I stole this picture from my supervisor. It's the snow capped Icefield and I think it represents much of Alaska to me. Alaska is so free of human impact. It is full of mystery and has the ability to make you feel small in a world that all too often seems to be shrinking. I think that is why I love my job sooo much. People can come to our base and be in the worst mood possible but once they come back from seeing the Juneau Icefield, they can't help but be happy, emotional, or touched in some way. Most people say it is life changing. Most people claim it's the highlight of their trip, if not their life. I am glad I can share in the experience. I thought I would share a few stories that have left an impact on me.
Story 1: A few days ago I was giving a safety briefing on the bus, heading towards the helicopter base. These briefings are boring and similar to what you hear on an airplane, except longer. Most of the time the people will sit smiling just to appease the employee. When I was finished, a few ladies in the front row were asking about my degree and where I want to end up teaching. This happens a lot. One of my favorite things is meeting the tourists, seeing what line of work they are in where they are from. I guess they like getting to know our workers too because I often get asked about my life. "How long have you lived up here?" "Where are you from?" "Are you in college?" What's your major and will you stay in Alaska when you graduate?" Anyways, I told the ladies I was hoping to get to the east coast and warm up a bit. I could use a good tan and let's face it. Once you have lived in the Virgin Islands, everywhere else seems downright freezing! In the back of the bus was a sour looking man who never smiled during my briefing and seemed annoyed and my cheerful personality. After everyone was off the bus the man approached me and smiled. He said he was a superintendent in Florida and would like to give me his contact information after his tour. I was thrilled. I know how had it is to get a job right now. However, I knew that when the tour was over, he would probably forget and I would be out picking up more tourists. To my surprise, he left his information with a pilot. He even remembered my name.
Story 2: I remember a year back when a family came in to take our Dog Sledding Tour. A mother and her adult daughters and son. They were extremely emotional when they returned. Every member of the family was crying and the daughter came up to me and my coworker and said her mother had only been given a short amount of time to live. Cancer. They were so happy the entire tour that no one would have guessed this was the case. They were making the most of the time that they had and this is a family I will never forget.
Last Story: Yesterday, we had a group of folks come in. One gentleman was in a wheelchair and another had difficulty getting around because of his muscular dystrophy. We have several "wheelchair bound" people that come in because we are the only company with a handicap lift fit for our helicopters. However, when we hear that we have people that are handicapped coming in, we get a bit nervous. Some people can be very nice when you try to help them. Some seem very bitter and everything you do aggravates them. These people were amazing. They were so high on life and ready to have a good time. The guy in the wheelchair was extremely grateful to be able to take our tour and kept thanking us. He was inspiring and made me realize that the things I complain about are small matters compared to the hand this man has been dealt. Also, I noticed a yellow jacket on his beanie and you know I love my Georgia Tech. We had a great conversation about GT sports and he told me that he is coming back next year and will bring me a hat. Haha. He made my day.
It's people like these that your mind will never let you forget. They make you appreciate the life that you have and remind you that, while you may not be able to change your circumstances, you can always change your attitude. They surprise you, like the first man. Or they brighten your soul, like the last.
So, I am going to take my own advice. It is rainy and cold here today. However, the rain seems to make the green grass and trees sparkle. The plants have been without rain for a few days and seem to have perked up with the showers. I have the day off and while I would love to e out hiking on a nice sunny day, I will take this time to knock out some homework and maybe catch up on some casual reading. Plus, I have been a bit under the weather lately and it will do me good to stay indoors and eat some hot soup. Haha.
Story 1: A few days ago I was giving a safety briefing on the bus, heading towards the helicopter base. These briefings are boring and similar to what you hear on an airplane, except longer. Most of the time the people will sit smiling just to appease the employee. When I was finished, a few ladies in the front row were asking about my degree and where I want to end up teaching. This happens a lot. One of my favorite things is meeting the tourists, seeing what line of work they are in where they are from. I guess they like getting to know our workers too because I often get asked about my life. "How long have you lived up here?" "Where are you from?" "Are you in college?" What's your major and will you stay in Alaska when you graduate?" Anyways, I told the ladies I was hoping to get to the east coast and warm up a bit. I could use a good tan and let's face it. Once you have lived in the Virgin Islands, everywhere else seems downright freezing! In the back of the bus was a sour looking man who never smiled during my briefing and seemed annoyed and my cheerful personality. After everyone was off the bus the man approached me and smiled. He said he was a superintendent in Florida and would like to give me his contact information after his tour. I was thrilled. I know how had it is to get a job right now. However, I knew that when the tour was over, he would probably forget and I would be out picking up more tourists. To my surprise, he left his information with a pilot. He even remembered my name.
Story 2: I remember a year back when a family came in to take our Dog Sledding Tour. A mother and her adult daughters and son. They were extremely emotional when they returned. Every member of the family was crying and the daughter came up to me and my coworker and said her mother had only been given a short amount of time to live. Cancer. They were so happy the entire tour that no one would have guessed this was the case. They were making the most of the time that they had and this is a family I will never forget.
Last Story: Yesterday, we had a group of folks come in. One gentleman was in a wheelchair and another had difficulty getting around because of his muscular dystrophy. We have several "wheelchair bound" people that come in because we are the only company with a handicap lift fit for our helicopters. However, when we hear that we have people that are handicapped coming in, we get a bit nervous. Some people can be very nice when you try to help them. Some seem very bitter and everything you do aggravates them. These people were amazing. They were so high on life and ready to have a good time. The guy in the wheelchair was extremely grateful to be able to take our tour and kept thanking us. He was inspiring and made me realize that the things I complain about are small matters compared to the hand this man has been dealt. Also, I noticed a yellow jacket on his beanie and you know I love my Georgia Tech. We had a great conversation about GT sports and he told me that he is coming back next year and will bring me a hat. Haha. He made my day.
It's people like these that your mind will never let you forget. They make you appreciate the life that you have and remind you that, while you may not be able to change your circumstances, you can always change your attitude. They surprise you, like the first man. Or they brighten your soul, like the last.
So, I am going to take my own advice. It is rainy and cold here today. However, the rain seems to make the green grass and trees sparkle. The plants have been without rain for a few days and seem to have perked up with the showers. I have the day off and while I would love to e out hiking on a nice sunny day, I will take this time to knock out some homework and maybe catch up on some casual reading. Plus, I have been a bit under the weather lately and it will do me good to stay indoors and eat some hot soup. Haha.
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