Alaska Is:
         Alaska is a lot of things, but mostly it is a place. For some people, a place to live and make a living. For others, a place to visit and conquer a challenge. For me, it is a place to learn, discover, and grow with my AGLP family. Alaska is a place to admire nature as a guest. When I leave Alaska, it will all be a collection of memories, but Alaska is also a place I will never forget.

Final Reflection:
        When I found out I could go to Alaska, I jumped at the chance. Once I found out who was in my van, however, I wondered what Ishtar was thinking. How could I ever get along with people so different from me? I even hated one of my junior leaders. I went home and almost cried because I was convinced that she would ruin my trip. On the last night in Alaska, I cried because I was leaving her. I never thought it would happen, but we became really close.
      I think I know why Ishtar put us in the same van now. I think he knew we didn’t like each other, but I think he also knew that in the three weeks we were forced to be together, we would become very close, or at least friends. He was right.
Now that I think back on Alaska, I realize that in three short weeks I have become a totally different person. Sometime during the journey, I learned to love myself for who I was. I decided that for once I would be truly me, instead of trying to fit in all the time. I found new friends in people I had never talked to, and with people I had fought with. Before the trip I always told myself that I could do anything I wanted, but now I realize that I never really believed it until I climbed Mt. Healy and Exit Glacier. I never realized how truly beautiful and perfect the world seems from the top of a mountain. I learned a lot of lessons in Alaska, about me, about getting along with people and making new friends, about knowing when to lead and when to follow, about being true to yourself, and lessons about life in general. I made a lot of new friends in Alaska, and I made a lot of unforgettable memories. Alaska is amazing, and as far as I’m concerned, the only way to truly experience Alaska is with the Alaska Great Lakes Project.