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.

Yuraqing and More

Cultural Heritage Week 2009

Sledding with my kiddos.

All in sleds behind "snowgos" heading out to the hills.

Pamyua

Haley in her regalia.

Emily Lou yuraqing with her middle schoolers.

Yuraqing with my students.

I ate SEAL LIVER!!!

Lena's boys Kash and Conor.

Here I am gagging a bit, but I did eat it... and it did stay down. I like all of the expressions in this photo! lol

There is a program called "Sister School" that Chevak participated in this year. A couple of weeks ago, a small group of our middle schoolers visited Palmer and got to partake in city life. This week (which is our Cultural Heritage Week) the Palmer students came here! They were fortunate to be invited to watch the gutting of a seal. AND, they were brave enough to try the liver! If you know me well, or really for any amount of time, you know that I have a weak stomach. However, there are things that I can handle now that I couldn't prior to coming to Chevak. This is probably the third gutting that I have seen and each time I think I am more comfortable with the process (smells, sights, and even sounds!). I was so proud of all of these middle schoolers trying the liver, so I joined them- with their encouragement, of course! In fact, some of the people you see in these photos are from Chevak, but this was also their first time trying the liver. It was a challenge and first for many of us, but we did it! Enjoy! :)

Orange and Blue

Last night Emily and I went yuraqing (Eskimo dancing)... it was a lot of fun!

Never a dull moment...

Nothing like taking a fresh air!

Awesome Chevak Comet kiddos! What a beautiful day!

Miss Nelson isn't missing... I'm just in Chevak (you have to know the book series)!

Ice Fishing and more!

Kendall has a new friend to keep him on his toes... the puppy's name is Comet.

A much needed visit with my little buddies.

My first time ice fishing! So, out here they tie fishing line onto a stick and this is called your "manaq". I was using half of a fish head as bait (no, I didn't put it on the hook myself).

Stewart drilling the holes for manaqing.

We picked a spot by the mountains where some people from Hooper Bay were already set up. Coffee, dried fish, and manaqs. Oh, so as I sat there watching them I couldn't help but crave a piece of their dried fish! THAT is something new in my life (:

Emily and I waiting in line at the gas station on her "snowgo" before we headed out to the mountains for fishing.

One of my rest stops when I go out "riding."

A favorite point while I am out "riding." Absolutely beautiful. 

Our Cache, one of our main stores here in Chevak.

Naqucin and I checking out at the store... YAY for Fridays!

How cute is this?!

One of the beautiful sunsets in Chevak.