Life is GOOD!

Very busy first week, but things are going good. It is Saturday afternoon and I am hanging-out in my classroom. Actually it isn't as bad as you are thinking. First of I don't have Internet or TV in my house not a big deal plus it is my laundry time. Each certified staff person has an assigned laundry time either an afternoon/evening time or Saturday morning (mine) Saturday Afternoon, or Sunday. So I thought I would update you while I finished up my laundry and I also found the movie Fiddler On The Roof in our school library so I have that playing on the VCR/TV in my room. Anyways, I have some interesting thing to tell you about today.

First here is another picture of me out picking berries I figured out the timer on my camera and a couple of other shots I took a week or so ago. I am uploading a number of other photo's to my flickr account.



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Cultural Experience on Friday evening - One of the town elders wanted to have a community potluck so that the community could meet all of the teachers. So towards the beginning of the week we received an e-mail about this "potluck". Midwestern up bring so I assume certain things about a community potluck - it was a little different then I expected. First off the school cook made three large sheet cakes (2x3) and the school provided the plastic plates, silverware, coffee and juice, each staff person brought a dish or something to pass. I made lentils and rice with carrots, beef and dried tomatoes in my slow cooker, 1 cup rice 1 cup lentils. I assumed this would be plenty since at every potluck I have ever attended there was more food then you can imagine, and we thought we where to sort of be the guest. Wrong - First off not every family brought food and there where a number of kids whose parents didn't even come and thus they didn't bring anything.
John Phillip on of the elders spoke for 15-25 minutes, and I am not sure what he spoke about because he spoke in Yupik, (Paul Paul the Kindergarten teacher summarized what he had said to us teachers which in short was don't let the kids sleep in class). Then two or three other elders spoke mostly in Yupik. Then a short prayer and then they (and I mean they) finally ate. The elders lined up first then the adults and then the kids. I am told that it is better at this village then in some, in other villages only the very, very young (under three)line-up with their parents. Here at least if their parents where here they lined up with them. By the time the end of the line was getting to the table they were scrapping the bottom of the bowls literally. And the only reason that there was any food left was that there where teachers serving and they limited the amount of food people took. By the way the teachers really didn't eat we had cake (that is all was left). People would take trays of food and then get foil for them to take them home. At the end there was only cake left and people were taking whole plates with four or five pieces of that home. Very very different.

Today was a great day - we finally went on a major exploration walk. We did not make it to the coast but we think we have a better idea how to get there. The following are some pictures of Alicia, MaryJane and myself on our adventure. We were also joined part way through our walk by three village kids, Martha is a first grader, Jovan is in 6th grade, and Jimmy is in 8th grade. The boys shot three birds two smaller ones and a Goose, Justic MaryJanes four legged companion even showed off her retriving skills and swam in the water for one. As you will also see it very wet basically it is a bog that we were walking on. My new muck boots work great as long as I don't go in water deeper then they are tall - OOPs so I learned, but my feet still stayed dry, even if my knees were wet. I LOVE my muck boots - Thanks Bev.







Well, I guess maybe I should grade some papers the pile has gotten a little large this week.

Happy Birthday Sheila!!!!