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SAM'S BLOG
creating a slow life in rural alaska


Thoughts on the Working World as a 28-year Old
The last few months I've done a lot of thinking. A LOT of thinking. The beauty of being 28 years old and my only "responsibilities" being...
sampollee
Jan 17, 20226 min read
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GOODBYE Student Loans
Starting amount: $122,000 Current amount: $0 A few evenings ago, I was doing a mobile deposit for a check, and when I logged onto my bank...
sampollee
Apr 26, 20214 min read
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Student Loans and the FIRE Movement
I am 27 years old. In November of 2018 after my 6-month grace period for student loans, I owed $97,000 in federal loans ($122,000 total,...
sampollee
Feb 17, 20216 min read
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The Early Numbers
Thank you for landing on my blog post! My website was originally created for me to record my adventures in my early twenties, to hold...
sampollee
Dec 7, 20206 min read
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From Freeze Up to Thaw: 2019/2020
I sat down today and randomly thought about this blog. I tried to log on, and it turns out the domain has been expired for quite some...
sampollee
Apr 18, 20209 min read
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Summer in the Land of the Midnight Sun
My previous post left off in early May when I took two weeks off between my contract extension to drive around southern Alaska, and more...
sampollee
Sep 8, 20196 min read
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There's No Place Like Nome
I’m not sure how 4 months have already passed in Nome, but here we are already approaching summertime. I arrived here amidst winter, and...
sampollee
Jun 4, 20195 min read
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NM to AK: The Lower 48
It has been around a year since the initial seed was planted in my head to try and make it out to Alaska for work. Aside from work,...
sampollee
Feb 3, 20195 min read
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NM to AK: Canada + Alaska
It took all of 2 minutes to pass through customs at the Canadian border, and after that I was on my sweet, sweet way! Over the next 3...
sampollee
Feb 3, 20197 min read
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Living a NM Dream
I’ve been quite terrible about updating this page, but it’s because I’ve been having such a kickin’ time in New Mexico. Two days ago was...
sampollee
Jan 6, 20196 min read
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Starting Travel OT
After a 6 month-or-so hiatus, I’ve decided to start making blog posts again. A little over a month ago, I left Michigan for my first...
sampollee
Oct 10, 20185 min read
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MedellÃn- Part 2
Medellin- the city of eternal spring. Indeed, the weather was almost perfect with the occasional unpredictable rain that we could never...
sampollee
Jun 1, 20184 min read
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MedellÃn- Part 1
If you’ve spoken to me in the last two weeks or have read my blog posts before, you know how much I love Colombia. Once in Bogotá last...
sampollee
Jun 1, 20185 min read
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But for Ohio State
Well, as I write this I am back in the good ole Columbus, Ohio drinking quality coffee and hanging out with my sister, some of the things...
sampollee
Apr 9, 20183 min read
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Wrapping Up This Adventure
After the long travel back from the Amazon, it was back to a normal work week. We had reached the end of the Level 1 occupational therapy...
sampollee
Mar 28, 20187 min read
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For the Love of the Amazon (& Baños)
Since there isn’t much time left, we are trying to pack in as much adventure as possible in the ending weeks, both work wise and travel...
sampollee
Mar 13, 20189 min read
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Exploring More Around Ibarra
After arriving back mid-week from spending Carnaval in Mompiche, I was so happy to welcome back Ibarra’s climate into my arms- 70, sunny,...
sampollee
Feb 25, 20183 min read
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The World… It’s Not So Big
Last week, our time was spent preparing for our Carnaval trip to Mompiche. It is a coastal town about 8 hours away by bus. Work wise, I’m...
sampollee
Feb 15, 20185 min read
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Two Weeks of Sun
In the past two weeks, the sun has been out in full force in Ibarra; the beginning of January was rather cloudy with cooler than normal...
sampollee
Feb 4, 20185 min read
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Back to (Semi) Reality
I’ve been living in la la land the past month or so, essentially just being on vacation. So now that my family is gone and I have a...
sampollee
Jan 21, 20184 min read
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