My next adventure is to Alaska! Starting in August I will be spending at least the next year in a small town on the Bering Strait. I am moving to the village of Stebbins to teach second grade. Stebbins is located southeast of Nome, on the north side of St. Michael Island, which is on the south side of the Norton Sound in western Alaska. The population in Stebbins is around 600 and 95% of the population is Native Alaskan. In the summer there is about 20 hours of light a day and in the winter there is about 4 hours of light a day. I have heard that the all day of light is the hardest to get used to, but people have given me suggestions to help with this. One suggestion is to put aluminum foil on my windows. The temperature ranges from 60° F in the summer to -10° F in the winter. The weather and amount of sun light will take some getting used to - it is all part of the adventure. Stebbins is located in a part of Alaska called the Bush. The Bush encompasses small, remote native villages and miles of untracked wilderness. It ranges from the city of Nome, on the Bering Strait, to the northern most city in the Untied States, Barrow and along the Dalton Hwy to Fairbanks. There are very few roads in this area of the world, so the only way to get around is to fly, float or walk.
Alaska is 586,412 sq. miles. I am leaving two weeks before I start work in order to explore the great state of Alaska a little before I move to this small remote area of the world. I am taking the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry from Bellingham, WA to Juneau, AK and then from Juneau to Whittier, AK. The Alaska Marine Highway follows the famous Inside Passage. The Inside Passage is a coastal route with a series of passages between the mainland and coastal islands. The passage starts in the Puget Sound and extends through coastal British Columbia and the Alaskan Panhandle. It looks like a beautiful way to see the coast on my way to Alaska.
My adventure to the great state of Alaska will begin at the end of July! I will continue to blog about my trip through the Inside Passage and life in a small, remote village out in the Bush of Alaska. I can’t wait!!!
Hey Megan-
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your adventures in Alaska! My mom is actually living in Bethel right now, which also has no roads in or out of it. It's about an hour flight from Anchorage. She's working with the natives as a Diabetes Educator. She is really enjoying the work, but as you mentioned, it's hard to get used to the long days of sunlight. She moved there just a couple months ago, so it will be interesting to see how the winter goes. It looks like you've been on many great adventures lately. Looks like you're enjoying life.
Have fun and take care!