Crazy Questions From My Students

Some of the students had questions about me moving to Alaska. I answered the in class, but you can also read my replies here. 

1. Where's Alaska? Let's bring up Google Maps and look for it. 

2. Do you fly to Russia first? No I will fly into Anchorage, Alaska first. Russia is close to Alaska. If I was to go Little Diomede island I could climb to the top of that island and see Russia. On a clear day I would be able to see mainland Russia. 

3. Is it cold? I am 1,122 miles from the North Pole and 322 miles inside the Arctic Circle. Its going to be very cold in the winter and maybe in the 50s during the summer. 

4. What are you going to do? Teach Science.

5. How do you move there? I am going to sell lots of my stuff that I don't need, store the stuff I can't live without, mail some things and fly there. 

6. Can you build a snowman? Yes, and ride bikes down the halls.

7. Why are you leaving? I'm not used to living in one spot too long. I like travelling and doing new things. I'm ready professionally to do something different. 

8. Is it our fault? Absolutely not! I am leaving because its my personally choice. I have been offered a job at VCS and have turned it down because of personal and professional reasons. 

9. Who is going to be our teacher? I don't know. Ask the Director and Principal. They are in charge of hiring. 

10. Will you visit? Alaska is far away to come back for weekend trips. I will probably be up there for awhile before I fly home to WV. 

11. When do you leave? I want to leave the Lower 48 around June 23rd or 30th. 

12. Can you come back for Christmas? No. I wouldn't have enough time. If the weather is bad, I can't get back to work. 

13. Are there penguins? Wrong pole.

14. Can you pet a polar bear? Only if I don't need my hand anymore. 

15. Can you vote? Yes I will still continue my civic duty. 

16. Are there cars? Yes. People barge their cars up to Barrow. They drop them off in Anchorage in April and they get them back in August in Barrow. 

17. Is there a lot of darkness like that movie? So for about 60 some days, the sun doesn't rise above the horizon. It makes it dark but not pitch black the whole time. In the summer, the sun doesn't set below the horizon for about 60 days. When its midnight, it will still be bright out. 

18. What do you do if its too bright out and its bedtime? Tin foil on windows or blackout curtains.