Ray Verg-in had just retired from teaching in Sand Point, Alaska when he discovered an advertisement for two teaching positions in Majuro on the Marshall Islands chain. Majuro is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands and is located just north of the equator. It is an atoll—a ring-shaped reef—25 miles long with a total land area of four square miles. Within a week of applying, a contract and transportation voucher was sent from the CO-OP School and Ray and his wife Yen-ti had decided to trade the frozen north for the melting south.

After packing some essentials, the Verg-ins left for the equator to start their new adventure. Little did they know they would spend the next 20 years in the Micronesia region.

During their time in Majuro, they learned to scuba dive and explored most of the corners of the island. They beachcombed, snorkeled vibrant coral reefs, experienced severe drought, and a devastating typhoon. After a year full of new experiences, they moved on to their next station in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia, teaching math at the College of Micronesia.

Pohnpei is a beautiful island amid tropical rainforests, mangroves, high mountains, and waterfalls. During the weekdays Ray and Yen-ti worked hard and taught, but on the weekends, they fished, camped, and played. During breaks from school, the Verg-ins managed to travel, packing in an African safari during their Christmas break one year. However, every year as school concluded, Ray and Yen-ti returned to Alaska to commercial fish east of the Aleutian chain.

Two decades of snowbird lifestyle worked well for the retirees, but after 20 years of roaming, the wanderlust faded, and they soon decided it was time to return home to Alaska.

“Here we are in the lovely town of Kenai, which we’ll call home—maybe—for the NEXT 20 years.”

If you would like to learn more about how your State of Alaska retirement can allow you to enjoy a comfortable retirement, please contact the Division toll-free at (800) 821-2251 or at (907) 465-4460 in Juneau.

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