16.12.2018. So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish

This is it.
Bags are packed. Room is cleaned. I'm flying out tonight.
I don't want to believe it. Yet I have to.
I don't want to talk about it, either. I'll just drop some pictures from our last hike together and let you figure out why I don't want to leave.
Thank you, Alaska. You're my home now.

09.12.2018. The Little Things I'll Miss

I'm not gonna say in a week's time I'll be packing my bags. Oops. Said it. Ouch.
At this point, everyone knows I'll miss Alaska. Everyone knows I'll miss the nature, the mountains, the forest, most importantly, I'll miss my friend family. That goes without saying. But there are also some small, 'insignificant' details I'll miss about this place.

1. Community.
I've realized a small community is something that just seems so right for me. I've experienced it before, such as in Taizé, but now I know that I really love living among a small number of people, knowing nearly everyone, knowing that I can barge into anyone's apartment at any time and nobody will think much of it. It makes one feel safe. Belonging.

2. Random chats with strangers.
Greeting 'hi, how are you' is an unwritten law. Whether a passer-by, someone at the bus stop, the cashier - the Latvian way of lowering the gaze and shutting down is a no-go. The first time I went to the store, I was almost creeped out by the cashier making small talk - I don't know you, why are you so interested in me??? Or the first time I had a proper chat about languages at the bus stop. I'm not looking forward to going back to where greeting or smiling at someone places you in the weirdo category.

3. Non-existent fashion.
Even though the climate in Latvia is rather similar to that in Juneau, Latvians - not just in cities, but also rurally - tend to pay a lot of attention to their attire and appearance. Why. Just why. Here, all that matters is staying dry, warm and comfortable. Sweatpants and hoodie to class? Perfectly okay. Hiking boots and Xtratufs all year long. No make-up, either. I probably can't even do mine anymore.

The list goes on, but these are the ones that came to mind right off the bat. Being friends with professors. Cheap gas. Wholesale groceries. Stuff.
One thing I won't miss? Food. No matter what, it's still crappy. But that's about it.

02.12.2018. Yes, I Do Study, Too

The coming week being the last week of studies, and the week after - the finals week, I thought I'd elaborate a bit on what I've been studying here. In Latvia, I'd concentrate more on the linguistics side of the English language. Here, however, I didn't have the option, so I've been exploring the more creative side of it - literature and writing.

1. Introduction to Creative Writing
Most people dismiss creative writing as an easy subject. Wait till you're asked to write a ghazal or a tritina. The class consisted of weekly writing assignments (1-2 complete prose or poetry pieces per week) and critiquing others' work. 10/10, would write again. The class has helped me grow as a writer, the requirements have been consistent, the material relevant. Hands down, amazing.
2. Memoir Writing
Possibly the most emotional class I've ever taken. No, definitely it is. Writing a memoir is like therapy. Unfolding the past in writing provides access to emotions previously tucked away. Most meetings were a flood of tears as we shared our stories. Incredible trust amongst ourselves. The professor, too, is wonderful - a renowned native writer. It's truly been an honor to learn from her - learn about myself, others, and memoir as a genre.

Yes, yes. Our university sits on this lake.

3. Advanced Literature: Discard Studies
Well...this has been...refreshing. The class took waste literature as its study object. Like, literature and movies that talk about trash - white trash and regular. People and emotions as trash, too. While some of the pieces were impossible to read (House of Leaves - don't read it. Just... don't), the approach itself, in the era of environmental disaster, is quite remarkable. Worth researching.
4. Beginning Tlingit I
I was so pumped enrolling in this class. Like... I get to study an indigenous language with just a few hundred speakers worldwide! Plus, it's an agglutinative language, meaning I'll have to reshape the way I think of languages! (Nerd excitement alert). Well... 4 months later, I know how to say my name, ask 'how are you' in three different ways, name random animals and objects, and play Go Fish. The class didn't progress. It moved so painfully slowly. I guess it coincides with the Tlingit culture - time is rather relative. Nevertheless, I really wanted to learn the basics. Did not. Sigh.

What we do in Tlingit... sigh