Thursday, November 17, 2016

SHAKY START TO AN ADVENTURE

    In 1963 I as 23 years old and had been teaching for 4 years. I was at a crossroads. I had to either go back to school or leave the territory. I couldn't make up my mind. I didn't want to leave teaching but I didn't have any other option that jumped out at me.

    I had noticed an ad in the paper to teach in canada's northland. I thought maybe I should try this and if it's exciting I can continue and go back to school or just leave. A package of information came with an application form. I thought I might as well apply and see what happens. Since it was a government position the application was detailed.

    A few weeks later I got a letter asking me to come for an interview. I'd never been interviewed before. However, I thought what have a got to lose, I'll go to the interview. A few weeks after the interview I was offered a position. Now what do I do? Well, I thought it sounded exciting and what have I got to lose. The pay was very good! I accepted the position to teach gr. 8 in Inuvik NWT. This was a large school with 50 teachers. I was excited but nervous.

    More information was sent about what I needed for living in that location. They also sent instructions as to travel. I was to got to Edmonton Alberta on Aug 23, check in with the airline and fly north the next day. They assured me that my ticket would be there.I phoned the airline. They had never heard of me and claimed the government had made no plans for my transportation. However, they said come down tomorrow and we'll see what we can do.

   I went to the airport and checked in. They definitely told me there was no seat for me. I was told to come back tomorrow so back to the hotel I went.

   I went out the next day and they said they didn't have a seat. I was very discouraged by this time. Before I picked up my bag to go back to the hotel I asked what happens next. They said wait a minute. Well ten minutes later they said there's one seat, give us your baggage and go out to the plane. Wow!

    Now I had never flown before. After all this I was a little stressed out. I had seen pictures of people in passenger airplanes and they were dressed up. I had my best jacket on. But when I looked around not many people were dressed like I was. Most of them looked like construction workers. What was going on?

    The airplane was a very elderly DC4 which is an aircraft from the 1940's. they were used in WW II. The airline I flew on was Pacific Western and they maybe had 2 or 3  DC  4's so I could well have flown on this one.


Image result for dc 4 airplane
     Off we went. About half way we ran into some violent thunder storms. The plane was tossed around. So this wasn't quite the thrill I had bargained for. After about 20 minutes a leak started right over me. Well, I was sure I was a goner. This old bird was falling apart and my adventure would be over. They moved me to a seat where there wasn't a leak. We got out of the thunderstorm and soon landed.

    I really hadn't thought that there would be this much adventure to get to my northern teaching position. I was only halfway there so I lots more flying was ahead of me.

31 comments:

  1. This sounds like the beginning of a very exciting time in your life.

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    1. It was an experience that changed my life forever.

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    2. I imagine it would! My teaching career was pretty humdrum!

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  2. very interesting Red, tell us more! :)

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    1. I've got more. I've been thinking about this topic for a while.

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  3. Replies
    1. Yes, run out and make a snowman!! You got your snow stick up just in time.

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  4. Funny story about a great adventure.

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  5. you must have been seriously doubting your decisions!

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    1. 23 year old males think they're invincible and never doubt their power!!!

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  6. I certainly would have started worrying, when the leak over my head happened....but then the storm and the tossing the plane about....I would have started praying. I'd say you had quite an adventure at 23 yrs old.

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  7. What an exciting adventure! I'm hoping you'll tell me all about it, so I'm looking forward to more. :-)

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it and there's lots more.

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  8. Oh boy that is quite a start to your adventure. I hope you'll share more of your story. I'd love to know how things turned out.

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    1. There's lots more. You know the ending of this story, just not the details!!!

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  9. Wow, that sounds like a crazy trip! (Maybe a little TOO crazy.) I want to hear the rest of the tale!

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    1. With more posts you'll understand why this was crazy.

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  10. Hi Red, What a story! Wow. Now I'm ready to hear how the first year in Inuvik turned out! Like Far Side of Fifty said, Tell us more! :-)

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    1. There will be more. I'm glad you liked this part.

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  11. What an exciting adventure this must have been for you. Looking forward to reading more.

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    1. I'm glad you liked this post. There will be more.

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  12. Replies
    1. This was a major turning point and changed my life forever.

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  13. what a great start of a story,I will look forward to more

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  14. It's like the first chapter of a story Red. I am looking forward to the next chapter - about your arrival and settling in to your new job.

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  15. What an exciting experience, even if it started off a little shaky. I hope you share more!

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  16. That sounds one helluva lot more exciting than my starting work up in the Outer Hebrides (which, at the time, I thought was a long way north.

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  17. Wow, Red I have to say you are a brave man. Love this story. What a life you had. B

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