"He has his own section of the hardware store"

In this episode of Greg's life in Sitka:

- Alaska Day
- Residents rebelling
- Where is October?
- Back to school?

So I know that it has been a while. It seems like when I sit down to write these, nothing has really happened. Then I turn around and there has been a ton that has happened. So sorry about that. So I am going to launch right into this...

So, the biggest event that has happened since we have been here happened this weekend. Alaska Day is October 18th and it marks the day when Alaska was transferred from Russian control to American control. And seeing as this is the 50th year of Alaskan statehood, this was a pretty big one. There were events all week. We went to the New Archangel dancers on Monday, a traditional Russian dance group, and that was a lot of fun. Then I had to miss some events because of work (more on that later), but we went to go watch the Army band on Friday night where we were regaled by such songs as "Tutti Fruti" and "Wipeout." It was pretty great. Then after a Saturday night in with the community members, Marcus (the youth minister at our parish) and Andrew (someone who knows Marcus), we woke up on Sunday. Alaska Day was finally here. Nick and I started out the day getting some black cod and rice. It was probably the best fish I have had since I have been here. It was nice and fatty, and was grilled perfectly. We sat on on the dock in the marina and watched two Blackhawks and a Coast Guard rescue helicopter cruise around the bay before they passed over the national cemetery. When they passed over us it was incredible. As we got ready for the parade we were all excited to check everything out and went to meet up with some of the Americorps. The parade was pretty fun. I'll post some pictures of it later. Not a huge, over-the-top event, but just fun. Pretty much every group in town had a car or presence in it. There were two bag pipe bands (One from Seattle, the other from Juneau), quite a few coasties, a National Guard contingent, and others. Also, there were three fly overs from helicopters (helicopters are awesome). Then the parade ended and we went to the bay to watch a demonstration of a Coast Guard rescue, helicopters and everything. It was intense and a good time; we watched it with Meg, a FJV from Buffalo who was in Sitka last year and a few of her friends. Then we went to the Westmark for a drink and met up with Dustin, a local guy that we have met a few times now. He is incredibly nice and fun to hang out with. He ended up paying for our drinks and bolting before we really had a chance to thank him. Also, there were three rainbows outside of the bar, all of which were at different angles. Gorgeous. Followed that up by going to a bag pipe band concert, and then we went out for the night...

I have promised my room mates that I will not recount our night here. Nothing too terrible, and all hysterical, but all awesome. I'll just throw a quick over view. Our night at the Pioneer Bar (or P Bar) began with me going from gay to engaged all in about 10 minutes, the girls being called stunning throughout the night, the entire bar chanting Katie's name, and Nick and myself just sitting back and laughing for a long, long time at what was going on. There are some creepy guys in Sitka...Oh, and we closed down the bar with the Seattle pipe band. It was awesome sitting in the bar with them playing and everyone clapping and yelling and dancing. When we finally got home a little after 2 we sat and wrote down some quotes...and there were some doozies.

Things have not gotten any easier at work. The kids actually like me and respond to me which is awesome...but they do not give that same respect to one of my co-workers and we are getting really frustrated with it. I don't know how to make these kids see that my co-worker isn't just some jerk who is there to get paid (a complaint I have heard). It has gotten really frustrating. Just reframing many of their views and trying to work with them and explain that they have to give respect to people regardless of how they think they are being treated. Had a really productive talk about integrity with a few of the residents last week. It was really cool because I saw the residents actually mindfully acting on what we had talked about. It is really interesting their views on everything, from relationships to movies to huge topics, such as racism. It is really interesting to talk with them and see their perspectives. So many times I will sit back after a conversation and reflect on something one of the residents said or a question they asked. I don't have all the answers for their questions. Some of their comments are insightful, intelligent, and quite frequently funny. A lot of times my own views and beliefs are challenged. These kids are so smart that talking with them can be really challenging. I'll often come home after work and just rant for a few minutes on what happened that day at work, and I think my roommates just kind of sit there like, "Uh, what are you talking about..." But it has been a challenging but productive few weeks.

One of the insecurities I have come across is wondering what difference I am making. Many of these kids are not from Sitka, and I am worried that when they go home they will just move right back to where they were when they were placed at HH. Sometimes I look at situations and wonder if that was real or if they just were doing it because they realize that they needed to act like they did, say what they did, because they think or know that it will get them out of HH that much faster. Not all the time, but it comes up.

The weather here has been spectaular. We were told so often that October was the worst month, that it was rainy and windy the entire time and it was just miserable. Yeah, notsomuch. It has been clear and incredible for the last few weeks. I don't get it. Nick and I turned on football on Sunday and saw that it was snowing in Boston. We were close to calling people we knew on the east coast and ask how the weather was. We didn't. But it was pretty funny that we are in Alaska and it is beautiful here and cold and snowy back home.

So I signed up for the GMAT...I know, I know, I hate school, but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. Just not sure where I want to go. SLU, UB, and Canisius are pretty much the only schools I am thinking about right now. I don't really want to start over all over again in a new city. Thoughts?

A few more points. First, "Where the Wild Things Are" was awesome. I wasn't sure what to expect, and the best review I saw listed it as a movie about being a kid, not a kid's movie, which is the perfect thing to say about it. I really, really enjoyed it. Second, good job Bills, at least we won't go winless in the division again. I was right about the Cards, although it might have been a little different had Holliday not dropped a can of corn...And it looks like the Sabres are playing well. From what I understand Myers looks real good.

And my views on hunting have gotten interesting. A recent story came out about a 9 year old in Barrow (the northern most city in North America) delivering the killer blow on a whale, and one person posted the picture with the caption, "Well doesn't he look like the proud little murderer." I wanted to explode. I read through the comments and some people were saying things along the lines of, "Why can't they just go to the supermarket to get their meat like everyone else?" The frustration I felt at their ignorance was stunning. I wanted to post some response, calling them stupid and disrespectful. Subsistence hunting is significantly different than hunting for sport. These people depend on that meat to survive the winter. It isn't like it is easy for those people to get meat shipped up there, and many people couldn't afford it even if it was available. Finally, whaling is such a huge part of the native culture. It is so interesting to hear stories about hunts. And they use everything. I don't know. That was a really frustrating part of my week.

I can't believe it has been more than 2 months since I arrived here in Sitka. It seems like just yesterday I was saying good bye to my parents in the Buffalo airport to go meet Zach in Portland, then going through orientation, then getting off the plane here in Sitka. It is kind of funny though. We are becoming jaded to the scenery. Oh, we all still appreciate the beauty and don't take it for granted. But there isn't that, "Oh my gosh look at that! I need to grab my camera." That has been pretty interesting to see. (Oh, and by the way, the pictures don't do Sitka justice. Just saying...)

Hope you all are doing well.