I definitely came down with something. First a sore throat, then a bunch of junk in my chest, and now coughing and a runny nose. The worst thing is that I feel sore from head to toe. But I'm not one to let that stop me, although I do admit I have slowed down substantially. I have slept in, taken frequent breaks while walking through town, done less, and gone to bed early. I have also ingested large amounts of vitamin C, ibuprofen, and water. I think (fingers crossed) I am getting better because my early symptoms are gone and stuff is coming up and out. If not I am just going to pretend until it's true. Tomorrow is my departure for McCarthy and the writing workshop.
This is not to say that I have not enjoyed Anchorage. I have, very much. Thanks to a last minute guidebook purchase I found the BEST breakfast place, Snow City Cafe. Day one I arrived there right when they opened and as a result I didn't have to wait. I devoured eggs benedict and many cups of water/coffee. The walk from my hostel was a bit longer than I expected so I felt ravished. Day two (yes, I went back because it was that good) I arrived an hour after opening and had to wait an hour. It was sort of fun though because I got to watch a race pass by and cheer on all the runners.
The order in which I did things the last few days is a bit hazy but I will give a brief description of the highlights.
I saw a concert in the park. The music was lovely but the real pleasure was watching all the camp groups of kids come with their lunches and end up dancing, climbing, and running about.
I went to the Anchorage Museum which had a curious combination of historical, artistic, and hands-on science exhibits. Honestly I had most fun with all the things I could touch. I made waves, listened to the sounds of glaciers, made a balloon launch, pulled myself up a rope, and simulated an earthquake, a volcano, and a glacier. While it was hard to engage with the history at first when I decided to go from present to past I found it a lot easier. I was particularly struck by how the Alaskan tribes have become corporations (the language didn’t match my pre-conceived expectations), it only became a state in my parents’ lifetime (did you guys learn the 48 states in school?), and the quality of the Aleut kayaks. The art was okay but it seemed to mostly pale in comparison to the real places it depicts. I am finding that to be the case here in Alaska. There is something awe inspiring about being here that is hard to capture.
I found a delight and tempting bookstore called Title Wave Books. I walked out of there with 4 new books. I persuaded myself that this was okay because 3 of them were less than a hundred pages and all somewhat related to what I am thinking about these days. This also incidentally inspired me to repack my suitcase so that I don’t take as many clothes to McCarthy (I am just wearing outfits multiple times) and have room for my books. The greatness of this bookstore lay in the way one discovery would somehow lead to another. I was making a zig-zag pattern through the store, from section to section as one author would remind me of another, etc.
The Anchorage Market & Festival was a farmers’ and artisans’ market. It was okay but I wasn’t really interested in buying anything so it all just seemed like stuff. I think I find myself reacting negatively to other people’s consumerism. I definitely have my own moments but somehow traveling doesn’t compel me to make purchases of things that simply mark the travel. I am much more drawn to beauty.
I treated myself to the new Harry Potter movie. It seemed like a good comfort activity and I wasn’t disappointed.
Finally I made my way out of town a bit to the Alaska Heritage Center. There were six village sites, modeled after different native homes. I was struck by the 2nd tunnel entrance that served as an escape in the Aleut/Alutiiq site because of polar bear attacks. Also in Yu’pick/Cu’pick site the winter entrance ran under ground like a fox hole to prevent the escape of heat. The highlight of my visit was the demonstrations from the youth. Two boys demonstrated native sports. They hit with their foot a ball that was hung up to 9 feet high. Then there was a dance/drum demonstration. Seeing the active participation and talent of high schoolers was inspiring. I found myself captivated, forgetting myself for the moments that I watched. I ended the visit with an exhibit about universal values. I copied them down. I can really see some interesting conversations with my own students with these as a starting point. Here they are:
Show Respect to Others - Each person has a special gift
Share What you Have - Giving makes you richer
Know Who You Are - You are a reflection of your family
Accept What Life Brings - You cannot control many things
Have Patience- Some things cannot be rushed
Live Carefully - What you do will come back to you
Take Care of Others - You cannot live without them
Honor Your Elders - They show you the way in life
Pray for Guidance - Many things are not known
See Connections - All things are related
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