First day of school in my village

Hi everyone! So I finally have some down time that I can sit and write an entry that is actually worth reading. :) I can't remember exactly where I left off in my posts, other than the one that told you all that I made it safe and sound so I will try not to leave anything out for you!

Saturday night we all finished our packing and everything then headed out to dinner but before we could actually make it out to dinner we had to make it out of the drive way! Now, the drive way to the house was a downward slop and it had been sleeting and around 32 degrees all day so the drive way was literally, I mean literally, a sheet of ice. We had three mini vans rented and needless to say, they were not the greatest in the snow and ice so after 20 minutes of trying and my friend Brittany and I getting out and pushing the one van up the drive way - well funny story - we TRIED to push the van, but our feet slipped and Brittany went down and I went down prior to that and so we were both soaked going to dinner, haha. It was actually very, very funny but one of those moments you had to be there! But we eventually got out and had dinner all together one last night before we leaded out to our villages. I really had a great time with everyone!

Sunday we all packed up and headed out to the airport which was a tiny building basically and after some confusion because there seems to be a lot of that and mixs ups up here - you just have to go with the flow and be patient :) - we got on our plane to head south. The people that were going to the north villages had to wait for their plane for a while. We flew in a plane that held 7 of us plus two people up front down to the village of Igigic (I don't know if I spelled that right :/) and dropped off the tutor from there and then I actually got to ride in the co pilot seat to my village... that was really a neat opportunity! One that I will probably not get to do again!

With some of the weather and wind issues, there were three people that weren't able to get to their villages so they were "weathered" (no one says stuck, they say weathered) in Port Heiden with us. Amber who is a teacher in another village and her husband, as well as another tutor like myself. Jen, the other tutor stayed with me for the night so it was nice to have company on my first night. Before we came back to my place for the night, we had dinner at the principals house with him and his wife (who is the elementary teacher) and the other staff members and the people that were "weathered". It was a really good meal of chili and cornbread! :)

My house is VERY nice! I completely forget that I'm in a remote village in the middle of Bush Alaska when I'm sitting in this house. It's very comfortable and the teachers have already told me that they will be over to hang out/watch football/tv/shower/do laundry, etc... haha whatever it is, I'll take it to have some visitors. :)

My living room... more pictures of the house will be posted later!

Today was the first day of school! It went really well, I was given a OLD GMC suburban to drive in last night, which by the way is being driven on mud/dirt "roads". It is definitely different but I actually enjoy driving that big thing on those dirt roads! I drove into school this morning by 8 and had a very laid back day with only 9 kids in the school. I got to meet all of them and work with some of them and hang out and talk with the older kids a lot. It was a really good day and it made me even more excited about this experience. After school we stayed and had a meeting with all 6 of us and set out my schedule as to what I'll be doing all day, when and with what students in what levels, etc. So I will have busy days but am really excited to get started!

This is outback of the school, the only picture I was able to get so far. (The way the ground looks is how the "roads" I drive on, look, too!)

Some of the kids are really funny - the older kids are so great to talk to and the younger ones just make me laugh as usual. For instance, the one kindergarten in the elementary class shouted out today while Paulene was reading a story - "I think someone flatulated" hahaha, needless to say, I had to laugh and couldn't help it. Kids always can put a smile on my face.

For tonight I put some pictures on my computer and got myself organized in that sense and will look over my schedule and check things out.

Hope you all enjoyed this!