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Post by mermon on Aug 1, 2011 10:52:07 GMT -5
Sasha! Where on Alaska did you live? Which city? I've been to Alaska few times, working on a cruise ship. Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage. I didn't have to much time to see everything, but I loved the atmosphere. The climate. I was feeling so good there. I didn't have a headache for few months.
What an interesting life you had!
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Post by jfaulkin on Aug 1, 2011 11:00:34 GMT -5
Ahhh...Alaska does sound like fun...I will get there some day. I asked my hubby why he eat a worm and he said because it was there...so gross. Glad you had such a great time up in Alaska.
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Post by mermon on Aug 1, 2011 11:19:07 GMT -5
If you'd have a chance - go there. It's a nice way to go on a cruise ship. To Alaska is less expensive that to other places and every day you see other town + San Francisco, Victoria and Vancouver. It takes one week if I remember it well. But of course it's better to live there for longer, if you'd have a chance. Maybe Sasha, you will write us, how did you do that.
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Post by Sasha4Jake on Aug 2, 2011 4:23:42 GMT -5
I was an Au Pair for an American family. A single parent mother (caucasian) with an Aleut-Eskimo boy (11) with severe physical handicaps, a Inuit-Eskimo girl (8) with severe mental disabilities (hydrocephaly) and a black healthy boy (5). She was a nurse at the Native Hospital in Anchorage, that's where she met those kids, whose parents couldn't take proper care of them. So she adopted all three to give them a family.
We had so much fun together, because I was really a part of the family, not a "servant" or babysitter. I kept in touch loosly, unfortunately the older boy died last year of a heart failure.
Alaska is a very nice country. As you said, Mermon, the climate there is so special. Like you I didn't have a headache or cold all year. When I arrived in Anchorage in the middle of July at 10 pm there was bright sunshine! At first I thought it was 10 AM! Then they explained to me that it doesn't really get dark in summer. That was so amazing. In winter the sun would only shine from 10 am to 3 pm, that was a bit of a downside, but since there was snow from early October till end of March (and it snowed a little every day, so the snow was always white, even in the city) so it was never pitch black. I loved how close we were to the wild even in the city. Once we had a moose in our backyard, trying to cool off in the kid's outdoor play pool!
I could tell so many stories!
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Post by eausavage on Aug 2, 2011 11:33:30 GMT -5
ohh Sasha seems very very interesting, please share your story, i'm sure it will be amazing!
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Post by jfaulkin on Aug 2, 2011 11:49:47 GMT -5
That sound so nice...To breath nice freash air...the woman you helped, what a great person to give those kids a home...not too many people would.
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Post by mermon on Aug 2, 2011 13:33:45 GMT -5
That's really a great person - this nurse, adopting three children, being single and two of them - handicaps - she is an angel on earth. Pity one child died, but at least had some love in his life and good care. I would love to hear your stories, Sasha. Did you go to Alaska from the States or from your home?
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Post by eausavage on Aug 2, 2011 17:53:59 GMT -5
Indeed great story such touchy!
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Post by Sasha4Jake on Aug 3, 2011 4:00:47 GMT -5
Did you go to Alaska from the States or from your home? Right after I had gotten my Senior High School deploma, I went to the US with an Au Pair Agency. We stayed in New York for one week to get some training on what was expected of us, on some laws that would apply and so on. Then I flew to Salt Lake City for a quick stop over and continued on to Alaska. I used to work for 4 days and have 2 days off, then for 3 days and have 5 days off. So in 14 days I had 7 days off. I had lots of friends there, some of which I am still in touch. I accompanied Tatjana (the girl) on school trips, because she was in a wheel chair and could not walk or talk on her own. Actually she could not even talk, she could only sign 5 or 6 words (like kiss or chocolate). She could not swallow any liquids, that's why she had a feeding tube in her stomach, but she would let little bits of chocolate melt in her mouth every now and then. The school took amazing field trips, we visited a battle ship of the Navy once, or went to see the "Golden Knights" the US Army's best parachute team. I went to other cities in Alaska was well, as Fairbanks or Valdez. We went hiking in the surrounding mountains (although I am not much of an outdoor person at all) or camping at the many lakes. I took acting lessons at UAA (University of Alaska, Anchorage) and participated in several plays, which was really fun. Together with Martin (the older boy) I ran in the "Big sister/little brother" race. We were way back because Martin had been born without hip bones and the arteficially joints worked, but he could never stand up straight (his spine was crooked) and he wasn't a fast walker, but just being there and getting a medal at the end was fun and worth the effort. Martin used to write stories, he wanted to be the next "Stephen King", I still have some of them at home. We used to watch scary movies when his mom worked night shifts and then spook each other out. Those are memories dear to me, especially since he died last year. Christopher (the little one) was my darling, but he also was a lot to handle. He didn't fear strangers and once, while I was supposed to take care of him, he slipped out of the house and went to a playground on the other side of the city with some neighbors. I looked for him for over two hours. I was ready to call the police (and thinking I would got to jail for having lost him), when he rode his bike up the hill toward our house, smiling and giggling. I think I have had a lot of really nice things happen to me in my life time and I am happy with my family and all, but this was the best year in my life. Memories I'll never ever forget.
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Post by Sasha4Jake on Aug 3, 2011 4:06:26 GMT -5
not too many people would. Especially considering that the birth parents of these kids were still alive. But there were the kind of Eskimos who lived all the way in the north, in small communities, like in the olden days. They really couldn't take care of these kids needs living so far away from civilication. But in Martin's case it was the father who refused to take his son home from the hospital after finding out how badly he was handicapped. The mother wanted to take her child, but she didn't have the power to overrule her husband, so they just flew home, leaving their son to the mercy of strangers. I know that Martin has been in contact with his parents in the later years, he's never been bitter about it. He knows that his father reacted the way he was raised, surrounded by tales about gods who punish people with handicaped babies. And Lynette (the mother) always raised her kids in full knowledge of their adoption, telling them they were special, because of all the kids in the world she could have had, God had chosen them for her. I still have nothing but admiration for her.
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Post by jakesgirl on Sept 14, 2011 8:43:04 GMT -5
I have been really busy...and to be honest also got annoyed with paparazzi pictures and all that stuff so...in case if you didnt notice I havent been around for the entire summer ;D Anyway I saw man vs. wild with Jake just like few weeks ago. He was very charming in it. Very calm and he was so brave to do the rope thing. It really shows his fitness level...like its not just talks, its true that he is really fit and that courage to do it...wow.
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Post by Sasha4Jake on Sept 14, 2011 15:04:46 GMT -5
Good to have you back, Jakesgirl. And in case you wondered - I noticed you didn't really post anymore. But it's okay. We're here for Jake, not for the others, and if we need a break that's okay too. But it's good to see your siggy again - Jake is so hot in that Rendition scene.
And MvW really was awesome!
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Post by jakesgirl on Sept 15, 2011 3:17:36 GMT -5
Yep, I had to take a break because it was a really busy summer for me and had no time to surf the internet or do much more else....anyway now Im back
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Post by Sasha4Jake on Sept 15, 2011 4:05:26 GMT -5
Yeah, looking forward to reading you more often again.
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Post by mermon on Sept 15, 2011 16:12:44 GMT -5
Welcome back jakesgirl. Good to have you again.
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