Days 1-4

I arrived at the Nome Airport on Alaska Airlines on the 142--gets in at 12:43p. Doug met me there and we waited for my luggage. Note: this photo is NOT of me.


We went to the post office to see about the box I reserved online. I found out from a nice woman named Sherry that in AK you don't need to pay for a normal sized box and that the $112 I paid to reserve it did not need to happen. (She's still working on how to get me my money back).

Below is a video of driving into town from our house.


After the post office we went out to the NACTEC House and Doug gave me the tour. It was nothing short of awesome and I cannot wait to start working there with the kids.
He showed me around the middle and high school as well and I met Carl who works part time for us but mostly for the district--or so I believe.
Next we went to see Judy and get the key to our house. It's a cozy place off of Iris Ave in Martinsonville. Judy showed me around and gave instructions on how to use everything. Unfortunately the key did not work for any of the doors but we have two state troopers as neighbors so I suppose we'll be all right.

Next, it was time to get the truck. We drove out toward the airport again and picked up the truck at the port. I wasn't even asked for ID...
Doug headed back to school and I drove home to unpack. I decided to just get everything out of the truck and organize later.

After unpacking I headed back into town to set up internet and get utilities in my name. I was hoping to get a library card as well but that was not as easy as expected. I decided to try again on Monday. The internet situation is one straight out of the early 90s--paying by bandwidth. We can only stream so much before we go over our limit and have to pay 1/2 a cent per mb after. Yar. The man there suggested we get a TV.

I stopped by the liquor store and bought an 18 pack of High Life for $19.95! Whoa. I got everything except the clothes put away and settled in to watch some old Seinfeld episodes that I had on my external hard drive.

Day 2--Saturday
SLEPT IN! Messed with the internet a bit, got frustrated, read a bit, tried internet again, drove into town.
I went to Nome Outfitters and bought a mat for outside the door. To say it's muddy is a bit of an understatement. Thought about buying a dish drainer but it was $8.65--for just the top piece! Decided to use the broken dishwasher as a drainer.
Found RJ's mechanic shop where it was recommended I get the block heater installed. He said to stop by Monday.
Went back home to put away clothes but messed around with the internet instead. I found that if I had the ethernet cord and the usb cord both plugged in the internet worked a bit better than one or the other.
At 12:30 I left to get Lauren from the airport and meet a group of students with Doug and have lunch at Airport Pizza. I'd been hearing about airport pizza from Nome Announce and was excited to see what it was all about.

It was great to be around kids again and to find out what they had been doing at EXCEL camp in Anchorage.
Doug took the kids back to the airport and I showed Lauren around Nome. We went out to the NACTEC house and I should her our Nome Home.



I remembered that Judy had given me the master key for the house and I went in search of Outsider's Hardware in Icy View (the next subdivision up from us on the way out of town). I turned in and saw what resembled the Nome Home Tegan had sent a picture of that belonged to her friend Mel. Someone was outside so I rolled down my window and asked if she knew Tegan. She said she did and told me to pull over. We exchanged numbers and I found out she knows my emergency room nurse neighbors. She also pointed me in the direction of the hardware store.
After the hardware store I went in search of the carquest in town to get floor mats for the truck. While driving around I saw a boy playing with a hose and asked him to hose off the back window--no problem. I didn't find the carquest and decided to head back home to get ready to go to Liz's cousin's wedding reception.
I went to Beloit with Liz and when she found out I was moving to Nome she gave her cousin my email address. We emailed a couple times but I didn't know until Liz sent me a message on Facebook that she was getting married. She told me the reception was at Solomon B&B. Doug gave me directions--take the road toward Council, you won't miss it.
I started out--it was a BEAUTIFUL drive--right along the coast.




I found a row of cars--one with 'Just Married' written in the dust and knew it had to be them. I walked over the dune and saw the wedding party taking pictures. I introduced myself as Liz's friend and was welcomed. When the pictures were finished we caravaned to the B&B. Thankfully, Erika and Tyler allowed me to hang out. I was able to meet many people from Nome and also eat muskox! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera in the truck while I was at the reception...
On the way home a herd of reindeer crossed the road right in front of me. I got a video but it's poor in quality. If the other video ever finishes uploading, I'll try to upload that one as well.

Day 3
Finally put my clothes away! Spent the day reading--The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo--and cleaning up. I talked to a guy at GCI and he said it was the modem that was having difficulty and I should exchange it for a new one.
I thought about going blueberry picking but every time I'd get ready to go out it'd start pouring. I'm a fair weather berry picker--especially when I'm going by myself.

Day 4 (today, Monday)
Walked to the AC store to get boots and changed my mind. I want to make sure they're exactly what I want and I don't think these are.
Drove into town to get a new modem and ask Joanne at Nome Joint Utilities to write a letter so I could get a library card. She laughed that I had to do that and gave a call over. I went to the DMV to see about plates--our tags were only good through July. Apparently WA registration/title form is odd. I had to fill out a separate form for NTI (no title issued). Sure, fine just give me plates. Done. I can't get a license though until I get a social security card. That was lost long ago. In order to get one I have to send in my WA license to the social security office in Fairbanks and they'll mail me one back. A passport and my WA license won't cut it. So...that's on hold.
Back to the library--we're GOOD! I read a people, checked my email, and checked out 3 books. It's good reading weather here.
I found carquest on my way home and bought the last pair of floor mats and found the place to recycle aluminum, white paper, newspaper, and cardboard. YEAH! I was bummed when I thought there was absolutely no recycling.
Came back home--appears the new modem works better than the old modem. It's no where NEAR as fast as the lower 48 but it functions.