Eeling, anyone?

"Indulge your every whim."

So stated the wrapper from the Dove dark chocolate I had today. It seemed like a good idea, so, I did! It felt great to laze around on this rare, activity-free Saturday. I read a couple chapters in Contact by Carl Sagan (a good read so far), did some cooking for the week, hung out with Kindergarten and 1st/2nd Grade Teachers (hereon referred to as "the Arkansas Girls") and chit-chatted, and pretty much took it easy. The snow is blowing like crazy outside anyway, so I'm loving the forced relaxation time.

As stated in the previous post, a momentous event occurred in the village this week - the eels are here! It only lasts about a day because they will continue to move upriver. I knew it was a pretty valued occasion because the head volleyball coach told me to go see the eels immediately...which happened to be right in the middle of practice. Normally, she likes me to give the go-ahead for certain drills and be there to watch the kids' form.

"Are you sure?" I asked her.

"Yes, yes, you have to! Go now or you'll miss them!"

OK. So, I grabbed the Arkansas Girls and Math Teacher and we booked it down to the river to see what eeling entailed. The river is frozen over now, and we walked up to the trough that had been ice-picked for the eeling. The ice was about 5 inches thick, and the trough was maybe 15 feet long by about 10 inches wide. Some students were down there hanging out with the men of the village, and they seemed excited to see us there.

I asked one of my students if I could try my hand at it, and he took me over to the kiddie or "practice pool," as I called it. It was only about 5 feet long by 10 inches wide, and it was made nearer to the bank of the river so it was pretty shallow - only 3 feet or so. Some sixth graders showed me how to use the eel stick, and I gave it a shot. Check it out!

The main eeling trough. This is where the men did their work. Or sat on a snow machine, also called a "snow-go" up here.

Now, please try to refrain from laughing at the dorkdom that is this picture - one of the girls caught me with my eyes closed. Sorry for how dark it is, but this is the best we could get! The basic technique is to move the eel stick back and forth within the trough to hook the eels; nets are also used. With the sticks, one can catch up to five at a time. Again, my attempt was at the practice pool. The stick should be deeper into the water, but this was very shallow. I was hitting bottom as this photo was taken. I did not catch any myself, but perhaps next year! I wish Grandpa Al was still around; I wonder if he would have had any advice on the topic, or if he ever even went eeling himself. 

A sixth grader let me hold one of his catches. If you look closely, you can see the serrated edge that has been added to the eel stick. The rough edges snare the slow-moving eels. A student of mine claims they move about one mile per hour, and that he caught three gunnysacks full last year. There are only two or a maximum of three runs of eels per year - all within a 24-36 hour period - and then they move on up the river.

The kids raved about how eels make great bait, but also taste great too. Several people asked if I'd ever had eel and seemed flabbergasted when I said, "only in sushi!" The eels are battered and either baked or fried, and I hear they are delicious when dipped in seal oil. The mom of the above student offered to make them for me, so I'll let ya know if that happens! Another parent said she'd be thrilled if the school would serve eel soup on some Friday and invite the elders. In the past, the school has done just that; last time it was salmon stew. It's a quite cool thing when the elders come to the school. The kids tend to be better behaved and more attentive on those days.

So, that's my eeling adventure! Now, I'm off to my exciting night life - girls' night! We are going to watch a movie, paint our nails, possibly do some funky pageant hair for fun, and very probably venture to solve the world's problems, or at least those of our village, as we get hyped up on some Mexican mock-tails and Emergen-C drinks. Have a good one!

Snowed In

As I write this, I am currently snowed in at a different village. We are waiting for the call that our plane is coming to get us.

I went along on a volleyball trip at the last minute to see my team play. I was supposed to stay in Marshall to allow a student to travel, but one player cancelled the night before we left. Friday was a half-day, so I made it through the morning and then boarded a plane to Alakanuk with nine of our players. I was excited to see another village; I have friends here whom I met at the teacher training in Anchorage. Alakanuk is a coastal village downriver from us.

Just FYI: Alakanuk is pronounced [uh-luck-uh-nuck]. Hit the second syllable, but don't hit the -ck sound very hard; it's more of a guttural glaze. Do hit hard the last -ck sound. Try it. Good!

Leaving the village, we were ranked 3rd in our district. We played great Friday night, winning both of our games. We stayed in one of the classrooms and got up the next morning to play Scammon Bay, who is ranked 1st. We lost that match, but gave them their only competition of the weekend and proved we could hang with them. Our team played well and hard, and they knew it, so that is a good sign. We are now tied with another school for 2nd in the district, and Marshall hosts the regional tournament in a couple weeks. Guess who gets to be the Site Coordinator for that event? It will be a lot on my plate, but that's the way things are done around here. I will get a stipend about equal to a loan payment for doing that, so I said "sign me up!" Actually, it was sort of my turn anyway. The kindergarten and 1st/2nd grade teachers pretty much ran the last sports event.

After our match Saturday morning, we packed up and waited for the call to get on the plane. It never came. We knew by 3:00 pm that if no plane had made it to Alakanuk, then we were going to be staying the night. First, a blizzard in Marshall prevented us from leaving. Then, a second blizzard came through, hitting Alakanuk and grounding us here. At first I was a little peeved, because often it feels like our personal time as teachers gets robbed on the weekends; we are the ones running the games, planning and running the carnivals and dances, cleaning up after all these events, etc. Saying "no" doesn't feel like a reasonable option, because if we let these events fail, guess who hears about it? Parents don't often help, and students...well, some help and some do not.

OK, I am done venting now.

Being "weathered in" ended up being a bit of a blessing, because I got my lesson plans mapped out for next week, chatted with friends and family, caught up on some reading, and actually got more sleep than I would have had I been at our own village - the kids had a curfew, so I did too! The school fed us three square meals daily and put together a movie night, so we were well taken care of during our stay. Alakanuk's store is about three times the size of ours, so it was a fun trip to go see the variety they offer - dark chocolate at $7 a bar, all types of chips at $8.50 a bag, a decent amount of produce, and even some clothing. I bought some chocolate and - gasp - oranges! I haven't had a decent orange since, well, Anchorage in August. Needless to say, I'm super excited about that fresh fruit.

Another bonus of the trip was that the senior girls opened up to me. It's fun to get to know them outside the classroom, finding out what kind of music they like, which boys cause them trouble, and what they want to do in life. They are whip-smart, I tell you, but I only wish that they knew that fact and believed it more fully. Some of them do, but at the same time they are disheartened by what they see as a lack of freedom for them. To do well in school and leave the village for college is acceptable. However, to leave the village for college and not someday return to their own or another village is seen as desertion of their family and culture, which is an unfair burden to place on a teen. (I should insert here that this sentiment is not stated explicitly but definitely understood as an accepted social construct.) I was never anything but encouraged to go out and make my mark in the world, but these brilliant girls receive mixed messages. They work hard in school and are exposed to all kinds of ideas via the internet, so they truly are aware of various career paths. Even so, too many girls become pregnant shortly after high school; a pregnancy is a celebrated event, no matter the age at which it occurs.

To give you a better perspective, the 8th and 9th grade boys ask me why I don't have a "honey" or any kids at my age. "Don't you like kids?" they ask. "Of course I do; I'm a teacher," I tell them. "I just don't want them yet. What is wrong with that?" Generally, I get a confused look from them. The girls, however, give me a knowing one that says that they, too, would like to do other things with their lives, not necessarily instead of having kids, but in addition to it; doing so just doesn't seem like a viable option for them. That is not to say that the boys think of themselves as better than the girls; they just do not seem to be aware that girls also have goals in their lives besides having kids right away.

In this day and age, it both saddens and infuriates me that these girls still feel less valued and that they have less autonomy than their male counterparts in these the "great" United States of America, the land of opportunity. Yes, they do come from a different culture than the majority of Americans, but the looks on their faces say that they do not truly believe that kind of opportunity is available to them. It's a shame, and I'm thankful that my upbringing and community was devoid of it. If nothing else, I hope to teach these girls to be proud of themselves, to believe in their talents, and to go for their goals.

On a different note, some of the older kids have mentioned that they are frustrated with the lack of age-appropriate reading books that our library offers. Any chance y'all at TLC would be willing to donate some used books to our library? I'm not sure of any specific authors or titles right now, but I could ask. The girls have said that they are not that picky, but that they are a bit bored with the following themes: Aleutian, slavery, and "on the streets." As for the boys, right now I'm thinking science fiction, mystery, and/or some type of action would be safe genres; remember, these are outdoorsy types. Just to be clear, I'm not thinking along the lines of the Twilight series...the boys have definitely voiced their opinions on that one.

As you can see, I've had plenty of time to think this weekend. I don't have pictures for this post because I'm sure you all know what a blizzard looks like. We've been told that we will definitely fly today, which is good because I would like use my own shower and cook my own food again. I probably will not be fully ready for the week, but, eh, that's nothing new. Thanks for reading!

Quarter Two is Underway

Hey folks. It's November!

Well, I made it through quarter one, and immediately after it ended, I escaped to Anchorage for six days to attend a health conference. The timing was perfect; I broke up a fight, completed report cards for the first quarter, and then practically sprinted to the airport that Friday after school. Below is just some "moosing" around waiting for the plane at the "airport." The clearing behind me is where the plane lands and takes off. (I apologize for the moosing pun; it's a popular one around here.)

I took off on a 6-seater and landed in Bethel; shortly thereafter I boarded the plane to Anchorage. On that flight, I sat next to the nicest woman named Bea, who also happened to be a teacher. We ended up chatting and she gave me several resources (some on the iPad) to try in the classroom to help our angriest students use their words. In Bea, I made a friend and an additional contact in Anchorage. Alaska is huge, but it's really a small place, people-wise.

I arrived in Anchorage and a friend picked me up from the airport; we then went out to eat and I ordered my first beer in two and a half months: an oatmeal stout from The Brewhouse. My friends, few things have ever tasted as great as that brew! This friend who graciously took me there later told me that I was totally over-stimulated by the restaurant--driving on actual pavement to get there, the lights, being served a meal that did not include fish or rice, and sitting in a room that held more people than actually populate my village - all of it put me a bit on edge. Apparently it was written all over my face, and I was tense and jumpy in such a lively and loud place. Also, not used to having my water glass refilled, I managed to pour it down my face and shirt about three times in a half-hour. Impressive. But ya know, I've always found that to be annoying...why must the water glass be filled to within millimeters of the top? I never finish the glass, and it seems like a waste. Plus, the inevitable spill happens to those of us who are limited in our motor skills. Whew...just had to get that out!

We got together the next day to watch the Minnesota-Husker football game at a "Nebraskan Alaskan" bar where - you guessed it - Nebraskans who now live in Alaska gather to watch sports. (There are, to say the least, many, and they are loyal...most of them sported Nebraskan Alaskan fleeces and caps.) It was the first game I've seen all football season! Again, the experience was slightly overwhelming - I do not even have a TV now, and all of a sudden I was in a bar atmosphere surrounded by 10 HD TVs. I'm convinced that those kind of TVs are just not the best for one's brain or anxiety level. However, I adjusted after a few minutes and began to enjoy myself. I even saw a high school pal working on the sidelines for the Huskers, so that was fun!

One of those Nebraskans is a retired Air Force dentist/hippie who is now pursuing his Ph.D. in agronomy - soil science, basically. Turns out he grows all types of potatoes, carrots, and beets to test the soil. Guess who returned to Marshall with enough potatoes, carrots, and beets to make moose roast through the end of the year? I love that the Midwest "nice" is alive and kicking way up here in the tundra! Greg, the aging Nebraskan-hippie-soil farmer-dentist, was a blast to hang out with and couldn't get rid of his produce quickly enough. That little taste of home is much appreciated.

The health conference was put together very well. I came back with practical information and pre-made lessons that I can easily use in my classes. One of the speakers was into applied neurophysiology, and I think I want to be her when I grow up. She spoke about how bullying, fear of lack of food, and domestic violence all affect the brain from infancy, putting the child quite literally into his primal brain, and how we can and must address that reality in the classroom. Unfortunately, all of these things apply to my students in some way. I definitely appreciated the opportunity to learn about how I can help these kids battle such daunting issues. I've already been tapped to share at our next staff meeting the valuable information I've learned. Wish me luck with that!

I also had the chance to see the Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage. It was a beautiful day to see the base, and it was completely unlike what I thought it would be. I had imagined barracks and such. Nope. It was actually pretty pleasant. Below is a picture of one of the several lakes within the base.

Not too bad, huh? Again with the crazy reflections in the waters up here. I just can't get enough of it!

Overall, this getaway was quite therapeutic - I got in a little shopping, sleeping in some mornings, and even managed to close down the hotel bar one night. Don't worry Mom, I only had about one bottle of wine. :) The bartender, Bea (another helpful woman named Bea...hmm, is the universe trying to tell me something, or was it just taking care of me?), saw me the next day and said, "Oh, my little flower girl!" I was hesitant to ask what that meant, but figured I should. She said, "Oh, you were just so happy, talking about anything and everything, ordering chocolate cake, and chatting up everybody - retired pilots from Pittsburgh, weary travelers who just arrived, even the bellboys!" Sheesh. Fantastic, Susan. Now, those of you who know me know that that's not my typical disposition. I had a great time though; it felt great to cut loose. Clearly, I needed to converse with someone - anyone, really - about something other than living in the bush. And yes, I did order a bottle of cab and the richest dessert from the beginning with every intention of consuming each and every drop and crumb. Mission accomplished! That gluttonous indulgence should hold me for a while.

I returned to a winter wonderland of a village. A blizzard had come through since I'd left, and the river even started to freeze over - all in just six days! The ice continues to crawl slowly by us. We have classroom bets going as to when it will freeze solid enough to go ice fishing. I did see the cutest sight upon my return. Check out the little mailman below:

Pretty precious. This little guy seemed like he couldn't wait to mush - neither puppy nor kid. Puppies run amok daily, some of them sneaking into the school for warmth. Sadly, I don't think many will last the winter. That is what I've been told, so I am preparing myself now.

Well, that's a quick update on me! With one quarter under my belt, I think I've started to scratch the surface in terms of figuring out how to teach these kids best. It's going to continue to be a challenge, as we are already talking about switching up the schedule to accommodate some kids' needs. I thrive on the fact that each day is different; I just hope that we can find the right schedule and situation for the kids.

I want to take a second to thank you all for your support and your unbelievably kind e-mails. I don't know that I've earned them, but I do save them and read them over and over when I need some strength. Alaska is beautiful, but being from the Midwest is a gift. Love to all!