First Time Manaqing This Year

What a beautiful weekend I have had. New staff over for a game night, lovely company at our staff Christmas dinner (along with lots of laughs), and today I went ice fishing! Enjoy the pics :)

My Sister's Keeper

This fall I was determined to pick up some "just for fun" reading. As a teacher, and a never-ending student, I am always reading literature to become a better professional, so reading is always occurring, but I rarely read just for pleasure. As a kid, I always read. My BFF and I were enthralled with R.L. Stine books. We would camp out at each other's houses and just read, read, read until we finished the newest book. I wouldn't put one down until I finished it. I don't have a lot of vivid memories from childhood, but I can distinctly remember parent-teacher conferences in Kindergarten or first grade when my teacher told my mom that I was a "reader." Of course, back then I was just memorizing short "Gus rides the bus" books, but I took what my teacher said and ran with pride.

As a teacher myself, I try to choose read aloud books that are also made into movies. This way, I can reward my students with a movie, and they can compare the two. Well, I have decided to do this for myself, as well. :) One of the books I chose to read this fall was My Sister's Keeper. It was incredibly engaging and emotional. The end of the book caught me completely off-guard... it was a tear-jerker. This evening I am watching the movie.

As I watched, I knew that it wasn't as good as the book, but it still tugged at my heart. Many of the people in my life know that I lost my dad to Hepatitis C on New Year's 2005. It was a somewhat lengthy battle, and he lasted longer than was expected. What some people don't know it the history of my relationship with him, or how it all ended... which is always the most difficult thing to look back on, and I rarely do.

In My Sister's Keeper, the parents know that their daughter is sick with cancer. They have talks and though no one can prepare for death, they went through the struggle together. I also caught another glimpse of a show this evening where the children remembered the last words that their father had spoken to them, "Don't be sad."

Though we knew my dad was sick, and it seemed if it wasn't one health issue it was another, the death of my father still caught me completely off-guard. I didn't live with him growing up, and I was a young newly-wed in his last days so I really wasn't with him a ton. My ex-husband and I were driving out to the valley to a friend's cabin when I got the phone call... we had just passed Eagle River, which is where my dad and his mom lived. My mom wanted to make sure I wasn't driving. She told us to pull over so that she could tell me. I told her we were good, just tell me whatever it was. She told me that my dad was dead. It was in that moment that so many thoughts raced through my head.

The most difficult part of my dad's death was seeing where he died. He was living in a little shack with an area of about two love seats. No insulation, food from the food bank in front of him, and he was surrounded by photos and letters that he received from us girls over the years (dating WAY back). We were his world, there was no doubt in that.

I am not writing this for sympathy, but I sometimes forget just how tragic that moment was in my life. But, it is something that has changed me and affected me, and seeing the shows I saw tonight, a lot of those emotions came back. I don't remember the last words I spoke to my dad. I remember the last times I saw him. I remember what he looked like. And, if I try hard enough, I can remember few vivid memories of times we had together.

I am so thankful for my family and friends. And I am so thankful for my time here on this Earth. I feel for anybody who has ever lost anyone close to them. There are no words and there is no preparation to fully deal with one's death. It hurts to remember, but it is so important in the puzzle of my life. I am so, so thankful that I will be with my family this holiday season. We will disagree, get annoyed with one another, and be ready to go our own ways by the time the vacation is over... but, every moment of it will be worth it and valued.

Thanks for hearing my heart,

Misty

Admission into Masters Program!!!

Becky, McKenzie, Cael, and Me... Chevak Wrestling Invitational 2009

Guitar Lesson #1... a bit of a challenge for me... 

Well, it is official! I have been accepted into UAF's masters in Cross-Cultural Education program and I couldn't be more excited! The entire program focuses on teaching Alaska Native students in rural AK. It is perfect for me! I have not yet set up a course plan in stone, but I am hoping to graduate in 2012 if I take things nice and easy (that's 1-2 courses a semester). Not sure of a lot of things, but when it comes to school I have goals and dreams and I like to make them come true :)

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I was thinking about how fast this school year seems to be flying by. This time last year I had a lot more photos, but many of my experiences last year were new and needed to be documented! lol 

This year I suppose I have been focusing a lot on my professional development so that I can be an even better teacher for the students of Chevak. It has been great having a thematic reading program this year and seeing my students grow. I just began an Alaska Reading Course last month and it is absolutely wonderful! There are so many skills and so much knowledge being given to us, I am falling even more in love with literacy! :) I just want to continuously grow for myself and for my students. 

I am very excited to announce that I will be speaking at the 2010 Anchorage Association of Education for Young Children Conference to be held in Anchorage in February. This year's theme is "Changing One Child at a Time" and my topic will be sharing tools for successful classroom management. I will be speaking in a two-hour slot so please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I love public speaking, but this will be my first time presenting on my own and I really want to impart knowledge that will truly benefit those in attendance. 

Though the first half of the school year seems to have flown by, I am getting VERY excited for Christmas vacation so that I can be with my friends and family. I cannot wait to spend time with them! My siblings and I will be doing something new this year (possibly a new tradition)... we have the opportunity to help serve at Bean's Cafe on Christmas Eve and I just think this will be such a humbling and beautiful experience. I love my family so much and I love to serve others in need. What a perfect way to spend the morning of Christmas Eve!

I am now beginning to dream up what vacation I might be able to take myself on next summer.. the wheels are turnin'... 

Stay Warm, 

Misty

My baby brother visited me in October! So, so thankful!

Late October, just after the freeze.

Chevak Meets Juneau!

Sitting on the doorsteps of the Governor's Mansion

View from inside the Juneau-Douglas High School.
Emily and I wearing traditional SE Alaska Native hats.
Beautiful art in JDHS.
Absolutely fabulous! You would need to see this in person to absolutely love it. I think every science teacher would want one in their classroom... but, they are about $200,000.

This has been the theme of the year for me; it keeps coming up in my master's course and in the world in which I live. There is no Yup'ik word for science. However, everything the Alaska Natives traditionally did was science from the way they made their kayaks and kuspuks, and even ikmiq (sp). The fact that there is no word for science says a lot to me... they just DID science... it wasn't something they read about in books. It was survival... it was self-reliance.
Last week my students made Yup'ik masks of their own. Above is a photo of the masks on exhibit in the Juneau museum. Below is a photo of my students and their masks :) Cute.


A traditional kayak. Amazing.
Douglas Island across the way.

Well, Emily and I have made it to the Math and Science Conference in Juneau, AK. We have had an absolutely fabulous time thus far. In all of my years in Alaska (soon to be 25), this is my first visit to our state capital. It is amazing to me how though we are a large state by area, we are small in numbers... it is definitely less than six degrees of separation the more you network! SE Alaska is not only different than the flatland tundra of Chevak, but so different than my hometown of Anchorage, as well. The mountains surround you, and they are so steep. And, the trees decorate the mountains from the bottom to the top. It is absolutely beautiful. Today one of our workshops was on Yup'ik Science at the local museum. It was so cool to see so many artifacts that we could identify with. I was really pleased because our tour guide has been all over AK for the last thirty years so he didn't just know about the Native cultures from books- he had been there so he really KNEW. It was also neat to have lived in a village for two years now and then to be able to identify the artifacts and have personal stories connected with them. This was definitely one of the highlights of the conference so far. Tonight we hope to visit Mendenhall Glacier... I can't wait!

October is Here

Agnes and her honey. Made by Dorothy Nayamin.

October is my absolute favorite month. I love the feeling of fall in the air, and the smell of winter around the corner. It is the month of PFD's (Permanent Fund Dividends), Halloween/fall festivities, and, of course, my birthday! :) This year I will be turning 25.

I have to tell you, 25 seems like I am really "growing up." lol I am very fortunate in that I will be in Anchorage for the evening of my birthday and am able to have a birthday dinner with family and friends... I cannot wait! For someone who loves celebrating birthdays, it is really important to me to spend it making fun memories with people I love. A co-worker and close friend out here, Emily, will be traveling with me which means she will be one of the few of my co-workers to meet my family. This will be fun!

Emily and I will be attending a Math and Science Conference in Juneau prior to my birthday. I have never been to Southeast Alaska, but I am very excited to see this beautiful place. My dad was from SE, born in Wrangell and raised in Craig, so that makes the trip even more exciting to me. Also, I have reviewed the sessions for this conference and there are MANY that are aimed at early childhood education (yay)! I was nervous that there would be more MS and HS workshops, but it looks like there is quite a variety for both Em and I (she is a MS science teacher).

October also marked a new project for me. I am opening my classroom up to my students every Thursday after school for one hour to focus on extra literacy activities. This will include book making, story telling, acting, movies, singing, etc. My theme is "Learning to Love Literacy." It is my goal that I will assist my students in becoming comfortable with reading, and in enjoying it. I really believe that without reading, we are limited in the paths that we can choose in life. And, I really want my kiddos to dream big, and then go after what they want. Hopefully, with this after school project, I will see my students grow even more over time.

This beautiful month also marks the end of first quarter! Before I know it, we will only have three more quarters left of the school year! It is so wild how time flies. As a teacher, there is so much you want to get done with your students... where does the time go?!

Also, hopefully by the end of this month I will find out if I was accepted into UAF's Master's in Cross-Cultural Education program. This is very exciting to me, as I have already begun coursework in this field of study and I absolutely feel that it is perfect for me. Everything that I am asked to read or inquire is directly related to the work I am doing right now. Cross your fingers for me!

Thank you to those of you who are keeping me in your thoughts and keeping up with my journey here in Chevak, and as an educator.

Happy October!

Misty

Fall Adventures in Chevak

Taking a break from gathering wood.

The beautiful colors of the fall tundra.

Kirby and his "gondola!" :)

We are already half way through the first quarter which is hard to believe. I have realized that I am not blogging as much as I did last year which is probably because there aren't as many new things for me. BUT, just when I was beginning to think that winter was coming without any new fall adventures... things changed. :)

Since we often take steams (maqii) with Denise and Carrie, Chris and I told them that we would like to go out by boat with them to help collect wood for the wood stove that is used. So, one afternooon after school around 5:30p, we headed out by boat with Denise and Kirby towards Kashunak. We took the shortcut and about a mile and a half from our destination, we got stuck in one of the sloughs because the tides had changed and the water was too low for the boat. It was soon sitting in mud. We decided to make a fire and have a snack and then try pushing the boat a ways until we got to higher water... but, the higher water wasn't coming anytime soon. So, after some pushing we made the decision to make another fire, sit back, and wait until the tide came in again... this happened around midnight. We did get to see a GORGEOUS pink and orange sunset over the tundra and the night was lit by a bright, full moon. We made it home around 2am... needless to say, I didn't workout at 6:30 that morning! Thanks for the adventure
Denise and Kirby!

Me, Kirby, and Denise

Priscilla, me, some of my students, and a beluga!.. Impromptu field trip :)

Earlier this week Chevak was fortunate to have a pod of beluga whales come through our river which doesn't happen every year. I have never seen a whale in real life so I was super excited to see one, while the locals were super excited to catch one! News spread quickly over the VHF and through word of mouth (and cell phones now) that the whales were here so around 2 o'clock, with permission from the principal, Priscilla and I took the kids down to check for whales. Without each kid having a pair of binoculars this would be a difficult task... BUT, someone had caught a beluga and had just begun the gutting/portioning process so we were lucky enough to see this! I didn't have my camera (BAD teacher!), but the superintendent's wife was in town and was cool enough to snap some shots and send them my way(thanks, Bev!). Now, talk about hands-on science and social studies! Ah, life in the vill.

Emily and I on a boat ride with the Ulroans.

Making Connections Makes Life Changes

The Beginning of My Second Year in Chevak

Well, I am back in Chevak. This is not only my second year teaching, but it is also my second year teaching second grade. Our official first week of school starts tomorrow.

It is SO good to be back. I cannot count how many times I have heard, "Welcome home." And, it really feels like home.

I came back to Chevak with news that I was moving into my own unit. So between getting settled into my classroom and the new place, I have been staying pretty busy. It is definitely a treat to have my own space and to decorate things to express my personality.



On Wednesday I was invited to take a steam which I was so thankful for though I was reminded of Lena. She was the first person I ever took a steam with. We have lovely and funny memories of that first time. In some ways this steam was bittersweet. But, I am a firm believer that it is good to remember. And, I was amongst great company. I am so happy that I was able to take a steam so early in the year- thank you, Susie!

The first weekend of each school year marks TundraFest. This is a time when other villages come to Chevak to yuraq (Eskimo dance). This year Nitemute and King Island joined us. The festivities began on Thursday night and just ended last night, on Saturday. This was a good time for me to get out and visit with Chevakers that I have haven't seen since the spring. It sure was a good time.



Also, yesterday I had the opportunity to go out by boat to one of the Ulroan's camps for berry-picking and burgers :) The whole family went out. The ride was beautiful- my first one of the year. There weren't too many berries, but it was so relaxing to be out on the tundra and just be in peace.



This evening I heard someone say, "Making connections makes life changes." He said, "We cannot just work, work, work. Even if this mean staying up late (which we do for TundraFest)." I really appreciated hearing this because that has been something I believe and want to make sure I remember this school year. Out in the village, it is very easy to be in our classrooms for much of our spare time and to get stressed about school-related stuff. But, we have a choice not to and I am making that choice. I want to make sure that I make time to play, to connect, and to have me time.



You have heard me say this a time or two, "Life is too short." Well, I absolutely believe this and I heard something else today to add to that thought: "Watch carefully how you live your life. Be wise in how you live, making the most of every opportunity." I LOVE this! Spoke right to me.

Thank you for following my blog. I look forward to another great year out here in Chevak and plan to keep this updated once again.

Quyana Cakneq :)

Can you guess who that is in the picture on the wall?! ;)

The End of My First Year

Lotus Flower: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Meaning-and-Symbolism-Behind-the-Lotus-Flower-Tattoo&id=95396

The end of the year has come and gone. School let out on Friday, May 15. I am heading "home" to Anchorage in a couple more days and it is time to reflect before I head out on my summer journey.

I have to start by saying that I truly had a great first year of teaching! I was fortunate to have a wonderful aide who became my friend, a great group of students, and many supportive parents. And there a quite a few things that I learned about myself as a teacher. This first year has allowed me to see my strengths and weaknesses- both of which I value.

This was also a great first year in Chevak. I met so many wonderful people and have so many wonderful memories. Some of my favorites are taking steams with Lena and Carrie, catching a devil fish while manaqing, falling in a slough while playing the states game with Jaden, yuraqing, purchasing beautiful dolls from Dorothy Nayamin, seal hunting, eating seal liver, going by snowgo to Scammon Bay to watch a ball game, and the many dinner and game nights with other teachers... these are just a few.

Of all the things that I learned and experienced throughout the year, I would have to say that my greatest new learning or aha is my new persepctive of community. We were unfortunate in that there were eight deaths in Chevak since the start of school in August. We lost elders, a teacher, and even students. There is something to be said about the mourning process in this village. I wish that I was able to capture just exactly what I mean, but it is really something that I can't quite put into words alone. I feel so fortunate that I have been able to not only observe, but also be a part of this community and their traditions.

Not too long ago a local group of dancers performed for the Commisioner of Ed when he visited Chevak. As I watched this particular group of men and women, I looked at each of their faces and I recalled the tragedies that many of them had faced in the last year. It broke my heart to recall the deaths that took place, and at the same time, seeing their family members yuraqing gave my heart such a joy and peace. The reason for this is that these people have so much strength. Through their culture and their community they have built a support system that one cannot just recreate.

My day to day life is constantly driven by the hardships that I went through. Not that I wallow in them, but that I make almost all of my decisions based on the mantra that "life is too short, we are only here for a time, and we have the power to live happy." I am often reminded of the losses that I took over the last couple of years, and as I look at the Cup'ik people, I think "Wow, they know how to grieve and they know how to support one another." One would not know this at first glance, but instead one would have to embrace their culture and step into it in order to see this. And, it is a remarkable thing to see and to be a part of.

I am so thankful for the experiences that I have had in my first year of teaching and so many of them wouldn't have happened if I was still living in the city. I feel that I am gaining a rich knowledge from this whole "experience" if you will, for lack of a better term.

But, this is not just an experience. This is my life. I live in an Eskimo village of about 1,ooo people; 300 or so being students at the K-12 school. There are about three trucks here, but the primary form of transportation are snowgos and hondas (snowmachines and four-wheelers). There are three main stores, a clinic, a postoffice, and two churches. If there is a medical emergency, one would have to get medevaced to Bethel or Anchorage for treatment. Some days we do not have planes come in at all due to weather, which also means no mail. In order to dispose of our trash we drive to the dump and light it on fire. Everywhere you go, everyone knows who you are and they all say hello... and they call you by your name. If they don't know you, they will ask you who you are and where you are from.

As I have said to many of my friends and family, teaching in Chevak for my first year has been the best decision for me both personally and professionally. I wouldn't trade this for the world. I love that Chevak will always be part of my life, part of my story. If you hadn't figured it out by now, I am returning for my second year in the fall. I don't for certain know how long I will stay, but I know that Chevak will always hold a special place in my heart. I will head "home" in a few days and I will spend a few weeks there before traveling to Thailand for the summer where I will gain a whole new set of learnings, memories, and experiences.

This really is a great life; I am enjoying the journeys.
Warm Regards, Misty

Teacher housing in Chevak

I was just realizing that I haven't posted ANY photos of my living quarters. So, here are a few:

Bathroom

Living Room

Kitchen

Snowy April in Chevak :)

Here we are, April 26, '09 in Chevak.

The snow is still quite high here; dogs can still walk right by my living room window.

LOOK! I can see my deck again!!!

Winter trash runs... gotta love them. Hitch a sled to the back of a "snowgo," load the trash, and throw in a couple of kids... it actually makes for a fun trip on a nice day.

I think he is thinking, "This is the life."

Beach baby, beach baby here on the ... snow?? :)

Kendall and his big brother Aaron playing out.

Haley and I nearly crashing into a house!

Spring fever!

Teachers and their kiddos on a sunny spring afternoon... sledding off a roof.