--Tse-Hwei Choo
Monday, June 28, 2010
Today was our first day on the work site and what an experience!! I was on the upper house and the day started out slowly. We were all anxious to get moving and making progress on the house, but instead began with a long, but useful, safety lesson. What surprised me and interested me most a
bout the worksite was how much I learned. I had expected to be given basic tasks, and didn’t realize how willing our house supervisors would be to explain why we were doing things certain ways, and how the big picture of the house will come together. And after a slow morning, the afternoon flew by, and suddenly we could see that one day of work made a real visible difference, with several new rows of quad lock that weren’t there when we arrived.
For dinner we had a really nice welcome dinner at another church in town. It amazed me how much of the community really works together to support the Habitat program, and to support those of us from the “lower 48” who want to come join in for a bit. After some great food, and a chance to get to know the partner families a bit, our fearless leaders, Matt and Danielle, introduced each of us and we talked about things that impressed us most about Alaska so far. One comment that stuck out in my mind had to do with the people and how they really seem to know the land and the animals. I hadn’t thought about it but I noticed the same thing. Not only do they seem to
--Shelly Meier
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Day 3 in Anchorage and 2nd day on the worksite. With everyone eager to help in whatever way they could, Day Two was different from Day One. While some continued constructing the home on the hill using Styrofoam forms that stay in place as insulation after the concrete is poured, the rest of the team continued with finishing the interior walls on the more traditional stick built home and painting wood components that would eventually be visible as part of the exterior roof overhang. A coat of primer was followed by a coat of brown color. Walls to the long hallway running from the front to the back were completed and nailed in place and before being attached to the side walls, everything was plumbed so that when the nails went in, the walls formed a rectangle with square corners, straight sides, and something approaching perfection.
Everyone who wanted to do something got a chance. Pounding nails, cutting wood into the right dimensions, whatever we had an interest in, we got a chance to do. The roof trusses delivered and stacked on the top of the walls proved their strength by holding much more than they would ever be asked to support in the future.
We had our regular breakfast at the Lutheran church where we are sleeping and for lunch we had soup from a volunteer who lives at the foot of Flat Top Mountain. It was great soup (two kinds). We also had the lunches prepared by the children. They did not visit the site but still plan on coming next week. Dinner was at Carlos restaurant when folks could order traditional Mexican food. That was after we showered at the exercise club. After eating we stopped at a story that sells Tastee Freeze. I need to go to sleep so I can get up early and get the breakfast spread out.
--Bud Murphy
So here we are on Day 4 of our Habitat Alaska trip, also known as Hump Day. What a whirlwind of adventure so far. Not only have we been captivated with stories of life threatening hard that we may be lucky enough to experience during our stay here, but we’ve also been fortunate enough to meet Alaskans that have a great sense of humor despite their impending doom. I have to say, everyone we’ve met here-- from the Habitat staff to the construction team to the Habitat families to the locals—have really been incredible. They’ve all shown us such generosity and warmth, and have been so welcoming to us in the community (even me, who can sometimes get out of hand).
Today was no exception. It was Day 3 of the build and it was fantastic from start to finish. It started with a bagel and you can’t get any better than that, though it makes the rest of the day very anti-climactic. (Joke!) Today’s work was really productive and I’d say we accomplished the most we have since we started. We’re working on Diana and Wayne’s home on the hill and the team has mostly been me, Shelly, Ann, Larry, Jen, and Kai, and John. Today, Jen worked on Vue’s home where most of the other volunteers are and we had the pleasure of getting Lauren and Choo to work with us. They were really awesome because they were both so helpful and didn’t make fun of me if I screwed something up. They left that up to Todd, who was Harry’s right hand on the site and loved to bust my chops. He was great because he was very patient and gave us excellent instructions on what to do. We had to actually hustle this morning because the inspector was coming and it was a different vibe from the “go slow” lecture Harry gave us in the beginning. Fortunately, we were on track and didn’t have to be called aside by Harry for any “con fabs” (AKA “STOP-SCREWING-UP-ON-MY-SITE” talks).
This morning I spend a little time “fishing” for foam or crossties on the floor where cement was getting poured in. Todd likened it to that game show where you have to test random skills in 60 seconds and this would be one of them. I think he thought that would keep me entertained. Oddly enough, it did. Shortly after that thought, I got a new duty of drilling holes through metal to set up braces on the quadlocks (Styrofoam Legos) that will hold the cement in. After the cement hardens, I think we remove all of the braces which basically means UNDO all of the work that we did. But we’re used to doing, undoing, and redoing. I was also assigned to twisting stakes with a monkey wrench to match up holes with wood. After Bob helped me correctly identify the tools, I got through some of that until I decided drilling would be more fun, which earned me the name “Half Job Vicky” by Todd since I hadn’t finished the stake turning. I then spent some time adding rebar because the inspector said the rebar wasn’t at regulation height. Fortunately, that was the only problem.
Today we had local kids come by to get a tour of the site, interact with us, and made our lunches. Unfortunately, we had to work away so we could be finished when the concrete arrived at 1pm. Our team on the hill didn’t get to interact much with the kids, but their lunches were really delicious and that’s what’s really important. (Joke, joke…) We had sandwiches made with snacks like carrots, pretzels, cheese, and cookies. There was also a fantastic salad with goat cheese, cranberries, pecans, and croutons and there were homemade cookies brought in along with Diana’s homemade banana bread. Oh, and the lunch bags had drawings/messages done by the kids, which was very sweet.
After lunch, concrete was poured and we then had to drill holes in boards that were placed to help the vertical metal bars in place which support the foundation. With me, Shelley, and Lauren working on it, it moved along quickly and made the afternoon fly by and we didn’t have to redo anything! That took us the rest of the afternoon and then we were prepped on what we’d be doing the next day, which was pretty much undoing everything we just did. I’m sure you’re seeing a pattern here…
After the day ended, we went to shower and head over to John and Jona Van Zyle’s home for dinner. That was one of the most incredible experiences so far. They own around 12 sled racing dogs and are prominent in the history of the Iditarod. He was born into it and even inducted into the Iditarod Hall of Fame. Their property resembled a mini version of what I imagine “Neverland” to be like, only with dogs and sleds and dog wheels. The huskies were absolutely gorgeous and so friendly, particularly to each other. I was fortunate enough to capture the love on my camera when one of the dogs started humping another. From that point on, John Van Zyle and I seemed to bond, if only on a bizarre level. After a great meal, we looked at scrapbooks and heard about some of their Iditarod stories, and then many of us bought John’s artwork.
But the most memorable moment of the evening (and possibly the trip) was when I walked into his museum-like room and was asked to hold a rather long and substantial looking bone. I knew by John’s reaction of hysterical laughter that this was no ordinary animal bone. It was the penis bone of a walrus. That’s right. The largest penis bone I’ve ever come in contact with (despite what people may think). It was at this moment when I became John’s best buddy for the night and he proceeded to have me hold the penis bone of a bear, which is very tiny. The bear clearly got the short end of the stick—literally. Fortunately, I have photographic evidence of all of the above.
All in all, a very successful evening with some very interesting people and good food, of course. This pretty much sums up Day 3 and even though Shaun is covering Day 4, I have to add that tonight, we just finished the Flat Top hike, which was steeper than I expected and in many places, an actual rock scramble, and it was amazing. I’m particularly excited that I was able to do this despite my knee injuries, so it was a real accomplishment and actually meant a lot that I could even keep up with everyone. Of course, who knows how I’ll feel in the morning. Fortunately for everyone, I’m done with the journal so there won’t be any entries of me whining about my sore muscles in the days that follow.
To summarize, Alaska is a beautiful and fascinating place with the warmest of people, and I truly am having a blast with my Habitat team, who I thank for keeping me smiling and tolerating my absentmindedness and sometimes over the top, animated behavior. And, of course, I’m absolutely loving the build, which is definitely the best build I’ve worked on because I’ve learned so much and no one has yelled at me… yet. There’s always tomorrow. Looking forward to see what the next 8 days bring us. Hopefully no rain
--Vicky Ferraro
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Word for the day: Bitchuthene. This stuff (real name: Bituthene) was the insulating layer that went on the outside of the foundation of the Kriger home. It’s called Bitchuthene because the layer of tar-like adhesive that makes it stick to the wall also makes it stick to tools, to itself, and to your fingers long after you hope it could be washed off. But we got it all on, and that water’s not getting in. It made the time go by nicely though, and before we knew it, a second day’s worth of Campfire Kids were on site. So there was another day of showing the kids our progress, showing them how to nail down one board really, really well, and for me, another day of ducking them. I sort of hung back while they gathered around Matt and Avery. Worked for me. But- they did make us lunch, assembly line style, which was tres cool.
Lunch ended a little bit abruptly though, as we got word that the Thrivent Builds house was about ready to have its walls raised. So we all piled into the vans and headed over and everyone stood shoulder-to-shoulder and heaved up first one side wall, then the next. Felt like an old-fashioned barn raising, it did. Some people would say that the dreamy construction worker was the high point of the wall raising. Others may say it was the civil engineering student who took off her jacket, thus showing off the goods. Who could really tell?
And when we got back to the Taku build, we got our own clear indicator of progress: the first roof trusses went up. I felt a sense of accomplishment when that happened, and I was just watching from the top of the hill.
After work, we headed to Sheli’s* house. She’s a born party-thrower and organized a buffet dinner with all of her friends making up for her self-professed lack of cooking skill (which I find hard to believe, anyway). One way or another, she sure picked the right friends. The menu consisted of, among other things, a halibut casserole (I had three plates) and three types of grilled salmon. Delicioso. Immediately after dinner, we all got to revert to our ten year old selves, playing whiffleball, horseshoes, and the most half-assed game of badminton ever. In fact, we quickly made two variants: Shaunball and Averyball. See below for the description of the rules.
End of the night, though, we took advantage of the clear weather and decided to head to Flat Top Mountain. Long, pretty ride, and even from the parking area, the views were beautiful. From the first stopping point, in the middle of an endless stream of stairs, the views were upgraded to “gorgeous.” You could see all of Anchorage below. For the brave six of us who climbed to the top, the views went all the way to “stunning” because from here, you could see the mountains behind us. Downside was, the wind found us really easily up there and it got real cold, real fast. Darned shame, because I know I could have stayed up there for a long, long time.
Rules to Shaunball and/or Averyball: F**k if we know. And it was named after me, people.
*I didn’t catch Sheli’s last name but in the spirit of journaling, she’ll just remain “Sheli.”
Friday, July 2, 2010
Raising the Roof! (Subtitle: If I Had a Hammer…)
Day 5 of the build, our last day before our R&R, and boy did we make it count! Today’s project on Vue’s house was setting up the trusses! Under the ever watchful eye of Bob, supplemented by several witty mumblings from Jim, David, Felix, Larry, and Choo, and Steve got more than half the roof done! Scooting the trusses, raising them, nailing them into place… they did an outstanding job!
In the meantime, Ann and I were up on the catwalks, working on the top row of nails for the siding. It didn’t take me long to realize I was born for the catwalk (cue Right Said Fred). After a week of feeling uncertain and insecure with the build tasks I ended up with, finally a clear cut mission, thoughtfully explained in words small enough for me to understand Bob handed me a hammer, and I never looked back.
It appears as though I have quite a talent for ambidextrous hammering! The awkward angles and positioning made left-handed work necessary. I don’t know why it meant so much to me that it came easy, but I was grateful for the feeling of satisfaction and contentment that came with every nail. Of course, several nails ended up in the yard and there was a slight moment of panic at lunch as I had forgotten how I managed to squeeze myself between a particularly tight set of walls. Thankfully, my yoga skills translated well.
Not too sure what was going on up and Wayne and Diana’s, though I did spend quite a bit of time gazing up there from the catwalk. Seems every time I looked up, I saw Shaun with a wheelbarrow. Guess it was a hard-working, dirty day for them—shoveling dirt. A lot of it. But everyone was, of course, still smiling.
Lunch was fabulous, as is becoming a custom, and we had more visitors from the community. Today was the first chance I had to interact with them and it was wonderful. Seeing how welcoming and warm the locals are to us has been one of the most outstanding parts of the trip.
After lunch work was light, so a bunch of us were recruited to put up another catwalk to facilitate some painting to be done next week. Guess who the first one up was? From that vantage point I was able to help out Ann with some of her trickier nails, and get some eave painting done. So much got accomplished today, it was stunning!
Quitting time at 4pm and bonus shower time at the Alaska Club before a massive group trip to Fred Meyers. During this time it really struck me just how cohesive our team is. We all fit together so well and getting along is so easy and natural! There are always smiles and always, always laughter.
Finally got out to downtown Anchorage! A great walk from the church to the Brewery for dinner (and BEER!). Delicious brews and food. Best porter of my life… though friends back home are in disbelief. Packed it in early due to the early start/long journey Saturday morning, but was grateful when 6am came around.
We’ve talked a lot about “coincidences” on this trip; mainly how there is no such thing, and I don’t think it was an accident I got the journal today. I don’t know how I knew I would get it today (an important date to me, personally) but I did expect it even before Shaun “suggested” I relieve him. And then it ended up being my best day so far, a day where I finally felt connected and useful at the site, and noticing the bonding that is happening between us all with almost no effort. Our team, our mission, our work (and our play!)—we have created something majestic, magical, and beautiful. Thank you everyone, for everything!
Namaste,
Jen Cullen
Saturday, July 3, 2010
On the 7th day, they rested.
Geographically we are a diverse group. Though there is major representation from New York and Massachusetts, home for others on the team is California, Texas, Florida, DC, or Illinois. When we’re not building houses, the lives we lead are even more diverse. One of us was a Catholic priest, now a Unitarian/Universalist pastor. There’s an artist, students, four teachers (three of them male). We work in IT, advertising, finance.
So what brought us all together? Altruism is too grand an answer. Our work here will make a difference in the lives of a few Alaskans and their camaraderie and gratitude feel good. But we are not changing the world and the trip so far seems equal parts volunteer work and adventure. Maybe our common bond is a desire to use our time off from normal life for something more than a cruise, a group tour, a week of sitting placidly on a beach. We are not the usual tourists skimming the surface, ticking off the major sites on a “to do list.” Things that will stick in my mind longest go well beyond the natural beauty and the great hikes. Casual encounters are always a delight here, especially after we reveal that we’re here for Habitat. It’s known by all, it seems, and universally admired. The Habitat connection sparks instant conversation and even has the power to defuse a little tension, it seems. Our 1st night at the gym, a woman seemed irritated that we had taken over the showers—but upon learning that we were working for Habitat, she immediately softened and said, with some pride, that as a paralegal at a law firm she had helped some Habitat families write wills, pro bono.
Our bond includes a desire to move well beyond our daily comfort zones. None of us pounds nails for a living but this month, we do. None of us has ice climbed before, but this month most of us have tried it. We might never do it again, but in doing it now we may open ourselves to other new opportunities in the future.
Today was out seventh full day with Habitat—a Saturday, the day before 4th of July, and a day of rest and travel. In Big Blue and Scooby we headed northeast for five hours on a 2-lane highway through woods and mountains. Among our special cargo were the two dozen or so 4th of July cupcakes brought by a stay-at-home moms group and their kids yesterday. The cupcakes are a bit of a folly—they looked rather incongruous being stuffed into one of the 4 or 5 single prop planes we boarded at Chitina. David is the cupcake keeper, guarding them with the same attention he gives the kids who visit the site. In his care, all are safe—kids, as well as cupcakes.
The plane ride to McCarthy is stunning—views of the winding, silty Copper River, endless mountains, isolated cabins that must be wonderful in summer, unbearable in winter. We are in a national park of millions of acres, populated with a few private properties that were grandfathered in when the land became a park. Bill, our trim, energetic, confident pilot bought one of those properties from the University of Alaska. Upon hearing that two of our passengers had been in a plane crash a few days earlier, Bill said, “I’ve flown 30 years and never crashed.” Apparently, the pilot who crashed could say the same thing—until a week ago. I’m amazed that the 2 women were willing to fly again so soon in another small plane.
We are staying in Kennicott Glacier Lodge in the ghost town of Kennicott, which boomed with copper production until 1938. The lodge is comfortable, with spectacular views of the Chugach Mountains, which are churned up by the Root and Kennicott Glaciers, which merge first outside of town. Just below the surface of the dirt you can see ice walls in places where the glacier has collapsed.
Dinner (since food is such a feature of this journal): family style, prime rib, baked potatoes, good salad, wonderful homemade wild berry shortcake. Lots of walks through town, which still has the sagging remains of the mine, the hospital, the bunkhouse, and the few cottages from the copper heyday. A week ago Larry and I were in copper and silver ghost towns in Arizona, marveling at their remoteness. They were practically urban, though, compared with this splendidly, beautifully isolated place.
Next stop: ice climbing!
--Ann Cooper
Yay! Today is the day we get to ice climb! I woke up feeling pretty refreshed from a good night of sleep. It was the first night in a while that we’ve slept on a real bed and it felt really nice. We ate breakfast and met up at the St. Elias office where we were given our equipment. It was going to be a 2 mile hike just to get to the glacier! Our guides were super nice and made us feel very comfortable with everything. We made a last stop at the end of the trail at an outhouse where our guides told us that supposedly, porcupines were found in there, which was funny and disturbing at the same time. Another hazard Shelly can add to her list of Alaskan hazards, I suppose.
The view was absolutely breathtaking when we got there. I really don’t think there is a way that I can describe it that would do it justice. I suppose, though, that it’s like that for everything in Alaska. Pictures just really don’t turn out like how it looks like person. As we were walking down this really steep trail leading down into the glacial valley, you can just see this amazing contrast of grayish rubble against the white of the glaciers that didn’t have sediment on them.
We got down and started gearing up with our boots and crampons. It was really fun yet odd at the same time—mainly because they were so tough to walk in! Super fun stuff, though. We trekked to the ice wall that we were supposed to climb. Oh, random thought—Alex apparently can receive and make calls near the glacier. Someone called him as our guide was giving us some kind of our explanation and it was hilarious. Looks like Verizon really does have expanded networks! Anyways, back to our ice climb… our guides set up the anchors for the belie (be-lay, courtesy of Vicky) and pretty soon people were starting to climb. Everyone did an awesome job. It was so much fun and we all took a lot of pictures. The climb was harder than I thought it would be and the vertical drop was actually a little scary. But once you’re up there, you just feel this incredible rush that is just amazing. Again, our guides were extremely patient and made us feel very comfortable. Looking back now, I still can’t believe that we were all on top of a glacier. How many times can you seriously expect to have that experience in your lifetime?! Such an awesome experience…
The hike back actually was fun. By the end of the day, we were all a little tired from such an active day. The icing on the cake, though, was that it was July 4! I am so glad that I was able to spend it at Kennicott. It was definitely a unique experience. A couple members of the team took the opportunity to go to McCarthy which was the town nearby, to watch the celebrations. The day was completed with a cupcake eating competition which was hilarious and entertaining. I had no idea that cupcakes could be inhaled down at such ridiculous speeds. Haha!
Overall, it was an awesome day. We always have fun at the worksite, but this day will definitely be one of the most memorable because of the amazing experiences.
--Nory Zhou
July 5, 2010
Today started off with a tour of the copper mill at Kennicott. Our tour guide was informative and enthusiastic, but I cannot recall much of what she told us, as I spent most of my time taking pictures of the mill. The mill itself is an old, worn out abandoned building which I found to possess a certain beauty to it. I wish I had drawn a picture of it, since putting its aesthetic appeal into words seems rather hopeless to me.
After a generous lunch with Choo, Ann, and Larry, I had to bid farewell to Kennicott. We left in two groups on small single-engine planes. I flew with Shaun, Jen, Shelly, and Vicky. The flight was a bit bumpy, but the scenery was stunning. The landscape of Alaska really isn’t done much justice by overcast days. This was made evident on the drive back to Anchorage, where those of us in the Scooby van wondered if we were taking the same drive back to Anchorage that we took away from it. The shadows of the mountains were a deep blue which still seemed to glow, even when compared to the side of the mountain bathed in light. Time was passed on the ride back with rounds of Celebrity Word Bucket and 20 Questions. Shaun and Jen managed to stump everyone with Mark Hamill and Sofia Coppola respectively.
The time spent in Kennicott was unforgettable. Tomorrow we return to the worksite. Only three more days left on the build!
--Alex Huneke
July 6, 2010
Back to work! After an eventful weekend in Kennicott (and McCarthy) it was time to pull out our work clothes again and head back to the worksite, which was just as we had left it. After a week on the job, we seemed to know more or less how to get to work quickly and people began nailing the final few trusses into place at Vue’s house. Up at Wayne and Diana’s, the frustrating process of installing the floor supports began. The team diligently cut, installed, removed, re- installed, and eventually finished this job, crawling around in the “dungeon” and squeezing into precarious places to make sure everyone nail was in position.
When the day wrapped, the group diverged. Some went fishing (A for effort, but no fish to show for it); some went running along the lake and coastal trails (moose and eagle sightings); and others went biking. Diana and Wayne had given us some wonderful award-winning chili to complement our pizza dinner at the church. A relaxing evening and a good night’s sleep ended the day.
--Lauren Clement
Today was the second to last day on the worksite. I can’t believe we’re almost done. I think today was one of the most productive days on the house on the hill. Todd started out the day by telling us that he wanted us “to run like a well oiled machine” and I’m not gonna lie… we definitely did. Alex and Nory did an amazing job evening out the ditches around the house. Vicky, Shelly, and Shaun drilled, and I helped Todd to glue down the floorboards. We were so efficient and by lunch we had finished our “dance floor”… Wayne LOVED it! It was so funny that when we went to lunch all of us had to perform a signature move. Nory’s Running Man was so dang funny! The worksite has become so lively, I have gotten so used to our random bird calls between the worksites. “T-t-tchaw t-t-tchaw!” The dinner tonight was also so special; the vegan chili was to die for. I was in awe of all the speeches. They were so poignant and beautiful and they really captured what a wonderful group of people are on this trip. Bob is such a sweetheart. After dinner he took us on a plane tour and moose hunt. Not only did we see 3 moose but we also heard even more amazing “Bob stories.” Seriously, who is that guy?! He has done everything. I know I’m not alone in saying that he needs to write an autobiography! When we got back into town, we went to karaoke at a bowling alley. It seriously looked like a place that a kidnapping would occur at, but maybe it was the odd strobe lights and smoke machines. I have to say “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was a blast but Matt stole the show with “Let’s Get It On!” And as a side note, why did that girl sing “There’s No Business Like Show Business” from Annie Oakley? Weird… Oh my goodness, I am gonna miss y’all so much. Don’t be shy about calling me if y’all are ever in Texas. I would LOVE to show you around!
--Avery Geier
Felix Dumont
Since I never actually had a chance to write in the journal I thought it would be best to just sit back and reflect on the trip. When I signed up for the Anchorage trip I was excited no doubt about it, but I never thought that when I would get home I would have preferred to be back in Alaska. It’s amazing the friendships that can form over just two weeks. The best was seeing the bonds really click over the weekend trip to Kennicott Glacier, where most of the girls went down to the bar and the guys + Jen and Nory formed our brilliant ideas for the meat Ferris wheel and meat-crete (but seriously guys--when is the meeting to set these plans in motion?). Even more amazing than the meat-talks were the support systems established like when climbing the glacier. The entire habitat experience was just such a great one and it’s hard to not fight the urge to want to go on another trip, I personally went on my computer during my down time and checked out more future trips. But I don’t know if another trip will meet the expectations I have because of this one.
It was truly great because of all the people I was with; our team which was led by not just the best team leaders, but the funniest and most down to earth as well. The people they led were awesome too, from Larry and Anne’s cultural stories and West African music, Choo and John who I got to talk baseball and soccer with, or wake up at 6 am to go watch a soccer game with Vicky, who I found out I might be related to (which sadly I am not, I am from Sant'Angelo, I don’t know where I got m from), Felix and his love for awesome 80’s music and movies and meat, Avery and her laugh which as Vicky put it may have left some of us suffering from ALW (Avery Laughter Withdrawal). Not to mention some of the people we met up there like Leslie and Bob who are just full of adventure, to Steve who might be one of the nicest people I have ever met and I hope to visit him soon back in Alaska to go on a trip, and the families but more so for me Vue, because I was able to work with him so much because I spent most of my time on his house, who just had a bubbling personality and was so eager to do the work, and make sure it was done right because after all if was his house. And who could forget Jim, who you could never know what was actually going through his mind, or what he was saying half the time. Sadly they are simply memories now and the pictures can’t do the scenery or the jokes any justice. Every time someone asks to see my pictures they never can appreciate the picture like I can, it’s either some amazing backdrop, which the photo does no justice, or a story like hiking flattop or simply being just BAD ASS. I will miss all the friends I made on the trip and the memories formed, but remember we are all just a birdcall away (ChaCAWWW)
--David Montalbano (the true Alaskan Beard off champion)
Matt and I began thinking about the Global Village trip to Alaska two years ago. In 2009, we hoped to lead a group there but the teams were full so we had to wait until 2010. The excitement grew over the year. What would it be like to lead a team in a place known as “the last frontier”? I do like the outdoors but this would be a completely different level. I had seen “Into the Wild” and “Grizzly Man” so that was enough to interest me and…let’s be honest…totally freak me out….but I like a good challenge.
We began the planning process last fall by thinking about the itinerary. I could not believe we were going to take tiny planes over a glacier and then have the chance to climb it. I did not think I would be able to do it but that is the great thing about these trips. You have a chance to challenge yourself. Not just emotionally and physically but also mentally preparing yourself to share a space with 16 other people, most of whom would be total strangers while sleeping on air mattresses with limited access to showers. I was wondering who would be up for this challenge?
Then the recruiting began! You never know what to expect when you put together a team. Matt and I talked to a bunch of people interested in the build and we really thought about who should be part of the team. As Matt and I picked up each one of you that first Saturday, we looked at each other in Big Blue and shared a smile. We knew that we made the right choices. It is amazing to watch people just click together and make each other laugh instantly. Our time in Anchorage was a whirlwind. We experienced so many activities together and met some interesting local folks that smiled every time we mentioned we were here for a Habitat build. They opened there homes to us and made us feel welcome. I tried vegetarian chili for the first time and experienced the most amazing dessert…Snickers Cake…come on!
I still think about it when I am having a tough day at work…just imagine biting into that deliciousness…anyway…I digress.
For the first few days being in Alaska, I was scared that I was going to be mauled to death by a brown bear or kicked in the chest by a moose that I took by surprise as I turned the corner of a building. Luckily, we all made it through without such an encounter. At least, we all had thorough training and we all knew what to do if faced with any of these types of situations. Anyone remember the four steps to follow during a bear encounter?
I will never forget and will always value the time we all spent together over those two weeks. Matt making me laugh every day with his amazing sense of humor and his ability to get all of my jokes (not an easy task I must admit), Anne with her interesting stories about her travels all over the world and her unwillingness to give up on a task put in front of her (hurricane brackets…need I say more), Larry with his kind way about him that always put you at ease and his willingness to help you out with anything, Felix with his interesting expressions, wolf shirts, and excitement for painting suits (I hope you ended up taking that back to Sweden), Jen with her witty sense of humor and who remained positive even when she got injured, Nory with her endless smile that brightened up the job site, Vicky with her high energy and great spirit ready to face the tasks at hand, Choo who quietly went about his work but who was always right there to help out when needed, Shaun besides being the winner of the beard growing contest always worked hard with his new found love of carpentry, Avery’s laugh just made my day and she always remained positive no matter what, Lauren who was always willing to help other people out on the jobsite to make sure the tasks got done, Alex with his great one-liners that always got the group laughing, Bud always tried to keep the team upbeat with his harmonica and stories about his past experiences (we are sorry we did not get to meet Melodie!), Shelly with her spirit of adventure who was typically one of the first people to volunteer for a task on the site and she was one of the first people to try the ice climb making it right to the top, Jon with his love of soccer which he was willing to miss watching the games live to help out on the site (it was fun teasing him about this); he has a very giving heart, and Dave, (aka Spiderman), was always willing to climb all over the roof and really used his construction skills to move tasks along; I know he really helped me out on many occasions (again hurricane brackets).
I am so happy to have met all of you and shared this experience. I really hope we can either experience another trip together or spend time together in some other way. When I got back to the office, it was so easy to slip back into a routine. Time just passes along but our two weeks together is something I am really proud of and will not soon forget.
--Danielle Shuckra
I have to be honest with you. This is actually one of my favorite parts of co-leading Global Village trips. No, not sitting in front of the computer typing up everyone’s thoughts, but taking the time to get an insight into everyone’s feelings and experiences during the trip. And I have to admit that Danielle and I have the luxury of being the last ones to write in the journal. That means that the trip is over, we’re back home, and we’ve had a bit of time to think about what we want to say. I enjoy compiling the team journal for a few reasons. For one, since a bit of time has passed, it gives me a sense of reminiscent joy, remembering what we did each day of the trip. But mainly, I enjoy compiling the journal because, as a collective document, it proves to me (and ultimately, everyone else) what a phenomenal experience we have created and shared, and I love that I could be even a small part of that.
Danielle and I can both attest to the fact that putting together a Global Village team is, in a way, a toss of the dice. Everyone comes to the trip with a distinct set of life experiences, values, morals, senses of humor, personalities, distinctive laughs, energy drink collections, etc. The vast majority of the time, it’s a very successful roll of the dice and this trip has been no exception. I’d be hard-pressed to think of a time when I’ve laughed as much as I have on this trip or a time when I’ve had such insightful conversations. No, I’m not talking about the meatival conversation. (Although, Felix… I’m still waiting for you to come through for me on that one).
No, the conversation that was so deftly woven into talks of meat Ferris wheels and cupcake eating competitions had to do with the spirit of volunteerism. And to be honest, it’s that conversation that became one of the standout moments of the trip for me. People had their own insights and feelings on why we volunteer and if there really is such a thing as a “selfless act.” Personally, I’m not sure there is such a thing. I always come away from these Habitat trips feeling selfish, like I got more out of the experience than the homeowners did. Do we deserve a trip to Alaska for helping them build their homes? Who knows? But I stick to my original opinion: helping others is one of the most important things a person can do and volunteerism is as important as it is contagious. As Habitat says, it’s not a handout; it’s a hand up. You’ve probably already heard the following quote: “People may not remember what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” We’ll probably always remember the names Vue, Wayne, and Diana. But although they may not remember our names and they may not remember which of us put roof trusses in place and which ones nailed down floorboard, they will always remember how our efforts in Alaska made them feel. As a teacher, I often encourage my students to take a moment to brag on themselves— to share something with their classmates that they’re proud of, whether it’s an award they’ve received or a special skill they know how to do. Well I’m going to take a moment to brag on our team.
Imagine for a moment that you live in Alaska and that you are in desperate need of a safe, clean, affordable home for your family to live in. You’ve moved your family out of a Thai refugee camp to the other side of the world, or perhaps you’ve lost everything you own, save a few photos, in a devastating fire. You’ve been to hell and back and endured unspeakable tragedies. Now imagine that a team of total strangers pays their own way—many of them taking time off from their own jobs-- to fly across the continent to help you build your new home. Can you imagine how you would feel?! Grateful. Thankful. Lucky. Blessed. Touched. Renewed. This is what we did, friends. I’m humbled to have been a part of it and I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished in Anchorage this summer. And as I said during that conversation, I strongly believe that we now have a responsibility to be good stewards of volunteerism and passionately share with our friends and family what we did. It’s time now to get others excited and involved in Habitat for Humanity, or any type of volunteer work, for that matter.
One final thought: the Campfire Kids who brought us our lunches on the jobsite probably went home and told their parents that they got to go to a construction site, wear a hard hat and goggles, and hammer a few nails into a piece of wood. The younger kids may not have even fully understood that we were volunteers and not professional construction workers. But it’s my hope that maybe just one of them will carry with them the memory that they were once a part of an experience in which volunteer hands helped to build someone’s home and that as a result, maybe- just maybe—they, too, will one day be inspired to do the same thing. Our memories stay with us forever, friends. And as those children will (hopefully) remember their experiences on Taku Street, so will I. Thank you for an amazing journey.
--Matt Ostrowsky
