Finished up our first week in a half of training and certifications, it's been a long week but an exciting one at that. Like I said in my last post, we are in the Chugach region close to the Kenai Peninsula, still have yet to make it up to Healy where the duration of my summer will be. As of yesterday, I am certified in Wilderness Responder, ETT (Emergency Trauma Technician), Advanced First Aid/CPR and Swift Water Rescue. Productive week I would have to say!
Swift Water Rescue was quite an exciting class to take and not an easy one at that. It is astounding how strong a river current is, truly not a force to reckon with or to take lackadaisically. It is not an uncomplicated task to rescue someone from swift water, especially in class 3+ rapids. So people, be smart when you're in swift moving water...even the Boise river has potential for danger. I know I can hear you laughing already, but I am not kidding, you can get yourself in some potential life threatening situations. We had a photographer getting photos of the action, so once I snag a few I'll post them.
Here's a food for thought: In our wilderness responder class, we were talking about how to react upon approaching a bear or wild animal. Of course, everyone has their advice or techniques that they say work with fending off a wild animal. Our instructor, who has lived in Alaska for a majority of his life, has encroached upon many of wild animals and he said the thing that he has found that works the best is to establish yourself as an alpha animal. Do not back down in fear or run away, but assert your dominance. He explained that alpha animals usually do not attack other alpha animals, so when you assert yourself as one and if you do not pose a threat to them, generally they continue on their way. ( helpful hint, do not look a bear directly in the eye because it means you are challenging them)
Whether, this tactic is effective for everyone, that could be debatable, but it did remind me of what God established in Genesis chapter one. When God created man and woman, he told them this, "be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every other creature that moves on the ground." This got my ticker thinking that maybe we should take this Biblical commandment to heart. If God's first words to man was that of Him establishing man's dominion over all living creatures then maybe we can take to heart that He meant it. Now, I am not advocating that you be proactive in finding alpha, aggressive wild animals and have an old western showdown with them, that's where I do believe natural selection will take it's place, lol. But, if you find yourself in a situation that is less than desirable with a wild animal, maybe allow God's word to sit in the back of your mind, practical application could surprise you. ;)
"There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures that Chuck Norris has allowed to live."
Well...here I am...in grand ol' Alaska!! It's been pretty up and go the entire time I've been here. Arrived in Anchorage on Friday, where I took a cab to another guide's house, where I got to meet three of my co workers. We had to wait for the rest of the crew to meet us so we could all head out to the Chugach region where we have our Wilderness Rescue and Swift Water training. Anchorage, honestly wasn't too impressive, although I didn't really get the chance to explore. It wasn't until our decent to the southern regions where the scenery overtook me! Huge, encapsulating mountains with razor sharp tops surrounding you on every side. Still capped with snow and looking prime in the sunlight for some board slashing. Cornices left and right, with steep landings...looked amazing, but in all actuality, I would probably kill myself trying to ride terrain like that!!
The crew all seems great so far, I think we are going to get along very well. It's great how a job like this literally gathers people from all over the country. Most of my coworkers are all from the eastern to southern coast, so I may come home with a bit of an accent. There are some characters on the crew, so the entertainment shouldn't be in short supply. About a dozen of us have all been sharing limited space in a cook shack for the past few days and will be here the rest of the week. Needless to say, it's been a symphony of snoring at night. Once we get to camp up in Healy we'll get our own rooms and living space, so it will be nice to have some away time and privacy. Don't get me wrong, the bonding time has been memorable to say the least.
Wilderness Rescue courses have been really interesting and informative, it's amazing what the human body does or can endure! We are truly intricate beings..."hand knitted in our mother's wombs...fearfully and wonderfully made." It is great learning about how to assess situations that may come up medically, instead of being a bystander waiting for help to come. Not that I will be an expert by the time this course is over, but I have more awareness of what to do and how to treat accidents. This weekend we have swift water rescue, I am nervous about the water. We will be wearing dry suits but it's a still going to be really cold!! Hopefully the sun will hold up like it has been the last couple of days.
Yesterday we went to Mile Thirteen and walked along a beach. The tide was really low so we could walk far out on the sand. The mountains followed along the water and straight walls of shale rock cliffs sat along the beach with cave nooks scattered throughout. We built a small campfire where one of my coworkers ate a half eaten hotdog that he found on the ground...all for a beer. Think what you want on that one... All in all, it's been a great trip thus far, it certainly feels like I have been here longer than just 4 days. On another positive note, I hear I'll be making some great money this summer and get as much work as I personally want.
A little something that struck me during class was during the introduction, the instructor was talking about decision making and he said "people don't like to make decisions. When people make decisions, it opens them up to error and criticism." Ponder that and take an introspective look in your own life, asking yourself what decisions haven't you made for the better because of fear of opinion...just a thought! And remember, behind every success there have been many failures, so don't let failures or people discourage you...run the race!
Until my next in
stallment I bid you all farewell...
Less than two weeks and counting til I head off to the north! I thought about creating a blog to document such a new and exciting time in my life, with the notion that someone may like to follow along in my discoveries. Instead of creating another blog simply for a season of my life, I thought I just might revive this one. I miss this past time of writing out my thoughts and inspirations for all of the virtual world to see and articulate, hopefully I can refuel this passion throughout the summer.
As some of you already know, I am leaving for Alaska on April 30th, 2010 at 6:50 am. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with me or reads my facebook updates has been bombarded with constant talk of AK. I will be living in Healy right near the Denali National Park and will be raft guiding throughout the summer. The company I will be working for is Nenana Rafting Adventures. This move highlights many firsts for me: my first big move on my own, first year raft guide and first time setting foot in AK! Naturally, you can imagine the cornucopia of emotions I am going through- mostly excitement, I always love new challenges and adventures coupled with new places to experience. The anal retentive in me is nervous about finances, home sickness, my uncertainty of how to do the job and so on. Yet, I am confident in the fact that I have always been a hard worker, I still have a place to call home and I have a Father who always provides and is my strength. I'll have Dylan up there with me and he really is a big encourager of mine and supports me- he never allows me to think less of myself, in anything. His brother Jon and girlfriend Kristen live in the area as well so it will be nice to have a familiar face around.
It's crazy that I am not going to be spending a summer in Boise, I really love this city and state. I can say that in all honesty, it's hard not to love! It's weird, for the first time in a long time, I am not going to be able to follow through with some of my summer favorites. Idaho is the first place in my life where I finally got to put in roots, so it's unfamiliar having to separate myself again. I think this is good for me, ideally I want to travel the world and this is just the place to start. It's good that I am breaking out of my comfort zone and routines to go and experience something new and refreshing.
Some things I am going to miss: my family, friends and church family (although I've got ya on podcast Pastor Ken). Church camp (seriously, it'll change your life), CDI (my fav snow event of the year), softball (Go Hopps!!), Ashley/Jason's wedding and Ashley/David's wedding (congrats to all of you!), girls outdoor group (you girls are a blast), days at the park and on the river (have to hang up the crocodile this summer), GCD (it's gonna explode this summer!) and so much more....
Some things I am looking forward to: learning a new trade (and hopefully learning to kayak too), Salmon fishing, the gorgeous scenery, meeting new people and seeing new things, breaking out of routines and comforts, less distractions, growing deeper in my faith, hopefully making a good chunk of change, reading some great books, the outdoors and who knows what else!
I will be periodically updating this blog with the latest events, updates, stories, revelations, you name it. Some more frequently than others, I hope that this provides an opportunity to still be connected and share my new experiences with those I love. I ask, for those who believe in the power of prayer to really commit to praying for me this summer- I know how vital it is. Pray anything from finances to health to "just learning to laugh" in all circumstances (advice my grandma gave me the other day). Thank you all for being big supporters of this venture in my life...can't wait to share it all with you!
I recently gave a speech in my communications class about compromise in your convictions and it was pretty powerful, but it got me to think about several other things. Most recently it has been brought to my attention the amount of times people will share their beliefs and start it off by saying, "I was raised..." or "I was brought up to believe..." even though many times in their adulthood they have turned from these ideas/religions/beliefs/etc... they were raised up on. It got me to wonder did they ever really believe in their beliefs? Or did they just fall victim to a set of rules cloaked behind religion?
More and more I am finding out how important it is to understand what you believe and why you believe what you believe, because in the long run setting that foundation is what is going make or break your beliefs. People sometimes have a hard time believing in God and the Bible because they have never viewed it as something personal or applicable, yet something they were forced to believe growing up or coaxed into it through fear or whatever the tactic may be. Sure God has set boundaries up in our lives if we so choose to follow those, but not because of regulation but because of the importance of it in every relationship! Yes, God's word says to wait to have sex til you're married, why do I follow that? Yes, I do want to follow God's word but I now see the importance behind it. Unfortunately I did not wait, but one day I am going to marry the love of my life but with sadness I am going to have to look him in the eye and tell him that he was not important enough to me as a youth to wait for and give myself to! Ouch!! Talk about a sucker punch to the manhood, lol (yes I went there!!)
So many people cut the excuse that they were raised Christian, like that buys them a holier than thou ticket yet they hate God's church (which people, the church is Biblical and I will show you in both the Bible and early church history), they party, sleep with people who aren't their spouses, (okay this may sounds religious, but if you sleep with someone who you do not have the intentions of marrying or don't marry at all, you are sleeping with someone else's future husband or wife- maybe that will change your perspective next time you're thinking of a little roll in the hay!!!) Look I am not here to judge nor condemn, that's not my place or position- but I am here to stir up the complacency of our generation and encourage you to find relationship with the God you pray to instead of finding religion, which will only get you to a place of bitterness and crazy, false philosophies. As the saying goes, "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."
