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Conversations in Alaska: “There should only be Tsimshian People in this line” 37 of 50

August 31, 2016August 31, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I stood in the unrelenting sunlight all day to load passengers to to go Annette Island. About 1,400 people live on Annette Island and every year they celebrate Founder’s Day (they were founded in 1887). It’s[…]

“Well That Was Very Rude” Conversations in Alaska, 38 of 50

August 24, 2016August 24, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I am standing on Dock 2, the one where everyone gets scrunched between the ship and the dock. There is one small lane for the buses to drive through (to get to Dock One, or[…]

Conversations in Alaska: “We saw where the glaciers used to be” 42 of 50

August 10, 2016August 10, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

A wandering soul read my sign and said “Oysterman?” I laughed, dismissively. “Yep.” He said “Sounds like a super hero.” And a few minutes later he said “Have fun with the super hero” and walked[…]

Conversations in Alaska: “We saw each other from across the room,” 43 of 50

August 9, 2016August 9, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

“So how did you meet your girlfriend?” “Oh my gosh, I haven’t told you this story?” “I’m sure I’ve told you this story. Okay well forgive me if you have, you need to tell me[…]

Conversations in Alaska: “It’s very different in the Mediterranean” 44 of 50

August 3, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I had this conversation with a young girl, long hair with two black clips, while we were settling under the tent at the front of the Norwegian Pearl. Shorex: “It’s my first day back.” Me:[…]

Conversations in Alaska: “My Mother Wanted Me to Be a Hairdresser” 45 of 50

July 31, 2016August 1, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I have a coworker who is a septuagenarian (in her 70s), and a sassy one at that. She often drinks her coffee out of a steel contigo. Sometimes on the dock when we load one[…]

Factors Out Of Your Control | The Crash & The Spiritual Leader

July 12, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

Sometimes things go wrong and there’s no way understanding it, except to adjust and learn perhaps, in the adjustment, why things crash to begin with. One day in June (I was doing pick-ups from[…]

Summer in Alaska: The Tourists

July 6, 2016July 10, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

Around the end of May, summer is in full swing here in Ketchikan. At 11am on any given Sunday or any other day you’re given, Historic Creek Street is a cluster of tourists, all standing[…]

The Dock | A Day in the Life of a Well-Oiled Job

June 11, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

By week three, I was familiar with the ins and outs of the Dock Job. All things considered, it is a very cush job. Not to mention, I really like it! Even on days when[…]

The Dock | My Job on Land in Ketchikan

May 13, 2016May 15, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

The Dock: The tourists are bobbing through this town like apples in a barrel of water. They want to know where the nearest Starbucks is, the post office, the Chinese restaurant, and the Diamond Shop.[…]