Athens Aspirations

Valley Life editor

Karl Schleich came to Alaska in 1985, wanting to spend just one year up here. Now, 19 years later, he and his family are finally leaving.

During those 19 years, he and his wife, Ley, have made a big impression on the community, from Karl Schleich's work as a principal at both Snowshoe and Larson schools to the family's involvement in projects such as the Wonderland construction and Friends of the Wasilla Public Library.

Now, a new community will benefit from their involvement, half a globe away -- Athens, Greece.

The Schleichs are moving to Greece in a few weeks, where Karl will be the principal of the American Community Schools of Athens. It's a big move, but one the family is ready for, they said.

"We're raising our children to be global citizens. That's one of our spiritual goals," Ley Schleich said. "You can make a home anywhere in the world. You have to appreciate diversity and culture."

Karl Schleich said he's excited for the opportunities the family will have to see things they otherwise wouldn't see, including the Athens Olympics later this summer. One of the reasons the family chose Greece, in addition to the school's status in the community, was because of its central location.

"It's close to Rome, Frankfurt, even Jerusalem," Karl Schleich said. "As far as I can tell, going to Germany from Greece is like us traveling to Wisconsin for vacation. There's a lot of unity."

Karl Schleich said the situation the family is moving into is perfect. He will be a principal at a private school for the first time, and there is a commitment to the educational system.

"I like to think the education system we're going to is what it was like here in 1985 when I first started," Karl Schleich said. "They have 17 kids in their classes, they have three foreign languages to choose from, there's lots of course offerings and there is an emphasis on extra-curricular activities."

The school itself has been improved recently. They have built a new gymnasium, a pool and a new theater, Karl Schleich said.

"They are really investing in the infrastructure, and some of that may be part of the Olympics," Karl Schleich said. "Their goal is to be the best school in Europe. They're committed to that."

While considering moving abroad and teaching, other locations were appealing. Before choosing Athens, the Schleichs seriously considered schools in Bangkok, Singapore, Budapest, Prague and Amman, Jordan. One reason the family didn't choose Jordan was because of their faith.

"We are Baha'is, and we couldn't be open with our faith there," Ley Schleich said of Jordan, where Islam is the state religion. "Karl and I didn't have a problem with that but we didn't want to put our kids in that position."

While they are excited about the future, the Schleichs said leaving the many friends they've made through the years is hard.

"The hardest thing to leave is the personal relationships we've made," Ley Schleich said.

Another hard part of the move is the packing. The family made a commitment to only take what they could fit in their baggage on the airplane -- meaning 19 years worth of Alaska living had to be condensed into a few suitcases and packages.

"We've maxed out what we can take already. Our stereo and all of our CDs is now in the shape of an iPod," Karl Schleich said. "We still have four cartons to sort through, too."

One carton hasn't been packed yet, however. This week, Karl Schleich headed to Chitina for one last Alaska memory. The family was planning on canning the red salmon and filling one of their bags with a taste of home.

Karl Schleich's contract at the school is for two years, and he's quick to point out that he's been granted a two-year leave of absence from the Mat-Su School District -- he hasn't quit. That leaves the door wide open for a return to Alaska.

"I'm two years away from my retirement here, so that is a huge consideration in coming back," Karl Schleich said. "Of course, I said I was coming to Alaska for one year and it lasted 19 years. You can't predict the future."

The Schleichs are leaving Alaska this week to visit friends and family in the Lower 48. They'll return to Anchorage for a few days and ultimately arrive in Greece on July 28.

The Schleichs have created a Web site where friends can keep track of what they are up to in Greece.

The address is http://homepage.mac.com/sundogsingreece.

They said they will be updating the Web site periodically once they get to Greece.