Sunday, May 30, 2004
PO
After 35+ mph winds kept the planes from delivering mail yesterday and the calm morning brought the periodic buzz of planes at the airstrip, the post office was even more popular than usual today. "Going PO" is part of daily life around here. And although folks offered to check mail for me or give me a ride on a four wheeler, I just couldn't give up the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and exercise of the just under one mile walk that I have made so many times in the past.
Many people were out today. I passed at least a dozen people during my trip and each one greeted me by name--somthing I miss in the faceless shuffle of life in the city. Two elders stopped me to ask how long I'm staying (most visitors stay for a minimum amount of time, so I've had at least one suprised person ask me everyday how long I'm staying). One parent of a former student stopped me to give me a hug--I hadn't seen her since I left last year.
When I got to the PO, I was excited to find that I had received TWO pieces of mail. I felt like an excited kid at summer camp. One was a package that my mom had sent 2nd day air on Monday (yes, today is Saturday). The other was a suprise letter from Adam that he had sent May 24th. Both were sent General Delivery, and Joe Post (yes, that is really his name) readily gave them to me since he knew me well as the teacher of more than one of his children. As I sat down on the bench to read the letter, I was greeted by several other people there to check their boxes. One of my former students sat down to chat with me for a while.
Small town life. Walking to the mailbox just isn't the same as the community event of visiting the PO in Tununak.
After 35+ mph winds kept the planes from delivering mail yesterday and the calm morning brought the periodic buzz of planes at the airstrip, the post office was even more popular than usual today. "Going PO" is part of daily life around here. And although folks offered to check mail for me or give me a ride on a four wheeler, I just couldn't give up the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and exercise of the just under one mile walk that I have made so many times in the past.
Many people were out today. I passed at least a dozen people during my trip and each one greeted me by name--somthing I miss in the faceless shuffle of life in the city. Two elders stopped me to ask how long I'm staying (most visitors stay for a minimum amount of time, so I've had at least one suprised person ask me everyday how long I'm staying). One parent of a former student stopped me to give me a hug--I hadn't seen her since I left last year.
When I got to the PO, I was excited to find that I had received TWO pieces of mail. I felt like an excited kid at summer camp. One was a package that my mom had sent 2nd day air on Monday (yes, today is Saturday). The other was a suprise letter from Adam that he had sent May 24th. Both were sent General Delivery, and Joe Post (yes, that is really his name) readily gave them to me since he knew me well as the teacher of more than one of his children. As I sat down on the bench to read the letter, I was greeted by several other people there to check their boxes. One of my former students sat down to chat with me for a while.
Small town life. Walking to the mailbox just isn't the same as the community event of visiting the PO in Tununak.
