ALASKA REPORT FROM LOUANN

Louann has returned to Alaska as it becomes big national news. She has become a fisherman as she reports in this email:

Hello, Everybody!I hope this email finds all of you doing well. I know some of you are having birthdays soon....happy birthday to Uncle Charles, Aunt Mossie, Oliver and Sara....if I left anybody out, please forgive me!

My experiences here in Aleknagik are continuing to be awesome. Since I have written last, as some of you already know, I have been fishing for silver salmon, rainbow trout and grayling. I was fortunate enough to catch three rather large salmon (11 lbs. to be close to exact...:)), but no rainbow or grayling. I have experienced fresh bait fishing, lure fishing and fly rod fishing. My favorite at this point is fly rod. I still have so much to learn about it all, but the learning process has been fun.

I also had the opportunity to go moose hunting. For this particular outing that simply meant watching for moose in one of the marshes along the lake. We had to wear net bug jackets which is a jacket that zips up over the head. The net allows you to be able to see, but also prevents the bugs from eating you. We didn't see any moose, but there was a gorgeous sunset over the mountains and eagles with their nest close by. So it was still an enjoyable evening.

Then on the way back to the boat someone falls in the boggy mud, but I won't say who.....yeah...fell with no way to stand back up without pushing herself farther into the mud...had to be pulled up...yeah..O.K....it was me....sitting helplessly in the mud with this rifle in my hands....wonderfully humbling sight. I am constantly doing things like that. Another one was setting off the school fire alarm by accident...yeah that was me, as well.

Friday we took all the kids, first through eighth, berry picking at a place called Tripod. One of the other new teachers and I ended up with the responsibility of driving the two school four wheelers with the trailers full of students. This was not a good thing for two inexperienced drivers to experience. We terrified the students because we couldn't get up a couple of hills without losing power and sliding backwards. Not good...... On the way back we unloaded the kids before the hills and reloaded on the other side. I think everybody learned from this experience, however. A bit traumatic for this girl. But.....no was hurt and that is what is important. That and the fact that that particular situation won't occur again.

Everything out here is all about the learning curve....and allowing space for it. Personally, I am finding that the hardest thing to get use to is the fact that there is no comfort zone here. Everything I do, everywhere I go I am out of my comfort zone. There is nowhere considered "safe" to go and lick my wounds, so to speak. So I am learning to deal with the hardships in a different manner....head on....no drowning out stuff with TV, food, shopping or the internet. You deal with them and move on. I am slowly but surely learning to accept the mistakes I make and my bouts of ineffectiveness as part of my learning curve. I am trying to ease up on myself a bit.....to realize that it is O.K. I can only do this with the help of my loves ones....some of you have really helped me through some difficult realizations and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have also gotten to see bears along the side of the lake and rivers during my fishing excursions. That is always fun to witness. Sometimes they are just eating dead fish. Other times they are playing in the water. And...let see....oh.... I am learning how to steer a skiff. As a matter of fact, I am sending a picture of that. I asked the person teaching me if he would be going faster if he was steering. He said, " No, but I would be going straighter!" There ya go....another learning curve...what can I say?

Here are some pictures of my life out here. I hope you enjoy!I love ya bunches. Take care of yourselves and let me hear about you.Love, Louann P.S. Some

of the other teachers have started calling me Loulu....imagine that