<P> John Green discussed at a book talk in Rivermont Collegiate on October 19, 2006 that he got the idea of Takumi's "fox hat" from a Filipino friend who wore a similar hat while playing pranks at Indian Springs School . From the same book talk, Green also stated that the possessed swan in Culver Creek came from his student life at Indian Springs School as well, where there was also a swan of similar nature on the campus . The two pranks that occur in the book are similar to pranks that Green pulled at his high school . Green has also stated that several of Culver Creek's teachers are direct caricatures of multiple faculty members at Indian Springs . </P> <P> During the week of July 29, 2012, Looking for Alaska broke into the New York Times best seller list at number ten in Children's Paperback, 385 weeks (more than seven years) after it was released . As of May 3, 2016, it is number four on the New York Times best seller listing for Young Adult Paperback . It spent eighteen weeks at number four . Despite its literary success, Looking For Alaska has often been challenged in public school districts for content considered inappropriate . </P> <P> Miles Halter, obsessed with last words, leaves Florida to attend Culver Creek Preparatory High School in Alabama for his junior year, quoting François Rabelais's last words: "I go to seek a Great Perhaps". Miles' new roommate, Chip "The Colonel" Martin, nicknames Miles "Pudge" and introduces Pudge to his friends: hip - hop emcee Takumi Hikohito and Alaska Young, a beautiful but emotionally unstable girl . Learning of Pudge's obsession with famous last words, Alaska informs him of Simón Bolívar's: "Damn it . How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!" The two make a deal that if Pudge figures out what the labyrinth is, Alaska will find him a girlfriend . Alaska sets Pudge up with a Romanian classmate, Lara . Unfortunately, Pudge and Lara have a disastrous date, ending with a concussed Pudge throwing up on Lara . Alaska and Pudge grow closer and he begins to fall in love with her, although she insists on keeping their relationship platonic because she has a boyfriend that she insists she loves . </P> <P> On his first night at Culver Creek, Pudge is kidnapped and thrown into a lake by the "Weekday Warriors," rich schoolmates who blame the Colonel and his friends for the expulsion of their friend, Paul . There is much tension between Pudge's friends and the Weekday Warriors because of Paul's expulsion . Takumi claims that they are innocent because their friend Marya was also expelled during the incident . However, Alaska later admits that she told on Marya and Paul to the dean, Mr. Starnes, to save herself from being punished . </P>

Where did miles live in looking for alaska