Today there was an Annual Peer Mediator Rally celebration at Delaney Park in Anchorage, and we were invited to run in with the Torch. Cheryl Hilmes, a teacher from the Chinook school who had invited us there the other day, was the M.C. at this rally. It was sponsored by the Safe and Drug Free Schools organization, whose supervisor, Michael Kerosky, ran to the park with us carrying the Torch.

We ran through a double column of excited children as the World Harmony Run song blasted over the loud speakers in the park. There were over 400 children from 13 different schools in the Anchorage area who were here to have fun and meet each other. Some of the kids recognized us from visiting their school in the past few days.

Becky Severson, who is the Admin Assistant for the Safe and Drug Free Schools program, kindly worked us into their program as the first event in this beautiful park on a nice warm and sunny day. There is something energizing about being outdoors in a natural setting where children feel comfortable and willing to participate more freely.

Their enthusiasm at welcoming us as we ran in and then singing the song and chanting our motto in a wave-like fashion was very exciting in this setting. Perhaps when they are outdoors there are no worries about screaming on the top of your lungs, so to speak. Since these children also belong to the RCCP or Resolving Conflicts Creatively Program, as mediators who are trained to find peaceful solutions to various everyday problems in school, they were very well behaved and respectful along with their enthusiastic response to what we were doing.

This is truly a great step forward for a more harmonious future when children at this age are taught creative and peaceful problem solving. We are grateful to all those involved in sharing this kind of program with us, inspiring us and teaching us at the same time.

After having a wonderful lunch donated by Doyon Universal Services at the Horizon Café, the company that John Fouse works for, we had time to spend our last day in Alaska exploring some of the incredible scenery along the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet. Palyati and John drove us to some wonderful mountainous areas full of snow that so far have just been the backdrop in most of our Anchorage visits. The Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood, which right now is still operating on the weekends, was a nice place to stop on the way to Portage Lake. A huge tram went up to the top of the mountain where it looked incredibly steep for skiing, but nonetheless some fearless skiers made their tracks down the mountain, still visible from a distance.

Not having time to take the tram car up the mountain, we drove to Portage Lake where we expected to just walk around and possible view a portion of a glacier there. As we arrived a tour boat was about to leave for its last tour of the day on the lake. We did not expect to go on it but for some reason we were invited to get on as a complementary trip. Palyati had worked with one of the guides as a tour guide on another tourist venture in the past and he liked what we were doing.

The boat ride lasted about an hour as we went out as far as we could until we hit ice. We literally and intentionally cracked some of the ice on the surface of the lake which was slowly warming up and thinning out. The captain of the ship said that he does this everyday to get closer to the glacier so we can get a better look. Samples of the ice were brought on board as we got a closer look at the incredibly ‘candlestick’ formations of the ice sections in a single block. The views were spectacular and the experience was uniquely refreshing especially because we did not plan it nor did we know what to expect.

On our long ride home to Anchorage we stopped to see some locals fishing with nets in the Cook Inlet which seemed more like a huge river. Some of the fishermen were quite friendly and explained what they were doing to Banshidhar, who had a great time shooting photos of this unique form of fishing.

Our trip to Alaska was now basically over but the memories will last a long time. We are ever so grateful to John and Palyati for taking care of us from start to finish. Palyati’s expertise at being a tour guide and her tremendous work at coordinating all of our events truly made this trip to manifest and share some of the harmony which we felt all over Alaska a successful one. They both have made it easy for us to be here and to plan to come back as soon as possible.

Also, special thanks to Chris Cheney, Manager of the Dimond Hotel and Michele Gruber, Director of Sales (not pictured) for so graciously providing accommodations for us during our stay here in Alaska.

Gratefully,

Arpan and the Team

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