Finally Settling In

Dare I say it? I think I'm finally starting to settle in here in Anchorage. I do have to say that when I pull into my garage, particulary when Eric is at work, it still feels a little "outer-body". I walk through the garage on my way into the house and think, "I can't believe I'm living in Alaska". It's not a bad thing, it's still just "different".


I don't know when I made the mental decision, but at some point in the last couple of weeks without really knowing it, I did a little soul searching. I really had to re-evaluate what it was I was looking for here that would make me feel like I "fit in". I wanted to meet new friends, but I also didn't want to betray my friends back home, particulary my best friends. Finally, one day it came to me, I don't need to have a "best" friend here to feel complete, nor do I have to give up that status or my relationship with my close girlfriends back in California. What I need here are simply a few gals who I can have lunch with occassionally, someone to share a local point of view with, and someone who I can call to help me if I'm in a pinch. I'm confident I have finally met enough women around here that at least one or two of them can fill that role.


This week, I went on a field trip with the fifth grade. We went to the Challenger Space Center in Kenai, it was about a three hour drive. We had to be at school by 6:00 a.m. and we didn't return until 7:30 p.m. Talk about a long day! There wasn't enough room on the bus for chaperones, so we were all going to have to drive ourselves. Considering the distance, it made the most sense for some of us to carpool. If nothing else, the one thing I have going for me socially is that I'm not a hermit. At the school, I started chatting with a mom I didn't know, soon someone she knew offered to carpool with her. I wasn't just going to stand back and let them carpool without me, so I politely invited myself to ride with them if there was room. They kindly agreed to take me along, and then, we even grabbed another gal none of us knew and invited her to come along as well. It was so nice to have people to chat with and share stories with. I don't know that I will ever become "close" with any of the women, but I know there was at least one in the bunch who could potentially be a lunch buddy. Eric and I went on a walk last night and ran into one of the other women from the carpool, walking her dog in the subdivision. It was nice to go for a walk and to see someone I "know" and could actually stop to talk with if even for a brief moment.

Now that spring is in the air, the school bus stop has become a nice place to meet people. I went up there to wait for the kids yesterday afternoon and I was introced to a handful of gals who live very nearby. Today, I again went up to the bus stop to wait for the boys and was introduced to even more women. I've decided that the bus stop will become my new hang out for a while.

Sunday I am going to a clothig party at the home of a mom I met while working at the bookfair several weeks ago. Even if I don't buy anything, I figure it will be a good opportunity to meet even more women and maybe I'll even see some of the ones I've already been introduced to. The best part is, my husband wants me to meet people, so he's not about to tell me I can't go.

So, I guess we were all right. It does take time to settle in and to meet people, especially when you move to Alaska in the winter. The beauty of it is that the days are getting longer, we're supposed to hit 50 degrees this weekend, and the patio furniture is hitting the deck tomorrow. Things are looking up!