Goodbye Alaska

When I moved to Alaska I made the decision one day in the summer of '05 coming home from work, it wasn't something I gave much thought to.  I made up my mind and that was that!  The next day at work I put in my 2 weeks and shortly after my last day, hit the road.  I proceeded to enjoy the next 4 years of my intensely living in Anchorage, Alaska.  During my time there I got to see many beautiful things and learned the difference between cold and, "My God Its Cold." Most importantly, any chump can endure the cold, but the only when a chump is surrounded by great people and welcoming friends can he survive the, "My God its Cold!" and all the darkness in the winter.  Rarely did I ever find myself homesick in Alaska because there was always a welcoming family willing to take me in for the holidays or sometimes just because.  I am still in disbelief that I have left, maybe that is a good sign that I will return because when I said goodbye to people it felt as if I would be seeing them the next week instead of what I was telling people, "ummmm, maybe in 2 years?"  I have never befriended so many great people as the time I spent in Alaska.  If anyone reading this has ever wanted to go, I encourage you greatly, but don't just go and do the tourist thing where you get shuffled around like cattle from site to site.  Let yourself get to know the people, try going for a month, but be careful, if you stay there to long you might find yourself not wanting to leave!