Due to some frustrating snags, the English Department just got my application last week. Mail is SO slow from Alaska to here - takes seven days to get a letter - and the UAF website is not updated regularly.

I'm hoping I'm not out of the running for a teaching assistantship. The hardest decision (and most likely outcome) will be if I get in, get tuition paid for, but not an assistantship. The assistantship is $8700/year...that would make me going to school possible. Without that, I just don't know. Supposedly teaching jobs are very hard to get in Fairbanks, though they always need subs.

Send me Alaska vibes, please? I'm sitting in my house with broken A/C that we are looking at almost $10,000 to replace it and my moldy ductwork so that we don't have to suffer anymore (found out why we are so sick, I posted on the market board, our AC system is full of mold). Either way I guess I'm going to have to do that, but I'd like to know about Alaska before I spend extra on a whole-house electronic air filter, UV lights, and a better air handler to take care of Jake's lung needs better. If we are going to rent I would not get those things.

I'm even having second thoughts about going if I get in and get funded...it's so far, so cold, so dark. I have asked around and housing is way more expensive and harder to find than it was six years ago when we were there. Sigh. I thought this would be easier.

re: no offer of assistanceship but an offer of admission.

personally I'd defer for a year and see if I could get into the running for an assistanceship.

That's a good idea, Kristin. I forgot about that being an option. Supposedly they also might give me an assistantship with another department or something, then for my second and third years of study might give it to me with the English Dept.

The frustrating part is how last-minute everything is...we would want to move by early June!

patience. patience.

although many a planned move is known about for MONTHS, most moves are within a 60 day period. I know it is hard to wait, but really...you usually can't even find a place to live in the short period of time.

I know -- but this isn't just any move. It's going from a whole house of stuff to nearly nothing, and moving 5000 miles. We won't be able to find a place to live until we get there so we'll be camping out when we first arrive. We will drive the whole way, most likely, or take the ferry through Southeast again. So a cross-country vacation is part of the plan. ;) I've done it before and only from Olympia and with less stuff, and it took all our energy for 6 weeks to get it going, and we weren't as ready as we should have been. With all that we have going on (three hours a day of commuting my kids to their school, my son having extremely intensive attention needs), it seems nearly impossible! I'm trying to declutter now, but I know I'm not doing it as much as I could until I know we're going.

Patience was never my strength. ;) Add to that that I am a perfectionist and want everything packed perfectly and decluttered perfectly.

:hug: I can imagine how crazy that must be driving you!!! :hug:

I hope they get in touch with you soon!

I miss Alaska soooo much... clean air!! ;)