Alaska

I have been thinking a lot lately about Alaska. Partly because I am having my first baby since living there. Partly because assignments are being announced and I know a number of people heading there. Some are excited about the adventure, others are very apprehensive. But everyone always asks us why it was such a great assignment...after all, wasn't it really cold there. Truth be told, I had trouble explaining it. Alaska, especially Fairbanks, was COLD. When I got there, there was no Walmart...much less a Barnes and Noble or Old Navy. But that isn't what I remember about it.

Then we had a Superbowl Party. I now can easily see why Alaska was our best assignment. As I looked around the room, almost all of the people there were friends from Alaska. Don't get me wrong, we invited others, they all just had other stuff to do.

However, in Alaska, there is never a reason to turn down doing something with friends. And it always ends up being fun. Friendship is what makes being cold in the middle of nowhere bearable. Even now, the people I knew in Alaska are my most enduring friendships. I am willing plan vacations around them. They are the first people I think of when I have news (good or bad). They keep me grounded and believe in me even when I am unsure. As a group, I keep in contact with more people from our Alaska assignment than I do from all other assignments combined.

Alaska is still the only assignment where I cried when I arrived and when I left, but for completely different reasons. For all the friends from there, thanks. I am so glad we get to keep in touch and occasionally run into each other as we criss-cross the nation.