Our Native Feast

Yesterday was my last full day in Kotzebue.
So I went out burping fish all night long...

One of our school secretaries is a Native Alaskan, from the Bethel area and thus Yupik rather than Inupiaq, however she is quite a native chef. Months ago we asked her to make us a ntive meal. On our last day in town she wouldn't stand for us leaving without a feast.

We had a mixture of items that are native to the Kotzebue area as well as thee Bethel area. Some of them were delicious, some of them were less than delicious. Through the entirety of the meal we were told to use only one hand, and to NOT touch anything but the food and our napkin. This was due to the fact that everything was dipped in seal oil, and stains things very badly. The family we ate with actually put on their "Native meal t-shirts" that they use specifically for eating seal oil so as to not ruin their other clothing.

Here is what was included in our main course of the meal:

*Quaq- frozen trout ("popsicle fish") -GOOD
*Maktak- beluga while (white), bowhead whale (black), chased with a slice of apple- NOT GOOD, very mushy
*Dried Whitefish -good
*Dried Salmon - good
*Dried Pike -good
*Smoked and Dried Salmon -REALLY GOOD
*Oogruk- dried bearded seal -not very good

Then came desert:
Ahpik (Salmon berries)
Blueberries
Blackberries, all of which came from the tundra outside of town.

Then came the "Agutak" or Eskimo ice cream. We had two kinds of ice cream (blueberry and Salmon berry), both came from recipes from the Bethel area. This includes: fish flakes (which amazingly, you could not taste much, especially in the blueberry one!), crisco, berries (of any kind), and sugar. This differs from the recipes from the Kotzebue area in the fish flakes. In Kotzebue, generally they use seal oil in place of the fish.

These traditional meals are often eaten before going out into the cold on a snow machine because it has so much fat it helps keep you warm on the long days in the cold weather. Cool, huh? Only, we didn't go out aftewards, so we are just working towards getting fat.

All in all, the meal, though not glorious tasting at times, was fascinating. I learned a lot, and experienced a lot. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to Kotzebue!!

Farewell First Grade

It is the last day of school.
It is snowing. But, I wore flip-flops today anyway....well, once I got here. I wore my boots on the walk.

As I sit here in my classroom, the walls stripped of all our work and classroom things. The names removed from the cubbies and the coat hooks, the name tags off the desks, I find myself feeling at a loss.
Don't get me wrong. I can't wait to get home. After all, I get to be part of a dear friends wedding and celebrate as I myself get married. And for goodness sakes I can put my boots away for at least 6 months.
But. I won't be able to see all these little faces everyday anymore. I won't be able to walk into a classroom 5 or 6 days a week and feel proud of every ounce of hard work I put into it. I was so sad yesterday when I unstapled all of the things we worked so hard to make right for our classroom.

And most of all, how in the world do I say goodbye to 21 kids that have made this year what it has been? They have both loved me and hated me. They have both (nearly) hit me and hugged me. They have also made me laugh and cry. My heart has been beaming and breaking over and over this year with them. And today, after we clean our desks and say goodbye, that is it? I'll never see them again?

How on earth does a teacher do this every year?

I am certain a few weeks will go by, and I will have adjusted back into life. I will remember my first graders, and think of them fondly. I know I'll be just fine, and in a few years time perhaps I'll get the hang of giving my heart away every year and asking for it back at the end. I'll be a champ at saying goodbye with a smile on my face. But, this year, I am not yet a champ.

I'll bet the students today will lead the way. They will say goodbye and give me hugs and tell me to have fun in Colorado and have a nice wedding. They will keep light and fun and sweet. And forever I will appreciate their happiness when they walk out the door, because after all, they are headed to 2nd grade, where everyone will be there once again. And they have 3 whole months homework free!

Either that, or I will stuff them all in my backpack, and bring them home with me. I have been thinking Colorado is lacking in Eskimo kiddos. :)

Wish me luck, as I leave June Nelson today!

First Grade Mumblings: The final Chapter

The year, that sometimes has gone too fast, and others too slow, is coming to a close tomorrow. I have so many emotions to go with it, but they can easily be expressed through the words of these beloved 1st graders....

"Ms. Ray, after I watch a scary movie, I always pray."

"Ms. Ray, when I am at home I poop big poops. It's the color of soldiers."
"Wow."
"I did. It's true."
"So, are soldiers brown or green?"
"......................?" (raised eyebrows and shoulders in complete puzzlement).

"Ms. Ray, she said this is not God's world. It's everyone's world. Is it everyone's world or God's world?"

"What kinds of things do you like to pretend to be?"
"I like to be an army guy!"
"I like to be a cheerleader!"
"Buzz Lightyear, from Toy Story 3."
"A pillow."

"I have a song....
     Tarzan swings, Tarzan falls.
     Tarzan break is mighty balls."

"You lucky ducks!"
"I AM NOT A LUCKY DUCK!"
"Oh, I am so sorry. What are you?"
-"A lucky rhino."
-"A lucky dog."
-"Lucky turtle!"
"I AM JUST A LUCKY BOY!"

(all whispers...)
"Ms. Ray, I have a girlfriend."
"Oh my!"
"She is far away, in Wasilla."
"Oh!"
"Her name is Piper."
"I like her name."
"Don't tell. It's our secret."

"Boys and girls, please put your folders away in your desk."
...blank stare from one boy...
"Please put your folder away."
......even blank-er stare.......
"Quick. Put your folder away so we can begin math."
......still blank...and getting really creepy with the eyes.....
"Hello?"
"HELLO! I AM A WIZARD!"

"Can you use 'air' in a sentence?"
"I always fly in the air to see God......God always walk on water. God always make it winter so he can walk on the water. It's frozen."

"OH! An extra balloon! It looks just like you, Ms. Ray!" (while pointing at a giant green balloon).

"Ms. Ray, I only drink Diet." (I know this is relatively normal to hear...but from a 6 year old?)

"Ms. Ray I wish money was never invented. That way we would just get everything free."

"Ms. Ray. My baby brother is in Anchorage because he ate a nickel and a dime."
...one week later....
"Ms. Ray, my baby brother pooped out a nickel and a dime."

At school, if the students get in trouble at recess or during school, they sometimes owe a time-out from recess. When this happens, they lean against the ramp out by the playground. One day, I was standing near one student who was doing just that....
"Ms. Ray. How come you're on the wall? Cause you're bad?"

"Next year, when you come back to school, I won't be your teacher, and you'll be in 2nd grade."
"I know."
"I am really going to miss you. Did you know that?"
Nod yes.
"May I have a hug before you go?"
Leaps into my arms, and wraps his legs around me, resting his head on my shoulder.
"Thank you."
"I am not ever letting go."
"You're going to be stuck to me forever?"
"For always"
"For always?"
"Yeah. Until tomorrow."

:)