April 1, 2022

 Greetings all

Where is the time going??  Would you believe that there is 7 weeks left in this northern adventure.

The powers that be have offered a pretty good signing bonus, and I am very tempted--but, I am running out of steam, and want  to do my own thing.  With bittersweetness, I am on the count down.

We have been back in school for a week, following March break and a quick, but important and memorable trip to the coast.

In real time, it is month 5 for the students--and as we all know, time is the element that we have  no control over.  Just now, we are seeing regular attendance by most students, and a settling into routine.  The rolling on the floor, the crying jags, the throwing of paper off desks, the temper tantrums and all the other attention seeking behaviors are pretty much the thing of the past.  The movement of students in hall ways has been corrected by a combined effort of the elementary staff, and the tone of the school is much improved.  Students are learning, and we are finally making progress.

The elements are against us--so many days are lost.  Yesterday, there was a power outage, so school was closed for the afternoon.  Today, school closed at 11:15 because of the raging blizzard.  It is almost impossible to make progress when there is so much time lost.  As I may have explained, I only see the grade 3's in the morning because they Inuit studies in the afternoon, so my time with them is very limited.  We still have not gotten through the alphabet--so teaching reading and math is very slow.  I see the grade 4's (5 boys) come in the afternoon for an hour most most days, but usually only one or two show up, so that is pretty frustrating too.  

Having said all that, we are making progress, and I am learning each day that students want to learn, and they want to be loved and accepted--so take it one day at a time, and create an environment that is hands on, and where things are learned practically, step by step, and acknowledged with energy, honesty and acceptance.

Next week, our school is hosting an all Inuit, Kativik meeting.  Inuits from all the 14 communities will be here, and meeting at the school to discuss their business.  Today, in preparation, people came in to prepare the caribou, musk ox and baleen whale.  They were cutting the meat with the ulu.  Cardboard was spread on the floor and the raw meet was cut very finely, and rubbed in salt that had been spread.  It was very much like eating sashimi.

We are all stuck in doors while the storm roars on.  It is not very cold, about minus 5, but the winds are out of the north with gusts of up to 80 miles an hour.  The blizzard is expected to last for two more days.

Our food orders from the south have stopped, so now we must rely on the co op--I must wait until tomorrow when someone will drive me there--if the storm lets up!!

my last dinner, in Montreal, with beer!

Flying into the north, spring break up.

global citizen workshop

the hats are typical Inuit style

pillows for us to rest on

preparation of the meat

use of the ulu

This man teaches Inuit culture to the boys.