White Nights & Dark Days: Quyana Quinhagak!

We steamed around 10 pm on a school night! Wild and crazy I tell ya, mostly because after you steam you sleep like log which makes getting up in the morning not the easiest task. But we did it because we are leaving and we are determined to seize every opportunity when it presents itself! Quyana Karen and family. The Wacky Olympics were back by popular demand! Nice work Steph putting it all together. You can see the human pyramid and the musical chairs team unwrapping of a thoroughly duct taped object below as well. In the end Mrs. Z's Red Bulls walked away with first place a nacho chips n cheese and sherbert ice cream party!

Then There's the Annual Beach Party. We kicked off our shoes, froze our feet in the Bering Sea high tide, ran around in the sand and pigged out on hamburgers and hot dogs cooked over an open fire. We do up the end of the year right around here. Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat Staff Posted by Rachel at 5: Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together?

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I guess that wouldn't work. Then we would have to say good-bye. I know what I need. I need more hellos. Schulz How lucky blessed I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Connie and I attended the head start graduation on Saturday since we had several of the kiddos as our students this year too. It was adorable as you can imagine. One of our little guys only lasted about 2 minutes in his chair before leaping out throwing off his miniature cap and gown and racing around the gym.

Others turned around to chat with their neighbors provided proud parents a great photo opportunity of their backs. Some rolled around on the floor and examined the underneath part of their chairs. Little kids are hilarious. They enjoyed the luxury of the night before's fancy prom decorations to boot. Sam didn't graduate this year but his big brother did so he was all dressed up for the occasion: Sam is in the younger head start however, every time I would go to the head start I couldn't resist visiting with him about his trucks and toys.

It took a few times but eventually he'd chatter back to me about what he was doing. Then anytime I would see him around the village we'd smile, visit and wave to each other. Maybe it's because he reminds me so much of my own baby brother Sam but he just stole my heart. His mom Elena, tells me I'm not the only one of course! Anyway you can imagine my delight when Elena came up to me at head start grad and said he wants his picture with me!

Well that makes two of us: So a couple of months ago I felt that tug to learn a song in Yupik to sing before I left Quinhagak. Of course I have a hard enough time pronouncing the simplest words, my students will tell you that, as their most belly rolling laughs have been purely at my feeble attempts to pronounce numbers!

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So when God gave me 'the tug' I quickly brushed it off certain He must be joking Shamefully I continued for a month ignoring it. Then one Sunday during church I mean after, surely she didn't say it during; Connie turned to me and said matter of factly, "You should learn a song in Yupik to sing at church before you go. It wasn't because I didn't want to but because I knew I couldn't. I can't even contort my mouth to make the sounds that this language requires, it comes out all garbled and backwards.

My response to God? It's a lovely thought Lord, but you simply must not understand how hard it is to speak this language much less sing in it! I'm much more comfortable with English The more I defied and argued about the impossibility and how stupid I would make both He and I look the harder the tug.

One week left when Connie asked again, "Have you picked a song?

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It was the only song that was sung in English that very first Sunday in Quinhagak when I was mistaken for a fish plant worker because of my boots, when I cried through the service and had wanted to get back on a 6 seater and go home, when I followed the sound of the bell to get to the church, when I met Fannie and Jerilyn, when my journey here truly began. That was the song God was requesting I sing back to my friends in Quinhagak in their native language. It made mysterious beautiful sense but I couldn't even pretend to begin to even fake a song in Yugtan and if I did no one and I mean no one was going to understand me.

When she had to go God sent Jerilyn to rescue me. Selflessly she spent 3 hours helping me weed through the rest of the song and be sure I could pronounce the words as best as possible. It makes me smile. Back in the north for his 3rd trip. He arrived Friday afternoon, Connie let me use her brother's Quyana Mike truck to go pick him up at the airport.

The plane was late arriving from Anchorage so I took a little cat nap in the waiting area until he got there. Guess I was sleeping a little harder than intended as I woke up to Mike sitting next to me, "Hi, do you know what time it is? How long have you been here? Wiping the drool off my face, sleep out of my eyes and and mustering my best belated, "Welcome Back to Bethel" cheer I motioned to the door, "I have a truck.

The kids were excited to see him. I had been given the duty of 'film crew', videoing the wrestler's matches. It was entertaining and occasionally challenging when the kids had matches at the same time on two different mats. We cheered our hearts out for the Seahawks who as always, did a great job representing our school.

Chris On Deck Chris is back too, he returned for the 2nd time on Saturday morning. Erin retrieved him at the airport Quyana Erin while back at Connie's parents we were playing hairdresser. Connie was the victim; When I grow up I want to be a hair stylist so with Elias' quote from above as my slogan I somehow convinced Connie to let me practice on her.

Elias, Connie's dad, who reminds me so much of my Grampa Skime I just want to hug him every time he talks invited us in to visit. He laughs, gives good advice and calls me Rebecca, which Connie assures me is a compliment since he calls all his 10 daughters by each others names and not their own. He shared all kinds of stories about when he was young, hauling wood by dog sled, building his house and friends he has all over the world, incredible really. Bernie, Connie's mom, would chime in as he told stories, dishing us helpings of moose stew and homemade pumpkin pie and providing the scissors for me to open the impromptu salon; It was like being at home.

You really need that once in a while you know, to feel like you are with family. Walking into their cozy home, smelling coffee and hearing the Captain Elias is the Honorary Port of Bethel Captain greet us with a hardy 'Hello There', just makes ya wanna pull up a chair or curl up on the couch and listen. Once Chris arrived, we headed to the Saturday Market. All kinds of goods were displayed seal skin hats, knitted booties, ivory earrings, beaver pelts, Kuskokwim sweatshirts, t shirt, homemade food, cards, candy, dolls, parkas you name it.

We did some shopping. It worked out pretty great that Mike and Chris flew in while we were in Bethel. Josh Is In the Hole Josh is having fun flying stand by. So I'll have a house full for this week, Thank You Lord! We are invited to my friend Traci's over in Eek for Thanksgiving so that is the weather permitting plan.

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Speaking of, it was quite a miracle that we all made it in from Bethel tonight. Wind and Rain on the Tundra It was really reminding me of this time last year actually. We had snow and frozen ground Friday then bizarrely the mercury spiked. Everything is melting and the wind is blowing like crazy. We left Anya's who graciously let us stay in her apt while she was gone Quyana Anya and taxied out to the airport.

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Rain was blowing and I was quite confident we wouldn't be going anywhere. However the pilot searched us out as we were gabbing away above Grant Air in the Bethel Bean over coffee and pecan bars, paying no attention to the time factor. The pilot stepped into the little cafe Won't say I wasn't thrilled to see the runway lights in the distance of our little coastal home. The Latest in Bethel There is a brand new drive thru in Bethel! Might be the only one Bethel has ever had. That's right it ain't no coffee shop anymore it's an honest to goodness drive thru.

Of course we had to check it out for ourselves, Erin 'drove us thru' in her truck. Did I mention that Erin also drug Mike and I out on a 3 mile run Saturday night on the icy roads in the pouring rain?

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We survived and I suppose she owed me from the beach run with the bears earlier this fall. Posted by Rachel at 8: Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Really I know I shouldn't complain as I'm lucky to have running water at all. There is leaking all over my cupboard under the sink which is often frozen as well. I will need to purchase a new 'defroster' for the coming winter. Also on this side of the teacher housing on Sewage Lagoon Road we are anticipating the return of the great skating rink that forms from all of our gray water draining directly out under our stilted houses onto the ground.

Eventually after enough laundry, showers and loads of dishes have been done and taken, the remnants converge into one long sheet of ice connecting us like a ice road trucker highway. Many a person myself included has found themselves unexpectedly staring at the sky. Steph raced to set up her table at the front door nabbing everyone when they walked in while Tim staked his claim on the gymnasium where the events were held.

Not sure who bought in more dough but I can tell you we all had more than our fair share of sugar.