Saturday, October 4, 2008

Why is Marijuana legal in Canada, and not the US?

My start in Alaska was a bit rocky, and I hid in my room for the first week. Going to the Presbyterian church because the LDS evening sessions hadn't started yet. (If i were not LDS I would more than likely be a full out Christian) Every one up there works on Sundays, because that is the way that it works, so the community puts on an evening service. That way all the seasonal workers can go take the sacrament. This is when I started getting to know the Alaskan people! Everyone was welcoming, and friendly. No matter where I went people were willing to start a conversation, and get to know you. It's kind of like they were so used to giving customer services, that it came naturally for everyone to know everyone! Just like home... i just had to make it mine! After that realization I got out a bit more, and started washing buses for overtime pay! I wasn't too happy to know I'd only get Sundays as Adventure Crew (They run the bike tours. The job I applied for back in Utah). I was doing luggage crew, and driving a huge truck between Skagway AK, and Whitehorse (The capital of the Yukon). I had the opurtunity to go in and out of Canada twice a week! 
One day we woke up at 6:00 am, and met Ryan (My adviser/ co-worker) at the front of the hotel. He had already pulled the Big truck around, it was waiting out front of the hotel. Some of the guests had already started to stir, and mozie about the lobby. This meant that we would have dazed old tourists staring us down, as we 'gentaly' hauled their luggage down that halls, stairs, outside, and into the truck. After about a week I learned to ignore their unhappy sighs, glares, and high class sniffles. Tourists could always find a reason to complain (yuck!). It was a great feeling to us, the whole crew when Ryan and I took the truck out of sight and up the canyon, all the way to Whitehorse. Normally we would stop somewhere to eat, Ryan would make a phone call, and we would later unload the tourist's luggage at their next hotel. Where it would be sorted, and hauled to their rooms by the Whitehorse Luggage crew. It was my turn to drive back to Skagway (how exciting)! We got to customs and saw that there was a man we hadn't seen yet during the summer. I rolled down my window, and told him that we worked for DAT (Discover Alaska Tours), handed the mustached man our passports and waited for the analysis. He asked if he could search the truck when he got back with our passports. As soon as he left Ryan said that customs couldn't search the truck because the few bags we were bringing back were stuffed full of pot! 
That's right, I was driving a truck full of Marijuana across the boarder! Not only that, but my supervisor was the one that was doing it, I could take the fall though! What to do! When he came back, and handed back our passports, I noticed him glancing behind our truck at the line of buses, cars, and trucks. I looked at our watch and said, "Normally they just see that the back is empty, and we just drive through... after all I'll see you twice a week the rest of the summer.
Just then The lady that was normally there walked out and said, "Have a nice day Tee!" Waving us on. I looked at the man as he nodded in appliance to her suggestion. We got through without being checked. Normally they didn't take the time, but I don't think that I've ever sweat so much going across customs! After that I refused to drive on the way back to Skagway. 
Just another day in Alaska, right?

1 comment:

Alwynswims said...

Oh geeez! I would have been freaking out so much...I would have flipped. Scarry...but u really have the adventures dont you Leticia?!