The Eagle Has Landed!!!

Well friends, the time has finally come- I AM IN ALASKA!!!  The good news: I'm already in love with this place.  The bad news: I only brought one pair of shoes and they got wet today.  Oh dear.

My journey went smooth!  I was amazed how not-bad the flight was from Chicago to Anchorage.  I mean, sure, by the end of it I was like, "okay this can be over."  But I lucked out with the emergency exit row and an empty seat next to me.  So my legs could stretch all the wanted without being in anyone's way!  Also, I got to sit by a mountain man who told me all about his hunting adventures around the world.  My lil heart went out to those poor mountain lions and grizzlies he shot down, but the adventures he got to go on seemed awesome and got my mouth watering for this year in Alaska!

When I landed, I was literally so tired and drained that when I saw Issa my insides were doing backflips but all my body could muster was a couple fists in the air and a giant grin.  That night Issa and Jaime headed out to the Alaskan state fair, but I took the evening to get comfy in the house and SLEEP!  The house we are staying in is great.  Huge living room, awesome kitchen with tons of counter space, and my bedroom is a pretty nice size!  We've got laundry right in the house and our bathroom has two sinks for the four of us.  Needless to say, I am a happy camper.  We already started hanging up the ridiculous amount of awesome posters and decorations and organizing the place.  I'm on the hunt for a free dresser and desk, but so far my Craig's List hunts have ended just a few minutes late of snatching up the goodies.

Today was the best day by far here!  Issa took Jaime and a friend out to take a 23 mile hike (crazy right?) at about 5am.  Well, I kept right on napping until around 11 when we got ready and with with Issa's friend (and now my friend- woo for making friends!) to a mile hike to a suspended cart above a rapid-y creek.  (I say rapid-y because I think my definition of rapids and the Alaskan definition of rapids is different.  So I'll call it rapid-y.)  The weather was rainy, the ground was muddy, and I was wearing glasses... but everything was BEAUTIFUL!  We were actually hiking through Alaska's very own RAIN FOREST!  Can you believe Alaska has a rain forest?  But it's true!  We came across a HUGE mushroom.... biggest I've ever seen!  After the mile hike we came up to the suspended wire cart and Issa and I jumped in and pulled ourselves halfway across the clearing so we could chill above the water.  It was absolutely beautiful and amazing.

It's crazy to go from growing up in the flatlands of Bay City to living in mini-city Kalamazoo for all my lift to here.  Mountains are the background for the main road to get back to my new home, I can hike trials just outside the city that are filled with creeks, waterfalls, and luscious plant life, and the scenic highway literally runs between the mountains and the ocean.  Ugh, it's just so awe-inspiring for this little town boy from the valley.

After the beautiful hike and getting completely drenched and covered in mud, Issa took me to a friend's house for a small dinner fiesta!  We had burritos and played board games and Wii Mario Kart.  Everyone there was absolutely awesome.  The food was delicious and them peeps had me rolling the the floor bustin' my gut.  We even played Egyptian Ratscrew (which I haven't gotten to play in FOREVER) and I won!  It's already seeming like the group of people I'll be hanging with this year, the adventures I'll be going on, and the memories I'm going to be making will be some that will change me for the better, open my eyes, and stick with me forever.

Now I'm just about to hit the hay, because this time zone shift is still messing with my internal clock.  I start work with Americorps tomorrow at 9am!  I cannot wait for this orientation and (hopefully it's still on) backpacking trip with my new crew.  Miss you Kalamazoo and WMU, but this Bronco's gotta bounce!

Love, love, love to all my support from friends and family, it means the world!!!

Alaska Fun Fact: Over half the world's glaciers are in Alaska!