The state flower is the "forget me not." The state sport is dog mushing and their nickname is "the last frontier." In January there is six and one-half hours of sunlight and in July there are six and half hours of darkness. And, my kid is going to live there. Did I mention he sometimes has trouble sleeping?

Don't get me wrong. This is a great school and a great place to visit. After all their only varsity sport is cross-country skiing.

There are no taxes in Alaska. In fact, residents get money back from the state every year. The entire state is run on oil revenues

My kid is an environmentalist (aka: tree hugger) and we are proud of that. But, we suspect being a tree hugger in Indiana is a lot different from being an environmentalist in Alaska. I think it will be quite an eye-opening experience for our little Hoosier.

At least he is going to the most populated city, Anchorage and his school is smack in the middle of a city surrounded by six mountain ranges and warmed by a maritime climate. Which translates to a climate similiar to the upper pennisula of Michaigan in January.

I called the office at the school to ask a question (thank goodnes for Voice over IP and unlimited long distance). While I was talking to the person there she stopped for a moment to watch a moose stroll across the campus outside her window.

This is apparently a regular event and viewed with amusement. I understand from time to time, a bear or two joins the moose. My kid will have to walk across this campus every day.

Statistics show that over 80 percent of the city's population carry a gun--a big ole' huntin' gun, not one of those little snub nose jobs. My kid hasn't ever handled any gun other than a paintball one. I wonder if they have an ordinance like the town of Fillmore? Does anyone know when moose season is?

We've been told he shouldn't bring clothes made of cotton because when they get wet, they don't retain heat. This means my Bob Marley Tee-shirt wearing, flip-flop sandled kid has to have a new wardrobe of heavy boots, wools and flannels. I can just see him comoing home at Christmas looking like Grizzly Adams.

To prepare for this life altering change, he has been watching old episodes of Northern Exposure--you know the show about a doctor living in a tiny Alaskan village who has a thing for the female pilot whose fiancee was killed by a satelite that fell out of the Alaskan sky. The radio DJ on that show apparently left Alaska for New York City where he appeared in Sex in the City as Carrie's boyfirend Aden.Clearly, Alaska may not be for everyone.

For orientation, my kid is going on an ocean kayaking wilderness journey to view the orcas. He has never been in a kayak even on a lake. He has seen whales. But, he was standing outside their tank at Sea World then.

He is very excited to be going and we are excited for him. I think perhaps, it will make him appreciate home a little more. If it doesn't, well, Alaska is a great place to visit, especially if you don't like too much sunlight.

When we visit, we can head to the "last frontier" on a dog sled and pick a few Forget Me Nots out on the tundra, check out a bear or moose, carry a gun of our own and play golf at 2 a.m.

Like the prospectors of years ago, our son is going to explore Alaska(whose state mineral is gold) but he will be mining for something far more valuable--an education. And, we are very proud of him.