The Here and Now

Today I sit in the pseudo civilization of Bethel, Alaska.

Bethel is the hub and largest town of a district the size of Ohio.

Here, there are three grocery stores, nine resturants, ten miles of gravel road, and more flannel shirts than the imagination will allow.
Big city life at its finest.

Until Thursday I am involved in a new teacher training for the LKSD along with 55 new teachers.

Believe it or not there are others as crazy and several a bit futher around the bend than I.
Personalities abound.

After eight gruling hours of lecture and coma inducing power point presentations we were set out on the town on our own.

The activity of the evening, salmon fishing.

A group of us hopped a boat and travel an hour down the river to prime fishing ground.
Two people caught fish.
The lagest fish of the night, caught by a woman in her 40s. She put the men to shame.

I attempted to fish for a whole ten minutes before the repitition assulted my ADD.
Dropping the pole I ventured into the brush in search of adventure, mystery, and most important, dry land.
Standing in one spot for too long left you ankle high in thick mud.

All in all the trip was a success. Alaska is a beautiful state. The area we were in reminded me of the Flordia everglades. Tall trees, murky water, and sandy beach like shores.