Welcome to Alaska - Ha!

So as most of you know, I'm in Alaska. I am staying Anchorage for the time being and am actually hoping I can get out of the city ASAP!!!! I flew up here which I thought would be a great idea - it was a cheap flight and I thought hey I can take the bus around and all will be great. Well.... things didn't turn out how I would have liked to hope they would have- but that's life right? When do things ever turn out the way you want? For me not very often :) Anyway Gabi White (a friend of a friend) has been kind enough to take me in, and I am staying with her at her house. When I first got up here I was taking the bus everywhere - trying to figure out the city and looking for a job. The bus is great if you have nothing to do all day - you can spend your time sitting on the bus for hours at a time wondering if your ever going to find a transfer station to get on a different bus that will actually take you where you need to go. I have met all sorts of interesting people on the bus and at the different stops - really all sorts :) The first week I was up here I was riding the bus around and got really sick - like so sick I thought I was going to die! I abruptly pulled the cord so I could get off at the next stop. I ran off of the bus and tried to find a place to go that I could use the restroom. Luckily I was close to REI so I went in and used the bathroom (cause I thought that would help) well it didn't. I had the worst stomach pain I have ever had before and I thought that my appendix had burst! So of course like a little baby who do you call other than your mom? So I called my mom and told her what was going on and she of course told me to go to the hospital. I didn't want to go cause I don't have insurance, but I did cause I'm a good girl and listen to my mom :) Anyway to make a long story short I was admitted to the hospital and spent the remainder of the day in the ER. My appendix didn't burst but I did pass kidney stones - which I was told is worse than child birth! So I think that having kids will be no problem at all :) I was also told that I have another one of those damn stones in my kidney and I could pass it anytime - an hour or a year from now, great right. So after my lovely time in the ER I was leaving and trying to brace myself for the big bill that was coming, I walked up to the counter and handed the man my papers and he had the nerve to tell me that my bill was $3000! I was like no way! I can't pay that! I have no job, I have no money! I tried to convince him that the bill was only $3 but he didn't buy it. I was so sad! I gave the man my money and walked out of the hospital vowing to never go back - I don't care if I'm dieing I'm not going back there. Those dirty bastards! Anyway back to the bus situation, I was getting tried of trying to find a job while on the bus, its was taking me all day just to stop at a couple of places to pick up applications and then the whole next day to drop them off. I thought - this is crazy!!!! So I started to look on Craig's list for a vehicle, just something to drive. So I was perusing Craig's list and I came to a 1983 Volkswagen Vanagon (which is a camper van) for $700 I was so EXCITED!!!!! So the next day I went and looked at the bus and it seemed to run great, it wasn't that pretty but I didn't care - cause I wouldn't have to take the bus anymore!! Hurray! I told the man that I wanted it and that I could give him his money the following day and come and pick it up. I thought it was such a steal. Well..... it was good for the first day or two, then I went to go and get out of the city and see what Alaska was really like. I was heading down the road and about two miles after I hit the highway my roof of my van blows off!!!! How the Hell does that happen? So some guys pulled it off to the side of the road for me and I got off of the highway and turned around to see what the damage was. I got back to the wreckage aka roof and realized that I had no idea what do do with it. It was too big to put inside of my van and I couldn't put it back on so... I left it there. I went back the next day with one of the guys that I live with and he helped me strap it back to my roof. So now I have a huge hole on the top of my once cool van. Not quite sure what to do about it - any suggestions? Also I went to get it tuned up cause I thought hum I should have someone look at it and make sure it runs OK so I can drive it and be somewhat safe. So I took it in and payed the ridicules 200 dollars for the tune up and now it doesn't run quite right. Hum.....I'm starting to think that I have really bad luck! And that is no fun - no fun at all. Everyone is telling me to go back to Idaho and work - and I really have been thinking about it but I have a couple of interviews within the next couple of days and I will see what happens with that before I decide anything. I know that I make it sound like Alaska sucks but it hasn't been all bad. I have been on some really cool trails and I have been able to go climbing and yesterday I went with a couple of friends and we hiked Bird Ridge which is a lot of fun. Maybe I'll grow to like Alaska - who knows.