Let me begin by saying I decided to go on this trip to Alaska pretty much at the last minute and I am sure glad that after talking with Matushka Sasha briefly about it, that I made the right decision to come and be a chaperon for a few of the teen girls. After waking up well rested from the long day of travel, Fr. Gregory got right down to business. We broke up into teams for jobs around the seminary, the chapel and/or the Cathedral. I chose to stay indoors while the brave ones took jobs outdoors in the rain and at one point got just totally soaked! Daniela and I worked in the chapel on brassoing the candle stands and a few things from the altar. Seraphima (a professor here at St. Herman's Seminary), came down to the basement of the chapel and said "Gee do they look shiny, they have never been so shiny". That made us feel good, because by then our hands were getting cramped and the fumes from the brasso was getting to us. We worked up until 5:00 Vespers in the chapel. We literally had a feast for dinner. Daniela had time to make Lentil soup and home-made bread. What topped it all off we got to eat the freshest Alaskan Snow Crab we will ever eat, just caught yesterday and the great thing was they gave them to us already cooked! After dinner we finally got to do some major sight-seeing. Fr. John (the Dean here at St. Herman's) was one of the group's tour guide. Alex Safchuk, Marsha Zellum, Fr. John's 10 year old son John and myself rode with him. We went up to a high peak and from there was able to see all of Kodiak pretty much. We got to view where we will be going this weekend to Spruce Island. At one place we got to view through a scope, the Russian Orthodox Cross on the mountain where St. Herman stood ground! Oh just breathtaking! The "Three Sisters Mountains", the North Pacific Ocean, a place called Mission Beach with black sand were all just amazing. There are even places around with canons and bunkers. Seraphima and I picked some awesome berries to eat. Amazingly enough we were out until 10:15 or so and yes it was still light out. Cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Christina Ngo
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