I haven't posted in months. I'm a little disappointed by this. Not that I am expecting that anyone really reads this. It is more for my own enjoyment. And now that I've skipped at least 6 months of journaling my life here, I've thus failed to capture the last several months of living in Juneau. In fact, when my last post was entered in March, I had NO idea that before the years end I'd be leaving this tiny city. Now that I am, I can think of many opportunities I could have taken to log a memorable Juneau moment. Ce' la vie.
I am both sad and excited to say that I'm leaving. Juneau was my first home away from home, my first real adventure. Juneau was where my Alaskan Life began. I've met many friends here, and I met my boyfriend here too. It was the launch point for my backcountry summer in 2010. It is where I spent 2 terms as an AmeriCorps member. I met an interesting cast of characters here and it feels like I've lived many different lives all at once. Juneau is a remarkable place and I will miss it.
Ever since the close of my first summer here two and half years ago, I'd wanted to go further north and see what it was like to live in other parts of the state. Because of opportunities that were presenting themselves here though, I decided not to push relocating. Instead, I tried for a second term as what amounted to an unofficial Vista position with AmeriCorps. I changed apartments and began seriously dating someone after spending the last four years mainly solo. Then, once that year ended I moved into the social services field. I've been working hard ever since, putting in 50 hour weeks on average as a Case Manager for a residential treatment facility. The summer of 2012 went by without more than a sniff of sunshine. We in Juneau spent most of the "best" part of the year holed up inside, hiding from drizzle. It was during this time that the future stability of my boyfriends place of employment began to look it bleakest. And so the job hunt began. But it was really just little fits and starts. Neither of us were really trying very hard to leave. But, as it happens in life, he was offered a job in Anchorage, and plans needed to be made.
I am so very excited to be heading to Anchorage, to be with the man I love, and enjoy life and all that it brings. Anchorage is much bigger than Juneau. There are more stores, more restaurants, and roads that go on forever. I hope to take a trip up to Fairbanks over the summer next year, maybe as far as Prudhoe Bay. Basically I want to go all over Alaska. I've enjoyed living in Juneau. I like to call it a boutique city, with just enough shops, restaurants, attractions and residents to grant it it's own identity, but not so much that you could put it on par with small cities in the lower 48. Juneau is its own little world.
My little world will be expanding on December 3rd when I board the ferry to Whittier. Whittier is a small town about 1.5 hours from Anchorage. There is one large military building that the entire town lives in. And, there is a one way tunnel - the only way in and out of Whittier. You have to get to the tunnel at the right time in order to be able to travel in the direction you want. Very Alaskan, right?
I will be working at Alaska Childrens Services for now. We'll be staying with friends while we find out own place in the city. And then, I don't know? We are talking about going cross country skiing, seeing movies in a real movie theater, taking day trips around the Kenai, exploring the local parks (which will be fun since my man is working for The Anchorage Parks Foundation), and just enjoying life.
I'm very excited to be off on another adventure. :)
(Sadly my camera is broken and won't upload pictures anymore. Thankfully though I've ordered a new iphone, so soon I will be able to add that feature to these posts).
No comments:
Post a Comment