 |
| Dusty roads lead to lots of dirt graffiti |
 |
| Bailing out your...house?! |
It’s cram time.
Our last session of the year is underway, and of the 26 remaining days
of my school year, I will be working 23 of them, having only three Sundays off
for the whole month. Yikes! Eighteen students flew in on Monday,
fifteen of which have been here earlier in the year for a different session. It’s been great having such a big group
of repeaters, as I get to enjoy my very favorite part of teaching, which only happens
when you’re with students for more than two weeks; building a positive rapport
over time, watching them make progress and succeed, and getting to know them on
deeper levels. Three students
graduated this year, and are attending for their last high school hurrah. It’s been fun talking with them about
their future plans, and while I haven’t made the type of connection that the
teachers at their sites have made with them, I’m very proud of them
nonetheless.
 |
| Working on the yearbook |
 |
| Bet you smile! |
 |
| The Certified Nursing Assistant students |
 |
| CPR competition finalists |
The student dynamic of this session has been a breath of
fresh air. The positive mood is
palpable, and much of it has to do with the end of a cold, cruel winter. The sun is shining, the sea ice is
(almost!) gone, the birds are back, and it’s beginning to look a lot like
spring. I feel so privileged to be
able to work with this group.
Every day I witness an example of pure generosity – one student scrimped
and saved $200, thinking he would have to pay for meals, laundry, and evening
outings during his time here. Once
he discovered all of these things were covered, he began giving away money to
his new friends who weren’t able to bring spending money, dropping $20 on more
than one occasion without the blink of an eye. These students also have an amazing sense of humor, and I
never get tired of their quick-witted comments, and the level of maturity and
life experience they bring to their jokes. I am in awe of these students, and in some ways I look up to
them and their steadfast resilience and ability to not only cope but to thrive
with what they have.
 |
| A drive in the country! |
 |
| Look at those clouds |
 |
| Salmon Lake is still fully frozen |
 |
| Stretching break |
 |
| ...or a sleeping break |
 |
| Can't beat that scenery for a little football |
 |
| Milano's night! |
 |
| Our morning workout at "white trash court" |
 |
| Dribble faster! |
I’ve been treated to even more local delicacies this
week. One student made to-die-for
blueberry juice from frozen subsistence berries. The berries in this region may be small, but they boast much
higher vitamin content than those from the lower-48. One of our house-parents brought in her stash of tundra
mushrooms that she sautéed and added to a variety of dishes. They look very similar to those that
are quite poisonous, and her picking spot is super top-secret, so I imagine
this is the only time I will get to eat such a special treat. Another house-parent from Savoonga
brought his supply of dry fish, which I also got to enjoy. Forget a slim-jim, these sticks of
silver salmon jerky goodness are quite addicting.
 |
| Better than Ocean Spray |
 |
| Tundra mushrooms and dry fish - delish! |
Our days now last nearly 20 full hours, however it isn’t
always sunshine and light. Early
in the week I experienced the foggiest day I’ve seen, and let me say, it was
quite wild. Driving into work I
could barely see far enough ahead of me to stay on the road, and my windshield
was immediately covered in a thick mist with each pass of the windshield wipers. The picturesque landscape that I’m used
to seeing was completely hidden. No
mountains, no island, no ocean, nothing but gray! Within a few hours the liquid-air fog lifted, and it was
quite a dramatic difference. Nome
weather is always extreme, and this was yet another instance of Alaska taking
it to a whole new level.
 |
| Before, at 7:30am |
 |
| After, at 10:30am |
 |
| Before |
 |
| After |
 |
| Before |
 |
| After |
Each of the village schools in the Bering Strait region, as
well as Nome Public schools have finished for the year. I’ve cringed each time “School's Out for
Summer” blares on the radio, or is pumped from the speakers of a teenager’s
hand-me-down truck, which has been more than once per day. Even though I have weeks of work ahead
of me, it does feel like things are winding down. I’ve been feeling everything from overwhelming sadness and
anxiety, to being buoyed up by pure excitement and hope. Things are coming to an end, and for
now I’m doing my best to soak in what’s left for me here, making the most of
what I have left.
 |
| The coastline is finally back! |
 |
| The remaining icebergs, bobbing with the waves |
