Conversations in Alaska

The Traverse and the Reunions: Returning to Ketchikan (2)

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 First Person ForeignAlaska

“Alaska lulled me here on some sort of fantasy.” I thought as I ran up and down the hills of the residential streets. I pushed myself to scale them because I am trying to keep[…]

The Joy and The Bliss: Returning to Ketchikan

July 19, 2019 First Person ForeignAlaska

Hoy mismo I landed in Ketchikan and sent a text to Claire. I had to connect to the internet to do so, no T-Mobile in Alaska. I realized this in 2016 when I got a[…]

Song & Storytelling: The Events Before I Go

September 26, 2016September 26, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

Act One: Five days before I flew away, Laura and I performed The Last Five Years. It took five minutes and a handshake to reserve the Arctic Bar patio. Tom Thompson donated the equipment. Brooke[…]

“So This is Ketchikan,” (The First) Conversation in Alaska | 1 of 50

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I texted Danielle- “Just landed!” at 4:05pm on Friday April 15th. “Okay! Slight change of plans. We will be picking you up with a boat as of right now. Some of us have to do[…]

The Man from Eagle River, Conversations in Alaska | 2 of 50

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

On my flight returning from Ketchikan to Alaska on September 19, I am asked: “So where’s home?” A very kind gentleman asked from seat 22C. We had a seat between us, which he commented was[…]

But How Small Is This Town?, Conversations in Alaska | 4 of 50

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

Ketchikan has vacuum-shrunk-and-sealed to the size of a small hamster wheel, fishbowl of gossip and once you spawn, EVERYBODY GON’ KNOW ‘BOUT IT. I, personally, do not speak from experience on that situation. I have[…]

“Baby?” Conversations in Alaska | 5 of 50

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I stood in a dear friend’s living room in July. I asked “What’s been going on?” I was hung up on a Fisherman, she was hung up on fertility. Different boats. This is what followed: “It’s[…]

Drumming in Zimbabwe, Conversations in Alaska | 3 of 50

September 23, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

A fella greeted me from behind the counter. He said “I can’t run the register but I can go ahead and make your food. What are you getting?” I don’t eat out much in Ketchikan[…]

Roots and Seasonals, The Great Dichotomy Conversations in Alaska 7 of 50

September 20, 2016September 20, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

“I’m not a typical seasonal.” I tell Jack. He is a local who moved here from New York three years ago. He spent his first winter here last year. Originally from Wisconsin, my theory is that[…]

Body. Conversations in Alaska, 9 of 50

September 20, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

She wailed, I listened. She lost weight in the last two years and her body is a completely different one. She’s noticed, unmistakeably, that her friends, strangers, opposite sex, and her own family hold her[…]