Adventures in Alaska: May 2013

Well Hello there!! Do you guys remember me!? I'm that kid that moved to Alaska and promised to keep everyone updated with her blog....I think I might have inadvertently lied....

Getting everyone updated from everything that has happened in my life since August would take way too long, so I am just going to type up a brief update now, and hopefully begin to keep you posted more about everything else.

This weekend has been a very busy weekend for me! Today I participated in the Ketchikan Rain Boot Race. In all actuality, it wasn't a race at all, just a walk, but it was called a race, and we beat the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most participants with 1976 participants! That's right people, I made the book...again! (I was in the World's Largest Orchestra! (: Whoo!) After the race I came home and have been frantically trying to cram as much facts about Ketchikan into my head as I can because tomorrow is my first day of work!!!!! Oh, maybe I should clue you in! I didn't quit my job as a teacher!!! But I did get a part time summer job. I am going to be giving personalized tours this summer in a Hummer. That's right, they gave this girl the keys to a Hummer! I am pretty excited about that job. I think I will meet a lot of wonderful people, and basically I get to drive people around and talk to them about Ketchikan for 4 hours, and show them the sights. You all know how much I love to talk! I am a little nervous about tomorrow though. I have been doing a lot of reading over the past few weeks, but I would love just a little more time to fully feel prepared. My head feels like it did the night before a Music History final...for all my music major friends out there, you should understand what I mean! I'm sure it will go well but I will keep you posted.

Things at school are starting to wind down which means things at school are CRAZY!!! We have three weeks left of school, which is just a bit insane to me. I am totally not complaining, but I don't know how I am going to accomplish all I need to accomplish in three weeks. My students are getting ready for their spring program, and it's something completely new for Tongass School. I am really excited about it, but I am starting to feel the pressure!

I recently moved into a new apartment. I am still living with the same roommate, Lori, but we moved across town. We liked our old apartment, but it was a summer rental, so we needed to be out by June 1st. Since we had both decided that we were going to be staying up here this summer and not traveling back to our home towns, we decided to move at the beginning of April (something our old landlord had okay-ed with us before we signed our lease). In Ketchikan, you can't find an apartment to rent from May - October because of all the tourist workers. We really love our new place. It is MUCH MUCH bigger, and has an awesome view. For the first time ever (living in Ketchikan) I do not live on Grant Street!! And I can't see the cruise ships from my window. I was super excited about the cruise ship thing. I don't know if I ever shared and Cruise ship stories with you, but I will elaborate now. Last summer I was repeatedly awoke to Dum-Dum-Dum "Attention, if you would like to participate in ______ please report to the ______deck. Thank you" Why yes, I would love to do that, and since it sounds like you are in my living room, I would assume you are talking to me, but wait...oh no...that is a cruise ship, with their very loud bells and intercom. I was also a huge fan of the *HOOOOOOONK* Which is a warning for all passengers to get back onto the boat before it leaves. Although, I must say, the best part of the cruise ships is when they are trying to dock on a very early very foggy morning. Do you know they will blow their fog horn every 10 minutes. Starting around 4:30 in the morning? In September? When you have to get up and be peppy and perky and happy for kindergartners? Well...I do! In all seriousness, it's not that big of a deal, but I was definitely looking forward to moving out of downtown. Now we live about the ferry station. So we get to listen to THEIR warning honk at all hours of the night1! :) Gotta love living on the ocean! Our apartment is great though, and we are hoping to stay here for a while!

Well, I have so much more I could talk about, but I should probably get to bed. I have a very early morning tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Katie

PS I'll leave you with a few pictures, but if you're on facebook, you have probably already seen them!