Packing, Reserving, Mailing.....

Well, school is finally out here in Fairfax County. By June 25th, all those snow days that I enjoyed this winter don't look so good. What a long year! I have to go back in the morning to finish loading up and checking out, but I'm pretty much done.....chapter closed.

It is like I started reading a new chapter in a book before finishing the previous one. Last week I got the go ahead to start mailing things to Gambell. When everything you move has to be mailed through the US Postal Service, you pack very carefully. (This is why I am not done in my classroom yet.) All books, DVDs, and CDs get packed together They count as media mail and it is cheaper. Then there are the "if it fits it ships" boxes. It is priority mail, and a large box costs me $17.45 to mail. I packed cans and heavier good items in 3 of these last week. I shipped one box that weighed 22 pounds through parcel post and it cost over $30 to send. I think shipping will definitely be my biggest cost.

Amazon Prime is amazing! I bought my toiler paper and paper towels this week too. Free shipping! I think I will definitely get my monies worth on that. Sadly, Prime Pantry excludes Alaska.

Then I reserved my flights to Anchorage, Nome, and Gambell! That was around $1000 one way! I get reimbursed for part of it, but still!

I'm off to pack another box!

North to Alaska!!

Well, I am finally going to get to do something I have dreamed of for about 10 years.....Teach in Alaska! I have accepted a teaching position in Gambell, Alaska. Where is Gambell? It is on an island in the Bering Strait and about 36 miles from the coast of mainland Russia.

 

Here is an aerial view of Gambell.

 

The link below will take you to the Bering Strait School District website. Go down a little on the page, to where it says "Village Videos Here," and scroll down to Gambell. It will give you a little introduction to the village.

 

http://bssd.org/index.php/personnel-office/employment-information-mainmenu-159

I am trying to get organized with my packing. Everything I am taking has to be mailed through the post office. I am preparing to do a bit of bulk shopping here before my bulk shopping in Anchorage. More about that later.

This is just a quick post. I wanted to get something up before school is out here so I can get the site out to all of my Herndon Elementary folks!