AK Tour 2021: Homer

Hopping a red eye from San Diego I dreamed all night on the plane of giant bears, rushing rivers and jolly fishermen. I’d never been to Alaska before and couldn’t wait to experience the majestic peaks and sprawling wilderness.  Alaska is home to 17 of the 20 highest peaks in the US.

I arrived a little groggy and stepped into a cab. I was greeted with a gorgeous Alaskan sunrise….at 0230 am! What better way to start my trip than to be welcomed by the sun.  As I watched the light creeping across the surrounding crags and peaks, I was in awe of the power and beauty that surrounded me.

Running each morning with the eagles, gently turning the corners of the dirt roads as I warily looked for bears and wolves, being silent and still when I came across a moose and her calf, watching a porcupine amble across the front lawn. The close encounters with wildlife made me acutely aware of the infinite power and blessings of nature.

Alaskans feel that power and incorporate it into their existence. The biggest impression made on me was the way Alaskans reveled in nature and sunshine. I was in a place that abounded with natural resources and beauty, and no one took those things for granted. Driving out to Homer from the airport I was amazed not only at the natural beauty but also the cultivated beauty. Savoring every last drop of sunlight, Alaskans had the most beautiful, manicured gardens, made the most intricate things with their hands, practiced subsistence hunting, fishing and gardening, never wasting a moment of the precious warmth and sunshine. In the summertime, Alaskans have 20+ hours of daylight, but in the winter, they experience around the same hours of darkness in addition to freezing temperatures. This contrast creates a culture that remains connected to the natural world around them. 

Being able to experience this culture firsthand, I began to understand how this way of life contributed to the original and continued success of Net Your Problem’s programs. Here were a people who looked adversity in the face and bravely forged on.  Here were a people who depended on each other to survive in harmony with nature. Here were a people who were capable, hospitable, and hard working.

Thank you Alaska for showing me such a beautiful reverence for nature and your community!