Week 2 of the Kangirsuk Adventure

 Greetings all

Can you believe that I have been here for two weeks--and the first week of school done!!

Weather has been interesting--never really hot, but we sure have had some beautiful blue skies, with little or no wind, and the biggest mosquitoes I have ever seen!!  You have to keep your mouth closed!!  We also have had some snow, rain and sleet, so it is just the tease before that weather comes--usually the snow flies in October--so we have some nice weather to come.

Berries are ripening, so everyone is out scouring the landscape, trying to pick as many as they can.  They are small black and red berries--not terribly tasty, but when you mix them with the whale blubber, they taste ok.

Everyone is fishing.  Kangirsuk has the best Arctic Char fishing in the world.  NO commercial fishing here--just the locals--and it is fishing every day after school--the fish practically jump into the canoe!!  My neighbour keeps me well stocked.

The students usually go hunting in the evening--lots of caribou and muskox around--but I still haven't seen them--they are just out of town.  Without any transport, I will likely not see these animals--but maybe Alec, the boss, will take me out on his Honda!!

Today we had the kick off picnic out on the land.  It was spectacular.  I had lots of fun socializing with all of my former students, colleagues and parents.  Char, caribou stew, whale stew, hot dogs, and hamburgers were on the menu--yum!!  I like the Char raw--but there was some that was cooked, and some that had been dried--the fresh raw was the best--and I came home with some--people are so generous.  Although, three quarters of the way home, on an extremely rocky, and steep road, right front tire went flat.  Good thing we were not going too fast, and  good that another car was right behind us! Of course there is no pavement out on the land, just animal tracks that have become wider paths for the ski doos, atv's and 4 x 4's.  If you love that stuff, this is the place for you.

The internet is the biggest challenge--we depend on it so much--yet it is so slow--like dial up.  Nevertheless, we soldier on.  I had a great  zoom meeting with the special education people in Montreal today--I will be taking that portfolio--know nothing about it--but they haven't had it for 2 years--so I guess anyone is better then nothing-ha!!  I will be doing that .5, along with grade 3.  So far only 1 out of 4 kids have shown up--guess they are still holidaying!! 

I am really enjoying it so far--getting a lot of practicing in--and the pounds are coming off.  Each day I log about 20,000 steps--not so bad once you get going!!  I walk down the hill on the way to school, and back up at lunch--twice a day I get a pretty good work out--and I do a few exercises at home.  I keep telling people that this is the forced diet and exercise capital of Canada!!  

The biggest mosquito that I have seen!!

A view from my deck.

Out on the land.

No spare!!

My former teaching assistant--she made caribou stew.

Plenty of Char.  That will be  fifty dollars please--a piece like this in Victoria!

Out on the land--view of Ungava Bay--totally open ocean.  Soon it will totally freeze over, and it will become a highway for the polar bears.

A picnic, north style--lots of caribou, whale, seal, fish, hot dogs, hamburgers and tea--I ate a lot!!  My mother always said food tasted better outside, and I totally agree!!  After lunch, we all played football.

Visiting while lunch was being prepared.

Return of the school bus--yahoo--it just was repaired.  Last week, kids got to school in the back of pick-up trucks, atv's and by walking some distances.