My Eskimo Thanksgiving
Got back to Soldotna tonight.
Such and awesome trip.
Didnt die but potentially could have.
The Elders knew what the crap was gong on.
Sat-Tues
My days in Anc were awesome and relaxing.
Slid off the road in Eagle river.
Watched the Darjeeling Limited and Mr Magoriums wonder imporium.
Did some sewing.
Had no responcibility at all.
Wed
Had to be at the airport at 9.
The roads from Sean house were suposed to be crap in the morning so last minute I stayed at these peoples house that I dont even know.
Kind of weird.
They talked to me and stuff.
I didnt really like it.
The whole point of my trip was to be alone.
I just wanted to sleep.
Met the gang at the airport.
Flew to Nome.
Flew north of the Arctic Circle to Kotzebue. ---as they say Kotsbu.
Got crazy massive gear on with layers on freaking layers.
Left for Noorvik or in Inupiak it's Nuurvik.
Snow mobiled 90 miles.
You can see and hear the northern light so clearly up there.
They crack, pop and sizzle.
About 10 miles from Noorvik Robert an Elder driving me stopped and said Uh oh.
I looked around and there were no other snow machine around they all went different ways and were ahead.
We ran out of gas.
Sat there for a while then a luggage sno go buzzed right up and said he'd go to the village and send someone back.
Got there.
Were welcomed like royalty.
Thursday
We relaxed most of the day I did some drawing and reading.
5pm Thanksgiving Feast at the Assembly hall.
Had so much Niqipiak----Native food
They served us.
They were to serve the Elders and White people first-Thats us!
Muktuq
Aguduc
Caraboo soup
Dry salmon
Berries, Frozen berries, warm berries, soupy berries, mixed berries, blue berries, Salmon berries, berries and nuts, berries and jello, berries and crackers, tart berries, sweet berries, berries and fry bread. So many berries. yumm.
Dry fish
Frozen Fish
Fish to take with.
We were stuffed
After 2 1/2 hours of eating Niqipiak we spent 6 hours with the youth of the village.
Getting to know them, playing games, laughing just about anything.
This one little boy I nearly fell in love with.
Marvin he was in Kindergaren and was so adorable.
He seemed to me to be kind of a needy kid.
The dirty kid. torn clothes super cute.
Village curfew for elementary and younger was 11 so I walked him and a couple other boys home becuase it was dark and super cold.
I was alittle freaked out with the rape and kidnapping warnings that I had been given but I was fine.
Marvin told me about the little men that come and kidnap people.
I think they were called something like the Ninilkit or something that I cant prenounce or even spell.
He told me that he was leaving the next day and wouldnt be around so I gave him my new tin of cowboy bandaids- with the toy still inside- a mini cowboy hat.
I took 2 out because I had crazy blisters on my heal.
He was so happy he thanked me and gave me a big hug.
sooo cute.
We had a 3 on 3 basketball tournement.
I kept track of the scores and grid liney thing that shows who is in what place.
Not much of a bball playa.
I spoke at the church on saturday.
We talked about the school and gave a slide show.
Then just hung out with the youth.
and ate so much.
Packed up and put on crazy amounts of gear and warm clothes.
A couple hours before we were to snow machine back to Kotz we were told that because of the weather there was alot of over flow from the lagoon and some dude drowned that day.
That freaked me out a bit.
The only college staff snow machining were Brent(23) and I(24) and 8 students.
But alas they assured me that the Elders know what they are doing and would not let us go if we were really in danger.
So yes the lake top layer was crazy slushy and melting rapidly.
We had to go around standing water puddles on the lake
We were soak by the end.
But I was so hot.
It was a blizzard and dark, no sun, and foggy.
But I was dressed so warm that I was hot.
Hung out at a church in Kotz.
Laughed a lot.
Wrestled.
Eskimo leg wrestled. Ryan whooped me.
Then slepped on a couch with Darrin snoring.
Some of the students were devided up to stay in host homes.
Woke up packed
A villager made up french toast
oh yumm.
Flew back to Anchorage today.
There were 3 children around us puking the whole way to Nome and the rest of the way to Anc.
I drove back with students.
Sean drove back with students.
Shannon drove back with a student.
It sucked the 3 hour drive from Anc turned to 4 1/2 the pass was so snowy and cars had slid off the road everywhere.
Got back took a long hot shower.
Cant do a whole lot our bags are still enroute from Anc. Not many clothes and I dont have my tooth brush.
So I am sittin in my room listening to the new Modest mouse cd.
Such and awesome trip.
Didnt die but potentially could have.
The Elders knew what the crap was gong on.
Sat-Tues
My days in Anc were awesome and relaxing.
Slid off the road in Eagle river.
Watched the Darjeeling Limited and Mr Magoriums wonder imporium.
Did some sewing.
Had no responcibility at all.
Wed
Had to be at the airport at 9.
The roads from Sean house were suposed to be crap in the morning so last minute I stayed at these peoples house that I dont even know.
Kind of weird.
They talked to me and stuff.
I didnt really like it.
The whole point of my trip was to be alone.
I just wanted to sleep.
Met the gang at the airport.
Flew to Nome.
Flew north of the Arctic Circle to Kotzebue. ---as they say Kotsbu.
Got crazy massive gear on with layers on freaking layers.
Left for Noorvik or in Inupiak it's Nuurvik.
Snow mobiled 90 miles.
You can see and hear the northern light so clearly up there.
They crack, pop and sizzle.
About 10 miles from Noorvik Robert an Elder driving me stopped and said Uh oh.
I looked around and there were no other snow machine around they all went different ways and were ahead.
We ran out of gas.
Sat there for a while then a luggage sno go buzzed right up and said he'd go to the village and send someone back.
Got there.
Were welcomed like royalty.
Thursday
We relaxed most of the day I did some drawing and reading.
5pm Thanksgiving Feast at the Assembly hall.
Had so much Niqipiak----Native food
They served us.
They were to serve the Elders and White people first-Thats us!
Muktuq
Aguduc
Caraboo soup
Dry salmon
Berries, Frozen berries, warm berries, soupy berries, mixed berries, blue berries, Salmon berries, berries and nuts, berries and jello, berries and crackers, tart berries, sweet berries, berries and fry bread. So many berries. yumm.
Dry fish
Frozen Fish
Fish to take with.
We were stuffed
After 2 1/2 hours of eating Niqipiak we spent 6 hours with the youth of the village.
Getting to know them, playing games, laughing just about anything.
This one little boy I nearly fell in love with.
Marvin he was in Kindergaren and was so adorable.
He seemed to me to be kind of a needy kid.
The dirty kid. torn clothes super cute.
Village curfew for elementary and younger was 11 so I walked him and a couple other boys home becuase it was dark and super cold.
I was alittle freaked out with the rape and kidnapping warnings that I had been given but I was fine.
Marvin told me about the little men that come and kidnap people.
I think they were called something like the Ninilkit or something that I cant prenounce or even spell.
He told me that he was leaving the next day and wouldnt be around so I gave him my new tin of cowboy bandaids- with the toy still inside- a mini cowboy hat.
I took 2 out because I had crazy blisters on my heal.
He was so happy he thanked me and gave me a big hug.
sooo cute.
We had a 3 on 3 basketball tournement.
I kept track of the scores and grid liney thing that shows who is in what place.
Not much of a bball playa.
I spoke at the church on saturday.
We talked about the school and gave a slide show.
Then just hung out with the youth.
and ate so much.
Packed up and put on crazy amounts of gear and warm clothes.
A couple hours before we were to snow machine back to Kotz we were told that because of the weather there was alot of over flow from the lagoon and some dude drowned that day.
That freaked me out a bit.
The only college staff snow machining were Brent(23) and I(24) and 8 students.
But alas they assured me that the Elders know what they are doing and would not let us go if we were really in danger.
So yes the lake top layer was crazy slushy and melting rapidly.
We had to go around standing water puddles on the lake
We were soak by the end.
But I was so hot.
It was a blizzard and dark, no sun, and foggy.
But I was dressed so warm that I was hot.
Hung out at a church in Kotz.
Laughed a lot.
Wrestled.
Eskimo leg wrestled. Ryan whooped me.
Then slepped on a couch with Darrin snoring.
Some of the students were devided up to stay in host homes.
Woke up packed
A villager made up french toast
oh yumm.
Flew back to Anchorage today.
There were 3 children around us puking the whole way to Nome and the rest of the way to Anc.
I drove back with students.
Sean drove back with students.
Shannon drove back with a student.
It sucked the 3 hour drive from Anc turned to 4 1/2 the pass was so snowy and cars had slid off the road everywhere.
Got back took a long hot shower.
Cant do a whole lot our bags are still enroute from Anc. Not many clothes and I dont have my tooth brush.
So I am sittin in my room listening to the new Modest mouse cd.