- Blake

 

                            The Adventure that Helped Paint the Spirit of Erica Isham
                                                Blake Blair

         Life takes us down many paths- some winding, and some straight. Eventually, somewhere on our journey, we discover something to be treasured- ourselves. In the poorly lit art room, smelling of wet paint and clay, Erica Isham tells me of how her adventures in Alaska helped her to sculpt her unique personality.
         While the voices of 7th grade art students fill the room, I listen carefully to their teacher’s stories. Erica tells me all about her experience as a driver for AGLP ten years ago. Although it was a while back, the memories are still fresh in her mind. Dressed in bohemian clothes and a paint- splattered apron, she tells me that her favorite place in Alaska is Homer.
         When I asked her why she favored Homer, Erica explained that she was intrigued by the Hippies that seem to gather there. Erica went on to tell me that she liked that the people she met in Homer were free- spirited and that they lived by their own rules. Her favorite moment in Homer, she recalled, was when the AGLP drivers and the Hippies camping on Homer’s Oceanside cliffs gathered for a truly bohemian experience. One night, they all sat in a circle surrounding a fire and sang songs and told stories. After recounting her experience, she explained, “I think of myself more bohemian.” She told me she was glad to have the opportunity to meet all of the people.
         Although the hippies helped Erica to find herself, she also told me of how she found herself lost on a mountain. While campfires are a big part of Alaska, hiking is bigger. Larger yet was the mountain Erica, as well as the rest of the AGLP group climbed. It was a stormy looking- day, giving all of the warnings that this hike might be an awful idea. When the group reched the top of the mountain, a girl slipped and broke her ankle. Erika was the only adult in charge f about thirty participants. “When we figured out we were lost I started to freak out,” Erika said. When I asked how they got down, she replied that they had to venture their way down the mountain without a trail. They climbed over trees and slid down the mud. Erica said when they finally reached the foot of the mountain, they remembered where they were. The group had to walk back to the campground. Al” Although we were tired, we still had a great memory about our day,” Erica explained.
         Erica experienced many adventures while in Alaska. Though some were probably scarier or more exciting than others, they all, undoubtably, impacted her on the pah that led her to who she is today. As we sat in the disheveled, yet inviting art room, it was obvious that her experiences in Alaska helped bring Erica to where she is now- smiling in front of me in her splattered paint smock and bohemia clothes. Erica’s journey throughout Alaska made it apparent that, like a piece of art, no two spirits or personalities are alike.