Last July, I packed up my husband,two cats, and belongings and headed out west to Dulce, New Mexico. The reason for our move: I had accepted a job as a sixth grade teacher on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Life on the reservation was different on the reservation. The people were kind and resilient (especially considering all that their people had been put through). Starting out there, life was frustrating. The housing department, which places teachers in teacher housing, moved us three times in a month. Finally, we got to settle into a four hundred square foot area that we could call home. It was a cute little metal duplex, which frequently had no cell phone coverage and would lose power for no reason at all, but it was home for us.
I learned to be patient, to give people think time, and to appreciate what I had. Life on the reservation wasn't about having the newest, greatest tech toy or keeping up with the Jones's. I also learned to think ahead, since trips to a town of size were at least an hour away. Planning and preparation took a whole new part of my life. Life was simpler. Everyone in town seemed to know where each and every teacher lived and would wave when passing the houses. Halloween brought over five hundred kids to our front porch. The community bonding happened in small town life, conversations in line at the market, people stopping by your front porch to chat, and visiting with each other at the football games. The landmark of this small town for me was definitely the football field, it was a drive in field. People parked their vehicles all around the field on a raised road. Archuleta Mesa framed the town and was a dramatic backdrop for the football field.
Traveling back to our bustling town of Bloomington, Indiana over the holidays was culture shock. People everyone and consumerism was everywhere (especially bad since it was over the holidays). I found that I missed the simpler life, having what we needed and a couple comfort items, but nothing excessive was preferable to having stuff for stuff's sake.
In February, I decided to leave my position as a sixth grade teacher to become a mad scientist, working at a museum and teaching after school science programs is the perfect fit for me. I finally get to fulfill my inner geek needs.
Life out west is completely different from life in Indiana. For starters, there are bears, cougars, scorpions, tarantulas, snakes, wolves, etc. that have the potential to hurt a person who is out for a calming hike in the woods. I can honestly say that there are bears, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, and wolves, having seen these with my own eyes. I should also mention deer and elk---they are massive out here and will total a car if given the chance. They play a mean game of chicken with passing vehicles out in the middle of nowhere or the middle of town, they're fearless!
Breathing is tougher---Dulce, NM was an altitude of 7,000 ft above sea level. Our current abode in Colorado is about the same height. Hiking at 10,000ft + makes my hands go numb and my need for a inhaler skyrocket, but the views are absolutely breathtaking.
Mustaches and cowboy hats and vehicles---If you are a true westerner, then size matters on both of these things.
You have adapted to life out west if you:
*know how to ride a horse, fish, and hunt.
*are an avid carnivore. (Sorry, vegetarians).
*can survive in the wilderness and make it look easy. (This may be myth, but then again...)
*drive for at least an hour to get to a town of size.
*can dodge an elk or deer last minute.
*drive 20 mph faster than the posted speed limit of 65 or 70.
*ski and mountain bike.
*have soaked in at least one natural hot spring.
*enjoy the wilderness.
I am still adapting to life out west...
More to come....
