Sunday, September 18, 2011

Update from Scammon

At the rocks that over look Scammon Bay
I have been trying to get out hiking as much as possible, especially on beautiful sunny days (which we have had a few this past week). Climbed up to the rocks on the hill a few times with some students and teachers, it’s a great view of the whole village, tundra, hills, and ocean.  I also made it up to the larger hill where there is a cross placed at the top.  This cross was put here by the Russians years ago before Alaska was a state or even territory. 




Third grade is wonderful!  I’m getting into my schedule and I think the kids are too. I lost my voice for about 3 days this past week, which made teaching quite interesting.  I told them we would be learning sign language!  I’m so thankful for my classroom helper that was there to literally translate at times when my voice was nonexistent.  Also, this past week I met my mentor teacher.  Every first year teacher to the district as well as the profession gets placed with a mentor who works with our state.  They fly in once a month and check up on us throughout the other weeks.  I met Kathy this past week who is wonderful.  It’s nice to have added support from someone who understands teaching in the bush,    but isn’t a co-worker.  I’m looking forward to learning from her this coming year.


















Today I spent the day out manaq-ing (fishing) with some friends.  We went up river where you could not see the village.  Beautiful doesn’t even describe it! I’m loving the fall colors. To manaq you tie a piece of string with a weight and hook to a stick.  Then you put the stick in the mud and throw out the line with some bird gizzards as bate.  Then you wait. We fished for tomcods, all together caught well over 50. I also learned how to gut a fish with my bare hands! They are slimy little things!   


gutting my first fish

my first tomcod


Saturday, September 3, 2011

The Real Start




 I’ve been in Scammon now for 3 weeks!  I spent one week in Anchorage with all the new staff from the school district.  We went through a bunch of training; from how to shop in BULK to all of our curriculum and programs at the school sites.  I was soooo ready to get on the plane to Scammon Bay by the end of that week!


Scammon Bay is beautiful.  The village community has been very welcoming.  I’m learning so much everyday.  I have a view of the entire village and ocean bay from my house.  Blackberries, blueberries, and salmonberries fill the tundra that surrounds us. There is a pretty big hill (though, remember where I’m from), which the school and my house are on.  So besides that it’s flat land.  Seems like it just goes on forever, it’s gorgeous. Not a tree in sight.  There is a mountain range in the distance. (Up river, 3 hours or so by boat.) That is where I hear the best moose hunting is.

                                   
                                          Kuzilvak (koo-sil-vak)  Beautiful sunrise. 
                                                
                                                                 Afternoon flight coming in. Maybe our food?

                                             
                                                            from my "back yard" the village, river to ocean.


Blackberries!

I’m teaching third grade and have a great group of kids.  They keep me busy and on my toes, but I’m truly loving being with them.  I’m the P.E., art, music or any specials teacher for them too. (Minus Yup’ik, which is the native language, so that’s a good thing)  P.E. sure. Art of course.  Now music is my challenge.  Thankfully I’m getting some advice from my music teacher friend back in Chicago (thanks Katie!)  and my students are very forgiving and just enjoy singing with LOTS of motions to EVERY song!  

Tying to meet and get to know the community as much as possible.  There is a church here and it’s such a blessing to have.  Hoping to get involved there as much as possible.  Basketball is also a BIG deal here, so the women have open gym time every night, which has been a humbling experience for me since basketball has never been my strong suit. Plus, my height is deceiving.  But it has been a good way to meet more high school girls and adults, since I’m with the kids all day.  
Garbage Day!  My job is to hold down all the trash on our way to the dump.... 

All my roommates and my food came in! Slowly but surly it got here, box by box over the last two weeks.

On to lesson planning and hopefully fishing this weekend!