn't arrive until 2 hours later. This caused us to miss the connecting flights that would have gotten us into Bethel around 7pm. Instead we got overnighted in Ancorage Alaska at a nice hotel with a good dinner compliments of the airline. We got into the hotel around 9:30pm and ate dinner around 10 and to be by 11 only to have to be up at 4 to catch a 6am flight to Bethel. So, with very little sleep we arrived in Bethel Saturday morning around 7:30am and got picked up shortly after that.

The aparment we are in is TINY, but cozy and livable. Hey, with just suitcases to unpack, even tiny isn't overflowing with stuff. The bedroom barely fits the queen size bed and a crib for Seth. (The crib sits a foot and a half away from the bed, so every morning between 5 and 6:30am, Seth will just stand at the crib rail looking at us until someone wakes up and pulls him into bed with us until Daniel gets up to get ready for Clinic. He then snuggles with Daddy and goes back down until around 9am.) The living room is a little bigger than the bedroom and the small kitchen is attached to it. It is a fully furnished apartment with linens, towels, and dishes. (Not the best dishes, but dishes nonetheless.) The bathroom is actually bigger than the one in our old apartment, which is nice. The family we are renting from just built stairs up to a new private entrance, so other than sharing the laundary room once a week, we're on our own.

The Bethel Branch church members are great, and there is even a nursery which Seth went to on Sunday, but Mommy had to stay with him the whole time. He's gotten quite clingy with all the changes.

The town itself, is, well, the best way to describe it is like moving to Mexico with an instant knowledge of the language, and instead of stuff being a fraction of the cost, it's double or triple normal prices. It's a very sandy, dirty, town that doesn't even have a laundry mat. There are no roads in or out of town, so people have to plane hop to other communities. There are 2 grocery stores. Milk is almost $8 a gallon. Bottled water is over $4 a gallon. Ramen noodles are $.45 a package. The cars are dirty, the houses are mostly dirty (with some really nice houses), and there is mud, dirt, or sand everywhere. The optometry clinic is really nice, and the hospital isn't too bad. They do have a good library, too.

Now that we have internet and a phone line, I'm not feeling quite as forlorn as I was at first. I've decided that if we had a car and more money, it wouldn't be too bad of a place. The people are really nice.

I've had to jump through hurdles to apply for government medicaid and foodstamps, and still don't know if we'll get approved, so that's been a major stressor.

That's about all I can think of for the moment. I'd love any correspondance.

Stephanie Wright
(and Daniel and Seth)


Sept 5th, 2007---Week 2

Well, We survived week 2. We've already spent over $450 in groceries plus $150 of WIC groceries and our cupboards aren't very full. Milk is on sale for $6.98 a gallon this week. Ice cream went on sale for $5 a pop, and I refuse to pay that much for it. And generic sodas are on sale for $6 a 12 pack. They do have several Buy One Get One sales, so if we shop those we do a little better. They finished paving the one main road through town which looks really nice.

Clinic has kept Daniel quite busy until the last few days last week. He had been seeing 9-12 patients a day which dropped to 4-5 by the end of the week. There are 6 interns here currently and Moose Season has started so a lot of locals go on long hunting trips.

We've all caught a local cold and are finally about over it. I got a really bad sore throat with it. The flu's been going around, too, so we're hoping to avoid that.

I've made a little progress with the State in trying to get foodstamps and medicaide, but it's been a nightmare dealing with them, and I'm still not sure we are eligible according to their rules. Our leftover foodstamps from Oregon are depleted, so we're spending cash for now.

They have a local berry that they call "blackberries" (also known as crow berries) that look more like pomegranite seeds with about the same texture and have next to no taste. A favorite local dish is the berries mixed with Crisco and sugar. Daniel and I both thought it lacked any real flavor. I really didn't care for it.

Seth's favorite pasttime lately has been throwing the shoes from the top of the stairs. I do my best not to cringe over it, becuase they are usually caked with dirt or mud which gets all over. He's also decided he's a "big boy" that gets to fall asleep in mommy and daddy's bed. So he starts there and we move him to the crib when we go to bed.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. Thanks to all those who responded to the last email.

Stephanie, Daniel, and Seth


Sept 11th, 2007--Week 3

Wow, I can't believe we've already been here in Bethel for 3 weeks! It's been quite a journey. The town is really starting to grow on me. We bought our first and possibly only souvenir on Saturday. It's a drawing of a Native Mother and Daughter. It is unframed, so when we get to Arizona I need to find a fitting frame that will do it justice.

We did get approved for Medicaid and foodstamps. I had my first local OB appointment yesterday. I walked the mile plus to the hospital with Seth in the stroller. The appointment went well. Daniel met us after for dinner in the cafeteria while we waited for prescriptions to fill. When we went to pick them up, we were told that Medicaid had denied all of them. I get to try to sort that out today or tomorrow. Luckily I'm not out of anything, yet. The walk home was enough to kill my back. Maybe it was the walk there. Pushing an umbrella stroller with as tall as I am is not good on my back, I have to hunch to reach the handles. I've tried finding those handle extensions online, but to no avail. The stroller is better than walking without it, since Seth gets scared of the cars and insists on being carried. So, I just have to make do.

A church member took us last night to the other grocery store in town and then drove us around a part of town we hadn't seen yet. It was the harbor where the freight barges come in and the boat docking area. It was really neat and I want to go back with a camera soon before the heavy rains and snow hit.

We have gotten some good rainfall and on Sunday had to manouver through the mud at the bottom of our stairs to get to our ride. Daniel managed okay, but in thinking higher ground was better my foot sunk into squishy mud. Yuck! My shoe was covered and all I could do was try to wipe some of it off on the weeds nearby. It still looked pretty dirty.

The town is really starting to grow on me. Okay, maybe the people, more than the town itself.

Seth said his first sentence this last week. "it go?". It's now turned into "Where it go?" most of the time. He uses it mostly for when he is looking for his binky. (Yes, we still let him have it. It's a security I'm not willing to take away as of yet. Maybe in Arizona. We do snatch it as often as possible, so it's mostly just for nap and bed and first thing when he wakes up.) On Sunday I was in the bathroom, and I heard him call "Momma...You go?" I imagine we are a few short weeks away from a language explosion.

Well, it's 10:30am and I haven't had breakfast yet, so, I'd better go.

Stephanie


Sept 17th, 2007--Week 4

We've made it 4 entire weeks in the tiny town. Crazy how fast time goes. I'm feeling a little more in sinc with things. Not much new stuff to add. The prescriptions did finally go through. Seth has figured out how to climb on and off of our bed, and spent 30 minutes back and forth last night while I was on the computer and Daddy was sleeping. Seth has had a little cold and got a late nap yesterday, which he decided meant he could stay up and be goofy until midnight. He slept til 11:30 this morning. Thank goodness. Now I get to figure out when to put him down for a nap to avoid a repeat.

Daniel left on his first remote village trip this morning. He'll be back tomorrow night, then leave again Wednesday morning and back Wed night or Thrusday morning. He took the camera, so hopefully I'll have some pictures to go with next weeks letter.

We missed church on Sunday with Seth being sick. I missed the fellowshipping. I'm really growing to love our little church branch.

We ordered a stroller from Target.com for $99 after I went to check to see if shipping from them would be cheaper than the price of the one stroller the store in town has. When it came up as Free Shipping, I spent a good deal of time finding a stroller that would meet our needs and be ship-able. The heavier, bigger ones won't ship here. I tried several jogger strollers, but they wouldn't ship. So we ended up with a mid-size Graco stroller that should suit our needs a lot better than the umbrella stroller. I haven't ventured for a walk without Daniel since last Monday when doing so threw my back. This one should be here in a week or so. It's a better model than the one in the local store, and is $30 less than the lower model. I may decide to sell it here when we leave, since I have another one waiting in Idaho, and I can at least get what I paid back out of it. That is, if I decide I don't want it for the airports on the way home. (I probably will--it makes it so much easier and I won't be any less pregnant than when we left.)

Seth has become a tease. He purposely calls balls "ba-ba?" even though he knows how to say ball. He says it with a question and then laughs when I correct him. Silly boy!

Our cupboards finally have a variety of food, which has been nice.

Seth just climbed into my lap, so I'll let this go before he starts adding to it.

Stephanie, Daniel, and Seth


Sept 25th, 2007--Week 5

This one will probably be quick.

I did survive Daniel being gone on village trips. He left Monday morning and got back Tuesday night. Then again Wednesday morning and back late Wednesday evening. Monday was the hardest for me. Seth missed him like crazy and kept going to the door to look for him. I depend on Daniel more than I realized. The nice part about the trips is that he got all day Thursday and most of Friday off. They usually get at least a day off after a trip.

We got the new stroller from Target on Saturday and broke it in immediately. We went to the library and the museum display. Then decided to go walk down by the river. It was the 1st day in nearly a month with no rain. And it was almost warm. It was a really nice walk, until the way we tried to go home was flooded over so we had to detour which made for a longer walk than my back and feet had bargained for. But it was still worth it. We got some good pictures before the camera batteries died. I still need to download them and post them.

Monday night I got a call asking us to speak in church on Sunday. I forgot to tell Daniel until Thrusday. Whoops. Oh well, he's talked on less notice before. It went well. Daniel talked about geneology and getting our personal family histories written. I talked mostly about journal-keeping. Then Seth stayed in nursery the entire time without needing us. Yeah!

On Saturday after our walk, Daniel worked on the muddy path outside our apartment by shoveling the mud around some and then getting grass/weeds and laying down on the part that gets the muckiest. It's made a big difference. We used to sink in up to an inch or two (and occasionally enough to cover my whole shoe if I took a bad step) into muddy muck. Now we don't sink but when it's really wet a little bit of muddy water comes up about 1/2 inch onto our shoes. I need to get a picture of it.

Well, that's all my dead brain can come up with right now, so I'd better go. Thanks again to those who have written back. It helps me to feel less isolated.

Stephanie


October 2nd, 2007--Week 6


I can't believe we're already on the downward end of this rotation in Alaska. We leave November 4th. Less than 5 weeks to go! This week we got word that there may be a job available after Daniel graduates in Nome, Alaska. It's with Indian Health Services which offers great perks, including health insurance, housing and food stipends, moving costs, and loan payback. It would mean forgoing a Residency, at least for now, because they have already had one Doctor leave and the other is leaving soon, so they are anxious to get the spots filled. Apparently when a vacancy comes in Alaska, it's very difficult to fill over the winter, so it sounds like if we want it, it's ours. As much as I've wanted to scream about the thought of moving back here and staying for a few years, all I have felt is a strange constant peace. Daniel feels the same way. The next step is for them to fly us out for a site visit. It's about 300 miles north of where we are, and right on the coast. People here have said that it's cleaner and prettier than Bethel. And the Caucasian to Native rate is more balanced. They even have a Rec Center with a pool and a local movie theatre. And there are roads that lead to other nearby areas like a hot springs. It's still an isolated city with the only way in our out being by plane or boat, but at least we could go for a bumpy Sunday drive from time to time. Plus, we'd have a vehicle and better financial means. We would likely be there for 2-3 years and then able to move somewhere else within the IHS system. They also give 30 days paid vacation per year, starting the first year, so we could get in some good lower 48 states visits!

I've spent a lot of the past week thinking of the things that I used to take for granted. I've learned to appreciate the little things.

Here's my list of things I hope I won't take for granted again too quickly:

A vehicle to drive. (I've had one since I got my license.)
Walking to and from the house without getting my shoes mud covered.
High-Speed Internet that doesn't block my phone line.
Cell phones and voicemail.
"Normal" grocery store prices.
A nearby mall.
Nearby real department stores, like Fred Meyer, or K-Mart, or Target.
Normal shipping prices.
Sunshine. It rains here more than it did in Portland.
A drinking fountain in the church. This one has a water tank in the kitchen that isn't always full or accessible. I've learned to take bottled water to church. 3 hours is a long time without a drink, especially when pregnant.
Normal health care--Like being able to call your Doctor's office directly and speak to an advice nurse if needed.
A Costco!
Unlimited water. Not worrying about how much water I'm using in the shower.
A full kitchen of dishes, with good pots and pans.
A dishwasher.
Daily access to a washer and dryer. We do laundry once a week.
A private Master Bedroom. It's just not the same with the baby in the crib right next to you.
My wall hangings.
My quilt set.
My photos and scrapbook stuff.
My shelves full of books to read.
A printer.
More clothes to choose from. We brought the minimum and wear the same things each week.
A jogging stroller.
Friends that I talk to regularly and can visit easily.
I'm sure there's lots more, but that's a good start.

Now for the little things I really do appreciate:

Running water. With HEAT!
Electricity.
A comfortable bed to sleep in.
People who care enough to give us rides.
A nearby grocery store.
Ample storage space for the few things we have.
Drinkable water that tastes good, especially when cold.
Food Stamps and Medicaid to help out during this time of our lives.
Internet/email access, even if it's slow and ties up the phone line.
My wonderful husband and all he does for me.
An adorable little boy who makes me laugh daily! (He's just really gotten into the mimicking stage!)
Digital cable and tivo to keep me occupied during the long days with not much to do. (I actually long for the ability to not need the cable, since we didn't have a tv for 10 months before moving here, and I enjoyed the simplicity. But I also had way more to keep me busy.)
A semi-comfortable couch.
A digital camera to capture our experiences here.
A clean, not falling apart apartment to live in. Apparently ours is nicer than most in the area.
Family who have sent care packages.
A crib instead of a playpen for Seth.
Toys for Seth.
A library in the town, even if it's tiny.
The ability to receive mail and packages in a reasonable time-frame.


Wow, I'm listed out! Seth has been kinda sick this week and more cuddly than normal. There have been a few times that he snuggles against my bare tummy like he somehow knows about his brother in there and is giving him loves. Two of the times, the baby has kicked against Seth's head. It's quite precious!

I think it's time for a nap. So, so long for now.

Stephanie