Alaska or Bust

About 3 weeks ago, I gave AISD official notice that I will not be returning next year…Yippee! Dhaka has been a fun adventure, but I’m ready to move somewhere that is beautiful and the great outdoors is readily accessible.

So I’ve decided I’d like to move to Alaska. Since my trip to Antarctica I’ve been enamored of all things polar. After my brief trip to Anchorage and Fairbanks this past summer, I know I would enjoy living there.

It’s all a bit scary giving notice now when I know that Alaskan schools will not be recruiting until mid-April or so. However it does give me a chance to apply for Alaskan teacher certification.

Now that I’ve started the process, I know it will take me at least until Feb to sort it all out. I need copies of transcripts, and to be fingerprinted at the embassy, and to jump through 10 million hoops for the AK Dept of Education. One example of hoop jumping is I need to get UVA to fill out an institutional recommendation form which states that I have completed a teacher certification program. Apparently my transcript and state license don’t really prove anything without that silly form. I still need to submit the transcript and form. I foresee months of head-pounding frustration!

And that would be the main reason I’m blogging right now instead of looking at the minutiae of state generated red tape. I’ll look at all that on Tuesday when I have a day off. Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow…

Anyway, I’m mostly hoping to teach in Anchorage. It’s not so cold on the coast, although it does rain more. Also, there are plenty of restaurants that will help stave off starvation on those nights when I can’t bear to cook (most nights I must say). I’m also going to apply to schools in Fairbanks and Juneau.

I’m still trying to figure out what to do if I can’t get a teaching job in any of those cities. Many of the small towns are so isolated that they are not even part of a road system! Can any of you imagine me in a town with no restaurants, no social outlets, no roads to other towns? I’d die of loneliness and boredom in about 2 weeks! Villages are out. Virginia is a possibility. Maybe Seattle or Portland, but I really don’t want to deal with multiple state certification applications! Maybe I could find a non-teaching job in Anchorage.

Please think happy thoughts for me. I hear that visualization is the key to getting most things. So picture me in a cute little snow bunny outfit, teaching 8 year old Anchorage “snow monkeys.” That should do it for me. Actually, while we are at it, let’s visualize the snow monkeys as smart, enthusiastic, and well-parented. I believe in dreaming big!

I know many of you are still wondering “what about the cold?” “what about the perpetual winter night-time?” Anchorage and Juneau actually won’t be so cold since they are on the coast. Fairbanks is what you think of as “Alaska cold.” I reckon I’ll spend a bunch of money on an appropriate winter wardrobe if I move there. As for the dark, I’ll buy a full spectrum light to help. I also know that being able to see the Aurora Borealis will totally fascinate me, at least that first winter. Plus, the winter sports will distract me. After I learn how to cross country ski, I’m hoping to try “ski-joring” which is when you stand on your skis and a dog pulls you along. I’d like to get a little Jack Russell, buy him/her a sweater, harness him up to me on skis, and yell “Mush little doggie!” Yes, y’all will be getting many insane photos from Alaska. Plus…Iditarod! Need I say more?