Change

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not--Dr. Seuss

Change is upon us. Peter and I are deciding to make a decision we think is best for us. After two amazing years in Napakiak we will be leaving and not returning next school year. I have had some amazing times with my students and I will truly miss every single one. They each have something special and unique to offer. Some of my kiddos I had the pleasure of teaching for two years-- it's amazing seeing the growth that they have made. They have been able to do things and learn things that amaze me. Leaving them will be one of the hardest things I have had to do. I am deciding to persue a job in special education and Peter will be teaching only one grade. It was a difficult decision but one that will have great benefits both socially and professionally. We will be moving back to....QUINHAGAK! We just got the news this week that we will be moving! I am going to work really hard on updating this blog more as I return. It's been 2 years since I left there but I can't wait to be re-united with the kids and the place in Alaska I first called home. I've been reading my blog lately and it is amazing how much I have grown since I left Quinhagak. I have been able to do things I never thought possible. I just know this truly is the right decision to be made.

That's it for now

The March Blues

So it's that time of year where freezing your butt off everyday is getting old and you are looking forward to the summer months--it was -20 today when I woke up which makes it pretty darn tough to get outta bed. March is just tough all around because you can't really go outside and do anything  I must rely on the internet and life time to keep me occupied.  Yesterday I decided to be a dog groomer and give Ranger a cut---good thing poor guy doesn't have a mirror--it looks like a mess and has a bald spot.

State testing is next week so this week is going to be an intense week of getting ready for next week.We have been doing some fun things like this picture. This was an activity from Pinterest on adjectives. I've been using pinterest for everything and it's made teaching a bit more fun.

So most of you know that taught in Quinhagak for a year--that is where this whole blog started from---well this weekend was Camai which is a dance festival that shows some of the great dances and art going in across our district. This weekend Quinhagak had a dance team and I decided to go and check them out. You see they have not had a dance team for 100 years. It was something that hadn't been allowed until this year when they were planning for the festival. In just two weeks the children learned a variety of dances and songs. As soon as they got on stage I started crying like a big mess. Words can't describe how powerful it was to see old students and kids I taught and knew doing something they were so proud of. It was quite the touching experience and made me happy about what I am doing out here and just the whole culture in general. I am going to try and look for some pictures of it all.

That's it for now----

I'm Back!

I'm BACK!

Science Fair 2013

So after over a year almost 2-- I decided that it is time to start blogging again. My blog was a great de-stresser and ways to connect with old friends which I miss. I really enjoyed doing it in Quinhagak and it just sort of stopped. Although there are only 2 more months of school left--9 weeks exactly--I am sure interesting things will be happening and I will blog about them.

I'm sitting here listening to my motivation (Miss B Spears) trying to think of something philosophical to write about but I've got nothing right now.  Stay tuned...big things are in store.

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 =)