monicainalaska

07:14 pm: Quick Update
Not much new here.

We hosted our first movie night of the school year last Friday. Heidi & I got the ice cream machine up and running. Since the stores rarely have ice cream, it is a real treat to have ice cream. It is very popular; some people only come for the ice cream.

Today might be the first actually blizzard of the year. The wind is blowing and the visibility is low. There isn’t much new snow, but the snow we do have is blowing around. The wind-chill makes the temperature well below 30 degrees.

School is going well. I can’t believe it’s Thanksgiving week. Only 2 1/2 days of school this week & 3 1/2 weeks until Christmas break. Yikes…. time just flies, doesn’t it?

07:45 pm: Waves, Waves, Waves
We had all kinds of weather today  – snow, ice, wind, rain and floodwaters.

In Tununak, it is pretty typical to wake up to the sound of howling winds.  But this morning instead of hearing the wind outside my window I heard the ocean forcefully crashing against the shore.   I don’t know how well the seawall was doing its job, but the water was well above the beach.  The icy salt water was rolling over the edge of the seawall and up to my doorstep.  Like a moat, the building was completely surrounded with water and it wasn’t even spring.  At 7:30am, I watched an enormous wave smash against the hardware store.  The water splashed over the top and spewed out in all directions.  It reminded me of “The Wave” ride at ValleyFair.  These types of waves are not usual, I have not seen waves quite like this before – the kids were quite intrigued by it as well.   There seemed to be water everywhere!!!  Many parts of the downtown village were underwater.  Luckily the natural drainage field of the village helped the standing water eventually flow into the river.  Fortunately only 2 boats were damaged in today’s squall.

    

11:33 pm: Halloween Week
Wednesday - Friday
It was one very busy week of planning & many extra hours afterschool; organizing prizes & booths, baking cakes, and melting caramel for covering apples.  The school Halloween carnival was Friday night, and there were tons of smiling face painted kids of all ages.  Halloween is the most favorable holiday of the students with candy, games, food & a spook house…. What more would a kid ask for?


Saturday
Kids started trick-or-treating here at noon & continued to do so all afternoon.   Derek & I dug out our kunkiiq (ice skates) and walk to the ponds just outside the village.  The river is not safe yet, as the salty ocean water & the changing tides bring the ice in and out unpredictably everyday.  Last weekend I saw a few kids ice skating on a frozen puddle in the middle of the village road, so the frozen pond is a huge step up. 

This evening we had a bake-off.  All the teachers baked something sweet to share, and we voted for the BEST dessert.  Brett’s apple pie won:-) 


Here are a few photos of this week’s shenanigans:
 

  
Meet the 'BIA Ghost' who lives outside my apartment door.

George created this flying ghost last weekend when Derek & I were gone. It has been fun inviting friends over and scaring others:-) Oh the joys of living in a small community...... 


  
The faster you open the door, the quicker it flies at you!!!    Me after being scared by the 'BIA Ghost'
                                                                                              "Dang it George! You got me again!!!"


  
Heidi & George                                 Me                                                    Staff Halloween photo
(Princess & Knight)                       (Witch)
 
Derek & Odin!!

10:41 pm: Seals, seals, seals
Today I not only judged the seal hop at the Chefornak NYO meet, but I also saw my very first wild seal.  George spotted one lonely seal lying out on the ocean ice.   All the seals I have seen before have either been in the zoo or brought into the village dead, after a successful seal hunt.

At the NYO meet, our team received the SPORTSMANSHIP Award & the Jr. high team brought home a 2nd place trophy.  It was a fun, successful trip:-)   

09:40 pm: WINDY

Wow!  The wind has been blowing hard for the past 24 hours and it’s not predicted to stop until tomorrow afternoon.  When a powerful force picks you up and pushes you along your path or pulls you back with a prevailing force, you know your in Tununak.   It’s currently blowing 60+ mph.  

At 6AM this morning, when I could hear the wind howling outside my window, all I wanted to do was stay under my covers for the day.  If only there was snow, came across my mind once or twice as I rolled over & hit snooze for the third time.



Here's a picture of our 8PM sunset.  It's a little blurry due to the flying sand!

08:32 pm: Tununak NYO Native Youth Olympics
This was the 1st NYO meet I pulled off without my good friend Janel, the expert of all:-)  Only Toksook Bay & Newtok sent teams this weekend.  It was a small meet, but a perfect size for me:-)   My team came out on top…. 1st Place in both the jr. high & high school division.  Toksook always has a strong HS team, so it is exciting to finally beat them. 


Here’s a picture of the trophies & medals I designed with our picturesque Tununak mountain/ocean.
   
                                                                                                                             Team Tununak!!!

10:07 pm: My Kindergarteners are soooo cute!
Those little kids LOVE me!  And they tell me everyday:-) 

Just last week, I started going into the Yupik Kindergarten classroom to teach English Language skills.  This is my 3rd year teaching Kindergarten, and I think I might just have it down.  I think the phrase “3rd year’s a charm” might actually apply this time.  But I do NOT want to jinx myself, so I will stop writing now. . . . . . 

More on my cute Kinders later. . . . .     

07:37 pm: Class fieldtrip interrupted with snow


The sun was shining, but in the distance one of my students pointed out the dark, rain cloud scudding across the bay toward us.  I said not to worry, for we wouldn't be out for too long. And sure enough, before we knew it, we were getting pelted with freezing rain.  It wasn't quite snow, but more like tiny balls of ice.  While getting bombarded by annoying, unpleasant Bering Sea precipitation, we decided to run for it (the school was about 300 yards away).   Even though we returned to school cold & wet, it was still a fun adventure on the tundra:-)    
       

06:58 pm: Family visits Tununak
Sept. 18 – Bethel x-country meet
Sept. 19 – 27 My Parents in TNK

I will be writing an entry on this topic soon. . .. .

09:41 pm: Class Schedule
This year I am teaching in the 5th and 6th grade classroom all day!  It’s nice to have a group of kids, to call my own this year.  In the past 3 years, I have always had to share my students with other teachers, but this is the first time to have a homeroom class. 

Here is a schedule of my daily school day:
Writing – School starts at 8:40AM
Reading
Math
Lunch
Social Studies
Science
Yupik/ELD (George teaches my students Yupik, and I go down to the Kindergarten room to teach English)
Health
DEAR – Drop Everything And Read
Art
Gym
Prep/Staff meetings until 4:30PM, but usually much later…. 

And starting September 14th, I will begin coaching NYO @7:00AM before school each morning.  (Native Youth Olympics)

10:35 pm: The Flu or is it Swine Flu?
If it isn’t flu season, and you find yourself puking your guts out…. is it the dreaded swine flu or something else?  Just my luck, it is Friday night, of a 3-day weekend and I am SICK.  I have NEVER taken a sick day from school, and once again, I am sick on the weekend.  In the past 4 school years, I have only become ill on the weekend.  I know I do not have the swine flu, but rumor has it - there is a case of it in Toksook Bay (a village 7 miles away).   Luckily, it only took 48 hours to recover.  So instead of joining the other teachers on their hike over the mountain to Toksook for the Blackberry Festival, I stayed in bed all weekend long.  I can’t remember the last time I slept more hours than I was awake.   

08:44 pm: 10 years of sadness

11:17 pm: A tragic beginning
It was a long, very sad 1st week of school this year.  On Sunday evening, one of our students passed away.  He would have started his 1st day of kindergarten on Tuesday.  The heartbreaking news shocked the village, effecting people of all ages.  On Thursday, everyone packed into the only church, for the young child’s funeral.  Some of the many tears turned into smiles & even a few laughs at the evening’s festivities.  A community potlatch, followed by a traditional Yupik dance & fiddle dance lasted well into the night. 

10:04 pm: District Wide In-service in Bethel
I didn’t get to stay in Tununak for too long.  Less than 24 hours later, I was on another plane back to Bethel.  It was great to spend one night back in my own bed and unpack/organize my new apartment.  I was also surprised with a brand new couch & bed.  They both arrived on the barge this summer. 

I flew into Bethel with all of the Tununak teachers, except for Derek (who I left behind the day before).  It was nice to finally meet the new teachers, with a lot of teachers leaving – the long awaited anticipation has now ended.  We have Ben & Sara (who are a young married couple from the east coast), Eric from Burnsville, Minnesota (a 1st yr teacher who will be teaching HS math), Marie a long time LKSD teacher, transferring from Chefornak (originally from Arizona), and Anna Marie (& her husband Gary) from New Mexico. 

With a returning staff that includes:
Anna – a 20+ year teacher, who grew up in Tununak
Brett & Kristin – Principal & teacher (3rd yr in TNK)
Heidi - (2nd year in TNK and 2 yrs in Newtok) along with her husband George (cute newlyweds)
Derek – 2nd yr in TNK (originally from Monticello, MN), my SCSU friend & now roommate.

And wow!!! I can’t believe it is my 4th year here in Tununak.  Heidi & I both celebrated our tenure status @ 8:00am Tuesday morning! 

And so, our school year begins.  Summer is much too short.  It’s hard to believe it is already over.  I am now sitting through endless meetings, but enjoying all the good acquaintances and long lost friends from the district that I usually never get to see.  Heidi’s comment to me after walking through a busy lobby during a break, “Man Monica, you are one popular lady.  Everyone knows you!”

We had a surprise guest speaker the last day of our in-service, the new governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell.  He replaced Sarah Palin, only one month ago.  He seems to already be doing a nice job.  He had a nice message to share with all of us teachers. 

After 2 1/2 days of Bethel, I was beyond ready to return home to my village.   

04:32 pm: Home in Tununak
We left ANC on the noon flight.  I sat in Bethel for a couple hours before I flew out to the coast. 
I was homesick for the land of the Nelson Island mountains and the dancing waves of the Bering Sea. 
The place of Yupik people….  friends & some have even become family:-) 
It’s good to finally be home!         

08:46 pm: Last day in Minnesota
Today my baby sister, Heidi, turns 21 years old!!!  We had a nice family dinner last night, to bring in the new year:-)  She was very excited & I heard the phrase, “I can… because IT”S MY BIRTHDAY!”     8-8-88 ...Happy birthday lucky sis!!!

I finished up shopping & packing my suitcases and flew back to Alaska on the afternoon flight - landing in Anchorage around 7pm.  Derek & I met up with a friend in the Big City for dinner and spent the night at a local hotel. 

Oden, Derek’s new puppy, became a new resident of Alaska after his 1st long flight. 

11:08 pm: Summer 2009 --- Camp du Nord
I had a great summer working at YMCA Camp du Nord again!  This was my 3rd year on summer staff.  I enjoyed working in the Trading Post --- making lattes, designing merchandise and keeping the freezer stocked with ice cream & Dorothy Molter’s Root Beer. 

This year, I raised money for 2 boys from my village to travel to Minnesota.  Frank & Paul enjoyed spending the month of July @ camp.  They were LDP’s for 2 weeks and then stayed for a 3rd week as campers with my family.  (A LDP is a 15-18 yr old who participates in the Leadership Development Program at Camp du Nord). 

Oh, and I almost forgot – I had Lasik Eye Surgery May 29th.  I can now see better than 20/20.  It was challenging to keep my eyes free of dirt & bugs @ camp, but I managed – even if I wore my sun glasses at night:-) 


Here are a few highlight of my summer in photos: 

    
Family Staff - Me, Cousin Kiley, Cousin Cullen & Uncle Andy.    Paul & Frank on LDP.

     
Pie-iron Pizzas over the fire                                                        Cullen, Kiley, Heidi, Monica & Alex
                                                                                                    Cousins @ camp:-)

 
Swimming in the Dry Falls & Bass Lake.  Uncle Tim, Nathan, Torin & Travis.... Debby & I

 
Canoeing & Sailing --- Mom & I on Lake Burntside.  Ian, David & I after our 'adventure' on the Catamaran sailboat. We tipped it over in the middle of the lake.  I couldn't swim to the boat fast enough after pushing the end of the mask up.  Let's just say I was left behind.... but knew I would be rescued by the sailboat master Ian Barret:-)

 
Beach Day - Tubing & water-skiing with Barry's awesome speed boat:-)     Mock Wedding - Zack Dyer & Courtney Danis tied the knot in front of many friends & 'fake' relatives.  It was HILARIOUS!!!!

   
Trip to Blueberry Island with the boys - Toby & Emmit!        Me, Heidi & Kye on the rock (aka Blueberry Island)!

 
One of my latte creations!  Can you see the moose?         Erin's 21st Birthday party @ the Ely Steakhouse!!! 
                                                                                                             What a fun night:-) 

 
Group Photos -  Family Picture 2009                                         Summer Staff 2009

08:23 pm: Reflection of the past 3 year . . . .
Wow!  I can’t believe how fast time flies!  I remember how nervous I felt, when I was first offered the teaching job in Alaska.  I went through a confusing tizzy, unsure of what to think of this….  Alaska just felt too far from home to even consider leaving my safe, familiar surroundings for this unknown, mysterious life in a small village on the Bering Sea.    In my mind I debated to myself the pros & cons, but in the end just thought I was not tough enough to really take that BIG leap into the unfamiliar, harsh environment, known as ‘Bush Alaska’.  

Thankfully, God puts people into your life for specific reasons . . . . I was lucky enough to have a friend, Waid Johnson, explained to me what an amazing opportunity this would be.  Waid shared many memories of his experiences traveling in Greenland with Paul Shearke, living with the natives and adapting to the culture. And he said, “To think – what’s one year out of your life?  If it’s not for you, come home in a year. You have so much to gain and nothing to lose, so why wouldn’t you take this opportunity of a lifetime.” 

I then went home and decided I should JUST DO IT!  And so I did and the rest is history . . . . .


The Kids From Nowhere by George Guthridge 

This is an excellent story of a family’s struggles and triumphs of teaching in a remote Siberian Yupik village in Gambell.  This village can be found on the very edge of Alaska, located on St. Lawrence Island – very, very close to Russia. 

The title “The Kids From Nowhere” is a name the students used to describe themselves.

Many of George’s scenarios resemble the same experiences I have been challenged with as well as enjoyed becoming a part of. 
 
While reading, I came across the following quotes, which really struck close to home for me –

1)
“The breeze blows my hair and chills my cheeks.  I feel alive, here at the edge of the world, and realize a terrible truth.  My heart belongs here, where I can never remain forever, for my people are of another place, my ancestors and relatives scattered and ultimately unknowable.” 


2)
“You a good man, but you troubled,” he says.  “You know what your trouble is?”  You half Eskimo, George.  Somebody forgot to tell you that,” stated a Native man from Gambell.

My trouble is that I’m a man without a culture,” responds George. 


3)
“Going home for the summer?” asked the pilot.
“No, leaving home for the summer.”  answered George. 

07:01 pm: Home At Last… well, sort of…. for I have two homes – Minnesota & Tununak
Sunday -
Derek & I boarded the jet in Anchorage after midnight and arrived in Minneapolis at 12:30 in the afternoon (with ONLY a short layover in Seattle - unlike our last experience there in December).  It was nice to be home, but I was exhausted!  I really dislike taking the red eye flight, but it is sometimes unavoidable when you have 3,000 miles separating your two homes!!!    

10:25 pm: Layover in Anchorage
Saturday -
Derek & I flew to ANC on the afternoon flight, arriving around 3:30pm.  My cousins, Shannon & Maggie picked me up for a quick day trip adventure with the family.  We went to the Anchorage Zoo and out to eat for dinner.

Afterwards, I met back up with Derek, Paul & Janel for a quick late night movie.  Being the big movie buffs, that the guys are….. we scheduled our flight around having time for a movie.  We watched X-Men Origins – Wolverine.  It was a great movie.  Last weekend, out in the village we had a X-Men marathon, to catch Janel up on the series before today’s planned outing.  It was nice to see Paul & Janel again before leaving Alaska.  I don’t know when the next time will be….. hopefully sometime this summer, since we only live one state apart (in the lower 48).    
      
 
Conner & Cassidy enjoying all the railings at the Zoo!  (Shannon's kids)
 
Conner loved the tiger!                                      Quinn being a helpful older cousin:-)
  
Maggie with her 2 boys - Kyler & Quinn.

*** We had a zoo of our own before even getting to the Alaska Zoo!  Wow!  I couldn't believe how much they have all grown since last May.  Kyler & Conner are no longer tiny babies, but actually look like real people.  Walking, laughing & somewhat talking (or at least making animal noises)!!!  Quinn has now graduated from Kindergarten & Cassidy(3) is still one smart little young lady - using thought-out, complete sentences.