When the new year comes, our family sits together and reflects on the past year, accomplishments and triumphs, and things we would have done differently. My husband and I talk about what we would like to accomplish in the coming year, and what we can do to improve our relationships, both personal and professional. We also discuss opportunities for growth.
One of those opportunities has come up for me to serve the Indigenous communities throughout the entire state, as opposed to only those in our area. A hard decision was made to accept a position at the Region 11 office for the National Park Service as the Alaska Native Tribal Relations Program Manager. That change doesn’t come lightly as we have over 16 years in our home, raising over 15 children, our own and fosters, as well as multiple years serving the community and region for Dean.
I begin my new job on March 1st. Because of the pandemic, we will stay in Kotzebue to pack our belongings, decide what’s important to us, and basically pack 20+ years of junk into totes to make a major move.
We have both learned so much from everyone in the region, the dedication on searches, the passion at subsistence meetings, the camaraderie at the Fire Department and so much more, this move is in time with our needs as a family. We want to be closer to our children, our parents and more. We want to support the tribes in another capacity, and serve other communities as we have served here.
Though bittersweet, we are looking forward to the move and if anyone has suggestions on how to get rid of 20 years of “stuff” please let us know, because we are drowning in our own stuff!
Happy New Year to everyone reading this blog post. I look forward to updating you on our move.
-Katak
Maija Katak Lukin 