fairbanks - a cold welcome (the people - warm)

armed with a rolled up newspaper, i crouch over my computer

one eye cautiously patrols space around me for invaders

ive killed about 5 mosquitoes just in writing the last 2 sentences

6...

7...

my dedication to blogging has never prevailed so valorously

it's been just about a week since i arrived in fairbanks

words can not describe the ease with which i have adjusted to and fallen into this place

allow me to briefly go over the major events since my arrival

got off the plane at 7am and picked up my luggage in the deserted airport

grabbed a cap outside and made it to the hostel within minutes

lined things up with the manager (swiss german named irene) and had my tent set up within 20 min

i was alseep again in no more than 1 hour after spotting fairbanks from the airplane window

even napping during the day was friggin' COLD

so i walked to fred meyer (about 15 min away) - what would be a common jaunt for me over the next week, as the bus to the university stops there - and bought a much needed sleeping b. and some food

got online and chatted with the g.f. (there's actually wireless here - hence my ability to blog under a cloud of voracious bloodsuckers)

eventually i noticed it was late as hell (didnt even realize since the sun BEGINS to go down at around 12:30) and slept uncomfortably on the ground, but at least more warmly than before

school the next day!

BIO 105 is as much of a joke as i predicted - nearly everyone seems pre-pubescant and the material belongs in a high school biology class

nevertheless, the prof is nice, and some other guy gives me a wonderful tip on where i might be able to find a place on campus where i can shower for free

i anticipate a pretty tedious experience in the classroom over the upcomming weeks, but try to look on the bright side and see it as a way to bring everything ive learned thus far full-circle

next day, after class i go to visit a daycare i heard about from papa (my grandpa) - i had been inquiring regarding a job and they said 'drop by, mister!' - no one is there

go back to Go North and hang out with some puerto ricans who kindly share with me some music, smokes, and beer (hostles are great!)

class again the next morning and hours of staring at paramecium in the microscope

i visit the daycare again (called OpenArms) for an interview and am greatly encouraged

i now understand thier apparent unrestrainable enthusiasm at hiring me (besides my incredible resume, personality, and repore) - i will double their male population (the other is the cook)

friday - no class; i go to openarms for my first day and to float around the classrooms

the kids are awesome - i get to work with toddlers, woddlers (1 year olds), and preschoolers (the place has about 150 kids and 30+ staff; wow)

the place and people really make my old job at KinderCare look like hell in comparison (which it was)

im scheduled to continue working in preschool age which is FANTABULOUS

i even have a chance to practice my crummy japanese skills with a cross-cultural family when they pick up their kid

side note: the people in fairbanks are sooo friendly and considerate; they really look out for each other - from what i hear from people who have lived here a while, this is due to the transitory habitation of most people (what with a huge military base nearby and the U.) and the ungodly long nights in the winter during which suicide rate and alcoholism would like increase 10-fold if not for the community

saturday i am forced back to UAF to do some labwork, but at least i get a chance to take another free shower and escape the forest vermin for a while

i chat with my prof about finding some kind of biology field work through the school and she gives me some books on local botany to read

super (non-sarcastic)

i buy a 12-pack of beer to count down the days until my girl arrives

meet some more hostle guests and play my guitar around the campfire

sunday (today) i go to the church (openarms is lutheran affiliated) cuz i heard from the director that 3 kids from the daycare will be baptized

i meet the hyperactive 60-year-old pastor who knows me already (the work of my papa, no doubt) and ive barely shaken his hand after church before he offers to let me borrow his son's bike (wow!)

no more bus

no more hoofin' it

he comes by the hostel and drops it off in the afternoon

SCORE.

gotta test manana - big whoop

my mind is on my darling who just left for taiwan for a week, the piece of cold chicken-thigh i left in the fridge, biking into town ASAP, and showering (hopefully) soonerthe pic of my sweetheart that smiles at me every time i open my laptop and sustains me until she arrivesmy tent - caribou site

that's all for now, yo's