Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

I see some humans looking at me!

This morning I got to sleep in a bit (until 7:15..) which was wonderful, and it was just nice to not have to worry about getting over to school for a change. Kasie and I got packed up and ready to head over to the D.O. (district office), and then another co-worker picked a few of us up a little bit later. D.O. isn’t a very far drive from the lodge and it makes for a nice walk. However, the path that begins as a straight, open road turns into a twisty wooded trail with lots of bumps and we had luggage so we took the drive.

As we were driving, Michael (Kitza’s husband) had our driver, Amber, slow down quickly as he noticed something up ahead. Then, the moment I’ve been waiting for finally arrived. Up ahead of us, right before the path got windy were two HUGE brown bears! They were just moseying along down the road away from us! I was able to get one shot of them, but as we slowly crept towards them, they disappeared into the woods. It was an incredible start to my morning, and I can officially cross another item of the Alaskan bucket list:)

The somewhat scary part about it though was that they headed into the woods at almost the exact spot that we were berry picking last night! It’s just a reminder that we are in their home and not vice versa. It is just important to pay attention to your surroundings while you’re out here. Michael even mentioned that he thought he had heard a bear around last night while we were out. Thank goodness he and Kitza kept me in their sight yet didn’t tell me about it, because I would have panicked. I would not want to come across one of those guys on my own, especially as I was stealing their berries!

Berry Picking:)

I find it to be a bit ironic that it took moving to Alaska for me to go cranberry picking for the first time, considering I’m from New Jersey, but at least I got to do it:) Berry picking is a huge to-do in the villages, but sadly Pilot Point hasn’t had a good berry season in a few years. I haven’t been able to get any berries our in PIP, so I was super excited when Kasie and I came upon another teacher picking cranberries earlier on our run. We stopped to talk and got a few berries, but decided to keep going with our run.

After dinner however, Kitza and her husband Michael took me out picking. Now it isn’t like cranberry bogs. Berry picking included walking through all sorts of sponge-like wooded land. I can’t really describe what it felt like to walk on the tundra other than that it was squishy and kind of bouncy. It was strange. I was also incredibly paranoid that a bear was tracking me, and I got nervous whenever I lost sight of my protectors. It was a ton of fun searching for the berries and we ended up getting a nice little cache of them. I am hoping to fill my bag more over the next few nights, and maybe even leave here with a gallon sized bag or more! Just another one of those things that I never thought I’d be doing, and it’s even better because I thought I had missed out on berry picking. A very successful Thursday if I say so myself:)

*Recipes for cranberries are welcome:)

Roughing It

The only downfall in coming to King Salmon was that I knew that I would be sleeping on classroom floors for a few nights. With my whole not being able to sleep thing, I wasn’t looking forward to an added hardship in terms of sleep. But I was getting out of the village and around other people, so I would do just about anything. Don’t get me wrong, I love Pilot Point, but sometimes I feel like I’m starting to go a bit crazy, so I’ve been looking forward to this all week:)

When Kasie and I arrived at District Office where we thought we’d be spending our first night, we quickly found out otherwise. Mr. Luthi or Mr. Mase had gotten us a room at the King Salmon Lodge. Even if it’s just for one night, this was amazing news. Not only do we not have to sleep on the floor, but we also get our own shower (the school showers aren’t the most fun either). Needless to say, we’re being spoiled. Kasie laughed at me when I said it, but I truly feel like I am on vacation. I am loving it and trying to soak up every kid-free, stress-free second of it.

Kasie, who has stayed here before, showed me around a bit. There’s a beautiful river (or lake- I forget) in the back and the view is just amazing! We even got to get out for a nice run before coming back to a dinner of D&D pizza (seriously this stuff is delicious- it might even be better than some of my favorite places back home). I could get used to this! But considering it’s only for the night, I’ll just be happily content with my little slice of paradise:)

Riding Shotgun

Today might have been one of the best since my time in Alaska (and there have been many). My students were great this morning and got quite a bit done. Then, this afternoon, I was able to leave Pilot Point to get out to the “big city” a.k.a King Salmon! The plane came for me in the afternoon, and when they pulled onto the airstrip, I was a little nervous. When I say plane, I don’t mean a giant plane that holds dozens of people. I mean to say that this was a plane that holds 6 people, including the pilot. It was tiny to say the least.

I’ll back-track for a minute just to add in that village planes don’t come on a schedule quite like they do anywhere else in the world. My dad laughed when I told him this morning that I would be calling the pilot. Yeah, Pat and I are now on a first name basis. Out here in the bush, you get a general estimate as to what time the plane will arrive. Then you try to get to the airstrip around that time. However, if they get weather in any other village or if anyone else is late to getting to their airstrip, it can push back their arrival time. Or, like today, the pilot can make great time and even show up early. It’s all a guessing game really. But if you don’t get a warning from the radio or if you don’t hear them buzz the school, usually you’ll get a phone call. Or if you’re lucky and your village has a V.P.S.O, they’ll give you a heads up to say a plane came in. Luckily for me, Kasie was getting picked up right before me, so when they were about to take off, she shot me a quick text. From then, I knew that the plane would make it to me in about 20 minutes.

So there I sat as the 6 seater landed on the strip and pulled around to meet me. Out from the co-pilot seat jumped Kasie, proclaiming “today you get to cross an item of your bucket list” and then she proceeded to point to the newly empty co-pilot seat (she knew that this was one of the things on my Alaskan bucket list). I couldn’t contain my excitement and I was definitely grinning from ear to ear, and my nerves were at a minimum. While this was the smallest plane I’ve been on and only my third little plane, I’ve gotten used to them already. My superintendent said it best when he told me “it’s safer than driving on any NJ highway”. He was right, and these pilots truly know what they are doing. If for any reason I feel unsafe though, I do have the right to say no to getting on a plane. Whether I’m the only one getting picked up or if the plane is full, I can choose to refuse getting on. This is really a reassuring thing, because sometimes the pilots can push their limits when it comes to weather conditions or other factors. However, the weather was great today and Pat is an excellent pilot, so I knew I was in good hands:)

I got my stuff loaded on the plane and then the pilot climbed in before me. After he was in, I was able to hop in. Well not hop so much as to climb on the wing of the plane and in through a tiny window-door. From there I had to awkwardly get my long legs in the door while trying not to push any of the buttons. It was a process to say the least. Pat buckled me in and showed me how to close the door, then Kasie took some pictures to record the occasion and off we went! It was truly a beautiful ride, and the view was so much better knowing that I was in the front seat. The tundra is turning beautiful colors with the fall, and I got some great pictures of all the lakes and twisty rivers. About 40-45 minutes later, we’d made it to King Salmon! That’s when I realized that getting out was much more awkward than getting in. But I survived and got out without breaking anything so that’s a plus! I’d say this weekend away is off to a pretty great start:)

Stepping Back in Time

As time goes by, I continue to realize how amazing village life is. Johnathen, Chris’ grandson is a constant reminder as to the way children are raised on screens these days. In no way is it his fault, but it is a societal norm now for kids to be given iPads and game controllers instead of coloring books and cardboard boxes. Living in Pilot Point is almost the same as taking a ride in a time machine.

First of all, whenever I go for a run, I am bound to see bikes laying out in front yards and discarded sweaters or jackets on the road throughout town. In many lower 48 towns these days, this would be a sure sign that you would never see these items again. Here though, it just means that there are children who still have playing to do, or clothes to track down when they get cold. There’s no fear that these belongings will be taken by someone else. It simply isn’t a part of the culture to steal.

Not only do kids not have to worry about their belongings being stolen, but they also don’t have to worry about their safety when they go outside to play. Well from other people at least; there’s always the chance that bears will be curious and come into town. My students go outside and play there for hours on end. They bike to each others houses, and stay there until their parents call them in. Not by phone either, parents just give a shout and the kids go running. They stay outside until it’s dark (sometimes way past a suitable bedtime), and aren’t afraid to get dirty. Sure they have video games, but they spend a majority of their lives doing kid things like climbing, riding bikes, making up games, and so much more! It is so amazing to see that there are still places that haven’t been completely taken over by screens (of course I’m a living-breathing contradiction as I type this on my computer with my smartphone in my lap).

While there are other problems associated with village life, the familial sense is incredibly strong (never mind the fact that 3 quarters of the village is related in some form). Sometimes I get phone calls to be invited out, but most times, I hear all the news and events from everyday interactions. People actually pop into the school just to visit and talk. We stop our trucks on the road just to catch-up. I go to the store just to visit with people. I’ve learned more about the post-mistress than I have about some of my friends from college. These simple interactions are lacking or non-existent in the lower 48.

Life back home is incredibly fast paced and for no good reason. We spend more time on our phones scrolling through twitter, Facebook, or Instagram than we do speaking to our friends; when we’re at a gathering we planned so we could catch up! Our grociers and bankers have become machines, and God-forbid we talk to the mail-man; because that would simply take up too much time out of our day.  I understand that I am guilty of all of these things, at one point or another, but living in Pilot Point has showed me the kind of community that I want my children raised in (when I have them years and years from now).

Sure there are flaws to growing up in the village like their limited exposure to the outside world and having no set routines. However, at the end of the day, these kids are getting real childhoods. They know more about fishing, boats, hunting, planes, tides, birds, and bears than I will ever know. And it’s not because a computer screen taught them! It’s because they went out on the boat with Grandpa, or set-nets with Mom, or went hunting with their Auntie and Uncle. They actually get their hands dirty and learn things the hard way. They use their imaginations and they are so unapologetically childish, and I love every second of it. I might be the teacher, but these villagers are teaching me so much more than I ever thought possible.

Village Lingo 101

Ever since I moved out to the village I have gotten used to learning new words and phrases. Most  are just other names for common lower 48 items/events. However, there are some that I didn’t know before coming out here. Which means that anyone who reads my blog may not always know what I’m talking about (I try to explain in posts, but sometimes they slip by me). I thought it would be helpful to come up with a Pilot Point/Alaskan dictionary (subject to change as time goes by).

Barabara- A sod house/hut that different native groups used to live in

Bike- The second most common term for a four wheeler

Bump- The basketball game that is known as knock-out in the lower 48 (NJ specifically)

Buzzed the school- A term pilots use to say they flew over the school so you know they are about to land. This helps so teachers can send someone to pick people up   from or get out to the airstrip.

D.O- District Office or our home base which is located in King Salmon

Going to town- Flying to Anchorage

Honda-The most common terms for a four wheeler

H.U.D.- Houses that are part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Also the name of one of our roads here in PIP

Kinders- Kindergarten students

L.P.S.D- The Lake and Peninsula School District a.k.a my school district

O.C.S- Office of Children’s Services

Petal Bike- A regular bike

S.B.S- The standards based system that we use in the school district

Set-netters- The summer fishers who are not villagers

Spend- Having a sleepover (as in “Sofie is coming to spend this weekend”)

Spent the/Spended- Past tense of spend (as in “Sofie ‘spent the’ last night)

Steam- A sauna

Steam bath- To wash yourself while in a sauna

The deck- The old basketball court in the village

The truck- Our village ambulance-like vehicle

The Valley- The shorthand term for a region in Anchorage

Troopers- The Alaskan State Troopers

V.P.S.O.- Village Police Safety Officer

Weathered In- Not being able to leave a village due to the problems with visibility, wind,    temperatures, or other conditions

That Ms. Norman is the Worst Teacher Ever!

We’ve officially made it through five weeks of school without the building going up in flames. I seem to be making it through alright out here in the bush. Each week has brought many challenges and obstacles to overcome. The challenge of this week? I’ve had my first complaint- from the children.

This week two of my students told their parents that they don’t want to come back to school anymore because of how they are treated.. Let’s just say this came after I didn’t let one of them come to night-gym because his homework wasn’t done. Oh the horror! Insert village life explanation here.

As I’ve said before, education is not a priority to most villagers. There is no support or help when it comes to homework and projects. When the kids leave to go home, their parents aren’t monitoring or checking that their homework is getting done. As we get further into the school year, I have limited when I send work home, because the reality of the situation is that it won’t get done. So I narrowed it down to two nights a week; Tuesday and Thursday nights. This way, if the kids don’t do their work, they cannot attend night gym on Wednesday or Friday. It holds the students accountable and pushes them to actually get their work done. Is it ideal? Nope not at all, especially because the kids need all the extra practice they can get. But it’s what works out here.

Well apparently two of my students think this is outrageous and don’t want to come to school because of it. Aren’t I terrible? Might I add in that one of them drew me a picture just the other day and said at least five times that she wants Chris and I to be her teachers forever. Clearly there’s something that doesn’t add up.

One part is that it is just the culture of the village that the students do not want to do work. Another factor is that both of these kids have known no other teacher. They have both had the same teacher throughout their entire school career. Not only is it a new school year, but they have to get used to a whole new routine; this includes two new people in their daily lives. It’s a huge adjustment for them, and it will continue to be so. If giving homework and pushing the kids to do a little work is the worst complaint I receive, I think I’ll survive. Oh the life of a teacher!

And Suddenly... Winter!

Waking up this past Sunday, it was as if there was a shift in the air. Something that you didn’t even need to go outside to notice; it was a lingering feeling throughout the day. My Pilot Point sunrise was as it always is, but there was something different there. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it throughout the day, but I knew that something had changed. I didn’t figure it out until I went to run over to the school at 9pm and stepped out my front door.

It was as if I had stepped into the middle of winter in New Jersey! I couldn’t believe how quickly the weather had changed and has continued to do so this week. The past two mornings have shown a frost on the ground and the landscape around me just has that winter look to it. We are still quickly losing daylight out here and each morning when I wake up it feels like the middle of the night (which doesn’t help me get out of bed). Chris checked the temperature this morning and we’re at a chilly 35 degrees. Up until this weekend, our mornings were probably in the mid-40’s.

To me, it feels like any other “Wyckoff’s weekend” (7am wake-ups to get outside on the family Christmas tree farm). The difference is, however, that tree season begins on Black Friday, and at my last check, that’s still about two months away. Luckily our afternoons are still pretty warm! It’s about time to prepare myself for the “real” Alaska and not the Alaska that I’ve been spoiled with over the past two months! Warm thoughts are gladly welcomed:)

So This is What Having a Big Kid Job Feels Like

Not only is today a good day because it’s Friday, but there’s another great thing that happened; I got my first real paycheck! Sure, I’ve had different paying jobs before. However, this is my first post-grad job within my career field, so it’s different. Not only did I start my day by receiving a “wake-up, it’s Friday!” text from Papa Bear, but I also got an email saying I had a direct deposit in my bank account. It was quite the start to my morning:)

While a tangible paycheck would make this seem more real, the email was pretty satisfying:) It’s nice to be able to know that my hard work is being compensated. Unfortunately it’s going to be going straight into my savings and of course towards paying off those pesky student loans (If only I could defer them for the rest of my life and not just 6 months). I do, however, plan on buying something special (nothing crazy) to celebrate this occasion (suggestions welcome!). Happy Friday:)

My New Favorite Thing

I have a new obsession and I owe it all to Miss Kasie. When she got here this week, Kasie brought along some glass floats from Port Heiden. She also brought beading supplies so she could teach us how to bead them. I must admit it was a bit of a rough go for my already bogged brain when we began. I can’t even count how many questions I asked within the first five minutes. Kasie was a great teacher though and answered all of my questions. Slowly but surely, I picked up the technique.

Beading is a task that requires your full attention. If you aren’t paying attention, you have to undo it and start over. From experience I learned that this is quite frustrating. So I was sure to devote my whole focus to the task at hand. As Kitza, Kasie, and I got further into our beading session we were able to talk. When I say talk, I mean we were able to discuss things other than lesson plans and behavior problems. I think I cried from laughing at least three times. It was the perfect therapy for this stressed out teacher.

By the third night of beading, I was able to finish my first beaded float. I love how it looks and can’t wait to hang it up. Now I not only have my three macrame floats, but a beaded float to add to my collection as well:) Before she left, Kasie was kind enough to gift me with a few more floats to bead (I swear she’s an angel). I may or may not have a new online order of beads headed for Pilot Point.. It might become a problem. Oh well, at least it will help keep me sane!

The Blog About the Blog

The past two weeks have been incredibly frustrating for me in terms of posting blog updates. It started as my being unable to add pictures to my posts. While that was annoying, I just decided to post now and add pictures later. As time goes however, I have become unable to even get onto my blog website. Every time that I try to log on, I see a “502 or 504-bad gateway message”. I have grown to hate those two numbers with a passion.

In the little free time that I have, I have been able to google the issue and it tells me that somewhere something is wrong with a server; like I know what that means.. Anywho, I’ve cleared caches, restarted my computer, tried from another computer, and a few other things. All to no avail. I can’t explain how frustrating it is to not be able to post. Blogging is one of my only stress relief techniques out here and now it has become another stressor in my life. The worst part is that I can’t just switch to another blog site because all of my posts are on this one. I’ve even emailed the blog people, and of course I haven’t gotten anything back. For now I will just continue to write and post as I am able to. Fingers crossed that the problem gets fixed soon!

Mr. Norman

Recently, I’ve been having some behavior issues with one of my students; for the sake of anonymity I will call him K. He is a nice little boy who has been through some tough things in his life. Sometimes when it comes to schoolwork K will completely shut down when he is frustrated. As in put his head down on a desk and just sit there until he comes out of this state. His dedication and extreme stubbornness ceases to amaze me.

Day after day I try different approaches as to how I can be productive in my time with him and yet keep him from becoming frustrated or defeated.  Last week, two of my students were absent for a majority of the week, which meant that K was my only student in his level of math. He did really well when it was just the two of us working together and I was impressed by his turn-around in terms of behavior and work ethic.

At this point, I quickly decided to try a new approach at the beginning of this week. On Monday, when my other two students were back, I made K the teacher. Not only did I tell the other students that he was in charge, but I made sure to correct them when they called him by his first name instead of introducing him as Mr. K.  I was honestly just winging it and hoping that this would work to build his confidence and willingness to learn. Thankfully, it worked and I think I’ve found the key to working with him.

As I began to work with my upper level math students, K did his best to explain to the other two boys in his level what we’d gone over the week before. He did very well with trying to word it so they would understand. He even used base-10 blocks to try to demonstrate for them, just as I had with him. He might have been a little off in what he was explaining and it might have been 10 minutes of time that I could have spent instructing them. However, I’ve learned in the village, it truly is more important to make connections with the kids before anything. Their way of life is extremely different, and I have to remind myself what is more important is not just the education. It is more important for me to let K teach for 10 minutes or even an hour than it is to try to fight him on getting through a lesson. As long as I’m getting them motivated and interested it is a successful day.

As a result of this one spur of the moment decision, K has been doing much better in math this week. During independent work, I have even let him sit at my desk. Today, I gave him the special privilege of using my computer during an activity. Seeing him sit at my desk trying to be official was the funniest thing. Then, he made my day when he started saying “call me Mr. Norman”; the other students got a kick out of this as well. One day at a time I’m learning new ways to reach these kids, and to hear K say that just let me know that I’m starting to gain his trust. It’s the little things that matter out here.

Whisper Down the Alley

Honestly, I thought the grapevine at Centenary or in Belvidere was a problem. Then I came out to rural Alaska where gossip and information spreads like fireweed. Not only does everyone in my entire village know within what seems like seconds if something happens, but people in other villages know about it as well. I’m starting to think that my life is being filmed similarly to “The Truman Show”.

Two weeks ago, I had another teacher email to just check in and see how things were going. In the email, they also wanted to check in on a situation that they’d heard about in my village. Who they heard this from, I have no idea. Another time, last week or so, one of our visitors mentioned a rumor they’d heard about a family that was looking into leaving the village. This was news to me, and again I wondered who this person had heard the information from.

The topper on the cake thus far, however, has definitely been what I heard this week.  One of my co-workers was talking to someone else in the district yesterday who commented on how they’d heard that I made friends with one of the women in the village. Not so bad right? They continued on to ask about how the friendship was doing after said villager allegedly stabbed her husband (this may or may not be true). Rest assured that I’ve barely talked to this woman and again I wondered how this string of information was spread. Clearly, on this one at least, someone messed up the game of “telephone” somewhere along the line.

Mostly, I think it’s funny how quickly things get around down here. Other times, I’m honestly just impressed at how quickly someone in another village can hear happenings of another village. I understand that this is incredibly small town living, but who spreads all this information remains a mystery to me. God only knows what’s going to be said when (not if) people find out that one of the villagers gave me beer and wine. I’m truly surprised that I haven’t heard anything about it yet considering it’s been a whole four days.

I Think I'm Developing an Ulcer

Lack of sleep? Check. Bags under my eyes? Check. Sanity? Still searching for it. These past few weeks have been the busiest and most overwhelming of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I am so blessed to be on this journey and I appreciate the chances I have been given. But at the same time, the constant inconsistency is quickly burning me out.

Once again I have to write about how different village life is than life in Jersey. At the average school, teachers are able to simply focus on teaching and the craziness that comes with that job. Here however teachers have to take on what seems like a million other jobs or tasks in addition to our class-work. Some days we have a cook, and some days we don’t. Our cleaning woman picks and chooses when she will come in. Our bus driver seems to change on a daily basis, and I am constantly wondering who will be taking the kids home or picking them up each day. Don’t even get me started on running the school generator..

There’s a quote that says something along the lines of “don’t worry if plan “a” doesn’t work because there’s 25 other letters in the alphabet”. Well I’ve quickly learned that by the time school starts each day that we will usually be on plan K or L. It truly hurts my brain to think of the ways each day could quickly turn south. I was convinced that my brain would have turned to mush by the end of this week. Insert Kasie saving my sanity here.

Kasie arrived Tuesday this week, and I truly can say that if she hadn’t shown up when she did that I might be curled up in a corner somewhere. My mind has just about reached the breaking point, but having a visitor has been a great help. Not only has Kasie been helping get my older students organized and on track, but she is a great running partner, and has helped me get away from school a bit this week. She’s also taught me how to bead (post and pictures to follow) which has been an amazing stress reliever. While my brain is still on overdrive, having Kasie here has slowed down the chaos for a bit. I’m planning to sabotage her leaving  so she is always with me (let’s hope she doesn’t read this post before I execute my plan).

Good Company, Pizza, and Fresh Fruit:)

One thing that I’ve had to adjust to while teaching in the village is the constant stream of visitors coming in an out. While Chris and I are the only two here full-time, our support staff is frequently making the rounds between the different villages. While we usually have a handle on who is coming in and out, this week has been non-stop with airport runs (somehow I’ve yet to have to make a pick-up this week).

Our planned visitors this week had been our principal, our guidance counselor, and my state mentor. However, when everyone realized how many people would be down here, they rescheduled my mentor’s trip out. So we were able to have Kitza and Kasie to ourselves for a few days. Kitza, my principal, was here for two days, while I’m lucky enough to get Kasie for four days. With them came socialization with people outside the village which I desperately needed. They also came in with a shipment of fresh fruit and veggies for the school (I got to eat a few bananas this week and therefore I am a happy camper).

Then, however, we needed some extra hands on deck for some things, so our Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Luthi came out as well. He actually came in on the plane that Kitza left on (like I said, constantly coming and going!). Thankfully he came in from King Salmon which meant that he brought along D&D pizza (the same kind that the parent brought in two weeks ago). It was nice to have him come in, and equally as nice to not have to cook dinner after such a long day. Mr. Luthi also brought with him the news that I would be getting the chance to go to King Salmon next week for the cross country meet even though my students are not running (I think he realized that I NEED to get out and be around some other human beings). Mr Luthi is a good man; plain and simple.

In addition to Mr. Luthi, one of our maintenance workers also came out with him to check some things. We had a full house! It was truly nice to be able to visit with everyone and have some adult conversation for a change. We were also able to get different things sorted out and organized. While this week’s visitors will be gone by tomorrow, we will have another next week and then I will be hopping a plane to King Salmon on Thursday:)

M-COMP, and M-CAP, and SRI, Oh My!

It’s incredible to me how many different benchmark assessments there are for students. Not only are there all the standards to work through, routines to set, and schedules to coordinate, but we also have to make time for additional testing. Granted the tests are less than ten minutes each, but still it disrupts the daily schedule. When we are trying to set a structured routine in place for our students, it becomes an added challenge to complete all of these tests. I understand that they are all important to student learning, but they are quite the challenge to facilitate to all of our students. Oh and have I mentioned that we have to score them and enter the data on the computer within a certain window of time? As if I don’t have enough things on the to-do list already. If anyone has some extra hours to add to my day, please send them my way!

I Need to Lose More Often

Apparently today was meant to be my lucky day. It started off rough, but then my students did a complete 180 and school flew by. Then, my principal who I love arrived and made my afternoon/evening great. Finally, to top it all off, I lost the football pool that I’d somehow managed to get myself into!

Why is that a good thing you might ask? Well, it’s because of my pity-prize:) The head of the pool showed up tonight with a 6-pack of beer and two bottles of wine. Simply because he felt bad that I had lost (let it be known that I was in the top 3 and almost had it!). It was another one of those moments when I thought “is this really happening?” and “”this could only happen to me”. I couldn’t believe that he and his wife wanted to give me this gift just for losing! I gratefully accepted their consolation prize and I am looking forward to being able to enjoy the benefits of losing (for those Tuesday kind of days). Let’s hope the rest of the week continues to go just as well:) Cheers to my beginner’s luck turning south!

P.S. Cross your fingers for next week, because I really do want to win one of these times!

Sign Language 101 with Miss Norman

Note to self: when you want your students to be on their best behavior, just introduce them to sign language. While my day started out as a Tuesday (our version of Monday’s out here in PIP), it quickly turned around when I introduced my kids to a handful of ASL signs. Honestly, when I was getting my sign language posters ready last week I thought it would be like pulling teeth to get them introduced to the class. My kids are always so focused on what their old routines were, that it can be incredibly challenging to get them into new routines (emphasis on the incredibly).

Today, however, they blew me away with their ability to adapt to something new. I had put up about 12 signs on the wall and was planning to introduce them slowly, but my students picked them all up in a matter of ten minutes. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! There were so many times that I caught them practicing their signs throughout the day and it made for another proud teacher moment! I’m still in shock over how well they got into the routine of using a new language. Before, the only sign that they’d known was to ask to go to the bathroom.

After today, however, they each left the room able to to share with me their classroom needs (“I have a question”, “I have an answer”, “I have a comment”, etc). They were even asking me to bring in my ASL flashcards so they can learn more signs! Little do they know that this is a major part of my classroom management for them (shh we’ll keep that one a secret). It never ceases to amaze me what my students will respond to and how excited they get when they’ve mastered something. Happy Monday:)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

And I thought the moon was breathtaking.. Last night, I went over to visit with Chris and Johnathen for a little while. When I was starting to get tired (which never happens at a normal time here) I decided to head home to actually get some sleep. Chris walked me out the door and we were just talking when something in the sky caught my eye. All day it had been windy, rainy, and cloudy so I was surprised to see something.

However, when we looked up there were no clouds in sight. All we could see were thousands and thousands of stars. In every direction I looked I could see bright, twinkling stars. We were able to see so many constellations and I was even able to name some that Chris didn’t know to recognize (thank you Professor Hricko!). Johnathen came out to join us, and oh that was the best.

Because of where he lives, Johnathen never really gets to see the stars. He’s ten years old and last night was probably the third of fourth time he’s seen them. Now I’ve seen the stars before; not like this by any means, but I’ve seen them. Johnathen, on the other hand, was just so incredibly excited to see the stars and satellites. As I was pointing out the big dipper to him, I got to see as Johnathen witnessed his first shooting star. We both happened to be looking at the sky at the right time, and his reaction was priceless. Not only was it exciting for him, but for me as well. All I could think was, “I just saw a shooting star in Alaska” and this is just another time where I can’t believe that I really live here.

As we were all watching the stars and trying to find different constellations, I started to walk towards my apartment to try to get a better view of one of the clusters. It was then that I saw the moon. It was just starting to make its way into the sky, and was just rising over the lake behind our houses. From where I was standing, it looked as I could reach out and grab it. It was directly behind the school playground, and seeing those two things together was just   an amazing sight. The three of use didn’t know what to do with ourselves, we were so blown away by how beautiful it all was.

That’s when Chris suggested we take a drive down the road that runs along the beach. We were hoping that we’d be able to see the Northern Lights over the bay, but we weren’t lucky enough. I think my mind would have exploded if I’d been able to see those as well. On our way back, I stopped the car so we could just stargaze a little. Now this is also when I did something that is part of any scary, middle of nowhere movie. I turned off the car and the lights..

Thankfully, no axe murderers came to get us and we were able to stargaze in peace. We sat there in complete silence, far enough away from town that we couldn’t hear the ever present hum of the generator. All we could hear were the sounds of birds calling to each other, the waves out in the bay, and the occasional gust of wind. I don’t think I will ever have a night like this one again in my lifetime.

Like so many of my experiences out here, I can only do my best to describe what I’m witnessing. What I saw in the sky last night is too amazing to be able to accurately put into words. I can only say that everyone needs to experience the night sky in Alaska at least once in their life.

As we pulled back into the school parking lot, the clouds were taking over the sky; it was as if the curtains were closing after the last act of an unforgettable play. I will spend the rest of my nights here praying for the sky to be as clear as it was when I was leaving Chris’ house last night. Had I not gone over to visit or had I stayed just a half an hour longer, we all would have missed the show. It was as if we were meant to be there watching as a reward for making it through our first full week of school. For me, it was the perfect way to mark the completion of my first full month as a teacher:)

A Steam Bath, Soft Pretzel, and Sleepy-time Tea

These are the ingredients to the most relaxing night I’ve had in a very long time. I am in a state of post steam-bath bliss right now, and my eyes are starting to become sleepy, but I wanted to write this one tonight. I’ve been waiting to post about “steams” until I was able to experience one for myself. Today was finally the day, and it was just what I needed!

Most villagers have steams outside their houses. A steam is what we in the lower 48 would call a sauna. Except here, you can also use them in lieu of or in addition to a shower. Tonight I went to Al and Sue’s house to use theirs. They are one of few people, in this village at least, who have an indoor steam. When it gets colder in a few weeks, I will be incredibly grateful for this fact. It makes it much more relaxing when you don’t have to walk outside in the 20 below temps to have a steam. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t nervous about my first steam, because I was. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, but luckily Sue explained it to me (I would have managed to find a way to mess it up had she not).

While I was a little worried about the process, it’s really simple and incredibly relaxing. If you want to take a “dry” steam, you can just go into the room and act as if it is a sauna (and no, for those wondering, you don’t wear clothing). Or, like I chose tonight, you can take a steam-bath. In the steam, there is a heater that obviously generates the heat (I’m sure it has a more technical name, but that’s what I’ll call it). On top of the heater sits a basin of water which becomes super hot. There is also a tub of cold water which you can use to refill the hot water basin. In addition, Al and Sue have a hose of cold water so you can re-fill the cold tub as well as use it to make the hot water bearable to use. There were also quite a few other bowls and basins. You can use these to add water to and then wash your hair, or soak your feet, or anything you want really. It took a few tries to figure out how to get the water to the perfect temperature, but once I did, I never wanted to leave!

While some may question how sanitary steams are, I can assure you that it is was a hygiene friendly process. My mother raised me to be a germ-a-phobe and I give it my seal of approval (she probably still wouldn’t do it, but she’s an extremist). You sit on a towel when you go in, so there is no need to worry about the spread of anything through contact. Also, the water you use it constantly refilled by the hose and then becomes so hot in the basin on the heater that any germs would be killed by the heat.

I’m sure all steams differ in size and set-up, but  Al and Sue’s steam has two benches (like wooden bleachers), so you could have more people. Traditionally, more than one person steams at a time. Steams tend to be social gatherings in the villages, and it’s common for a group of women, and men, to gather for a steam. I however, was able to steam on my own (thank goodness, because we all know how awkward I get..). I could have stayed in there all night, but I was starting to think I might fall asleep so I grudgingly forced myself to get out. I will most definitely be taking them up on their offer to steam whenever I want.

Afterwards, I went to visit with Al and Sue for a bit and I even got to watch some t.v. (which I realized I haven’t done in a month and a half- so weird!). I always like talking with them because I learn so much about the village and its history. I was also given a soft pretzel from a recipe that Al had been working on. I’m really starting to think that they are trying to make me gain weight here, because all they do is give me food! I very much enjoyed spending the night with them.

As I sit here getting ready for bed and sipping on my tea, I realize that I need to continue to enjoy these new experiences. Today of all days is a reminder of how short life is and how you need to enjoy the little moments, because you never know what could happen. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in planning lessons and going through standards that I forget to enjoy the fact that I’m living in Alaska! I’m learning how to give myself “Paige time” and live in each moment as it comes, but sometimes I forget to do so. Tonight, however, was the perfect night to sit back and let myself relax for a bit:)

My Pal Al

Earlier in my blog I mentioned the cook from our school, Al. Now’s the time that I write the post solely devoted to this wonderful man. Yesterday, Al made pizza for lunch and had a little bit of dough left over. So what did he do with it? He made cinnamon rolls (it’s now the joke between him and his wife that I couldn’t make them..). I was so excited when I got to lunch and he told me that there were cinnamon rolls for dessert. He wanted me to be able to try them since mine didn’t work out as planned. They were so delicious, and one of these days I plan to redeem my cinnamon roll skills. When I do, however, they will still not come close to how delicious these were. Even my co-op’s(I’m sick of saying co-teacher) grandson said that they tasted like they were from a pastry shop. If I could send them home to everyone, I would.

While he has a menu to follow for school, Al always uses the ingredients he has to work with to make delicious meals. I try my best to be good as there are lots of carb-loaded meals. Some days though I pretend I am Regina George and just eat the school lunch (on these days I go for longer runs..). There are just certain meals of his that you can’t turn down; burritos and pizza are his specialty!

Not only does Al create delicious meals for us at school, but he and his wife have become pseudo-grandparents to me. They really have taken me in and shown me the ropes to village life. Anytime they do things that they think I would enjoy, they are sure to give me a call. In addition, they have opened their house and steam (post to follow later tonight after my first time!) to me whenever I need to get away from school. They, unlike almost every other family, have cable in their home. This means that if I really want to watch an episode of Grey’s Anatomy or Vampire Diaries, I can actually sit down and watch them on a real t.v. and not on my computer a week later. I haven’t taken them up on their offer yet, but I’m sure I will!

Another thing about Al is that he likes football. Now anyone who knows me is aware that I am clueless when it comes to football. But Al watches football, and talks about it at lunch sometimes. So I somehow managed to get myself pulled into the village football pool (wish me luck!). Al has promised to teach me some of the basics (little does he know that many have tried and failed at this task before) but I’m not sure whether he will succeed. Maybe he’ll be able to make the concepts stick in my brain for once. If not, I’ll just go and learn recipes and stories from his Sue:)

Being isolated in a village 3,500 (give or take) miles from home with no family can be lonely sometimes. While I haven’t experienced homesickness yet (I honestly don’t have time to be homesick) it is nice to have people that feel like family. Al and Sue are always asking me how my day is going, or telling me to get out and go for a run, or treat myself to a steam (again, this one will follow soon). Becoming friends with Al has proven to be the smartest thing I’ve done since I’ve been here. It’s nice to know that I have him and his wife when I need company, a way to relax, a dinner when I don’t have time to cook one, or just the feeling of having family close by. I haven’t quite figured out how to repay them yet (I would normally bake cookies, but my baking skills are inferior to his on so many levels) but I plan to thank them for all of their generosity and kindness!

But I Still Can't Roll My R's

“Miss Norman, what’s parasailing?”, “Miss Norman, where do you live again?”, “How many pets do you have Miss Norman?”, “Have you seen the Jersey Devil Miss Norman?”. These are just a few questions I get from my students throughout the day. They are so curious about life outside of the village. Granted, they had no clue what the Jersey Devil was until we started talking about legends and myths, but now it’s all they can talk about. There are many times when I mention things and my students get this look. It’s one that I’m honing in on and now I know it means that I’ve said something that they have never heard about or that they don’t know much about. Sometimes my kids will try to cover it up, but other times they will just come out with questions. In the middle of a lesson that has nothing to do with it…

Insert Miss Norman’s daily show-and-tell here. Recently, I’ve started showing my students one or two pictures a day from back home. Last Friday I showed them pictures from my OBX trip from this summer. I think I overloaded their brains when I showed them pictures from parasailing and from the lighthouse climb at the same time. I never knew that so many questions could stem from a picture of a lighthouse.. (You climbed that??, All the way to the top?, Who’s that girl? Your friends went with you? Who are they? Have they seen the Jersey Devil?, and so on).

There are so many times when I mention things that most kids in the lower 48 know about. I often forget that some of my students have never left the state. Most times when they leave PIP it’s to go to another village or to Anchorage. When I got here, the kids asked me if I could do a cartwheel and they were so incredibly proud that they knew how to do one. I’m guessing one of the old teachers taught them how to do it. So I spend my free time (all two seconds of it per day) thinking of things that I could introduce them to. I want to expose them to as many different things as possible during my time with them so they are more aware of what is out there in the world (and yes Jenna and Shawnee- they’ve already tried s’mores… I was excited about that one and bummed to know they’ve already had them).

From now on, I plan to get at least a picture a day ready for them to see. Of course I don’t tell them that I want to expose them to different things, I just tell them I want to share a bit of my life with them. I explain that since I live in their home-town that I get to see all the places they go and where they’ve grown up. Miss Norman lives 3,500 miles away (we’ve already looked at a map and I went through the 4 different planes it took to get me here) so I don’t get to show them around my home-town unless it’s through pictures. They seem happy enough with this:)

Today we looked at pictures of my brother and little cousin, Bud and Makenna, wearing the Pilot Point shirts they got. I waited until they noticed the shirts to say anything. Then of course came the questions; “Where do they live?”, “How old is she?”, “How did they get Pilot Point shirts?!”, and many more. I simply love their curiosity and watching the looks on their faces when the see new people and things that I’ve done.

However, I’m not the only one showing them new things. They take me around the village and show me where they’ve done all sorts of things. I am just as interested in learning about things they’ve done as they are to learn about my life. Also, there are things that they can do that Miss Norman can’t or hasn’t done before. The look my one student gave me when I told him I’ve never eaten goose, ptarmigan, or crane before was priceless (he promised me that his mom would make me some). Another thing they love is when I truly can’t do something they can all do; for example rolling my “r’s”. They love to make me try to do it, and I’m always guaranteed a giggle from them when I fail miserably (It’s one of my biggest pet peeves that I am unable to do it, and it will bother me until the day I die). We’re always learning here in Pilot Point; feel free to join us!

*Suggestions as to what I could show them would be greatly appreciated. Skype and FaceTime sessions in which you show off talents or fun things can also be added in, so please if you can do something cool let me know!