It feels so good to be back on this continent after a year's absence. Even if it is on the other end, it feels so right:) But it almost wasn't so. Getting here was quite the challenge- 20 hours of flights that came after the noted trip below.
After many prayers and helpers...I was able to make it out on time last Wednesday with my roommate Amy and my dog to make all of my flights.
However, it was not an easy feat. It started with a quick phone call that Wednesday morning to verify that we were on the schedule to fly out with Era and that they were sending a six seater so my dog and his crate would fit. Of course, even after two previous phone calls verifying the flight just days before, we were NOT on the schedule. Funny how that happens out in the bush. But I still appreciate Era b/c they definitely made up for it in the long run. So- after a few moments on the phone, we were placed on the schedule again, but unfortunately no flights were going out b/c of the heavy fog that had rolled in over night. This made four of us teachers very nervous due to the fact that we all had flights with important connections. I personally needed to make a 7 o'clock flight out of Bethel, with a two hour layover in Anchorage that gave me just enough time to drop my dog off in cargo land and back to the airport to check in for my flight to Seattle. My roommate stayed on task as we had to check out from our classrooms and the apt, while I called my parents and notified them of the possible changes.
So- we completed our sign out list and got all the necessary signatures to be released from the school, said our goodbyes to the staff and parents that really made a positive impact on my life while in Nunap, and then onto the post office where we both needed to send off the last of our packages. It was all good until we were told that yesterday something jammed up the system and I had no cash on me to pay for the bill. Cue frustration face. Interesting how things tend to fall apart two hours before we were to take off. Thankfully after a few phone calls- it was determined that a check could be used. Cue happy face.
Whilst this was all going on, the sun began to shine and I heard planes flying in the air. When we noted the good change in weather, our spirits lifted and we finished up rather quickly and we were then on our way. Bogarts crate and all of our stuff made it onto the boat with the help of Nate and Rachel ( two teacher of the five teachers that really showed me this year what it means to give of their time without thinking twice.) And off across the river to the airport. Within 15 minutes our flight arrived and with some out of the box thinking ( Bogarts crate was used to store some of our luggage ) we made it on time into Bethel. After checking in for our next flight ( Era didn't charge me for my dog's flight and they even charge me less for my chartered flight)- we met up with two more teachers from our village and had one more meal together.
All set to go on the Anchorage flight at 7 p.m and I am a happy camper. Once I arrived it was a mad dash to the ticket counter to check in and then a phone call for a friend to come and pick me up as the cargo company forgot I was on the schedule to be picked up- lovely, right? Thanks to a good friend from my college days, I was picked up, and taken to the place where Bogart needed to be dropped off. Of course the drama wasn't over just yet as the company looked at Bogart's crate and said that it was too large to go on the plane. Now I am not stupid. I made sure that his crate size was acceptable with both companies- the airline and the cargo company. But they took pictures and sent them to the loading dock, and then they made me call the airline and verify the size. I was very nervous at this point simply b/c there was nothing I could do at that point but beg and plead the point that if he fit on a 207, surely he will fit on this plane. After 20 minutes of making phone calls and measuring the crate many times, the cargo company said that they would see what would happen. So off Bogart went, and myself as well, not knowing if he would make it on the plane.
Thankfully my mother asked my family to pray throughout this entire trip that we would eventually land in Seattle, dog, bags, and all, and thankfully we did. It was quite the trip home. But I am now sitting in a friend's home in South Africa soaking up the warm winter sun after a weekend of viewing some of God's amazing animals with no fences between me and them. What an amazing "reward" after a challenging year in Alaska.
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