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Sun high in the sky after 6pm!
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With a new month comes a new apartment, conveniently located closer to the grocery store, ice rink, and KNOM house (my three most frequented destinations in Nome besides work). I had been eagerly boxing up my belongings for a couple of weeks now, but it was finally go time. Happy leap year to me! I have to say, it was the easiest moving experience I’ve ever had. My first truckload was a trip to drop off three boxes at the thrift store, knowing that if I wanted any of my things back chances are it would still be there on Thursday to repurchase. After this, all that remained were eight boxes, which were tossed in my truck bed and unloaded in no time. I’m leaving most of the boxes packed, as I’m still not certain where I will be living come the end of the month. I did unpack enough to make it comfortable and homey, and for now, this move has been a much needed and appreciated change.
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| Parked outside my new place! |
The act of moving was simple, but it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. There are a few downsides to my relocation; my roommates have been receiving paper notices on the door, stating that our residence is under foreclosure. The owner of our house lives in Anchorage, but the rent has always been paid in full and on time, so the property manager assures us it will be fine. Fingers crossed. I mean, it’s Nome – things happen pretty slow here so I’m probably fine. I’ve also experienced my very first frozen pipe, as I was surprised to find the shower drain frozen on my first morning in the new place. Thankfully our toilet was still in flushing condition, and a bailing bucket was located close by to deal with the standing water. One of my roommates has a dog, so my alarm clock each morning is barking, each time I open my room door I’m nearly knocked over, and I’m perpetually covered in fur. All in all, it really doesn’t get much better than this, and it’s a HUGE improvement over my last situation.
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| The new shower and bailing bucket! |
Now for the positives (and there are many!). This place is gigantic. I’ve seen many properties in Nome, and this is certainly one of the nicer ones. Microwaves are all but unheard of here. Not only does this place have a microwave, it has a wall-mounted oven, counter stovetop, side by side fridge and freezer, dishwasher, bread maker, Kitchen Aid mixer, full size washer and dryer, and window treatments. I’m living in luxury! The first time I walked in the sun was streaming through the abundant windows and I could almost hear angels singing. My bedroom is outfitted with a king size bed and it’s so big I could do a full gymnastics routine on it. The only other furniture is a shaky stand made from broken palettes, but fortunately I’m a simple girl. I’m happy to report that I get along well with my roommates; one is a psychologist working towards her master’s degree and the other is a dietician for pre-diabetic patients. I can’t explain how nice it is to come home from work and have a living space I feel comfortable occupying, and friends to chat about my day with. It may not be perfect, but is anything really?
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| My old bedroom |
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| My new bedroom! |
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| Gigantic arctic entryway |
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| Living room and kitchen area |
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| Dining room with a view! |
Our eleventh session of the year began this week, with new students arriving at all different times due to weather delays once again. One girl from Little Diomede was a full three days late! “Weather permitting” has become a staple in my vocabulary, and always used when discussing future plans. The course offerings this time include Heavy Equipment, Introduction to the Health Field, and of course, Driver’s Ed. I had planned to teach Small Business Grant Writing, but unfortunately all of my students dropped out at the last minute. Despite the fact that I’m not teaching beyond the usual survival swimming and American Red Cross in the mornings, I’ve been busier than ever and haven’t left work on time all week. Each time I go to sit down at my desk, I pack up all of my belongings as a “go bag”, knowing that chances are I’ll be leaving the office at a seconds notice to help resolve a crisis. When it gets tough I just think about the carrot dangling in the near future; with one more week of work comes a full week off, just in time to celebrate the arrival of the Iditarod mushers and ensuing festivities.
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| The gift of muktuk from Savoonga |
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| A feast of fermented baby walrus and dry fish |
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| Testing out the flippers at the pool |
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| A splash and a swoosh! |
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| Getting a ride in the ambulance during class |
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| I learned some new ways to do a push-up during this competition |
