Friday, September 7, 2012
The New Story
For all of you who don’t already know, I have made quite a change and it’s more than just the title of this blog. I have moved from Alaska to Abu Dhabi.
Why? Well, here it is. Teaching in an Alaskan village is hard. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. It was more challenging, but also more rewarding, than most teaching assignments in the Lower 48. However, there are times when the challenges outweigh the rewards. I had one of those days in October. I came home frustrated and convinced that Starbucks was a viable career move. My roommate thought I was being a bit hasty and suggested a change of scenery for the next year. She suggested I apply with TeachAway, a hiring firm placing Western teachers all over the globe.
In November, I completed a prescreening interview for multiple areas. Apparently, they found me sufficient and passed on my information to several representatives. I heard nothing and assumed nobody wanted to hire me. I had several other irons in the fire: Anchorage, Ohio, the Virgin Islands (my mom’s top pick!), and the Gulf Coast. However, in February, I got a call asking me to come to Seattle for a job fair that weekend. I declined as I had other obligations, and instead arranged a Skype interview with a school in Abu Dhabi.
Now, in all honesty, I had no idea where Abu Dhabi was outside of it being somewhere in the Middle East. The most information I had about it came from the movie Sex and the City 2 which wasn’t even filmed in Abu Dhabi! When I was offered a position, I researched the area, called friends and family for input, and thought A LOT about it. In the end, I accepted the position of Lead English Teacher at a selective private academy.
You might wonder what in the world would lead a smart, young American woman to give up all the glamour of Eek, Alaska, to move to one of the hottest places on Earth! For me there were several reasons. First, it was a step up on the career ladder. It would have taken me a lot longer to become lead teacher of a department back in the states (I guess technically I was the lead teacher in Eek, but I was the ONLY English teacher so it wasn’t quite the same). Secondly, I’ve never lived in a huge city. The biggest town I’ve lived in was Tiffin, Ohio. I wanted to give city life a try and see how it suited me. Finally, this is an area the is becoming a major player on the world stage and it’s exciting to be a part of it!
So, on August 22 I took my two suitcases packed with clothes, shoes, and supplies to the Canton-Akron airport and flew from there to Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, and into Abu Dhabi.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The Trash Can Incident
First of all, I'm sorry for being absent for, evidently, 8 months!
You may be asking yourself, what was a big enough incident that would encourage to come back to blogging? The answer? A trash can. For two years, my roommate and I have been using a kitty litter bucket as a trash can. A few weeks ago, I went to Anchorage for a workshop. My roomie and I decided I needed to pick up a trash can. Like many things up here, it was more of an adventure than it should have been.
It started out that I trekked in about a foot of snow from my hotel in Midtown Anchorage to Fred Meyer; it was about two blocks. I picked up supplies: pasta, honey, nail polish remover (with acetone which is unavailable in my neck of the woods), and coffee among other things. Then, I went to the trash can section and found a very nice 13 gallon kitchen trash can for only $15.99 which is half the price of the ones in Bethel.
After I paid for my goods, I tried to call a cab. No luck. Finally, I stopped at the customer service desk and asked for a cab. Evidently, the cab company I called was too busy. I went outside to wait for the cab. I started unloading my groceries and packing them inside the trash can. People walked by me looking at me oddly. I couldn't figure out why. Then, it occurred to me, that in Anchorage people don't often have the need to pack groceries in a trash can. Finally, the cab arrived and I went back to the hotel.
I checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport. I then had to figure out how to carry/pull my suitcase and the trash can and my carry-on. I ended up balancing the trash can on top of my suitcase and rolling both of them.
I walked up to the check-in counter for Alaska Airlines. Unlike at Fred Meyer, nobody looked at me funny for having a trash can filled with groceries. That's probably because Alaska Airlines checks in bush residents all the time who would travel with their food from Anchorage to their village. However, I had to identify it. I had to write "Schalk, Teacher Housing, Eek, AK 99578" on the side.
By the time I reached Bethel and got my trash can back, it was covered in much more tape and had been inspected by TSA.
Despite the trouble and hassle, my roomie and I are happy that we have a normal sized trash can in our apartment. And, more importantly, there will forever be a trash can in Apartment 2B that has my name plastered on the side.
You may be asking yourself, what was a big enough incident that would encourage to come back to blogging? The answer? A trash can. For two years, my roommate and I have been using a kitty litter bucket as a trash can. A few weeks ago, I went to Anchorage for a workshop. My roomie and I decided I needed to pick up a trash can. Like many things up here, it was more of an adventure than it should have been.
It started out that I trekked in about a foot of snow from my hotel in Midtown Anchorage to Fred Meyer; it was about two blocks. I picked up supplies: pasta, honey, nail polish remover (with acetone which is unavailable in my neck of the woods), and coffee among other things. Then, I went to the trash can section and found a very nice 13 gallon kitchen trash can for only $15.99 which is half the price of the ones in Bethel.
After I paid for my goods, I tried to call a cab. No luck. Finally, I stopped at the customer service desk and asked for a cab. Evidently, the cab company I called was too busy. I went outside to wait for the cab. I started unloading my groceries and packing them inside the trash can. People walked by me looking at me oddly. I couldn't figure out why. Then, it occurred to me, that in Anchorage people don't often have the need to pack groceries in a trash can. Finally, the cab arrived and I went back to the hotel.
I checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport. I then had to figure out how to carry/pull my suitcase and the trash can and my carry-on. I ended up balancing the trash can on top of my suitcase and rolling both of them.
I walked up to the check-in counter for Alaska Airlines. Unlike at Fred Meyer, nobody looked at me funny for having a trash can filled with groceries. That's probably because Alaska Airlines checks in bush residents all the time who would travel with their food from Anchorage to their village. However, I had to identify it. I had to write "Schalk, Teacher Housing, Eek, AK 99578" on the side.
By the time I reached Bethel and got my trash can back, it was covered in much more tape and had been inspected by TSA.
Despite the trouble and hassle, my roomie and I are happy that we have a normal sized trash can in our apartment. And, more importantly, there will forever be a trash can in Apartment 2B that has my name plastered on the side.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Benefit of a Small School
As I’m writing this I’ve just left a site inservice. Here in Eek we have several days of site or district wide inservices. We spent much of the afternoon discussing our at-risk students and how we as a staff can help them. The students ranged in ages across the school. This brings me to my topic for today- the benefit of small schools.
I taught for five years at a traditional middle school in Ohio. We had grades 6-8 with about 500 students. Now, at Eek School, we have grades K-12 with about 85 students. I’m responsible for 31 students in grades 7-12. I grew up in a small school, but it was mammoth compared to this school. I thought when I first came here that this must be extremely annoying for the students and the staff. For instance, if Bobby is being a brat one day, then, in Ohio, I only had to have him in class for 50 minutes. Here, I also have him for 50 minutes, but I teach that group 2-3 times a day for different classes. While the above situation can be true, the benefits of a small school far outweigh the negative.
My first success story is that of Billy (obviously not his real name). Billy has been academically unsuccessful for years. As a staff, we thought maybe he would do better with a smaller class size. Keep in mind that our classes only have about 12-15 students in general. So, Billy’s schedule has been switched to be with a teacher and only one other student or no other students for most of the day. His academic tasks and social behavior have completely changed for the better. Some of you who are not involved in education might wonder why this was such a big achievement. I mean we simply did what was best for the student, right? But, in most schools, moving a student’s schedule is a huge issue due to staffing problems. Why could we do this? Because we have a small school, and we’re able to move schedules without disrupting a lot of people’s schedules.
Teachers know almost every student in K-12 by his/her first name. In fact, we often sub for one another in order to let people go to the health clinic, chaperone athletic teams, and help out where needed.
Students also benefit from having a small school. If a kindergarten student is misbehaving or crying, one of the most effective strategies is to call the high school room (me) and ask for the student’s older sibling to come help. Imagine the embarrassment if instead of the principal coming, it was your older brother! This is a strategy we generally only have to employ once or twice.
Small schools are something that we don’t see much in the Lower 48. However, it’s something that perhaps we need to think more about. What exactly are we getting from these 1,000+ student schools? At what point does the value of a child’s education outweigh that of the taxpayers’ protestations?
I taught for five years at a traditional middle school in Ohio. We had grades 6-8 with about 500 students. Now, at Eek School, we have grades K-12 with about 85 students. I’m responsible for 31 students in grades 7-12. I grew up in a small school, but it was mammoth compared to this school. I thought when I first came here that this must be extremely annoying for the students and the staff. For instance, if Bobby is being a brat one day, then, in Ohio, I only had to have him in class for 50 minutes. Here, I also have him for 50 minutes, but I teach that group 2-3 times a day for different classes. While the above situation can be true, the benefits of a small school far outweigh the negative.
My first success story is that of Billy (obviously not his real name). Billy has been academically unsuccessful for years. As a staff, we thought maybe he would do better with a smaller class size. Keep in mind that our classes only have about 12-15 students in general. So, Billy’s schedule has been switched to be with a teacher and only one other student or no other students for most of the day. His academic tasks and social behavior have completely changed for the better. Some of you who are not involved in education might wonder why this was such a big achievement. I mean we simply did what was best for the student, right? But, in most schools, moving a student’s schedule is a huge issue due to staffing problems. Why could we do this? Because we have a small school, and we’re able to move schedules without disrupting a lot of people’s schedules.
Teachers know almost every student in K-12 by his/her first name. In fact, we often sub for one another in order to let people go to the health clinic, chaperone athletic teams, and help out where needed.
Students also benefit from having a small school. If a kindergarten student is misbehaving or crying, one of the most effective strategies is to call the high school room (me) and ask for the student’s older sibling to come help. Imagine the embarrassment if instead of the principal coming, it was your older brother! This is a strategy we generally only have to employ once or twice.
Small schools are something that we don’t see much in the Lower 48. However, it’s something that perhaps we need to think more about. What exactly are we getting from these 1,000+ student schools? At what point does the value of a child’s education outweigh that of the taxpayers’ protestations?
Monday, December 20, 2010
The 12 Travel Troubles of Erin Schalk
I’m always so excited to be coming home that I often forget how much trouble traveling can be. Although I’ve done the cross country trek half a dozen times now, this trip was the worst. Read on for my take on a classic Christmas song.
The 12 Travel Troubles of Erin Schalk
1- Crazy Cat Lady. I decided not to bring Portia home this time. The trip is hard on her, and it would be super expensive. So, I decided to board her in Anchorage. She’s staying at a place with a lady who refers to herself as The Crazy Cat Lady. I met her in baggage claim in the Anchorage airport. She gave me a clipboard with four pages of paperwork. When I finished filling it out, I took it to her and she had covered Portia in cat nip. It was quite a site.
2- Delayed Flights. The charter we had scheduled was supposed to come in at 5:00 Friday. However, I got a call saying the weather might go down and we should come earlier. After much rearranging, we managed to arrange to come in at 3:00 to Bethel. I called the charter office and they said they’d come as soon as they could. They came at 4:45. Seriously? We were supposed to leave at 5:00. Oh well. The second time was in Bethel. I was suppose to leave at 2:30 PM and the flight was cancelled due to weather.
3- Times I went through security. Twice in Bethel, once in Anchorage. There were no full body scanners thankfully.
4- bags I schlepped back and forth from the Bethel airport. One was checked, two carry-ons, and a cat.
5- Weather changes that affected flights. Two times in Eek and three times in Bethel. The fog would go up and down and up and down. Very frustrating.
6- Boarding Passes. Between the number of flights and the Bethel trip being cancelled then rebooked, then seats changed, I ended up with six passes.
7- Times at the baggage office in the Cleveland airport. In Bethel, I asked for my bag to go through Cleveland. However, the agent there coded it wrong. Instead of being on my United flight with me, it went on a Continental flight to Cleveland. So, of course, it wasn’t there when I was. After going back and forth between the two offices it finally got figured out where my bag was and who was responsible for getting it to me. Let me just say that United does not top my list of great airlines to travel. But, I got my bag, so it all turned out ok.
8- flights I’m associated with. 1 Grant Aviation from Eek to Bethel. Three Alaska Airlines flights, two from Bethel to Anchorage and one from Anchorage to Chicago. One US Airways flight from Chicago to Columbus. One United flight from Chicago to Cleveland (the one I was actually on). Two Continental flights (one that my bag was supposed to be on and the one my bag was actually on).
9- Amount of money I paid in Chicago O’Hare airport for a cup of coffee and an apple.
10- Amount of dollars I paid for lunch for my brother and I at Taco Bell. My first meal back in Ohio.
11- Calls or texts to my mom telling her of flight situations.
12- Drinks. Number of drinks I consumed between leaving Eek and arriving in Uhrichsville.
Although there were a few bumps in the road, I am so happy to be home and see my family.
Merry Christmas!
The 12 Travel Troubles of Erin Schalk
1- Crazy Cat Lady. I decided not to bring Portia home this time. The trip is hard on her, and it would be super expensive. So, I decided to board her in Anchorage. She’s staying at a place with a lady who refers to herself as The Crazy Cat Lady. I met her in baggage claim in the Anchorage airport. She gave me a clipboard with four pages of paperwork. When I finished filling it out, I took it to her and she had covered Portia in cat nip. It was quite a site.
2- Delayed Flights. The charter we had scheduled was supposed to come in at 5:00 Friday. However, I got a call saying the weather might go down and we should come earlier. After much rearranging, we managed to arrange to come in at 3:00 to Bethel. I called the charter office and they said they’d come as soon as they could. They came at 4:45. Seriously? We were supposed to leave at 5:00. Oh well. The second time was in Bethel. I was suppose to leave at 2:30 PM and the flight was cancelled due to weather.
3- Times I went through security. Twice in Bethel, once in Anchorage. There were no full body scanners thankfully.
4- bags I schlepped back and forth from the Bethel airport. One was checked, two carry-ons, and a cat.
5- Weather changes that affected flights. Two times in Eek and three times in Bethel. The fog would go up and down and up and down. Very frustrating.
6- Boarding Passes. Between the number of flights and the Bethel trip being cancelled then rebooked, then seats changed, I ended up with six passes.
7- Times at the baggage office in the Cleveland airport. In Bethel, I asked for my bag to go through Cleveland. However, the agent there coded it wrong. Instead of being on my United flight with me, it went on a Continental flight to Cleveland. So, of course, it wasn’t there when I was. After going back and forth between the two offices it finally got figured out where my bag was and who was responsible for getting it to me. Let me just say that United does not top my list of great airlines to travel. But, I got my bag, so it all turned out ok.
8- flights I’m associated with. 1 Grant Aviation from Eek to Bethel. Three Alaska Airlines flights, two from Bethel to Anchorage and one from Anchorage to Chicago. One US Airways flight from Chicago to Columbus. One United flight from Chicago to Cleveland (the one I was actually on). Two Continental flights (one that my bag was supposed to be on and the one my bag was actually on).
9- Amount of money I paid in Chicago O’Hare airport for a cup of coffee and an apple.
10- Amount of dollars I paid for lunch for my brother and I at Taco Bell. My first meal back in Ohio.
11- Calls or texts to my mom telling her of flight situations.
12- Drinks. Number of drinks I consumed between leaving Eek and arriving in Uhrichsville.
Although there were a few bumps in the road, I am so happy to be home and see my family.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 3, 2010
You Know You're A Teacher in Bush Alaska. . .
I'd like to thank all of my friends who contributed to this. It was hilarious to compile, and I'm sure there will be many more. Enjoy!
You know you're a teacher in bush Alaska when. . .
1. Your boss comes in wearing a hair net and carrying pancake syrup and asks if you have any more syrup at your house because the school ran out.
2. A student calls you an hour before school to ask if she can come in to shower.
3. A student leaves a bloody caribou head on your porch, and you take it as a compliment.
4. Everyone you know is waiting for the mail plane to see what Netflixs came in.
5. You go to the post office and the clerk gives you the mail for all of your friends along with yours.
6. You go to the store to get bread, eggs and butter and they don't have any.
7. The pilot puts 3 quarts of oil in the plane and says, "Hurry up, let's go"
8. When landing at a village airstrip, you look out the side window straight down the runway,
9. A snow machine is to ride on, not to make snow with
10. A line from a student’s poem reads, “I ride my mother. . .” and it means he gave her a ride to work
11. A drop in the bucket has a whole other meaning
12. You sit around in a hot box naked with a bunch of women you barely know and think, “This is great!”
13. You wish the temperature would just drop to 0, snow a few feet, freeze everything, and be done with it already!
14. Pizza has a $30 delivery fee
15. 6 weeks is reasonable delivery time for UPS and FedEx
16. You see a student walking on the school’s playground carrying a rifle and you’re not worried, but say “Good Hunting!”
17. Although you live by Alaska Standard Time your cable is mixture of Eastern Standard Time and Pacific Time
18. A gallon of water is twice as expensive as a gallon of gas
19. A date includes going to the jail as an important landmark
20. Your school e-mail list includes guns for sale
21. The best entertainment in town is a band called the Squeeky Eeks
22. There are more dogs in the village than people, but only one cat
23. And finally, you know you’re a teacher in Bush Alaska when you have to ask the clerk to go behind the counter for mouthwash!
You know you're a teacher in bush Alaska when. . .
1. Your boss comes in wearing a hair net and carrying pancake syrup and asks if you have any more syrup at your house because the school ran out.
2. A student calls you an hour before school to ask if she can come in to shower.
3. A student leaves a bloody caribou head on your porch, and you take it as a compliment.
4. Everyone you know is waiting for the mail plane to see what Netflixs came in.
5. You go to the post office and the clerk gives you the mail for all of your friends along with yours.
6. You go to the store to get bread, eggs and butter and they don't have any.
7. The pilot puts 3 quarts of oil in the plane and says, "Hurry up, let's go"
8. When landing at a village airstrip, you look out the side window straight down the runway,
9. A snow machine is to ride on, not to make snow with
10. A line from a student’s poem reads, “I ride my mother. . .” and it means he gave her a ride to work
11. A drop in the bucket has a whole other meaning
12. You sit around in a hot box naked with a bunch of women you barely know and think, “This is great!”
13. You wish the temperature would just drop to 0, snow a few feet, freeze everything, and be done with it already!
14. Pizza has a $30 delivery fee
15. 6 weeks is reasonable delivery time for UPS and FedEx
16. You see a student walking on the school’s playground carrying a rifle and you’re not worried, but say “Good Hunting!”
17. Although you live by Alaska Standard Time your cable is mixture of Eastern Standard Time and Pacific Time
18. A gallon of water is twice as expensive as a gallon of gas
19. A date includes going to the jail as an important landmark
20. Your school e-mail list includes guns for sale
21. The best entertainment in town is a band called the Squeeky Eeks
22. There are more dogs in the village than people, but only one cat
23. And finally, you know you’re a teacher in Bush Alaska when you have to ask the clerk to go behind the counter for mouthwash!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The Big Weekend That Wasn't
Well, I suppose it's official that the holidays are upon us. But, up here, it still seems like a distant dream. Corny, but true. I had intended to go to Homer, Alaska, with my friend Segue. She and I had made plane reservations to go to Homer on Thursday evening. We were spending Thanksgiving proper in Anchorage, eating at a nice restaurant, staying in a nice hotel, and seeing a movie. Then, we were on to Homer to walk in snowshoes, go to a spa, see another movie, eat out, and, of course, drink a beer.
Then, the Monday before Thanksgiving came and Segue called me with bad news. The river was thawing. You see, Segue lives in Oscarville, which is so small it doesn't have an airport or roads connecting it to anywhere else. During the warm months, she can get places by boating on the Kuskokwim River. In the winter, they can snowmachine over the land to Bethel or, when it's frozen enough, snowmachine or drive vehicles on the river into Bethel. However, for about 3 weeks in the fall and 3 weeks in the spring, she's stuck. The river is too icy for boats and not icy enough for snowmachines.
The land was frozen enough for snowmachines about 2 weeks ago. Then, we had four days of above freezing temperatures. This is bad. Both the river and the land were not frozen enough to get out. Segue was stuck in Oscarville.
Now, I had three options:
A. go to Homer alone
B. find someone else to go to Homer
C. stay in Eek, cancel all reservations, and eat the deposit money
I chose C. Frankly, if I couldn't go with Segue, I didn't want to go. Luckily, I got 100% full refunds on everything from the hotels to the plane reservations. So, my bank account was happy.
The holiday here was quiet. We had another teacher from Quingahak (the next village over) come and visit with her brother and two friends. There were eleven of us at dinner. The highlight of Thanksgiving was the wolf/dog.
Dirk had come over for breakfast from his man cave when we all decided to watch a movie. So, I put on my knee high boots over my pajama pants and slung on my North Face fleece and walked with Dirk to his house. As we came back with classics like "Pulp Fiction" and "The Abyss", I said to Dirk, "Who's the weirdo with gun walking behind the housing?"
"It's Brett (our new principal), " he answered.
"What's he doing?"
"Feeding his dogs (side note- my new principal has a dog team the he mushes)," Dirk said like I was an idiot.
"With a gun?" I answered. So, Dirk and I stood in the now freezing temperatures and watched Brett walk out to his dog team with a gun. That's when we saw a black shape running around the dump which is behind our housing unit.
"Is that a wolf?" I asked. Little did I know that that would be the question of the day. Dirk and I stood and watched for while before we went back to my apartment and told the others. So, for a while, like half an hour, seven of us stood at my windows drinking coffee and watching my principal hunt this animal.
We still aren't sure if it was a wolf or a dog. Nobody can decide. One of our Board of Education members shot it, but it ran off and we haven't seen it since.
For the record, my principal maintains he was not hunting dogs.
That was the high point of an otherwise lovely, but laze break. I didn't fight nay Black Friday crowds, I didn't have to drive to anyone's house which are all good things. So, overall, it was a good weekend.
Then, the Monday before Thanksgiving came and Segue called me with bad news. The river was thawing. You see, Segue lives in Oscarville, which is so small it doesn't have an airport or roads connecting it to anywhere else. During the warm months, she can get places by boating on the Kuskokwim River. In the winter, they can snowmachine over the land to Bethel or, when it's frozen enough, snowmachine or drive vehicles on the river into Bethel. However, for about 3 weeks in the fall and 3 weeks in the spring, she's stuck. The river is too icy for boats and not icy enough for snowmachines.
The land was frozen enough for snowmachines about 2 weeks ago. Then, we had four days of above freezing temperatures. This is bad. Both the river and the land were not frozen enough to get out. Segue was stuck in Oscarville.
Now, I had three options:
A. go to Homer alone
B. find someone else to go to Homer
C. stay in Eek, cancel all reservations, and eat the deposit money
I chose C. Frankly, if I couldn't go with Segue, I didn't want to go. Luckily, I got 100% full refunds on everything from the hotels to the plane reservations. So, my bank account was happy.
The holiday here was quiet. We had another teacher from Quingahak (the next village over) come and visit with her brother and two friends. There were eleven of us at dinner. The highlight of Thanksgiving was the wolf/dog.
Dirk had come over for breakfast from his man cave when we all decided to watch a movie. So, I put on my knee high boots over my pajama pants and slung on my North Face fleece and walked with Dirk to his house. As we came back with classics like "Pulp Fiction" and "The Abyss", I said to Dirk, "Who's the weirdo with gun walking behind the housing?"
"It's Brett (our new principal), " he answered.
"What's he doing?"
"Feeding his dogs (side note- my new principal has a dog team the he mushes)," Dirk said like I was an idiot.
"With a gun?" I answered. So, Dirk and I stood in the now freezing temperatures and watched Brett walk out to his dog team with a gun. That's when we saw a black shape running around the dump which is behind our housing unit.
"Is that a wolf?" I asked. Little did I know that that would be the question of the day. Dirk and I stood and watched for while before we went back to my apartment and told the others. So, for a while, like half an hour, seven of us stood at my windows drinking coffee and watching my principal hunt this animal.
We still aren't sure if it was a wolf or a dog. Nobody can decide. One of our Board of Education members shot it, but it ran off and we haven't seen it since.
For the record, my principal maintains he was not hunting dogs.
That was the high point of an otherwise lovely, but laze break. I didn't fight nay Black Friday crowds, I didn't have to drive to anyone's house which are all good things. So, overall, it was a good weekend.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Steamy!
Yesterday I was sitting at work thinking that it was about time I post again, but yet nothing blog worthy had happened. So, I was wracking my brain trying to think of something when my phone rang. A fellow teacher, Loni, who is a Native Alaskan called me and asked me and my roommate to come steam with her. I immediately accepted and came home to ask my roomie.
Let me explain what a steam is. In many villages here in bush Alaska, including Eek, msot of the village houses don't have indoor plumbing and running water. So, the villagers do what they've been doing for years and years- steam bathing. Outside of the house is a small building made of plywood with two rooms. The first room with the outer door is the "cool room". There is a door in the "cool room" that leads to the inner room or the "steam room". Inside the steam room, there's a cast iron stove on which you put rocks.
To start the steam, you light a fire in the stove. Then, you let the water in the basin attached to the stove boil. When the water is boiling, it's time to start the bath.
My roommate, Traci, and I walked over to Loni's house and stepped into the cool room. Loni was already in the steam room. Traci and I stripped down to nothing and joined Loni in the steam room. The room was pretty warm, but not too bad. That was about to change. Loni poured the water on top of the rocks and let the heat roll over us. It was easily the most intense heat I have ever experienced. In fact, I had to wet my hair because if it were dry it would get so hot that it would burn my scalp! Also, I had to breathe through my nose or else my gums burned. Traci and I found the yoga pose, child's pose, to be helpful For those of you who don't know yoga, child's pose is when you sit back on your knees and bend over with your forehead on the floor. When you're crouched over like that the heat goes on your back which is less sensitive than say a woman's bare chest.
After we poured the water on the stones a few times we went back to the cool room to cool off and drink water. We sat on towels in the cool room and talked. This is a traditional time for women to socialize without men being near. It is customary to only steam with people of the same gender.
Once we had repeated the process of steaming and cooling off a few times, we started the bath part. Each of us had a small basin of water. We took out shampoo, conditioner and soap into the steam room. We washed like normal by dipping wash cloths and our hair into the basin and rinsing. When you finish, you just dump your water near the edge of steam room and let it run outside. You finish the steam bath by sitting in the cool room and drying off.
After the steam bath, I was completely relaxed and my muscles felt like jelly. Traci has had neck surgery and said that it made her tense neck muscles feel amazing. It was time consuming, about two hours, but totally worth it. It was just one more experience that I will never forget.
Let me explain what a steam is. In many villages here in bush Alaska, including Eek, msot of the village houses don't have indoor plumbing and running water. So, the villagers do what they've been doing for years and years- steam bathing. Outside of the house is a small building made of plywood with two rooms. The first room with the outer door is the "cool room". There is a door in the "cool room" that leads to the inner room or the "steam room". Inside the steam room, there's a cast iron stove on which you put rocks.
To start the steam, you light a fire in the stove. Then, you let the water in the basin attached to the stove boil. When the water is boiling, it's time to start the bath.
My roommate, Traci, and I walked over to Loni's house and stepped into the cool room. Loni was already in the steam room. Traci and I stripped down to nothing and joined Loni in the steam room. The room was pretty warm, but not too bad. That was about to change. Loni poured the water on top of the rocks and let the heat roll over us. It was easily the most intense heat I have ever experienced. In fact, I had to wet my hair because if it were dry it would get so hot that it would burn my scalp! Also, I had to breathe through my nose or else my gums burned. Traci and I found the yoga pose, child's pose, to be helpful For those of you who don't know yoga, child's pose is when you sit back on your knees and bend over with your forehead on the floor. When you're crouched over like that the heat goes on your back which is less sensitive than say a woman's bare chest.
After we poured the water on the stones a few times we went back to the cool room to cool off and drink water. We sat on towels in the cool room and talked. This is a traditional time for women to socialize without men being near. It is customary to only steam with people of the same gender.
Once we had repeated the process of steaming and cooling off a few times, we started the bath part. Each of us had a small basin of water. We took out shampoo, conditioner and soap into the steam room. We washed like normal by dipping wash cloths and our hair into the basin and rinsing. When you finish, you just dump your water near the edge of steam room and let it run outside. You finish the steam bath by sitting in the cool room and drying off.
After the steam bath, I was completely relaxed and my muscles felt like jelly. Traci has had neck surgery and said that it made her tense neck muscles feel amazing. It was time consuming, about two hours, but totally worth it. It was just one more experience that I will never forget.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Amongst all the fun
For the past few weeks, I have been overcome with a desire to write a great blog post. I have a great post up my sleeve about an ill-fated guinea pig, but, alas, I'm still awaiting pictures. So, in the meantime, let me tell you how I have been spending my time.
Mostly, I've been in Bethel. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bethel, it is my regional hub, school district headquarters, and closest town of any importance. There are about 6,000 people in Bethel- most of whom seem to work for LKSD (Lower Kuskokwim School District- like me) or YKHC (Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation). I have spent the last two weekends there- and they have been fabulous!
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to score writing assessments in Bethel. Writing assessments are writing assignments given to all students in my district. The students must choose from two prompts and spend one class period writing about it. Then, the district brings in 25 or so people to score them. I've been told that to most people being called into Bethel to score these assessments for 3 days is tantamount to having your teeth pulled. I, on the other hand, think it is loads of fun and would love to do it more often!
That weekend I finished working on Saturday, but decided to stay an extra night in Bethel at the Old Mission House Bed and Breakfast owned by my friend Vicki. My favorite thing about staying there is that Vicki treats her guests as friends. I showed up there Wednesday night to find Vicki working in her kitchen. She told me that I would have the place to myself after that night. I assumed she meant by myself without any other guests. However, Vicki meant she was leaving for Seattle, and the house would be all mine. She agreed to let me stay an extra night for the bargain price of $0 if I helped with household chores while she was out. I agreed right away.
One might ask me, what do you do in Bethel on a Saturday night? The answer-ballroom dancing! A co-worker suggested to me that Segue and I join him for dance lessons. the three of us paid $10 and fox trotted and cha-chaed the night away! In true Alaska fashion, there were actually MORE MEN at ballroom dancing than women!
Another week of work passed, and I went back to Bethel this weekend. My roomie and friend, Traci Buckle (look her up on iTunes) was performing at the Steel Salmon and Raven Show. So, Segue, myself, and a few other friends bought $50 dinner tickets to eat crab, listen to Traci, and socialize. That might seem outlandish, but it was awesome!
What is a Steel Salmon and Raven show? Well, local artists are given salmon and ravens made of steel to decorate and create art with. The results were amazing. Then, the pieces were auctioned off along with other various objects. The pieces went for $95 at the low end and over $600 at the high end. I also watched a guy pay $75 for a cheesecake. Of course, as I was reminded, it was a fundraiser for the local art guild.
The auction ended and Segue reminded me that ballroom dancing was being offered again. So, we went with three more friends in tow. Once again, it was a great class followed by wine (yay!) and Catch Phrase with some more awesome people. So, for all of you who were curious, that's what I've been up to.
Amongst all this weekend fun, I do manage to teach also.
Mostly, I've been in Bethel. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bethel, it is my regional hub, school district headquarters, and closest town of any importance. There are about 6,000 people in Bethel- most of whom seem to work for LKSD (Lower Kuskokwim School District- like me) or YKHC (Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation). I have spent the last two weekends there- and they have been fabulous!
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to score writing assessments in Bethel. Writing assessments are writing assignments given to all students in my district. The students must choose from two prompts and spend one class period writing about it. Then, the district brings in 25 or so people to score them. I've been told that to most people being called into Bethel to score these assessments for 3 days is tantamount to having your teeth pulled. I, on the other hand, think it is loads of fun and would love to do it more often!
That weekend I finished working on Saturday, but decided to stay an extra night in Bethel at the Old Mission House Bed and Breakfast owned by my friend Vicki. My favorite thing about staying there is that Vicki treats her guests as friends. I showed up there Wednesday night to find Vicki working in her kitchen. She told me that I would have the place to myself after that night. I assumed she meant by myself without any other guests. However, Vicki meant she was leaving for Seattle, and the house would be all mine. She agreed to let me stay an extra night for the bargain price of $0 if I helped with household chores while she was out. I agreed right away.
One might ask me, what do you do in Bethel on a Saturday night? The answer-ballroom dancing! A co-worker suggested to me that Segue and I join him for dance lessons. the three of us paid $10 and fox trotted and cha-chaed the night away! In true Alaska fashion, there were actually MORE MEN at ballroom dancing than women!
Another week of work passed, and I went back to Bethel this weekend. My roomie and friend, Traci Buckle (look her up on iTunes) was performing at the Steel Salmon and Raven Show. So, Segue, myself, and a few other friends bought $50 dinner tickets to eat crab, listen to Traci, and socialize. That might seem outlandish, but it was awesome!
What is a Steel Salmon and Raven show? Well, local artists are given salmon and ravens made of steel to decorate and create art with. The results were amazing. Then, the pieces were auctioned off along with other various objects. The pieces went for $95 at the low end and over $600 at the high end. I also watched a guy pay $75 for a cheesecake. Of course, as I was reminded, it was a fundraiser for the local art guild.
The auction ended and Segue reminded me that ballroom dancing was being offered again. So, we went with three more friends in tow. Once again, it was a great class followed by wine (yay!) and Catch Phrase with some more awesome people. So, for all of you who were curious, that's what I've been up to.
Amongst all this weekend fun, I do manage to teach also.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
I Know I'm Back. . .
Today is a cool, misty day here in Eek. I've been here for 13 days, and already feel like I never left. In some ways, this is the easiest start of the school year I've ever had. I don't have to learn any new names, I know the staff, and my classes are already organized. However, there are some things that are truly indicative of where I live here in the tundra.
Today, I packed up two boxes. One goes to my mom with random items that I've ended with like my niece's socks, my brother's book, and a few other odds and ends. I also packed up a box with a loaner cell phone to mail back to the company now that I have my fancy used Blackberry.
I made my way to the post office and was told that someone had to get the boxes that had come in for the school. They were marked frozen and the post office didn't want them sitting there for the weekend. So, after trying to get a hold of my principal and another staff member, I ended up getting some students to help me get the boxes back to the school. There were too many to carry, so the student borrowed his parents' four wheeler with a trailer (remember- no cars here). I finally found another teacher to help me. For a tiny village, there were remarkably no people around to help me. . .
When we got to the post office, the worker brought out the boxes only to find that none were frozen, but most were textbooks. Oh well. As we made our way in the cool mist to the school with boxes of books, but no frozen food, I realized that I was back and couldn't be happier.
Today, I packed up two boxes. One goes to my mom with random items that I've ended with like my niece's socks, my brother's book, and a few other odds and ends. I also packed up a box with a loaner cell phone to mail back to the company now that I have my fancy used Blackberry.
I made my way to the post office and was told that someone had to get the boxes that had come in for the school. They were marked frozen and the post office didn't want them sitting there for the weekend. So, after trying to get a hold of my principal and another staff member, I ended up getting some students to help me get the boxes back to the school. There were too many to carry, so the student borrowed his parents' four wheeler with a trailer (remember- no cars here). I finally found another teacher to help me. For a tiny village, there were remarkably no people around to help me. . .
When we got to the post office, the worker brought out the boxes only to find that none were frozen, but most were textbooks. Oh well. As we made our way in the cool mist to the school with boxes of books, but no frozen food, I realized that I was back and couldn't be happier.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Because there are Roads Here. . .
I thought I would take some time to fill everyone in on what an Alaskan teacher does when she's not teaching.
1. Visiting friends. I have eaten more meals out in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past 6 months! Evidently, as we get older and want to spend time with friends, we know how to do two things: eat and drink. I have done plenty of both of those things. I'm not complaining though, it's nice to have the option.
2. The camper. For those of you who don't know, I bought a 1984 Yellowstone camper. It works about halfway. The hot water heater needs fixed and the air conditioner doesn't work. Although, I've been told to suck it up because it's not real camping any way. I decided to insure the camper because I'm a practical person. My car insurance is over $300 a half, my camper is $19. That should give you an idea of how much it's worth!
3. Family. One of my main activities has been visiting family and friends. I have watched my niece dance and graduate preschool. Alex, my niece, was performing in a street fair. So, my family went out to support her. It had to be 90 degrees and my thickened Alaskan blood wasn't having it! It was so hot and so uncomfortable, but I told myself it was worth it for Alex. Her group went and started their dance. It was maybe 30 seconds. . . All that sweat for 30 seconds. But, she was happy.
4. Deals! I have spend so much money since I've been home. But, the best deal, by far, is Diet Coke. Many of you know that I love this stuff and often call it Diet Crack. But, I refuse to pay $14 for a 12 pack in the village. So, imagine my delight when I found it at Wal-Mart for $5!!!!!! It was amazing! I almost bought 3 cases, but then remembered that I can go to Wal-Mart any time- because there are roads here.
1. Visiting friends. I have eaten more meals out in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past 6 months! Evidently, as we get older and want to spend time with friends, we know how to do two things: eat and drink. I have done plenty of both of those things. I'm not complaining though, it's nice to have the option.
2. The camper. For those of you who don't know, I bought a 1984 Yellowstone camper. It works about halfway. The hot water heater needs fixed and the air conditioner doesn't work. Although, I've been told to suck it up because it's not real camping any way. I decided to insure the camper because I'm a practical person. My car insurance is over $300 a half, my camper is $19. That should give you an idea of how much it's worth!
3. Family. One of my main activities has been visiting family and friends. I have watched my niece dance and graduate preschool. Alex, my niece, was performing in a street fair. So, my family went out to support her. It had to be 90 degrees and my thickened Alaskan blood wasn't having it! It was so hot and so uncomfortable, but I told myself it was worth it for Alex. Her group went and started their dance. It was maybe 30 seconds. . . All that sweat for 30 seconds. But, she was happy.
4. Deals! I have spend so much money since I've been home. But, the best deal, by far, is Diet Coke. Many of you know that I love this stuff and often call it Diet Crack. But, I refuse to pay $14 for a 12 pack in the village. So, imagine my delight when I found it at Wal-Mart for $5!!!!!! It was amazing! I almost bought 3 cases, but then remembered that I can go to Wal-Mart any time- because there are roads here.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
48 Hours and Counting
So, here it is May 20, and I can hardly believe it. But, first, I must apologize for being absent for 6 weeks. We had internet trouble, then I couldn't upload pictures, and frankly, I've been SUPER busy! But, here I am again.
Moving up here has been such a wonderful experience. I am looking forward to next year. In case you haven't heard, I did sign my contract for next year. I've done thing I never thought I would.
I like lists, so here is a list of things I've done that I probably never would have done in Ohio:
1. I relearned how to sew. I made a quilted table runner!
2. I cut a moose and a caribou. The caribou, if you'll remember, was on my kitchen floor.
3. I've learned to love aqutaq, or Eskimo ice cream. It's pretty much Crisco and berries, but it is delicious!
4. I rode on an ice road in a truck, and secretly prayed that the ice didn't break, even though I know won't!
5. I ate raw beluga whale. It was pretty bad.
6. I attended my first graduation as a teacher of the graduates. I cried a little.
7. I learned that prom decorations are a terrible idea, and that you need an engineering degree to assemble them!
8. I own snow gear, so I don't freeze to death when traveling for work.
9. I paid $10 for a bag of flour.
10. I've made lifelong friends who I never would have met any other way.
Just to illustrate how different things are here, during prom decorating, some high schoolers and I were putting together the Eiffel Tower and you needed to cut a hole in a piece of cardboard with a craft knife. Well, we couldn't find a craft knife to save our lives. So, I said, "Ok. Who brought a knife to school today?" Two boys took knives out of their pockets. I assigned one of them to cut the hole. That is something that NEVER would happen in the Lower 48. I'd have to suspend them both!
A few other things to note: I moved to a different apartment. A fellow teacher, Dirk, and I decided to switch houses. I now live with Traci in a nicer, newer apartment. We've been roommates for about a month, and so far so good. This will come to a surprise for those of you who know how much I hate roommates!
We are getting a new principal next year. He seems like a good guy, and I'm excited for him to be here. Frankly, he has to be pretty good; he's also an OWU grad!
I bought a 1984 camper to use for the summer. So, if you're near Atwood Lake Park, look me up. I think I'm lot 693. Tony, my brother, got the lot for me.
Those are all the big things I can think of. I'll be arriving home at 8:23 PM EST at the Akron/Canton Airport. It's a full 24 hour trip with plenty of stops in between. So, Portia, my cat, and I will be leaving Eek at 4:30 PM tomorrow and heading out. Keep looking back as I'll update this summer. I'll try to do it more often.
Moving up here has been such a wonderful experience. I am looking forward to next year. In case you haven't heard, I did sign my contract for next year. I've done thing I never thought I would.
I like lists, so here is a list of things I've done that I probably never would have done in Ohio:
1. I relearned how to sew. I made a quilted table runner!
2. I cut a moose and a caribou. The caribou, if you'll remember, was on my kitchen floor.
3. I've learned to love aqutaq, or Eskimo ice cream. It's pretty much Crisco and berries, but it is delicious!
4. I rode on an ice road in a truck, and secretly prayed that the ice didn't break, even though I know won't!
5. I ate raw beluga whale. It was pretty bad.
6. I attended my first graduation as a teacher of the graduates. I cried a little.
7. I learned that prom decorations are a terrible idea, and that you need an engineering degree to assemble them!
8. I own snow gear, so I don't freeze to death when traveling for work.
9. I paid $10 for a bag of flour.
10. I've made lifelong friends who I never would have met any other way.
Just to illustrate how different things are here, during prom decorating, some high schoolers and I were putting together the Eiffel Tower and you needed to cut a hole in a piece of cardboard with a craft knife. Well, we couldn't find a craft knife to save our lives. So, I said, "Ok. Who brought a knife to school today?" Two boys took knives out of their pockets. I assigned one of them to cut the hole. That is something that NEVER would happen in the Lower 48. I'd have to suspend them both!
A few other things to note: I moved to a different apartment. A fellow teacher, Dirk, and I decided to switch houses. I now live with Traci in a nicer, newer apartment. We've been roommates for about a month, and so far so good. This will come to a surprise for those of you who know how much I hate roommates!
We are getting a new principal next year. He seems like a good guy, and I'm excited for him to be here. Frankly, he has to be pretty good; he's also an OWU grad!
I bought a 1984 camper to use for the summer. So, if you're near Atwood Lake Park, look me up. I think I'm lot 693. Tony, my brother, got the lot for me.
Those are all the big things I can think of. I'll be arriving home at 8:23 PM EST at the Akron/Canton Airport. It's a full 24 hour trip with plenty of stops in between. So, Portia, my cat, and I will be leaving Eek at 4:30 PM tomorrow and heading out. Keep looking back as I'll update this summer. I'll try to do it more often.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Native Arts
A week and a half ago I had the opportunity to go into Bethel for the last art retreat of the year. This one focused on Native arts. I was a little nervous going in. I'm not the most talented person, so I was worried about how my art would turn out.
I was pleasantly surprised that the activities were geared to use in the classroom teaching students. This was good news to me because I should be able handle an art project meant for a 10-year-old! They split us into four groups and explained that there would be four sessions: beading, weaving, sewing, and carving. Each one took a half day to complete.
This is a spoon I carved using a Haida (another Native Alaskan culture) knife. The most difficult part of this was holding the knife correctly. You had to hold the knife in your palm facing up with the point on the opposite side of your thumb and pull the blade toward you. Our instructor claimed it was safer. This is probably true, but it wasn't easier. This was probably the hardest craft because I had never carved anything ever before. The head was supposed to be round, but you can see mine looks more like a stop sign. Of course, I did better than some. One guy carved the bowl part so deeply that he went right through and put a hole in the middle of his spoon!
This is a Yup'ik yo-yo. Traditionally, it's made of leather, animal skin, and sewn together with caribou sinew. Mine is made with leather, fake calf skin (not native to the area), and imitation sinew. Basically the thread is a waxy string. I sewed the two little mittens with brown leather on one side and calf skin on the other. When the workshop was almost over, we were supposed to try out our yo-yos. So, I asked the carving instructor for help because you don't use them like Lower 48 yo-yos. He started to try it and the one end fell off! Evidently, my sewing was not very tight. Live and learn I guess!
This is the basket that I wove. Traditionally, this would be made of grass, but ours were yarn. I think this might be the best (or second best) product I made. It took me awhile to get the hang of it, especially when I started weaving backwards. The instructor had a hard time getting me to do it right, but I learned!
This is a Yup'ik dance necklace. The brown stone looking things were traditionally made of bone (ours were plastic). I think this is my favorite thing that I made. It would be worn during Yup'ik dances. I think the most interesting thing I learned during this retreat was that this was a common time for women to talk and socialize. In many ways, this was the most enjoyable art retreat I have been to. I learned about how tough it was to complete these in an untraditional way, let alone with caribou sinew and hide! Enjoy the pictures!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Ice Road Erin!
A few weeks ago I had the chance to go into Bethel for two trainings. One training (an art retreat) was Friday and Saturday and the other (about classroom management) was Monday and Tuesday. This meant I had a day free between them. So, I decided to call Segue and see if I could visit her. Segue lives in a semi-suburb of Bethel called Oscarville. Although it is a short distance from Bethel (less than 10 miles I'd say) there are no roads. So, nobody can drive from Oscarville to Bethel. Unless of course, you don't mind driving on a frozen river. . .
So, that is exactly what I did! Well, I didn't drive, I rode along (or followed as they say here). It was a crazy experience! The "road" was well traveled. We saw at least a dozen other vehicles on the river as Segue, another friend, and I made our way to Oscarville. The road is really just two tire tracks leading from Bethel to other villages. This is fine until you see a truck coming the other way. When this happens one person, has to drive in the untouched snow and try to get back in the tracks once the opposing traffic passes.
This happened a few times in my short trip. The whole trip took about 15 minutes. But, some people drive from Bethel to much further off villages, like Kasigluk, which is about 2 hours! There is even a business called "river cabs" that take you from Bethel to other villages.
For those of you reading this who think I'm crazy for trying this because the ice could crack, let me educate you a little further. The river here freezes from top down, but it also freezes from the bottom up because it's so cold here. At a certain depth, the ground never thaws. So, even if the top layer did crack, the water might not be too deep, like a few inches. Don't worry, Mom!
Although, there are dangers. For instance, on the way back to Bethel, I saw a snow mobile that had caught on fire and burnt to the frame. But, as the driver said, "Well, there are no bones, so the person must have gotten off in time". That's optimism. Enjoy the pictures below of the ice road and Oscarville!
This is the view going from Bethel to the ice road. 
You can see there is a truck coming at us from the other direction.
Ice Road to Oscarville.
A view of Oscarville from the river.
Totally a different topic-- This is the sunset in Eek!
So, that is exactly what I did! Well, I didn't drive, I rode along (or followed as they say here). It was a crazy experience! The "road" was well traveled. We saw at least a dozen other vehicles on the river as Segue, another friend, and I made our way to Oscarville. The road is really just two tire tracks leading from Bethel to other villages. This is fine until you see a truck coming the other way. When this happens one person, has to drive in the untouched snow and try to get back in the tracks once the opposing traffic passes.
This happened a few times in my short trip. The whole trip took about 15 minutes. But, some people drive from Bethel to much further off villages, like Kasigluk, which is about 2 hours! There is even a business called "river cabs" that take you from Bethel to other villages.
For those of you reading this who think I'm crazy for trying this because the ice could crack, let me educate you a little further. The river here freezes from top down, but it also freezes from the bottom up because it's so cold here. At a certain depth, the ground never thaws. So, even if the top layer did crack, the water might not be too deep, like a few inches. Don't worry, Mom!
Although, there are dangers. For instance, on the way back to Bethel, I saw a snow mobile that had caught on fire and burnt to the frame. But, as the driver said, "Well, there are no bones, so the person must have gotten off in time". That's optimism. Enjoy the pictures below of the ice road and Oscarville!
This is the view going from Bethel to the ice road. 
You can see there is a truck coming at us from the other direction.
Ice Road to Oscarville.
A view of Oscarville from the river.
Totally a different topic-- This is the sunset in Eek!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Modes of Transportation
Every small town has a sport that they love. Here in Eek, and most of the tundra, it is basketball. This weekend it was my job to accompany our junior high basketball team to Kwigillingok, another village in our district. The junior high team is coed, and therefore they needed a female chaperone. It started out with a fun plane ride. The students asked me if they could ask the pilot for a "roller coaster". I said sure. I like thrill rides, so I figured this would be ok. A roller coaster is when the pilot nosedives the plane toward the frozen tundra, and then pulls up and goes higher than the usual flight track. It was so much fun! Trash, paper, clipboards--everything-- flies into the air due to the lack of gravity. Of course, we had to have one on the ride home too.
This is a kayak that Bill is working on. 
This is another traditional kayak. Notice the vein running down and forking out at the bottom. That's where Bill and his sons patched together two pieces of seal skin. It's held together with moss and seal fat as the "glue". This is one of the most interesting experiences I've had since I've been here. I'm really glad I got the chance to see this work.
The highlight of the weekend was meeting Bill, a teacher at Kwig, who builds kayaks in the Native American traditional way. 
This is a kayak that Bill is working on.
These are the frames for kayaks that are a work in progress.
This is the inside of a kayak. Notice how the "ribs" are bent? They bend those with their teeth!
This is a kayak made in the most traditional Native American Way. The skin of the kayak is seal skin, and the colors are made with crushed rock and water.
This is another traditional kayak. Notice the vein running down and forking out at the bottom. That's where Bill and his sons patched together two pieces of seal skin. It's held together with moss and seal fat as the "glue". This is one of the most interesting experiences I've had since I've been here. I'm really glad I got the chance to see this work.
This last picture is just a pretty sunset on the tundra.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Class is in session
I've been thinking about a topic to blog about. I tried to think of the one thing that people asked the most about while I was home for winter break. And, I have to admit that most people asked lots of questions about school up here. So, I'll do my best to point out, what I consider to be, the main differences between Ohio schools and here in no particular order.
1. The students call me Erin. Not Miss Schalk or ma'am, but Erin. It truly is a village feel here. We all live together and are "in it" together, so we're all on a first name basis. It's true that in Ohio, I have given students detention for calling me Erin, but here it's normal. And, I have to admit that it doesn't bother me. It's made me realize that respect is more than a title, but your character.
2. We don't give traditional grades. Although teaching isn't different, and learning is the same, the way we structure curriculum and grade is different. It's more holistic. For instance, students aren't really in grades. They have indicators to meet for a "phase". Once they finish, they can move up. Therefore, motivated students can move quickly through curriculum and less motivated students don't move. In some ways, I think this is great. I think it allows for a more individualized education. On the other hand, there is a high turn over rate here, and therefore spotty record keeping. So, it can backfire on us.
3. Students come to my house-a lot. They always want to visit, and it's considered normal to let them sometimes. In Ohio, I NEVER would let a student in my house, but here it's ok. They'll come in for a little while, watch TV, play cards, whatever. In my opinion, it's just something to do in a town with very little to do.
4. Student behavior has different standards. The students here often come tired, and sometimes, we let them sleep.
5. I don't give homework. Ever. It's just easier not to, and frankly, I can't say my results are worse than they were in Ohio.
I really feel like I work twice as hard here. I had 2 or 3 different classes to prepare for in Ohio, here I have 6. The lesson plans that are required are more involved, and the classes are longer. So, I work every weekend. I could count on one hand how many days I have been in the village and NOT gone into work. But, I also think it's more rewarding. So, in the end, it's worth it.
1. The students call me Erin. Not Miss Schalk or ma'am, but Erin. It truly is a village feel here. We all live together and are "in it" together, so we're all on a first name basis. It's true that in Ohio, I have given students detention for calling me Erin, but here it's normal. And, I have to admit that it doesn't bother me. It's made me realize that respect is more than a title, but your character.
2. We don't give traditional grades. Although teaching isn't different, and learning is the same, the way we structure curriculum and grade is different. It's more holistic. For instance, students aren't really in grades. They have indicators to meet for a "phase". Once they finish, they can move up. Therefore, motivated students can move quickly through curriculum and less motivated students don't move. In some ways, I think this is great. I think it allows for a more individualized education. On the other hand, there is a high turn over rate here, and therefore spotty record keeping. So, it can backfire on us.
3. Students come to my house-a lot. They always want to visit, and it's considered normal to let them sometimes. In Ohio, I NEVER would let a student in my house, but here it's ok. They'll come in for a little while, watch TV, play cards, whatever. In my opinion, it's just something to do in a town with very little to do.
4. Student behavior has different standards. The students here often come tired, and sometimes, we let them sleep.
5. I don't give homework. Ever. It's just easier not to, and frankly, I can't say my results are worse than they were in Ohio.
I really feel like I work twice as hard here. I had 2 or 3 different classes to prepare for in Ohio, here I have 6. The lesson plans that are required are more involved, and the classes are longer. So, I work every weekend. I could count on one hand how many days I have been in the village and NOT gone into work. But, I also think it's more rewarding. So, in the end, it's worth it.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Heading Up North
I'm currently sitting in the Anchorage airport awaiting my next flight. Despite a Midwest snowstorm, I managed to get out of Pittsburgh on time and even made my flight in Phoenix. When I arrived here in Anchorage I attempted to check only to find out that 1 AM is not the beginning of a new day. In fact, the new day starts at 4 AM according to Alaska Airlines. So, I'm sitting here waiting for a few hours to check in. I thought I would use the time wisely to reflect on the past month. Here are some highlights:
1. I got to see just about everyone on my list of friends and family. It always amazes me how much people can change in a few months. Between new significant others, pregnancies, and hairstyles. I was shocked by my friends multiple times. Although, I found myself saying that I didn't realize how much I'd missed everyone until I saw them.
2. My nephew, Caleb, has grown so much! When I saw him at calling hours, I had to ask if that was him. Of course, anyone who has kids or knows kids understands that 5 months makes a big difference with babies.
3. My niece, Alex, is still the same sweet, lovable, stubborn kid she always was. I was ready to come back to Alaska until I said goodbye to my niece and she clung to my leg begging me not to leave or to take her with me. Although, she does fit in my suitcase, I didn't feel that I should bring her.
4. Prioritizing while packing has a whole new meaning when you have to ship everything instead of just throwing it in a car.
5. Procrastinating is much easier when you're far away from responsibilities. I definitely did not get as much work done as I'd hoped. Oh well!
I had a great time at home, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing all my Eek friends and getting back to work. Here's looking forward to May!
1. I got to see just about everyone on my list of friends and family. It always amazes me how much people can change in a few months. Between new significant others, pregnancies, and hairstyles. I was shocked by my friends multiple times. Although, I found myself saying that I didn't realize how much I'd missed everyone until I saw them.
2. My nephew, Caleb, has grown so much! When I saw him at calling hours, I had to ask if that was him. Of course, anyone who has kids or knows kids understands that 5 months makes a big difference with babies.
3. My niece, Alex, is still the same sweet, lovable, stubborn kid she always was. I was ready to come back to Alaska until I said goodbye to my niece and she clung to my leg begging me not to leave or to take her with me. Although, she does fit in my suitcase, I didn't feel that I should bring her.
4. Prioritizing while packing has a whole new meaning when you have to ship everything instead of just throwing it in a car.
5. Procrastinating is much easier when you're far away from responsibilities. I definitely did not get as much work done as I'd hoped. Oh well!
I had a great time at home, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing all my Eek friends and getting back to work. Here's looking forward to May!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Fly me . . . Anywhere!
Well, I thought I ought to post about what I've been up to even though it will be a little sad. On Wednesday, December 9 I received news that my grandmother had passed away. I was more than a little upset and feeling pretty guilty about living across the country. So, I spent an eventful few days trying to get back to Ohio.
It turns out that changing your airline ticket is not very easy. It started with the bush plane. I made a reservation with Grant Aviation for their late afternoon flight (around 5:30). The plane finally landed at 6:15 or so. When it did land, I noticed that it was full, of course that's only 5 people. The pilot apologized, but couldn't really do anything. In the meantime, I made arrangements with a second airline (Yute Air) to pick me up. So, everyone left, and Portia and I sat there and waited. Then, my phone rang. It was Yute telling me they were done flying. I begged the agent to send someone because I was trying to go home for a funeral. He said he'd try. So, I called Grant Aviation back and had a little conversation. It went something like this:
Me: I had a reservation, and when the plane landed it was full. I need to get to Bethel.
Grant: We're sorry ma'am. We fly again at 8:00 tomorrow.
Me: Now you listen. I use this airline because you're reliable. I'm trying to get home for a funeral. Now, the time I need you, you're not reliable. I'm a teacher. Do you think I won't tell people what happened! I need to get to Bethel! My flight leaves at 8:40 PM.
Grant: I'm sorry, ma'am. When the pilot lands, we'll send him right back to get you.
Me: Good! I'll be waiting.
As soon as I hang up, a plane from Yute Air lands. I debated for about 30 seconds and hopped on. I noticed the interior was held together by duct tape, but decided not to worry. I called Grant back and explained. They were less than happy. Oh well.
So, I made it safely to Bethel. My friend Segue met me and brought me dinner. It was so nice of her to bring me food. I got on a flight to Anchorage without incident (thankfully).
When I checked in at Anchorage I learned that my flight was delayed 35 minutes. Unfortunately, my layover in Phoenix was only 35 minutes long. So, I would miss my flight to Pittsburgh. At this point, I was near desperate. I told the airline clerk that I was trying to make it home for a funeral. Could they send me to another airport? Finally, they worked me onto a flight to Columbus. Honestly, that worked out the best because my grandmother was living near Columbus.
So, I arrived at Columbus's airport and was picked up by my father. First order of business, fast food. Who knew how much I would miss it? I'll post later about what it's like being home after 4 1/2 months.
It turns out that changing your airline ticket is not very easy. It started with the bush plane. I made a reservation with Grant Aviation for their late afternoon flight (around 5:30). The plane finally landed at 6:15 or so. When it did land, I noticed that it was full, of course that's only 5 people. The pilot apologized, but couldn't really do anything. In the meantime, I made arrangements with a second airline (Yute Air) to pick me up. So, everyone left, and Portia and I sat there and waited. Then, my phone rang. It was Yute telling me they were done flying. I begged the agent to send someone because I was trying to go home for a funeral. He said he'd try. So, I called Grant Aviation back and had a little conversation. It went something like this:
Me: I had a reservation, and when the plane landed it was full. I need to get to Bethel.
Grant: We're sorry ma'am. We fly again at 8:00 tomorrow.
Me: Now you listen. I use this airline because you're reliable. I'm trying to get home for a funeral. Now, the time I need you, you're not reliable. I'm a teacher. Do you think I won't tell people what happened! I need to get to Bethel! My flight leaves at 8:40 PM.
Grant: I'm sorry, ma'am. When the pilot lands, we'll send him right back to get you.
Me: Good! I'll be waiting.
As soon as I hang up, a plane from Yute Air lands. I debated for about 30 seconds and hopped on. I noticed the interior was held together by duct tape, but decided not to worry. I called Grant back and explained. They were less than happy. Oh well.
So, I made it safely to Bethel. My friend Segue met me and brought me dinner. It was so nice of her to bring me food. I got on a flight to Anchorage without incident (thankfully).
When I checked in at Anchorage I learned that my flight was delayed 35 minutes. Unfortunately, my layover in Phoenix was only 35 minutes long. So, I would miss my flight to Pittsburgh. At this point, I was near desperate. I told the airline clerk that I was trying to make it home for a funeral. Could they send me to another airport? Finally, they worked me onto a flight to Columbus. Honestly, that worked out the best because my grandmother was living near Columbus.
So, I arrived at Columbus's airport and was picked up by my father. First order of business, fast food. Who knew how much I would miss it? I'll post later about what it's like being home after 4 1/2 months.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
What a month!
Sorry it's been so long! I received an e-mail "reminding" me that it has been a month since I last posted. It has been quite a month, that is for sure.
I have proof that I have been accepted by my community. One of my students offered to get me and some co-workers a caribou. Keep in mind that the caribou come very close to Eek. In fact, my predecessor saw some from his/my classroom window. So, as any good Alaskan will do, he took the rest of the day off, strapped on cross country skis, went out, and got one. He then strapped the caribou to the skis and walked back to town. The students are fairly certain I won't do that.
A few days later, there was a knock at my door. I go out into the (literally) -25 weather to see a caribou head on my porch. That's right, just the head. I heard a few snickers and saw my student "Billy" (who we now call the Arctic Godfather) come around the corner of my house with his snow machine. In the sled he was pulling was the rest of the caribou. It was field dressed and ready to be cut. So, we carried it into my Arctic Porch for storage.
The next morning, I was talking to one of the other teachers about what we would do. He had never cut up an animal like this, and I had all the experience with doing it one other time. So, I told him the basic premise: skin, cut, and cut some more. Then, I informed him to bring some good knives and wear clothes he didn't mind getting bloody. As I said this, one of our students walked around the corner looking amused and a bit horrified.
That night, the other teachers came over to cut it. We brought it into my kitchen and started to work. We quickly discovered that when it's -25 out and you put a caribou in a room with no heat, it freezes. So, we couldn't do anything that night. We then moved all four quarters, ribs, and neck into my laundry room to let it thaw overnight. Finally, the next morning, we got to work. Eventually, we got the whole thing cut, cleaned, and divided up.
There are some great pictures floating around of this fiasco. I have none since my camera was stolen. But, I will post them as soon as I can!
I will post more later about my Thanksgiving in Anchorage. But, until then (which I promise will be less than a month!), goodbye from Eek!
I have proof that I have been accepted by my community. One of my students offered to get me and some co-workers a caribou. Keep in mind that the caribou come very close to Eek. In fact, my predecessor saw some from his/my classroom window. So, as any good Alaskan will do, he took the rest of the day off, strapped on cross country skis, went out, and got one. He then strapped the caribou to the skis and walked back to town. The students are fairly certain I won't do that.
A few days later, there was a knock at my door. I go out into the (literally) -25 weather to see a caribou head on my porch. That's right, just the head. I heard a few snickers and saw my student "Billy" (who we now call the Arctic Godfather) come around the corner of my house with his snow machine. In the sled he was pulling was the rest of the caribou. It was field dressed and ready to be cut. So, we carried it into my Arctic Porch for storage.
The next morning, I was talking to one of the other teachers about what we would do. He had never cut up an animal like this, and I had all the experience with doing it one other time. So, I told him the basic premise: skin, cut, and cut some more. Then, I informed him to bring some good knives and wear clothes he didn't mind getting bloody. As I said this, one of our students walked around the corner looking amused and a bit horrified.
That night, the other teachers came over to cut it. We brought it into my kitchen and started to work. We quickly discovered that when it's -25 out and you put a caribou in a room with no heat, it freezes. So, we couldn't do anything that night. We then moved all four quarters, ribs, and neck into my laundry room to let it thaw overnight. Finally, the next morning, we got to work. Eventually, we got the whole thing cut, cleaned, and divided up.
There are some great pictures floating around of this fiasco. I have none since my camera was stolen. But, I will post them as soon as I can!
I will post more later about my Thanksgiving in Anchorage. But, until then (which I promise will be less than a month!), goodbye from Eek!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
I'm an English teacher and . . .
One thing I've learned here is that, yes, I am an English teacher, and I'm a speech coach and an NYO chaperone, and an art teacher. You may remember that I went to an art retreat a week or so ago. I'm off to another this coming weekend. This time it's about digital storytelling. I'm also taking Portia to the vet. So, we'll see how that goes.
Last week, I went to Bethel with two middle school students for a speech competition. My two students each had memorized a poem and had to perform it in front of judges and other students. Although neither of my students won any awards, they had fun and did a great job. I was so proud of them! However, I was not happy about sleeping two nights on the floor of a classroom. I learned why many bush teachers invest in a good air mattress. One will probably be on my Christmas list (hint, hint, Mom!). The worst part of the weekend was when we woke up Thursday and were greeted by snow flurries. It didn't bother me too much until the airlines called and said we were all "weathered in". Basically, the weather was too bad for any planes to leave.
So, picture this, 75 or so middle schoolers and teachers stuck in our district office all day because there was nowhere we could go. Every hour or so another school would leave. Unfortunately, Eek was never called. I was told that we would have to stay another night. This made me very unhappy, and the students weren't any happier, but the worst part was that my male student had to have a male chaperone, which we didn't have. I was stuck trying to find a relative to take him in for the night. No luck. By the end of the day, everyone left or was leaving, except us. I had just accepted the fact when, as luck would have it, the airline called and we could leave! Whew! It was probably the scariest plane ride I've ever been on, but we made it.
If that wasn't enough travel for me, this weekend I went to Napaskiak (another small village) to chaperone an NYO (Native Youth Olympics) meet. It was fun, and I learned a lot! NYO is a set of competitions that test strength, agility, and flexibility. There were ten competitions. I'll go through a few of them.
1. The One Arm Reach- Students must lie on their stomach, put one hand underneath their body (around their navel), and life themselves up with all three other limbs off the floor. They must then reach up with their that is not holding themselves up and hit a ball that is about 2 feet off the floor. They continue to raise the ball. If you miss it, you're out. They continue this until a winner is determined.
2. Indian Stick Pull- Students face one opponent at a time. The competitors face opposite directions shoulder to shoulder. Between them, they hold a stick covered in Crisco. When the judge says, "Go," they pull on the stick keeping their shoulders straight until one person pulls it out of the other person's hand.
3. Seal Hop- This is the worst event! Students must lay face down on the floor. Then, they put their hands, knuckles down, in line with their shoulders. Competitors use the force of their body to propel themselves across the floor. They have to keep their feet together and "hop" down the gym floor.
There are several more competitions, but I'll save those for another day!
Last week, I went to Bethel with two middle school students for a speech competition. My two students each had memorized a poem and had to perform it in front of judges and other students. Although neither of my students won any awards, they had fun and did a great job. I was so proud of them! However, I was not happy about sleeping two nights on the floor of a classroom. I learned why many bush teachers invest in a good air mattress. One will probably be on my Christmas list (hint, hint, Mom!). The worst part of the weekend was when we woke up Thursday and were greeted by snow flurries. It didn't bother me too much until the airlines called and said we were all "weathered in". Basically, the weather was too bad for any planes to leave.
So, picture this, 75 or so middle schoolers and teachers stuck in our district office all day because there was nowhere we could go. Every hour or so another school would leave. Unfortunately, Eek was never called. I was told that we would have to stay another night. This made me very unhappy, and the students weren't any happier, but the worst part was that my male student had to have a male chaperone, which we didn't have. I was stuck trying to find a relative to take him in for the night. No luck. By the end of the day, everyone left or was leaving, except us. I had just accepted the fact when, as luck would have it, the airline called and we could leave! Whew! It was probably the scariest plane ride I've ever been on, but we made it.
If that wasn't enough travel for me, this weekend I went to Napaskiak (another small village) to chaperone an NYO (Native Youth Olympics) meet. It was fun, and I learned a lot! NYO is a set of competitions that test strength, agility, and flexibility. There were ten competitions. I'll go through a few of them.
1. The One Arm Reach- Students must lie on their stomach, put one hand underneath their body (around their navel), and life themselves up with all three other limbs off the floor. They must then reach up with their that is not holding themselves up and hit a ball that is about 2 feet off the floor. They continue to raise the ball. If you miss it, you're out. They continue this until a winner is determined.
2. Indian Stick Pull- Students face one opponent at a time. The competitors face opposite directions shoulder to shoulder. Between them, they hold a stick covered in Crisco. When the judge says, "Go," they pull on the stick keeping their shoulders straight until one person pulls it out of the other person's hand.
3. Seal Hop- This is the worst event! Students must lay face down on the floor. Then, they put their hands, knuckles down, in line with their shoulders. Competitors use the force of their body to propel themselves across the floor. They have to keep their feet together and "hop" down the gym floor.
There are several more competitions, but I'll save those for another day!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Big City
This weekend Dirk, a fellow teacher, and I went to the big city of Bethel. We were headed to an art retreat. Now, for those of you that know me that might seem strange because I'm not much of an artist yet. That was the phrase we heard. We need to tell our students that they're not artists yet. We learned all sorts of educational tools to use art in science. Dirk and I agreed that it was great and very useful.
Bethel is a strange city in that it's really spread out. There are several clusters of houses and businesses connected by roads. The town is pretty walkable. However, that doesn't stop people from driving everywhere. Interestingly, Bethel, Alaska, has the second highest number of cabs per capita in the U.S. second only to New York City. It's also home to the famous "Bethel cab ride". You might hail a cab only to jump in with two people already in the car. The drivers can make more money by picking up more passengers along the way. So, you hop in and the next destination that comes up is where the driver stops. It's $5 anywhere in town except the airport; that's $7.
The trip was fun. In fact, Dirk and I went to have sushi Thursday night. We left the restaurant deep into conversation and hopped into the first car that pulled up. The driver looked at us and I said, "Longhouse Hotel, please." Dirk stated his destination and we got back to talking. I noticed in all this that I was stepping on stuff on the floor. Finally, the driver says, "This is not a cab. I'm the delivery guy for the restaurant. But, I'll take you wherever you need to go." We laughed, turned around, saw the real cab and hopped in it! Too funny!
I hung out with some more friends Friday night. The best part was the pizza. I picked it up for everyone since I was staying near the pizza place. We ordered two medium pizzas and an order of cheesesticks for-- $70!!!! That's a little pricey even for Alaska.
All in all it was a great weekend. I leave for Bethel again on Tuesday to take 4 students to compete in a speech competition. We'll see how this goes. . .
Bethel is a strange city in that it's really spread out. There are several clusters of houses and businesses connected by roads. The town is pretty walkable. However, that doesn't stop people from driving everywhere. Interestingly, Bethel, Alaska, has the second highest number of cabs per capita in the U.S. second only to New York City. It's also home to the famous "Bethel cab ride". You might hail a cab only to jump in with two people already in the car. The drivers can make more money by picking up more passengers along the way. So, you hop in and the next destination that comes up is where the driver stops. It's $5 anywhere in town except the airport; that's $7.
The trip was fun. In fact, Dirk and I went to have sushi Thursday night. We left the restaurant deep into conversation and hopped into the first car that pulled up. The driver looked at us and I said, "Longhouse Hotel, please." Dirk stated his destination and we got back to talking. I noticed in all this that I was stepping on stuff on the floor. Finally, the driver says, "This is not a cab. I'm the delivery guy for the restaurant. But, I'll take you wherever you need to go." We laughed, turned around, saw the real cab and hopped in it! Too funny!
I hung out with some more friends Friday night. The best part was the pizza. I picked it up for everyone since I was staying near the pizza place. We ordered two medium pizzas and an order of cheesesticks for-- $70!!!! That's a little pricey even for Alaska.
All in all it was a great weekend. I leave for Bethel again on Tuesday to take 4 students to compete in a speech competition. We'll see how this goes. . .
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