I think that is a great title for a book about my experiences here. Well, not much to tell about this week, it wasn't very eventful.
I wanted a picture of the snow so clean and soft... of course, it would have been helpful if the sun was up
We had parent teacher conferences for the second time in my career. I had seventy percent of my parents show up, which means Woo Hoo! I had two great experiences with that this time:
1)One of the parents of my student is a really sweet lady. She is very kind hearted and everyone loves her. She spent an hour in my room telling me stories about her family and life, it was great! She also invited me to come to a sauna with her some time. She told me the Yup'ik word for it, but I don't remember how to say it. She also invited me to her house sometime to make authentic Yup'ik earrings and pins and things. I'm excited to take her up on the offer, but she is in Anchorage for the next few weeks.
A protective barrier during breakfast making on Saturday morning
2)Another parent I interacted with was such a great parent! He wanted to know everything about how his child was behaving as well as performing in my class and what he could do to help the student do the best that he could. I loved getting to talk to him because this is a student who really struggles with math and is smart, but just needs a little extra time on his work. The parent was understanding and so involved in his child's life. I loved seeing a parent that devoted to their child.
Our amazingly delicious beef stew
This weekend we had a grand ole time making beef stew pretty much from scratch. It was delicious! The other teachers and I ate dinner, watched a bit of television and just talked. It was so very nice and fun. I love my village. I love my life. Hope you enjoyed reading, and sorry it wasn't very interesting this week!
Christmas break is over, it's time to hit the ground running and get things done! That's what it felt like when we got back from break, anyway. All of the teachers came into the village on the 31st of December to enjoy the New Year beginning in our quaint little village. There were fireworks on the river, which were beautiful to watch, but by this time we were all so exhausted from all of our traveling that we went straight to bed afterwards!
School started up again on the third of the year which means we were able to see all of our students' bright shining faces again. Most of them had a great break. Unfortunately for them, the quarter wasn't over yet, so we picked up on work right away, trying to get as much done before the quarter was over.
It was also the warmest week in a long time. We got more snow, although it was more like rain than snow. However, it was very fun to play in. We took the snow machines out and slid behind it in tote boxes. It was a lot of fun, but it was a lot of work too. You had to hold on really tight, and it my back is still a little bit sore from it. We had a great time playing all evening.
Another fun thing that we did was lessons on how to drive snow machines. They are super easy to drive and a lot of fun as well. I didn't drive for very long, or go very fast, but I can tel why people like them so much. Another teacher was also learning to drive her brand new snow machine. Her machine is a two up, so it was a little different than the one I was driving, but ultimately the same idea. We both had a good time.
A few days later we went outside and built a snowman, a couch, and the bottom part of an igloo. It was so much fun! The part of the igloo that we did build is very solid and keeps the inside quite warm. The couch was for the babies, but I took advantage of the nice comfortable seat in the snow. We also buried one of the other teacher's in the snow. The babies sure had a lot of fun with that one! They threw the snow right in his face! They had a very good time playing in the snow. We taught one of them how to have a snowball fight. Oh, he sure loved that new game!
Hello all! This will be my last post of the year, seeing as how a week from today I will be heading to the lower 48 to visit my lovely family for the holiday season. There isn't a whole lot to blog about this week. I think everyone is getting very anxious for break time. We did, however get to go and have another tour of the new school. It was a lot of fun and they have done a lot of progress since Labor Day, which is the last time we went to check it out. There were a few new things that we noticed now that they are actually getting walls up.
Time Out Rooms: There will be two very small rooms with windows into the principal and assistant principal's offices that will be very helpful. A lot of the time kids may need to just get away and out of the room for a while and these are perfect little rooms for that.
Library and Computer Room: From the looks of things, the library will be nice and big! It will give us a lot of room to move around and fit classes into.
A view from the top looking down at the gym
Teacher Break Room: Since our current facility is so close to teacher housing, having a break room wasn't necessary. But now the school is a lot farther away, which means we can't just walk home for lunch. Because of this, we will have a break room. I think this will be very interesting and I'm excited to get to use it.
Gym: Above the gym will be a little open area where people can stand and watch games and things. After seeing the NYO events here last week, this seems like a really smart idea because more people will be able to watch our events.
One thing that happened this week was that the heat went out in our classroom. Fortunately, it was found before everything frozen and it was just for my classroom since it's out in a portable building. My kids and I had class in the library in the morning and then worked with the other classes during the afternoon. By 3:30 the room was all heated up again and the next morning the smell was gone too, so it only lasted one day like that, thankfully. Our maintenance guys did an awesome job of getting out there quickly and fixing the problem for us. I appreciated it a lot.
Well, that's it for this semester. Next time I write it will be a New Year. Hopefully next year will be just as amazing as this year has been. Have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Here is the library and computer rooms
P.S. If anyone would like to see more pictures of the new school, feel free to check out some of the other teachers' blogs: http://sammyjotakesalaska.blogspot.com
Every two years I watch the Olympics on television. It's amazing to watch so many talented people do what they are so great at. In the Winter Games, you have people who have mastered the ski slopes, or can spin a million times in a minute while balancing on a small blade and manage not to fall on the ice and break their faces. In the Summer Games you have athletes who are masters of the pool, or do tons of hops, skips, and flips, landing perfectly in a small amount of space. So much talent in one place is inspiring. Well, if you enjoy watching the Olympics, then I strongly encourage you to look into the Native Youth Olympics (NYO). In my village, we have gathered all of our school district's downriver NYO competitors for a three day competition not only of the body, but also the mind. Six schools, fourth through eighth grades, all competing for the glory. Students competed against each other on an intellectual level, testing what they had learned about each of the school's core subjects as well as their knowledge of their own culture. They also competed on a physical level doing events that have been in their culture for centuries. It was said that these events were done during fierce winter storms to help the hunters keep in shape and keeping their abilities that would be used during hunts sharp. These events were mind blowing to watch, some of them I even think could give our World Olympics a run for their money.
Stick Pull
Since most of my readers are interested in the culture of the people out here, the focus of this blog is to tell you of the awesome and unique events these children have competed in the past few days. For the safety of the children in photos, names and villages will be left out. There will be eight athletic events that I will try to explain to you in this blog. I must warn you that these are dangerous and I suggest that you do not try them on your own without some sort of guidance.
Seal Hop: Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures of this event because I was judging at another thing during the same time. My students, however, have described for me how it works. Each competitor starts out at the top of a push up. Then, thrusting themselves forward with their feet, they begin hopping down the court, racing against the other students and trying to be the first one across the finish line. This exercises arm strength and balance.
One Arm Reach
Stick Pull: In this event, two students sit across from each other with the bottom of their feet touching each other. Then a stick is held in the middle. A coin toss determines which competitor gets to have their hands in the middle of the stick and which competitor has their hands on the outside of the stick. They are given a countdown and each competitor begins to try to pull the stick away from the person on the other end. The compete three times, whoever wins two rounds is the winner of the match. To make sure it is fair, the competitors switch hand placement each round.
Kneel Jump: Competitors sit on their knees with the tops of their feet flat on the ground. From here, the competitor uses as much strength as they can to heave their body up and land on their feet. Once here, the judges measure how far from the beginning position to the landing position. Whoever jumps the farthest, wins. I wasn't able to get a picture of this event either.
One Arm Reach: This one is one of my favorites and very impressive. There is a ball hanging from a mechanism in front of each competitor. The better they do, the higher it goes. Putting all their body weight on one hand, with the elbow of that hand in their stomach, the competitor attempts to touch a ball in the air with their free hand. This takes a lot of strength and balance and is very dangerous looking. The competitor who can touch the ball higher than the others, is the winner.
Scissor Broad Jump: In this jump, a competitor starts with their weaker foot and steps forward. Then, like scissors, the competitor swings their other foot behind that leg. The competitor then steps forward with the same foot they began with. They kick their other foot in front and then begin their final jump as far as they can forward. Here, their jump is measured and the person who jumps the farthest after three attempts... well, you get the idea. This is very similar to the long jump we all know so well. I have included a video of this jump, seeing as how you need to see it to understand a little better.
Two Foot High Kick
Two Foot High Kick: A ball is hung from a string in this event much like in the One Arm Reach. Then, the competitor attempts to jump up and kick the ball with both feet. I missed most of this competition, but I think this picture captures the essence of the event. The competitor who can kick the ball with both feet at the highest point is the winner.
One Foot High Kick
Alaskan High Kick: I very much wish I could have watched this event. Each competitor, again, has a ball hanging from a mechanism in front of them. The competitor then grabs their less dominant ankle in their hand. Putting all their weight on the hand that aligned with their less dominant foot holds all the body weight as they kick up with their dominant foot and kick the ball. The leg that is being held up cannot touch the ground until the judge says so. The competitor who kicks the ball at the highest point, wins. This is hard to describe. For example. If I am kicking with my right foot, I would hold my left ankle in my right hand. This cannot be let go until the judge says I have succeeded. Then, I will put all of my bodyweight on my left hand and attempt to kick the ball with my right hand. Hopefully that makes sense, because I didn't get any pictures of this event either.
One Foot High Kick: This event was very similar to the Two Foot High Kick. The same ball is hanging again as before. This time, however, the competitor only kicks with one foot. Their other foot has to be suspended in air. The competitor may take a running start if they need to. They must kick with one foot and land on that same foot. I have not only a picture of students doing this, but I also have a video of the highest kick from the competition. This young man was able to kick the ball at 92 inches, which is just four short inches away from nine feet tall! Like before, the competitor who kicks the highest ball, wins.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of these events. It was amazing to get to see so many students enjoying themselves, getting to know other people their age from different villages, and being in touch with their heritage. If it were up to me, I think we would do this a lot more often. I loved the atmosphere and the entertainment value of it all. I hope you all enjoy looking at pictures and videos and really do get an idea of how impressive this culture is. Their activities and athleticism is outstanding. These kids really are talented.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Sorry I'm a little bit late on posting this week, but it was a crazy week! Three days of school, a nice holiday with friends, my brother visiting, and another old friend in town. I had an excellent week!
My brother and I at Thanksgiving lunch
It all started on Monday when my little brother flew into town. He got into Anchorage on Sunday evening and called me to tell me he had landed and he had seen a moose already! I've lived here for three months now and haven't seen any moose, but he was here for an hour and saw his first one. I was a bit jealous at that point.
When my brother got into the village, his first order of business was to challenge one of my very talented students to a basketball game. He barely beat him and if I hadn't known any better, I would have thought he was going to die! The air is a bit thinner and different up here, which he wasn't used to, so when he was playing ball he wasn't getting as much oxygen as his body wanted. We did many fun things such as eat at the cafe, go down to the docks, have a movie night and game night, go to an Eskimo dance, and, of course, eat Thanksgiving lunch with the other teachers-my Bush family.
Sunset at the dock
Our Thanksgiving lunch was a lot of fun. Most of the teachers who had stayed in town came over to the school, where we all brought a potluck dish. We had turkey and stuffing and green bean casserole and cornbread pudding and pumpkin pie and many other dishes that all tasted delicious. After eating, we all enjoyed playing basketball with the babies or watching those who were playing. We hung out for a while before everyone began heading home for their Thanksgiving naps. It was a very successful day, I would say, for it being my first Thanksgiving away from home. I'm very thankful for my brother being up here with me so I had a little part of home.
Hanging out at the Eskimo Dance on Thanksgiving night
Another wonderful thing that happened was a friend from another village coming into town to spend time with us. We had a great time playing Settlers of Catan, watching football, and just hanging out eating so much food we couldn't stand up! She was another teacher, so we were able to discuss differences in the villages we lived in. I liked that because this place is still new to me and to hear about things in other villages is very interesting because even though we all live close together, we are all very different.
Rub a dub dub, three women in a tub-- with our friend from another village
My Alaska family is wonderful. We have many fascinating stories together, fun memories together, and I believe, no matter what, we will always be family. Years from now, when some of us have left and others have replaced them, they will always have a special place in our hearts. We are a family, and just like any other family, moving away doesn't mean you aren't one of us anymore, you just live in a new place now. If you need something, we will be there for each other. Always. I am thankful for my family back home. I am thankful for my class of wonderful students. I am thankful for my Alaska family. Forever and always, my first Thanksgiving out here will be one I remember.
We finally got some snow here! It came down all day and by the time it stopped, we had some snow drifts that were close to four feet tall! Of course, other places hardly had any snow on the ground, it's kind of funny like that. The wind blowing and the snow piling made it quite a funny picture out there. I guess I thought that when it finally snowed it would be an even mound all along everything, but I was very much wrong.
Yukon Cafe sign buried in snow
There was enough snow that finally everyone could get their snow machines out again. It seems like all I ever here now is people riding by on their skidoos. I like the sound of them. Some of the other teachers got their machines out and decided that a trip to the cafe was just what we needed. As our food cook, we drove the skidoos out to the airport to see more of the snow drifts, but then on our way we began to notice how the road out there hadn't been covered by snow at all. We decided the best thing would be to get off the road so that the machine wouldn't get hurt. That was our mistake. We ended up getting the snow machine stuck in the snow because of how deep it was on the sides. The hills of the road were too steep as well to get it out. It took a lot of work, but the three teachers who had experience with this kind of thing dug the machine out. One of the other new teachers out here and I weren't exactly sure how to help, so we stood by and watched. Unfortunately, our journey was not over. After we had an amazing meal at the cafe, we went out to find that one of the two skidoos we had wouldn't start. We weren't exactly sure what was wrong with it, but since there were five of us, we needed to come up with a plan. Since one teacher had ridden in a sled on the back of the working skidoo to the restaurant without any problems, we decided to have three of us try and hop on the sled, while two people rode the actual snow machine. It was actually really fun. The sun had completely set, so all the stars were shining magnificently and even though it was cold we thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the night sky.
skidoos!
One other fun event that happened this week was a birthday party for one of my students. She turned fourteen and had a big celebration at her house. It was a really good time. One of my coworkers and I sat for quite a while talking to the student's mother about a lot of things going on in the village. There house was so welcoming and beautiful and inviting. It felt like being at family's house. When we departed to go back home, we had to give our machine a little time to warm up, which gave us time to have a small snowball fight with a bunch of the children from the village. It was so much fun, it was all of them against us! We were outnumbered and inexperienced, but it was definitely a fun night!
Icy afternoon
Of all the experiences I've had, places I've been, things I've seen, I don't think anything compares to this place when the snow finally comes. People's eyes light up more. Unlike other places in the world, there are more things to do when the snow comes than when there is no snow. They all are so much more used to the snow that it's like they feel complete. I love this village and its snow.
I tried to capture the sparkling sun on this, but didn't quite get it
I've said before that I love this village, but now there is snow on the ground. Snow on the ground! It's not going anywhere for at least 6 months, and it makes me so happy! You know what snow means: hot cocoa, warm layers, snowball fights and snow angels. What a wonderful time of the year in the Great White North. Everything is so pure and clean and white. Even the air smells and feels fresh and clean and cold. The snow being here changes so very much.
It changes the kids. Now they can do more and play more, which is kind of funny, because anywhere else I've been the colder it gets outside the less time you spend outdoors. However, here the colder it gets means there are more opportunities to do different things.
It changes travel through the villages. I had a few students who were supposed to go to a wrestling tournament in another village, but because of the snow falling they were unable to do so. This is the time of year you can literally begin to feel trapped like you can't escape, because the weather will trap you here.
It changes our mailing system. Two days without getting any mail, not because nothing was being sent, but because the planes couldn't bring in the plane due to the weather. Now is when you really have to worry about how long things are going to take to arrive at our site.
It changes my mood. I've always loved snow, despite the popular opinion amongst my family that snow = awfulness. However I love cold, crisp air. It gets under my skin and makes me want to dance. I can't help it. When the weather is cold, I just smile. I love the cold weather. I always have.
Beauty that is ice
The last thing the weather changes is the functions within our houses. Now that the weather is cold, it is more likely that we will lose water or have power outages. Fortunately we have ways of keeping the school up and running, but I have heard of several instances throughout the villages of school being cancelled due to no water or electricity. hopefully, we won't have many problems like that.
I love the snow, the cold, and the people and feel of this village. I can't help but feel at home here, like I've been trying to make it here for years and have finally succeeded. I'm thankful for this wonderful place I can call home, and although I don't think I will stay here forever, I know that this is the place I want to be right now.
