Fire drill

How many kids can you fit under a single arctic Parka during a fire drill, answer quite a few!

Small language

We attended Lawrence´s Inupiat classes with the young kids yesterday.

The third graders went listened to stories and practiced words and phrases while the little guys in kindergarten were mostly singing. Lawrence was wonderful, really engaging the kids, some of which were fluent, although many were not.

There are a few textbooks for them to work with as well as dictionaries, but sounds like there is a lack on of new text and daily opportunities to use the language. One teacher aid told me how she wished there were more children's book available in inupiat, and as far as I know there are no newspaper in the language.

Speaking a small language myself, there are only three hundred thousands Icelandic speakers, I can relate. Language is such a large part of ones identity and sort of unimaginable to think of it disappearing. But luckily Icelanders are fortunate enough to have good publishing, radio, tv, newspapers and of course Bubbi byggir, Bob the builder

The assignment towards the top of the page is from this morning, when I attended elders Martha´s class.

First day school day in Noorvik

On Monday we attended the first classes with Amy the science teacher.

Her students were like everybody else that we have met here exceptionally friendly and welcoming to us.

We assisted a bit with the lessons, but mostly observed the school life.











After the school day was over we walked in on Native Dance practice at the library. The students had made their own drums in shop class and the whole practice was being led by a student.

I don't know how much talent we showed with the drums, but hey we gave it our best!

To end the day we were invited over to Amy's and Rod's house for their daughter Stephanie's seventh birthday. Not only were we feed excellent brownies but also invited skating on the river afterwards.

Noorvik has a nice public transporttation system, pile as many kids and adults that will fit on a snowmachine sled and than tow it along!

This slead was even made in the highschool shop.

Sunday in Noorvik

Spent the first full day in Noorvik. We attended a church service this morning at the Noorvik Friends Church. It was heartfelt service and a nice way to meet some of the local elders. Parts of the service were in English and parts in Yupik so I can´t say that I followed along the whole time.

When I was looking around for more information on the Church a stumbled upon this story, I did remember it but not that i was in Noorvik


Dancing ban lifted in Noorvik

Otherwize if anybody is looking for me I am staying in the Noorvik library, filed under fiction between the Hardy boys and Dante's Inferno.

Extra, Extra, volcanic eruption!!!

In Eyjafjalljökull, Iceland that is, just thought I should let you know.

The area is rather remote and has been safely evacuated, but it looks like the eruption might be quite a spectacle.

I am trying to get a hold of my parents, they have a summer cottage in the area that they were planing on visiting over the weekend. Would not be surprised if this was the view that greeted them in the morning.

Eruption News

Noorvik

Finally made it all the way to Noorvik, via a very scenic loop through much of Alaska, it was a gorgeous clear day so every mountain from Denali on was clearly visible.

At the airport Amy Eakin science teacher and Gordon Newlin school maintenance supervisor and village leader came out to great us, and gave us a warm welcome.

We managed to see much of the town already on the drive from the airport to the beautiful school building at the heart of the village.

Amy who will be our main contact during the week gave us a tour of the building, told us a little about town and then we plan to meet again tomorrow to see where Sam and I might be of assistance during the week.

Sam cooked me dinner in the teachers brake room, thanks Sam!, and then we went on a short walk through the rest of town.

Even though it was getting late the young kids were still out sliding in the snow while the older once zoomed by on four wheelers and snow machines.

On one of the pictures you can clearly see the 50 mile ice road between Noorvik and Kotzebue.

Kotzebue

This is Kotzebue the hub city for the whole area.









We had a good two hour stopover there which gave us the opportunity to walk around a bit and see a little of the town of about 3300 people. The Kotzebue Sound was frozen solid so we walked a little out on the ice, far enough to see snow machiners crossing in a distance, returning from a hunt perhaps?

Three Chinese restaurants in a town of three thousand, wish we would have had a little bit more time to check those out!