Lost Luggage and Miniature Airplanes

Ok folks! Here is the post you have all been waiting for.  I made it St. Michael and am settling in just fine.  I haven't really gone anywhere in the village except for my apartment and school, but I am sure that as time goes on I will be able to explore a bit more....although there really isn't too much to explore!  I really can see from one side of the village to the other, so I guess I don't have to worry too much about getting lost.

Speaking of getting lost......I had a near panic attack in Anchorage when my luggage did not arrive.  My flight from Pittsburgh connected through Denver and we landed a bit late.  I almost didn't make my connection so I was definitely worried that my bags wouldn't make it.  I was right to worry.  I have giant purple suitcases and as I was standing in the Anchorage airport at 11pm local time (3am Eastern time) I saw every color suitcase drop onto the carousel, but not mine.  To make matters worse, when I called United Airlines to find out about my missing bags, they had no idea where they were!  I thought that was what those bar codes are for!  Apparently not, they are just for decoration.  Finally I found out that my bags were in Seattle and they MIGHT be placed on a flight to Anchorage the next morning.  Luckily I had a hotel so I went there and waited and my luggage did arrive in Anchorage and I picked it up before I headed to St. Michael.

The ride to St. Michael sure was an adventure as well.  When I checked in at Era Alaska Airlines, they not only weighed my luggage, but also asked how much I weigh!  I wasn't overly thrilled about that, but I told them and didn't even lie!  I figured it was better to tell the truth than to lie about my weight and end up in a messed up airplane.  I do have pictures of the plane I took from Anchorage to Unalakleet; however, I wasn't thinking and took them on my phone rather than my camera.  I will try to find a way to get them onto my computer and post them here.  My plane into Unalakleet was not too bad.  There was about 16 seats, but they were not full.  I also had a delicious chocolate chip cookie and some tea so I was good to go.  There was a lot of turbulence during takeoff, but once we got to cruising altitude it was fine.  I then took another plane from Unalakleet to St. Michael.  This one only had seats for 7 people and all of our luggage was just stacked in the back of the plane.  It was only a 20 minute flight from one side of the sound to the other and if I had to guess, we were only about 5-6,000 feet up.  I actually didn't feel nervous on it at all!  When we landed my principal picked me up and brought me to my apartment.  Overall, it was a pretty easy day, especially once I got my luggage.

Now I am here and have my classroom all set up.  I will take some pictures of my class and post those the next time around because this is already really long.  I have a bit more work that I need to get done here in the room before I head back to my apartment.  For now, here are a few of the pictures I have taken.  They aren't too exciting, but I will make sure I take some more!

My kitchen.

My bedroom

My apartment building

The view of my school from the porch of my apartment.  I will be walking to and from every day.

A view of the village during my walk to school.