Your second year

I've been sitting here and I am trying to find other things to do besides my homework, so here is a quick little post.

Five things that are easier for you your second year---

1. You no longer get upset with the weather or if the mail doesn't come in. The other day I was stuck in Bethel for a few hours and I just embraced it, after all there is nothing I can do about it.

2.You don't care how much food costs anymore. If cookies cost 8.00 a bag and I want them, I just get them.

3. Rain doesn't bother you. The weather here is not predictable so an important thing is to just go with the flow

4. Online shopping--I now know what ships where and I can online shop just as much as ever. At this point I could probably buy stock at Amazon because I buy about 2 things a week

5. You understand traditions and the culutre. I now feel more comfortable walking around the village getting to know people and getting out there.

Anchorage Trip

Since this past weekend was a long one, Peter and I decided to head into Anchorage. Now getting somewhere like Anchorage is quite the process. Typically I have to take a small plane into Bethel and then take a ride into Anchorage. This time though, I decided to take a boat ride to Bethel. So I took my suitcase put it in the boat and we were off.

The boat ride to Bethel is about 30 minutes down the Kusko. It is quite a beautiful ride. I am truly looking forward to winter when it is colder and I can snow machine into Bethel for groceries, dinner, or a quick visit.

Friday night I hung out in Bethel and Saturday morning were were up and ready for Anchorage. The flight to Anchorage is only about an hour away. Saturday was spent catching up on some shopping needs. It is funny to look around and see all the village people. They are the people carrying totes of food around. Anchorage prcies are so much cheaper then here so we had to stock up on some food. It is not uncommon to buy as much food as you can to bring back to the village. We are allowed three totes at fifty pounds each, so that is ALOT of food.

Sunday morning we took a trip down to Alyeska which is a ski resort. They have a tram there, so we decided to take a ride. It was beautiful. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

It was beautiful to walk around the see all the mountains. After Alyeska, we headed to the STATE FAIR. I've never eaten so much food at a time: we had corn on the cob, cream puffs, corn dogs, cotton candy, blooming onion and so much more. At the state fair, we saw ONE REPUBLIC...it was awesome.

Getting away is nice--it keeps you motivated and refreshed.

That's it for now! Headed to Bethel today for some training.

AND I'M BACK

Well friends I am back in action! After much contemplation on starting up a blog again I decided that I will infact start again. I'm not sure how many posts I will get as I start three grad classes next week, but I am going to try. For those of you that are not aware I am in a different village this year. It is called Napakiak and we are the Napakiak huskies. This year I am teaching third and fourth grade and have my own classroom. I will add pictures as soon as possible!! Getting my classroom ready was like nothing I have ever experienced. I got to add my own touches to my classroom and make it unique to me, my students, and my teaching style. I am adjusting to this lifestyle which is different then my community and family like living last year, but I am sure I will find my place here soon.

Let's start back to the beginning---August 5th I left Ohio to set out for Alaska. I had many mixed feelings about a new village and about starting a new school year. I met Peter up in Anchorage and we set off to Bethel. The past month has been tough for me and I am constantly learning the importance of having friends and people in your life to turn to for support. A SIDENOTE: The past month I have relied on friends from home, Quinhagak, Anchorage, and Bethel....I challenge you to thank those people in your life who are there to support you whenever you need them. This experience has taught me so much about community and being there for others. I am excited and blessed to see how much more I will learn about this in the next year.

My first week in Alaska was a blur between trainings, meeting up with old friends, and trying to get my house set up. Finally after three weeks of being here my house is a place I feel comfortable and like to be. It is quite a difference having a flush toliet! We can also run our water without it coming out of a tank. OH the luxuries! This year I am living with a room mate named Sara. She is also a second year teacher and we knew each other before this year. Here are a few pictures of my bed room:

This village is smaller then Quinhagak, and there are about 300-350 people here. The village is only 15 miles away from Bethel and is about a five minute plane ride. It is so funny that I think the plane is coming and once it comes I am into Bethel within ten minutes. Many people just boat back and forth since it is only about a 30 minute boat ride. I am looking forward to winter when the river freezes and we can use the snow mobile.

Our school has about 100 students and houses grades K-12. My classroom has 18 students and I also have an aide who helps me throughout the day. The village is beautiful! The airport breaks the village into two parts. The airport is closer then last year and I am able to walk to it from my house when headed out on a plane. In our village we have two stores. There is a corp store and then Jung's. Both stores have many different things and even have clothes and shoes. There are lots of berries around here, and I am looking forward to picking some in the next few weeks.

This year is different already and my feelings and goals are different then once before. It's weird to think of how I have grown in only the three weeks that I have been here. I am learning to balance new curriculum, classroom management, as well as make time for myself. I have been spending many many hours in my classroom, but I am hoping that this will decrease as the school year goes on.

Alright this is all my brain can handle to write at this moment, but there is more to come!! This weekend Peter and I are headed to Anchorage so I will def post some pictures!!

Memories

I am offically in Anchorage and will be headed home on Saturday arriving on Sunday. I decided to add some pictures of my last week in Quinhagak since it truly was so memorable.

Steam anyone??

My brand new blanket from Marsha!

Staff 2o10-2011

Al and I on the last day of school!

The beautiful sky

Steph at the bbq

The sea now that it's unfrozen

principal Eric

Cookout!!

The Way I See It

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go. ---Dr. Seuss

I am overwhelemd with feelings as today is my last and final day in Quinhagak, Alaska. In the beginning I knew this day would come, didn't think so soon, and I knew this day would be a tough one for me. It's so funny to look bad at the past year and see what myself, my friends, my students, the community, and this village has accomplished in only a year. I remember flying into Bethel on August 1st, 2010 a mess and afraid for the journey that was about to come---I then spent the next week doing the same. I am here to tell you that the way I see it with determination and a positive attitude, you can accomplish anything. I am not only leaving a year older, but with a new perspective on culuture and trying new experiences. I am leaving with a new family.

Our last day started off with an assembly for perfect attendance and awards. I played a few games with my students before hand and it was good closure. After the assembly, we all watched a movie and hung out which was nice. For lunch the entire school headed down to the beach for a final bbq. It was awesome--we had hotdogs, hamburgers, and smores. The tide was up so we got to run into the Sea and the kids had a great time. This was a great way to end the year.

The last week in Quinhagak could not have been any better. I stayed up late every night visiting with friends. I even took two steams during the week! That is half of the amount of steams I took for the year! Karen even let me drive her four wheeler around town. Getting on the plane and realizing I will not be coming back to the place I called home for the last year was tough. I once again was a crying mess as I flew over Quinhagak towards Bethel. I am so thankful for the experience and opportunity to teach in Quinhagak for the past year. It truly was a remarkable experience and one that will impact my life forever.

From here I will be headed to Anchorage for a class and then back home next Saturday. I am excited for the summer and look forward to being at home with friends and family and also telling stories from this past year in Quinhagak.

The fourwheeler incident

So after taking a steam, which by the way I was reading a fellow teacher's blog and she accounts her first steam (she explains it very nicely) so if you are clueless on what a steam is I would check her blog out it really helps explain this cultural tradition. Tundra Education

After the steam Karen said she would take us home and that I could drive us. I was pumped because I have only driven the four wheeler one time. In the beginning Karen wouldn't tell me how to start the four wheeler or anything so I was struggling. Everyone decided to stay off of the four wheeler until I figured out how to reverse it. After much jerking about I got it to go forward and we were in business. Karen was riding on front. I was driving and Rachel and Allison were sitting on the back. A few times Karen would yell for me to gear up and I did not understand what she meant. I apparently had my hand on the throttle at the same time which is a no no so the girls went a flying. Several times I wasn't sure if they were going to make it all the way home without falling off. Karen was snapping some pictures of us all and we were laughing the entire way home.

Once I got comfortable with driving, we made it to a womping 15mph and we were cruising. The wind the blowing in my hair and it was quite the experience. Once we were near home, Karen said that there was someone behind me and that I needed to slow down. I stopped and the car passed behind us and stopped. It was the VPO (Village Police Officer) he was pulling me over to tell me that Karen could not be on the front of the four wheeler.I may be the first person to get pulled over on a four wheeler in Quinhagak, Alaska. That experience seriously was so funny though and my tummy was hurting I was laughing so hard. The girls were hysterically laughing because no one ever gets pulled over in Quinhagak!

The next day they were trying to play pranks on me and tell me the VPO was coming to speak with me. I knew they were joking but they got quite the laugh outta it all. This week is truly turning out to be a memorable one, and I think it's a great ending to my time here in Quinhagak.

The last weeks in Quinhagak through pictures

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks in Quinhagak. Some came from Rachel's blog, so thank you Rachel for sharing some pictures!

flag ceremony in Quinhagak

My prom date and I

The ladies at prom

taking my last steam

Rachel trying to saw a story knife

Completed story knife

Steph and I at prom

The grand march

The river now that it's getting warmer

Graduation!

Sunday Church

doing hair for prom!

Live.Laugh.Love

Live.Laugh.Love

This is a very popular saying, and one that I truly enjoy! I like it so much that I even have a tattoo of it (I am a mess) but when I was trying to think of a quote or phrase that summed up what I am feeling these days as I prepare to leave, I felt this was a great one for me.

Live: As we go through our lives, we must live life to the fullest--We need to find that thing that makes us happy and do it. When deciding to come to Alaska or not I was afraid and had many decisions to make. I wanted to live life to the fullest and experience new things. I knew that following the same rountines and continuing to do what I was doing would not make me happy. I wanted to grow as a person and an indiviual. I can honestly say that looking back all of those things were accomplished. I lived life this past year taking on new experiences, stepping out of comfort zone, and pushing myself both personally and professionally. Coming to Alaska I remember telling my other people I would not try new things...fishing NO that is not for me. Hunting yuck--BUT this year I got out there and did things for me. I tried fish, I caught my very first fish AND I even rode next to a DEAD caribou all the way to Bethel. I've been close to a dead bear and even seen tarmigan and geese. I tried to get out there and live this experience to the fullest. Quinhagak is rich in cultural and traditions. I attended feasts and even a throw party. Tonight I even sit here after a nice steam....this is not something I was comfortable with at first but after tonight it is something I truly enjoyed and appreciated. It's a neat thing being able to just relax with friends and the community after a long day of work. The sun is just now setting at 12:36 at night and truly allowing me to appreciate the beauty in Quinhagak. There is so much out there in the world to discover and we must have the confidence to go for it. There are people and experiences out there to learn and grow from. I remember talking to Rachel before I came out to Alaska and reading one of her posts. She explained how Alaska was an experience she truly loved and enjoyed and she challenged people to find their "Alaska". The one thing in life they want to do or discover. I challenge you reading this blog to find something you enjoy and pursue it youself, I believe the outcome will be greater than words.

Laugh: People who know me well probably don't always probably enjoy my humor but humor is a part of who I am. Laughing is good and I try to do it as much as I can. This experience has been filled with many ups and down and laughs. I remember the time I first drove a four wheeler or the time I had to learn how to dump the honey bucket--all times I laugh about and remember. The unique thing about living in a village, is your home life and work life are very connected. I was blessed this year to be surrounded by a great bunch of funny individuals. We truly were able to work hard and play hard. Laughing at the funny moments in life truly make me appreciate what I do and the person that I am. This year even in my classroom I have had moments that will always make me laugh--like the time my students kept calling me Miss Weavers or the time I asked a student to do something and he replied with yes honey.

Love: Love? What exactly is that....I love tanning, I love cheeseburgers, I love shopping...but what does that word mean to me in regards to this experience. This year has really reminded me the importance of loving what you are doing. I can honestly say that I love teaching. There is no other profession that could impact my life like teaching has. I remember the time I wanted to be a police officer (yes scary I know) or the time I wanted to be a school counselor. Yes some times are tough, but this experience has confirmed my love for the students, community, and teaching aspect of Quinhagak. I have been able to try new things in my classroom and really explore my creativty and passion for teaching. Being here makes you appreciate the little things in life like walks to the beach with friends, having movie nights, cooking up dinner with friends, walking together to check mail---its truly making me appreciate the things in Ohio I may have taken for granted.

I don't think that it has hit me yet that I will be leaving here in a few days and starting a new chapter in a new village. This past week I have experienced new things which I will expand on more later when it's not so late and it has really challenged my thinking and allowed me to truly reflect on this experience. It scares me a bit, but I am excited for what is to come. This year I was provided with the tools I needed to learn and grow as a person. I was able to do things for me and set goals personally and professionally for myself. My time at Quinhagak is leaving, but things are just beginning for me. My first year of teaching is almost over, and new experiences will begin to unfold.

I have rambled on for quite a bit now but my point here tonight is to live life with people and memories you can laugh about while doing what you love. Everything else will in return fall into place.

Goodnight Moon =)

so close

Trying the round off the year with a few more good posts before the year closes to an end.

This is my last and final full week of teaching---HOW EXCITING!! I look back at old pictures and things from this year and I truly can't believe it. Who knew my first year would be so amazing. Seriously if people are considering coming here I highly reccomend it. This truly has been such a wonderful experience both professionally and just for myself.

Let's see this weekend I went back into Bethel to hang out with Peter. I am excited to announce that I have still been running and even ran while there. We spent the weekend watching tv, walking, and going to dinner. It was a nice little treat.

As I mentioned above, my running is seeming to continue and I'm excited about it. I am hoping after the summer I am able to run in a race or something since I'll have a few months of running behind me. It is def getting easier for me and today I ran even further without stopping.

Happy May!

Hello there!

I've been meaning to blog, but the busy-ness and tiredness just takes over my body and I can't do it. Lots has been happening, so I'm not sure where to begin. It's been staying light super super late here---makes it kinda tough to fall asleep. I don't think the sun sets until nearly midnight these days, and each morning the sun is peaking through my windows around 6 am waking me up. It was like this when I first got to Alaska so it is def. taking getting used to again.

I am happy to announce that I am still walking/running to the beach daily. Even while in Bethel last weekend I was able to run---who knew I was even able to run. Yesterday marked a big accomplishment in my world. Thanks to Rachel's pushing I made it all the way to the beach without stopping. It is only a mile, but it was a milestone for me. Not sure if I ever ran a mile before without dying. It is def an improvement since I began this running thing. Keep in mind most the of the run was me trying to stop and Rachel going you can do it keep going and then I would say Rachel I'm dying I can do it. Thanks to Rachel for not giving up, I made it. Someday I have high dreams of running even further....SOMEDAY.....It is my hope to keep this up over the summer, but we will see. It seems as though I can always find something better to do. I'm thankful I have people here that push me to go.

Last weekend a few of us headed into Bethel for a culutural art retreat. We learned how to make different crafts. The first thing I had to do was make a spoon. I learned that carving is not my thing. I didn't give up, but it seriously was one of the toughest things for me. After nearly chopping off a finger and one splinter later, I have a beautiful wooden carved spoon. I'll have to take a picture later. After the wood extraganza I got to learn how to weave. I actually really enjoyed this. The final craft was a beaded key chain. Now this was my favorite aspect of the retreat, although you can't tell if my keychain is a girl dancing or a flower (I know how do you get those two things confused) I am super proud of it and really enjoyed making it.

Last Sunday was one of the warmest days that we have had. It was a meer 42 degrees, but it was nice. It's funny how 42 feels so warm, but back home I would be freezing. I am determined not to wear my winter jacket anymore, so I will not put it on. I didn't know what to do! The sun was shining, the birds were flying so Pete and I decided to sit outside and enjoy the sun. We played a little game outside and for a moment it felt like we were back at home. The sun was nice and I was wishing that it would brown my skin. Oh how I can't wait to be tan again. I think the first thing I shall do when I get home is lay out in the sun.

Well my friends....the end is near. It's so weird to think that my first year of teaching is almost over in nearly two weeks. I've been taking a lot of time to reflect on this past year and my teaching. I've been challenging myself as a teacher to think about many new things. I have also been thinking of ideas for next year as well. Things have been wrapping up in the classroom. I am starting to test the students to see the progress made over the course of the year. It's super exciting to see the gains and progress made over the year. I am pumped for what is to come with these students.

I've been thinking about this year and how I will do things differently next year. This year was unbelievable, I truly couldn't have asked for a better year. I just feel there are some things professionally and personally that I could improve on as there are always things like that in life. One thing is really get out more in the community. I am taking a class about culutre and it has opened my eyes to getting out in the community. Along with that, there are many experiences here I can not get anywhere else. This year I've steamed, tried fish, attended feasts, and did some other experiences that just don't happen in Canton, Ohio. Next year I would truly like to get out there and try new things even more then I did this year.

Things to look forward to.....Prom is next week on Friday and then the following week we have a farewell bbq down at the beach I believe. Stay tuned for a long blog closing out the year.

Easter in Alaska

This weekend I headed to Bethel because I needed to go to the doctor. Where else will you take a plane to go to the doctor? After the doctor I just stayed in Bethel for the weekend to have an Easter celebration with Pete. Friday we ordered Chinese food which was delicious and just kinda hung around watching television.

Saturday we went to the store to prepare for this Easter dinner we would try to prepare together. I swear the two of us go to the store in Bethel more than anyone I know. Anyways at the store we created a feast. We made a D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S spiral glazed ham, asparagus, potatoes, and a pistachio dessert. We even had crescent rolls! It was quite the treat and helped me to not miss home as much.

Sunday I headed back to Quinhagak in the early afternoon to have lunch with everyone here. We had quite the feast and it was nice to all be together.

This week is cultural week here in Quinhagak. The students will be participating in a variety of different activities and trying new things. It should be an interesting and meaningful experience. I am excited to learn how to make some new things and watch the students learn.

SPRING IS HERE! It is getting much warmer (well around 40) and the weather is looking good. In Bethel this weekend it was 40 and sunny--it felt like a treat. One of the things I am most looking forward to is working on my tan this summer. Anyways everything is thawing out and it is like a big river. They had to build a mini bridge to help drain the water. I honestly have never seen anything like it. There is this one house and there literally is like a small lake on both sides. It is crazy!! It is officially time for my big nasty muck boots that I will probably have to wear for the remainder for the year. I made a mistake of going outside in my little flats and got completely drenched. It was awful!!

The packing has began! People who know me well, know that I despise packing. It is one thing I do not enjoy at all. I've started packing totes to take into Bethel so I'm not going crazy at the end of the year. Who knew I had so much stuff--its crazy! So far I have three totes packed--my room looks like a disaster and the real question is just how much stuff will I forget here in this house. Not much I hope. The good news is that I have been uncovering and finding a bunch of new stuff, which is always exciting!!

That's all for now =)

Happy Easter from Quinhagak

April

After recuperating from the long week in Bethel I am back at it. (this was written a while ago and I am just getting back to blogging) Last Monday was an inservice grading writing papers. Last week I had a visitor from Bethel, which is always one of my favorite weeks of the month.

I have been challenging myself to walk everyday---I just started this on Saturday, but for the last 9 days I have walked to the beach and back which is about a 2 mile walk. I even walked twice one day! I've tried the whole running thing as well which is pretty funny. I try to tell myself not to stop, but it just doesn't happen. Today I tried to run with my ipod and stopped even sooner then usual.

Exciting things that have happened: I booked a flight to Texas for a week in June and am going to visit there and have a fantastic week. I also booked my flight home for May 28th and I'll be flying back early August. After school is out I am headed to Bethel for a few days before heading to Anchorage to take a class. I've also registered for my grad classes for this summer and next fall. If all goes well, I should have my masters by the end of next summer.

My teaching is going really well, and it's hard to believe that it is almost over. We have about 17 days of school, and it's all over. My first year of teaching will be completed. I am scared/excited for what it yet to come and can't wait to see what happens next

Okay thats all for now, just a quick little update--I'll have to blog when I'm a bit more focused

This is Who We Are

Last week I got the opportunity to go into Bethel with a group of students. There is an art grant in the district that helps educate teachers and helps artists travel to work with students. This year the focus was on Yupik stories and visiting with elders. We had an elder come in and share a Yupik story to us. We then used a Yupik story book to create our own story based on the book. We did a story called The Man Who Turned Into a Wolverine. For the past couple of weeks we have been working on using the green screen to create the movie. The first thing we did was create the script. Once making the script we then created the artwork for the movie. Then the real fun began as we started filming and editing the movie.

As I said on Monday we traveled into Bethel. 120 students traveled into Bethel from 12 different schools. Each school brought a different interpretation of a Yupik story with them. The week was filled with preparation of the big show. The students created all the artwork for the performance area and then worked on an opening and closing number. The students had to work on memorizing motions as well as learning a dance. It was interesting to see what the students were able to create with the help of the elders and their teachers.

The shows were on Friday and Saturday. It was incredible to watch all the pieces together, although I could not always tell what was being said, you could feel the energy and still feel the overall message of the story. The skills the students picked up from this project include digital storytelling, acting, art techniques, and Yupik song and dance. It was fun to watch the students build relationships with one another over the course of the week.

Decisions, decisions

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

It's Friday and testing week is...OVER! Testing week honestly was not that bad, and now it will be nothing when I have to do it again. The wind is still a mess and blowing snow all over the place. Bad weather = no mail, so I am hoping that it clears up here soon. The weather for the weekend forecast is looking much better, so I am hopeful that the wind will stop.

Hoping to have a nice long relaxing weekend before a straight week in Bethel. Here is a poster from the event that the kids are participating in.

The last month has been one of the most challenging months I have had here in Alaska. I had to dig deep and really think about a lot of things. It took lots of conversations, tears, and personal reflection. I have come to a decision that I will be leaving Quinhagak at the end of the school year. I will be teaching 3-4 grade in another Yupik village next year, I will be teaching in Napakiak, Alaska. It is a smaller village about 15 miles away from Bethel. A classroom has become available and that was my goal as a teacher to have my own classroom.

Doing SRA this past year was an unbelievable experience, but I am ready to have my own classroom and try a few different techniques on my own. My sole and only reason for leaving Quinhagak is to pursue a full time classroom. This experience and these people were more then I could ever ask for. I want to find that happiness in teaching that many of my friends here as well as people back home have experienced. Leaving Quinhagak will be one of the toughest things, but this experience has been amazing. I know that with all the thinking I have put into this decision, this too will be a good choice.

That's all for now, I could use some good thoughts as I finish up in the next month or so and begin transitioning into a new adventure for the upcoming school year!

When the wind blows

This is our forecast currently here in Quinhagak, Alaska.

So this weather is quite beautiful these days.....WAIT that is a joke. Yesterday outta know where we got winds up to 60 mph. The wind was blowing and you can hardly see in front of you. It's only been like this one or two other times since I have been here. The wind doesn't really bother me because I think it's kinda funny when it is blowing you all over the place. I always get a good laugh when I'm trying to walk down the steps, and I have no control. Getting pelted in the face with snow is what bothers me.

Thanks Rachel for this picture, took it off her blog!

Yesterday after school, Jim gave Steph and I a ride home on the four wheeler. I was just laughing once I arrived home, the snow was just pelting me in the face and it was so cold---I'm actually starting to feel like I am in Alaska (weather wise)

The problem with the wind you see if it creates giant snow drifts. These snow drifts pile up and its hard to walk over them let alone drive the snow bus. I remember one time earlier this winter, Al and I were walking to school and it went from one extreme to another. One point there would be no snow at all, another point just ice, and then a huge mound of snow to walk over. This morning Rachel called because she said the bus would not be able to get over the big snow drifts. I didn't really know what that meant, but said okay. We got picked up in the car instead, As we got in the car Rachel was like put on your seat belt and hold on. The streets are literally piled with mounds of snow. We had to go over one of them--it was kinda scary but funny.

The brand new Quinhagak store opened yesterday. There was news that it would be built by November, but yesterday at 3 o clock was the grand opening. We drove threw the wind tunnel and went to see what the talk was all about. That store is beautiful! There is so much food and it is so big, doesn't really feel like you're in the village. There is going to be a produce section, clothing section, and lots of other things. They even had a huge section of pickles! I was impressed!!

Today is day three of the state testing, and the week has been going pretty well. Next week I head into Bethel with some students for an art production called "This is Who We Are" We have been filming a movie on the green screen. We took a Yupik store and transformed in into a movie. It is fun and def a learning experience. I will be sure to take some photos of that. I am pretty excited for it and to be with different teachers and students from the district, always a fun time!

That's all for now---trying to stay warm and not get blown away or slip on the ice!

Only about 7 more weeks until I am home for the summer =)

Weekend in Bethel

It's Monday again---this week is a normal day at school and the rest of the week will be a testing week.

On Friday at around 4:00 pm I decided to surprise Peter and head to Bethel for the weekend. I had not planned on going and then while walking home, I decided I would in fact like to head there for the weekend. I guess one of the good things is that you can spur of the moment decide to go to Bethel, and there are still planes to take you. I've said it before, but planes are sort of like our cars here. We rely on them to take us in and out of the village. I called the agent and was on my way to Bethel within 30 minutes.

So now on to the weekend: Friday night we decided to order out from one of the restaurant's in town. Eating out used to be a huge perk of going to Bethel but I no longer feel that way. I was pretty pumped for a milkshake, which was mainly the biggest reason for deciding to order out. Anyway we ordered onion rings, a milkshake, and a chicken parm sub. It was quite delicious.

Saturday morning after cooking up breakfast burritos we headed to the store (one of the many trips to the store we would take during the weekend) before the March Madness games came on. This was the first year I took a liking to the whole March madness thing and I'll have to admit, it was really fun. Although once Ohio State lost, I had no other teams left, my bracket turned out nicely and I really enjoy watching the games. I am excited for the championship game tonight, and have that to look forward too. Back to my weekend, after the game we made dinner (chicken, pasta, french cheesy garlic bread, and alfredo sauce) It was GOOD!! After that I got a great idea that it would be fun to make brownies. You are probably wondering how I could still be hungry after a meal like that, but I was so we embarked on trip number two to the grocery store. The weather is getting nicer, and it really was a nice little walk up to the store for ice cream and brownies.

After brownie making we decided to paint on little canvases. I thought this would be a fun little thing to do and I was right. Here are pictures of our artwork. You can try to figure out who painted which one.

Sunday morning since it was around 30 (it's getting warmer) we decided to take a walk around Bethel. This weekend was the first time since October probably I didn't need my winter coat. We went to down to look at the Kusko River which is all frozen up still, and then went to a different grocery store, for trip number three. Who knew I could go to the grocery store so many times in one weekend.

That was about my weekend---stay classy =)

April Fools

Happy April Fool's--this morning was comical as student after student kept coming into the room telling me something and then saying April Fools. I told them that they were no longer allowed to say that to me, until we did the ticket store at the end of the day. It worked out quite nicely.

Weird to think that it is already April 1st. Weird to think that in 2.5 months I'll be back in Monticello, NY at Camp Kennybrook. I am pretty pumped for the summer and to take on a new role at camp. I am glad things are working out nicely, and I will be able to go from here to camp and then back here to start the next year.

I am glad it is Friday and better yet, almost time for Friday nap. Tuesday starts the state testing in Quinhagak. Next week will basically be the testing the entire week.

I just got back from Bethel and am eating my dinner, so I will do a blog tomorrow about this past weekend--it was a good one.

Goodnight all =)

Tuesday!

It's Tuesday already. After a great weekend and an inservice yesterday the week has begun again. Today is Al's 23rd birthday! We are looking forward to celebrating tonight with everyone! so HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON!!!!! =)

So now about the weekend---this weekend I headed into Bethel for the Camai festival, which is a cultural dance festival. Villages and people from all over Alaska perform and do a variety of different acts. After what felt like forever, I finally made it to Bethel. Friday night was spent making pizza and hanging out.

Saturday we headed up to Camai. My favorite part of Camai was the crafts. In the lobby there was hundreds and hundreds of hand made crafts. It was interesting to see all the different things that can be made from using the resources around us. I know at least in Ohio I never realized the value of things and how something small can be turned into something quite practical. I got two beautiful pairs of ivory earrings and I really like them!

Sunday morning I had an homemade omelet and watched basketball. After breakfast, we headed to the grocery store. Shopping in Bethel is somewhat fun because the grocery store is bigger and there is more to chose from. I personally enjoy walking up and down every single isle. I felt like I got to treat myself at the store I picked up things such as real milk and orange juice. I still don't think I will get used to the prices---just for a gallon of milk and a thing of orange juice it costs around $20.00. Sometimes though it just makes it feel more like home if I get to treat myself to some good snacks.

In other news---since Ohio state lost on Friday, my race to beat everyone in the March madness brackets have ended. I did however do pretty well and end the event with 65 points. My goal was to beat one person and my goal I met!

That's all from Quinhagak for now!

yes it's friday

Woo the week is over. As of now I am just sitting here reading a book and waiting on the plane from Bethel! I am very excited to be headed in for the Camai festival and some quality time.

The week ended well. We are having an inservice on Monday, so I am looking forward to getting some work done.

Have a good weekend everybody!

HAPPPY 29TH BIRTHDAY TO MISS STEPHANIE B.

Al's birthday is also coming up, so we have that to look forward to next week!

Happenings in Quin

It is midweek already. I am sitting on the couch sipping on some tea after a long day of work. It has been quite an enjoyable week to say the least. Besides fighting this cold, things are going well. Being sick here kinda stinks because it is somewhat of a challenge to get medicine. Luckily between all of us here, we have enough medicine to make it work. I am feeling slightly better today, so hopefully the worst is over.

This week has been going pretty well in the classroom. I finished up a chapter on fractions and am now teaching multiplication. Monday there was a funeral and memorial in the village. When there is a funeral people from the entire village gather to celebrate the person's life. The memorial was lots of singing and talking about the person. It was a neat experience to be a part of.

Tuesday my Bethel visitor and I went on a walk to the beach. A lot of the snow has melted so it was pretty nice and I didn't have to worry about falling....BUT WAIT even I can still find a way to fall when it's not that icy out. I was walking home from the beach and got excited and whoops my foot got caught in deep snow and I just kinda toppled over. I think it was a funny sight to watch. It was nice to get a bit of cold air and enjoy the nice weather. On the way home we decided to cut across the tundra---it was hilarious as we were just falling into the snow and into the tundra. At one point I thought I was just going to get stuck. At last I just decided to go for it and run across.

After the walk I worked up quite the appetite. Back in Ohio there is this special dish that I love to eat. It is called SOS. I always talk about it and no one has ever heard of it, but I just googled it my friends and it is real. Here is what I found: Chipped beef on toast (or creamed chipped beef on toast) is a culinary dish comprising a white sauce and rehydrated slivers of dried beef, served on toasted bread. According to google, it was often served in the military.

So I decided to make my special dish. It consists of hamburger, cream cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and onions. You put it on top of toast or noodles. It doesn't always have the best look, but my friends it is GOOD! Allison declined to try it, others were not a fan of it either, but they do not know what they are missing!!

This weekend we (the new teachers) are heading into Bethel for the Camai festival. The Camai festival is a cultural event with showcases different Yupik dancers and many other cultural pieces. I am excited to see some of the new teachers I have not seen in a while and just relax in Bethel.

Shout out to Stephanie B! She is celebrating her birthday on Friday. I will def. have more details about that later =)

The final semester

The final semester has begun! Quarter 4 began on Friday and we only have 9 more weeks left of this school year. Things have been moving along. State testing is in about 2 weeks so the students and teachers have been preparing for that. I am fighting a cold currently-I was last went as well--it went away but I think it is here to stay now -so that is always fun.

This weekend was a typical weekend of relaxing filled with sleeping, food, and friends. Friday night we had a movie night over at Steph and Jim's. Not the best movie ever, but I didn't hate it. Saturday was pretty relaxing, I slept in late and didn't really do much of anything. Started to read my new book and just hang out. A trip to the post office and store also happened, and then just a lot of laying around. Saturday night Al and Jon had us over for dinner and we watched The Newsies.

Saturday night there were winds up to 80 mph--it literally sounded like our house was going to be blown away. It was super loud and horrible to sleep. There was a boat up against our house and the wind was getting underneath of it. It kept slamming into the side of the house where my room is--all night. I spent a good quarter of the night trying to figure out what the noise was. It continued to do this throughout the entire night. The funny thing about our houses are that when the wind is super bad, they just shake and shake. Sometimes you start to feel a little sick when you are laying in your bed. This doesn't happen all the time, but it def is a feeling to get used to at first.

Sunday was spent watching basketball games and just hanging out.I slept in until noon which doesn't happen often, but was a special treat to myself. My bethel visitor and I got to hang out (apparently some planes will still fly in 50 mph wind gusts) and I beat him in basketball so it was a nice Sunday before heading back to school today.

The winds have stopped now, and things are starting to melt. It is getting warmer now (around 30) and all the snow is turning into water. It has been nice walking to the beach a few times last week and just enjoying the Alaskan scenery. The days are getting longer now as it stays light until around 9pm now. The sun has been rising between 8:30-9:00 am. The whole daylight/dark aspect of living here was def. not what I thought it was going to be---much better actually.

Shout-out to my baby brother in Ohio who turned 24 yesterday! =)

That's about it for now---

A weekend of experiences

THis was a good good weekend. Friday night after a great nap--we headed over to Alison Z's for dinner. She made us baked Ziti (Yum). After Ziti Karen came over and invited us to take a steam. You see after my first experience, I have not tried steaming again. Friday though I decided to give it a try--and this time it was very enjoyable. In Yupik it is called Maqi. I am starting to enjoy it because it a something that is commonly done around here. I like the opportunity to be able to try new things while I am here.

On Saturday I decided to try skiing for the first time. I gave up after an hour due to be lonely and also being hungry. I did have a good time though and I am proud to announce that I only fell twice.

Saturday night was a typical family night in the village. This time though we watched the movie 127 days. it was rather gory and I could not watch the bloody part at all.

Lots of people have been asking about my summer plans. This summer I am leaving Alaska around the end of May. I will be in Ohio for about 3 weeks and then heading to New York for the summer. I will be an assistant group leader, and I am pretty excited for that. I will be leaving camp around the 1st and headed back to Ohio before I come back to Alaska.

Northern Lights

Just a quick blog to say that I hope everyone enjoys their Friday. I am so happy for Friday night nap tonight and to just relax and not do too much this weekend.

On Thursday night, we heard that we may be able to see the Northern Lights. Around 10 pm we took a little family four wheeler ride down by the river to see if we could see them. It was beautiful. There was a greenish haze in the sky. Although the activity level was only a 3 or a 4 it was still pretty neat to see the lights.

While out there, I learned about the different stars in the sky and was able to see different groupings I never was able to before. It was super cool!

Thats all for now. I think a nap is in order for this girl.

top shooter

As you can tell from the title, yesterday was quite the exciting day in Quinhagak. You see I have never shot a gun before in my life. Yesterday Jim asked us if we wanted to all go out and shoot in the tundra, so we all gladly said yes. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous about it all, but all in all it went pretty well. We set out three different boxes with little orange targets on them and begin taking turns. I was third up in the group and did not know what to expect. I was confused because I was not able to see anything out of the vision thing and just had to keep moving it until I could. Jim was a good teacher explaining everything and I was able to hit some boxes.

It has been Allison's idea to have a Top Shot Quinhagak, although I do not think this will be happening, I will have to admit we all look pretty good firing away.

Alicia

Allison

Alison

Jon

Jim

Steph

After shooting at the boxes, we found other items to shoot at for target practice--And we all were quite successful!

On another note---I am officially staying in LKSD another year! Signed my contract yesterday for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year!

That's all for now =)