This should be short and sweet, but once I get typing you never know! It's also going to be a bit random, since I have half a dozen single-theme posts started but not finished and too much going on to put a lot of time in on them. So, without further adieu...
We're moving again...Ugh! Only within Bethel, so don't panic/celebrate! I'm not sure I've mentioned how much I hate moving, but I really hate moving. Actually, I only hate the filling boxes part of moving. Once everything is boxed up, just stand back and watch the space-meister do my thing! As a visual-spatial intellectual, my gift is for solving puzzles and I view loading a moving truck as a giant three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle! When we moved from California to North Dakota, I had packed our moving truck so exactly that I didn't use any tie-downs and nothing shifted during the entire trip!
So, yes, we're moving to another house in Bethel. The owners of the house we've been in for the last four months are returning, so off we go again. Unfortunately, this means we're going to be "squatting" again. Probably 90% of "our" stuff is still in Portland, so we've been dependent on finding mostly furnished housing since arriving in Bethel. Squatting is awful! I feel like a hobo. Not that I really have anything against hobos, but I've spent too much of my life trying to avoid being one that it's very difficult to embrace a life living on other people's stuff! It would be like having to live out of a hotel room. Sure it's comfortable enough, but the coffee maker never makes as good of a cup as your old coffee maker back home! And the showers...don't even get me started!
The good news is I'm leaving for Oregon in less than a week! Only for six weeks, so don't panic/celebrate! I fly out June 14th and arrive at PDX at 4:03pm! I'm completely stoked to be heading home. I'm sure a lot of places are like this, but Oregon is, and will always be, home for me. I can't explain it, but I just feel more comfortable there than anywhere else I've been. As great as Bethel has been, someday I will probably move back to Oregon.
The good thing about Bethel, is that Bethel (is it Bethelites? Bethelonians? hmmm...) residents (I guess!) are used to a highly transient population. Many teachers and health professionals come to the YK Delta for their first jobs or to get the government to forgive some of their education debt. It's not unique to the non-native populace either. In just the few months we've been here, I've known many Yup'ik families that have moved into and out of (and sometimes both) their home villages to Bethel and vice-versa. I can't speculate as to why there is so much transition among Bethel (I really like Bethelonians!) residents, but it has made for an easier time for us being welcomed into the community. Aside from a few weeks of being "stared" at, we've felt more at home here than any of our other stops along our journey!
It is this transitional nature of Bethel that will be providing us with our next move (Did I mention how much I loathe moving???) as soon as I return from Oregon. Some friends-of-friends (Did such a thing exist before Facebook?) of ours are moving Back East (I think it's funny how we move "back East", "out West", "down South" or "up North"...) and have been unable to sell their house in Bethel. They've decided to lease it to us and we couldn't be more excited! It is a beautiful home! I mean exquisite! I can't be sure, but I'd say it's one of the nicest houses in Bethel! It's in the right neighborhood for our wants and has enough bedrooms and baths for our entire clan! The owners have done a fantastic job of creating a warm and welcoming space that will be perfect for our family! I can't wait!
See...nothing like a "quick" 680+ word update...
No comments:
Post a Comment