Bunkhouse musings

Soooooo... It’s yet another day of gray overcast sky and cold, “rainish” weather - not as in downpour or even a slow soaking, just perpetual wetness like a rain forest. Yes, I still consider the opportunity to live here and explore Alaska to be fabulous, but not every day is fabulous. I am beginning to feel sun deprived - SAD. All the locals assure us that this is an atypically late and cold spring which helps only in that their misery equals or bests our own after their having waited through the long, dark winter. Given all that, they are a remarkably cheerful lot. And it holds out hope that a change for the better is just around the corner. Erv and I have come to the conclusion that while we remain delighted to have the opportunity to live and work here, we are clearly not year-round resident material.

We are also preparing to say good-bye to our fellow sojourners in the bunk house:
Scott, a 44yo engineer turned biologist - a returning bio-tech, he is very knowledgeable about the Aleutian Islands, the birds and research. As a youth he served in the Peace Corps in Africa and has also lived and worked in South America among other places. He continues considering work in international development which is one of the few settings in which he thinks progress can be made, but he is not sure he wants expose himself to the continual realities of poverty on the one hand and insensitive greed and politics on the other. His sharp, organized and analytical mind seems well suited to the work he will be doing here and anything he would choose in the future. He’s also frugal and a good cook and enjoys organizing large scale communal meals.
Kevin is in his mid 30's and also a returning bio-tech. Like Scott, he has a sharp, organized mind and is well traveled on more than one continent. We enjoy their discussions of the risks and benefits of their nomadic lifestyles which often follow seasonal biological research-related field jobs dependent on annual funding cycles. His broad knowledge of birds is impressive.
Leah and Rob are a couple in their late 20's who have served together on Aleutian field assignments in the past. They came a bit later and are not as familiar to us although it is immediately apparent that they are also quite able, dedicated and give one a sense of conscious, thoughtful living and confidence. Leah, an early AM runner, is simultaneously working on her MS. Unrelated, but remarkable are their tanned fit physiques and Rob’s great braids.
Ray, the only first timer in this group is our favorite. He’s 27 and hails from Montana. A lanky 6'6", he, like my son, is a cancer survivor (lymphoma @12-13yo). Like most all of the other bio-techs, he is lean, fit, self reliant, well read and extremely bright. We especially enjoy his dry wit and easy going way - again reminiscent of Erik. Ray and Scott have savage cribbage matches but Ray seems equally as comfortable watching old movies and discussing life, music and/or photography with us. He is also wood worker who hunts with bow and arrows he’s crafted himself. All of these “guys” are wonderfully multidimensional and we are rarely at a loss for interesting conversation! They are inspiring and we will surely miss their company.

My writing this last night must have pleased the weather gods - it’s about 9:30AM now and already 47F with mostly sunny skies. We’re off to check out nesting eagles and trumpeter swans and savor the day! Hope you’re having a great one too......