Tusk

I think I mentioned in a previous blog that I was going to get a walrus tusk. Well, I didn't just get a walrus tusk... I got two. I'm pretty excited about them. The biggest one weighed about 1.5 lbs. I gave it to one of the carvers in town and he's going to do 'something' with it. His son is actually in my class, which makes it even more exciting. Looking forward to getting the finished product. Walrus up here are a very valuable resource, especially for food. Like most animals hunted by the Inuit, very little goes to waste.

So far the only local foods I have been able to try are Arctic Char and Caribou, both prepared in very western style. In the post where we went on the land, the picture of the frozen walrus is actually the meat and blubber of a walrus wrapped/sealed in its skin. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to try other food as well.

Well folks, not much else to report on today. Tomorrow is Hamlet Day and there are games happening around town. I hope to get out and see what all is going on!

What i'm listening to:
Everybody's Broken - Jann Arden
Charlotte - Rosie Thomas
Come to my Window - Melissa Etheridge
What i learned today:
A polar bear paw in your porch can be a reality in some places
Complete the sentence:
My favorite song of the moment is...

Half

Its crazy to think that I have been up here for three weeks today, and only have three weeks left. I really cannot believe how quick three weeks has gone by. Seems like I have so much more that I want to do. Maybe I'll have to come back again sometime... 25000 aeroplan miles apparently, I'm at zero.

Half planned lessons get half results. Enough said.

Half full. Can and will do better.

Normally the week would be half over tomorrow, however, this week it is the last day of school. Thursday is 'Hamlet Day', a holiday for most people, except government of Nunavut workers who have to work the morning. There are events/games happening on the ice and in the high school. I'm really looking forward to taking in the day. The weather for the next week is supposed to be phenomenal, -15 to -11 ish AND sunny.

What i'm listening to:
Be Somebody - Kings of Leon
Kink in the Chain - Josh Kelley
Reckless - Theo Tams
What i learned today:
Effort often equals results
Complete the sentence:
My next goal is

On the land

Today was exciting! We got to go out on the land with the class. The weather was not great, and it seemed like we may have to adjust our plans to short dog sled rides, where 90% of the class would stand around in the -30 windchill waiting. HOWEVER... we ended up heading to a place called Ujurasukjuk (oo ya ra sook juk). Most of the class was pulled by skidoo on komatiks, but a few of the kids got to be pulled by two dogteams! Very cool.

This is an outpost camp on the other side of the island that is mostly used when there is no snow. There is though, an elder woman who lives here with her grandson (i've also heard grandchildren). Our plan was to hopefully visit and have her talk to the class. She shot a polar bear that had been hanging around her cabin last month. I heard this story from a polar bear researcher in town and one of the guides today. Anyway, the guides realized when we got there that she was actually in town. My guess is that someone brought them into town before the blizzard hit.We ended up just playing around for an hour or so. Was kinda neat to learn that some of the kids had camped here before and new a fair bit about this place. There was all sorts of interesting 'stuff' around. Here's a few pics of the day.

Some of the students waiting in a Komatik.

Our guides getting one of the dog teams ready. Igloolik in the background

Walrus on top of a cabin (now ground level), once left to rot buried under rocks, now frozen, will be ate eventually.

Skins on top of one of the cabins.

One of the dog teams arriving a little later.

When you are out there, the blue of the sea ice really stands out, unfortunately the camera doesn't pick up on it as well.

A few of the students getting ready for the dog teams to head home.

What i'm listening to:
Joey - Sugarland
Lie - David Cook
Just Another - Pete Yorn
What i learned today:
Dogs are insanely tough
Complete the sentence:
I think I could live for _____ days/months in the winter without 'services'.

Sleep

Some of you will not believe this (and some of you just won't care), I sure had to do a double take. I slept in until 10am this morning, without trying! I went to bed at 1:30 - sober - and didn't wake up once. I think it's because of how quiet it is....

Being the second day of a blizzard, everyone got the 'blizzard' out of their system yesterday. I was really surprised how busy the town was. Lots of people and kids out and about. So, I think people are tired from yesterday and sleeping this morning. There was only about 5-10cm of snow expected yesterday, and 2-5 today, but because of the high winds it is really white out there. Also fun, because there isn't much for trees, hills, or anything to block the wind, the snow all seems to end up in town. I walked to a 'table sale', like a garage sale, in the high school and there were places that no new snow had accumulated and other spots where you had to maneuver a 6 foot high drift. Forecast looks ok for tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Today I have been invited for lunch at the restaurant and then to watch 'Grandma's Boy' tonight. Mix in some lesson planning and prep and this day will be over before I know it!

What i'm listening to:
Walk Right In - Josh Kelley
Collide - Howie Day
You're The World To Me - David Gray
What i learned today:(or yesterday)
I knew coming up here would be a completely different speed to the crazyness I left, what I didn't know was how much I would enjoy the relaxed pace.
Complete the sentence:
I smile

Hey Y'all

The weekend is here! And with perfect timing, there is a blizzard. So not looking like there will be much exploring this weekend. There was a group going to go to the flow edge on Sunday, which I'm told is about 10 miles away. The flow edge is where the winter ice meets the open sea. This is where a lot of hunting happens. However, the blizzard looks like it is supposed to keep up until late Sunday. I'm hoping it is done by Sunday, because myself and the kids are really excited about Monday's trip. The plan has been changed a bit though. It looks like we will now be going to a place called Igloolik Point, which is on the other side of the island. AND, half the class will be pulled by two Dog Team! Very exciting. That's not facetious either, I'm really excited about it!

Guillaume, the fellow I'm living with, organized a poker game last night. There were 7 of us. I did pretty well in the first game, 3rd last out, but just out of the money. The second game didn't go so well.

Anyway, I'll do my best to keep you posted how the weekend progresses. Might go buy myself some walrus tusk.

What i'm listening to:
Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
Country Comfort - Keith Urban
What i learned today (yesterday):
Trust your instincts.
Complete the sentence:
I've found, I'm scared to know

Warm?

Haha, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow because it is supposed to be -13! But before then, have to get through a -47 (with windchill) night, yowzers. Yes yowzers, I thought today should be a bit more G-rated. This evening was the first night that I really noticed the cold. Because of the weather change moving in, it is really windy, add that to -30 temps and it BITES! Not like 'damn, that bites', I mean it feels like you are being bitten by a million tiny little cold bugs.

I took the class to skate at the arena for gym today. It was a lot of fun. This is a group picture. This was take 4. You keep them busy and doing 'something' and they are great. If they don't see value in it or aren't seeing a reason to keep busy.... that's when there can be, um lets call it fun! They really are great.
So today was the first day of Parent Teacher Conferences. From 6-8 tonight there were only two parents who came to our class. They were parents of really good kids, so pretty boring. Tomorrow are conferences again all day, I will bring planning to do and try to get lessons prepared for the next few weeks.

Found out today that our class gets to go 'out on the land' on Monday. We are taking a trip to a place called Avvajja. Its about a 30-40 minute skidoo ride. The students and myself will get pulled in behind in a komatiq. This is a really fun place that the kids enjoy and it is hoped to be culturally relevant with traditional teachings involved. I'm really looking forward to it.

What I'm listening to:
John Berry - Change My Mind
What I Want - Ryan Calhoun
A Case of you - K.D. Lang
What I learned today:
Other people can say it better ;) http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Coulter%20free%20speech%20Hardly/2724188/story.html
Complete the sentence:
This weekend I'm going to

Coldest...

Coldest day yet! -34 this morning, -43 with windchill. I thought that would help warm all of you reading this in Manitoba who were considering complaining about the cold night you are about to have ;) I guess I'm kinda weird though, I don't seem to mind the cold. That being said, the weather is supposed to warm up dramatically here over the weekend... but the forecasts can and do change rapidly.

I'm going to take this opportunity to vent. I wondered if this was an appropriate forum to do it, but to go along with the 'coldest' theme, I feel it is appropriate. Being separated from the real world a bit, I am surprised myself, by how much brain space this is using. I wish that I could just let it out of my head, pretend it is not an issue that should bother me right now (but I did enough pretending the first 25 years of my life.. haha). Anyway, what the deuce is Sheldon talking about? Ann Coulter. I cringe just spelling her name on here. Seriously. How is someone allowed to promote such hatred and ignorance in this world? And not only that, be allowed to do it in this country. Now I'm not saying ignorance and hatred do not exist in Canada, we all know it does. And, I'm not saying someone's right to speak should be denied. But, why the hell do we need to be inviting hate and ignorance to be promoted here? I think we get enough of it from media, uninvited. For those of you not familiar, google her name, it won't take long to find one of the awful, disgusting things she has said. As a human being, as a white person, as a minority (albeit not visible), as a member of what a lot of people would call the 'privileged' class, as an educated person, as a person who holds some power, as a speaker to attentive listeners... how can I have so much in common with this (I don't want to call here a woman, because that seems so disgraceful to the women in my life). I recognize these 'things' as a part of who I am, I choose to use them in a positive way. It bothers me so much that there are so many people in this world trying to do good things and go completely unrecognized and undervalued for it, and this, this, this, THIS gets so much publicity and attention. Worst of all, it takes up so much space in my head... I need to go for a run, oh wait, I'm in the arctic.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. IGNORANCE IS INEVITABLE, BUT NOT AN EXCUSE. Continue to learn... always.

What i'm listening to:
Vindicated - Dashboard Confessionals
Call Me - Shinedown
Sober - Kelly Clarkson
What i learned today:
If you tell them the answer and they still get it wrong... you obviously have not taught them anything.
Complete the sentence:
if...

8:21

Its 8:21 and the street light just turned on outside my window. Still relatively bright though. The days are definitely getting longer quickly.

Not too much to report on today. Seemed like a long day at school and am pretty exhausted.

Bought another carving today. Oh, man! Sing it with me; money money money money MONEY! Its nice though, and I requested it from the carver. Its a face carved out of local rock. They are popular here, but most are smaller and the faces can look aged. This one is a bit bigger than what he normally does and seems younger. I'm glad that it is a bit unique.

What i'm listening to:
Dead and Gone - T.I. (feat. J.T.)
Turn to Stone - Ingrid Michaelson
What i learned today:
Math is really hard to teach (taught my first math lesson today)
Complete the sentence:
The last thing I added to my bucket list was...

Monday, Monday, Monday

Well, it was a Monday... enough said? And it was cold! -42 with windchill this morning on my walk to school, and was -37 on my walk home. The students, and myself, all had a hard time concentrating today. Got through all of my lessons with moderate success, but the day seemed particularly long.

Yesterday was fun. The trip out to the Bowhead Skull was really good. It wasn't quite what I was expecting... not as much left as I though. I was expecting the entire skeleton to still be there. In reality, just one large (10 feet) piece of Jaw, some ribs and a vertebrae were left. Pretty cool though. The ride home was interesting and cold! We took the sea home instead of the quick way we went to get there. I was really glad we did because it gave me a better idea of the make up of the island and I saw my first dog team in action!
This is the remaining piece of the Bowhead Whale skull. Just below the horizon you can see where the ice is buckling, this is the shorline. The remaining ribs and vertebrae to my left
I really do appreciate some peoples sense of humor. This would have had to be set up by someone knowing how much snow there normally is in order to put the boots at the proper height.
This is the dogteam... about 5 minutes from Iglulik. The weather changed really quickly!

What i'm listening to:
Just Another - Pete Yorn
On the Wing - Owl City
Hold On - Paul Brandt
What i learned today:
Sometimes you just don't know...
Complete the sentence:
The neatest thing i've ever found is

Iglulik Sauna

For those of you who thought that I may be roughing it up here... think again! Last night I became a member of select company to enjoy the Most Northern Wood Burning Sauna in Canada (self proclaimed of course - but likely true). Last night I was invited over for supper to a teachers place. I had been told that this shack looking building was called 'the sauna', however, I just thought it was a joke or some funny name given to it. Well, turns out it is a sauna. It was built almost 2 years ago from reclaimed material from around Igloolik. The only thing that was paid for was the vapor barrier, nails and stove. So last night, Marty, the builder of the sauna fired it up. There were 6 of us who partook. It got up to 65C inside, while it was -30 outside. And don't think this is a roughneck sauna... it comes complete with cedar planks and eucalyptus oil. It did wonders for my congestion, but man I've got a headache like I was drinking for the last 3 days. Minor dehydration, might have stayed in a little long.

We didn't get up to Cemetery Hill yesterday, just Inukshuk Hill. My exploring partner got a little scared when I told her of the Polar Bear that has been hanging around town... maybe she had a point, I think being naive allows you to do more ;) Today, Ellen & Marty (whose place I was at for dinner last night, and Ellen is Ali's cooperating teacher) are going to take us to see a Bowhead Whale skeleton. Apparently it's massive.

What i'm listening to:
Sober - Kelly Clarkson
Just Might (Make me Believe) - Sugarland
To Remember - Josh Kelly
What i learned yesterday:
The big inukshuk in the picture means death (correction, it's bad luck, not death)
Complete the sentence:
My favorite part of spring is