Nostalgia

This post doesn't really have to do with Alaska, but I'm going to mention it nonetheless. Just about three years ago I arrived in Karlstad, Sweden to study for five months. It feels so long ago, and yet at the same time I can close my eyes and be there in an instant, as if it were yesterday.Those five months were such a gift, and I know I wouldn't be who I am today without them. Sometimes when I sit down and think about my time there and all the friends I made, the places I saw, the experiences I had and the things I learned, it makes me really nostalgic, and sometimes sad because of how much I miss it. But in the end I am just so incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to do something as cool and rewarding as studying abroad! So here is a tribute to those five months. And with that, I will leave the address of my blog in Sweden for lots of reminiscing (on my part)! www.laureninsweden.blogspot.com

Dear friends: Kam Pui from Hong Kong, Anja from Magdeburg, Germany, Antje from Berlin, Germany, me, and Keilin from San Francisco. 

Back in Alaska

Well, I've already been back in Alaska for almost two weeks, but it feels like I never left. The sun has been shining bright, which has been WONDERFUL, even with the consistent sub zero temps, and even though its still January, the change in daylight is significant, and very noticeable - thank goodness! It's only uphill from here :)

As I mentioned in my last post, my camera started acting up, and so I sent it in to Nikon to get some work done. Fortunately, it looks like I'll be getting it back in a about a week, so I won't have to go too much longer without it! That being said, I do have friends with cameras, and so Julie, I am borrowing your pictures for this blog post. Hope you don't mind!

I'd have to say the best day back so far was last Saturday when Julie, Matthew and I went snowshoeing on the Palmer hay flats. It was cold, but calm, and absolutely beautiful. If you ever come visit me, we will go there, that is a promise - its only 10 minutes from where I live - so it really is a must.  I love finding ways to get outside and get some fresh air no matter the time of year - and am so thankful for friends who feel the same way! I'll include some pics from that afternoon, and hope to have some of my own to share with you soon!

Heading down the hill to the flats.

Running into the abyss! (The flats stretch for miiiiiles).

Before we got too frosty: me, Matthew (CYAK youth worker in Mekoryuk, AK) and Julie (CYAK worker in Anchorage)

Moose tracks into the setting sun.

Home Sweet Colorado

Well, today was the last day of my trip home to Colorado for the holidays. It was wonderful to rest and spend time with family over the past couple of weeks, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to do so. During my time home, I spent lots of time with family, visited old friends, went skiing, hiking, and running, caught up on some much needed vitamin D, had friends over to tell them more about my work with CYAK in Alaska, and just plain enjoyed myself. It was g.r.e.a.t.

The only bad part of my trip home was about half way through, my camera decided to start acting up. Sad day! It is currently en route to Nikon to be examined and (hopefully) fixed - I don't know how long I can go without it! Fortunately, I was able to get a few pics in this break before it went kaput, and I was able to use the family camera to document the rest of my time home. However, starting tomorrow, I will be camera-less for a while, which I am not to excited about. Hopefully it will be fixed soon so I can continue to take pictures and share them with you all! Until then, these will have to suffice :) I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

Lovely fluffy snow welcomed me home!

Home!

Favorite trail through the GOG with the fam on Christmas Eve.

So many blue sky days!

Oh Christmastree, oh Christmastree!

Morning walk through Red Rock Canyon.

Lovely winter sunset from the front yard.

Drove to Boulder to see these two - Luke and Heather Healy! - at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse.

Cousin love. So good to see this girl!

My last picture before my camera stopped working, and the only one to document skiing at Breck! Haha! Brian, trying to stay warm with his Ramen Noodles in the freezing wind on Peak 9.

Skyping with Ester and Erik - happy engagement!

Please note the outside temp: 92 degrees. It wasn't actually 92 degrees, but this shows you how wonderfully warm the Colorado sunshine really is!