Just for my MOM! :)

I am not the best at updating things like a blog, but due to my mother's request I will. :)

Last weekend was spent in the classroom moving boxes, tables, desks and everything imaginable at least 45 times. I wanted it all to be perfect for my first day. The first day I knew was going to be rocky to say the least, because not only was I in a new school doing my first year of teaching, but also a new culture. Lets just say there were things I would quickly wake up. My students have been hilarious this week and definitely kept me on my toes. In the Lower 48 (don't I sound like a legit Alaskan) the students would call me Ms. Rhoads or ma'am.... Not here. They refer to me as Teacher or Sarah and oddly enough I like it. When I first heard that's how we were going to be addressed I thought it was kinda weird, but thought oh well. Every once in a while I'll catch myself refering to myself as Ms. Rhoads, but then look out on the blank stares of my students and know they have no idea who i'm talking about.

We have slowly been getting more and more food in the mail along with other packages. Which if you live in a place where mail only comes by airplane it's like Christmas every day. For some reason tho the locals get my roommate and I confused quite often which sometimes is sad. Thursday I went to the post office to check my mail and was greeted with a package slip which made me excited. I walked up to the counter to hear, "Oh I'm sorry that was for Sammy." Ha ha. Things like that are common and definitely keep this life interesting. I was worried that there maybe times where I would be bored, but that has yet to come and I highly doubt it ever will.

This past week I got my first case of being a little homesick. My dad emailed me that my grandma was on TV and to go check it out. She was on the news for helping out at a homeless shelter for a birthday party. I don't know why, but I started to tear up a little. It's almost been a month that I left AR and I absolutely love it here and so glad I made the journey, but I'm allowed to miss home a little right?!

The aides in our class are the most amazing ladies and I can honestly say I couldn't survive without them. There is one lady Anna who is so sweet and always telling me, "Sarah you lose too much stuff", Which if you knew me that is the most honest thing anyone has ever said. She is constantly cracking me up and speaking to me in Yup'ik. I know a couple of phrases and words, but nothing to write home about. The other day she was trying to find my keys to unlock the door and held up the keys and said, "This one?" in Yup'ik. I said, "I think that's it". Her response was, "Sarah I speak to you in Yup'ik and you catch on so quick!" Ha ha! I had absolutely no idea what she said, but apparently made a great guess.

One habit i'm trying to kick is the Diet Coke one..... Touchy Subject!! When they charge 14 dollars a case it makes it a little easier to not need them so much, but my headaches tell me otherwise. We have knocked the habit down to three a day which is still crazy expensive. I've officially run out so we are going to see how long we can last without them. Keep your fingers crossed.

My roommate and I had our first trip to the cafe this week for tasty deliciousness. Some of you may think it would be like P&C Diner or something other Ma & Pa store. Not even close! One of the kindergartners here her parents run the store and she greeted us with shrills of how much fun her day was at school. The cafe has two tables that can hold four at each so it's quite small, but the food was amazing. They serve chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, and pizza...... So not a crazy selection, but after cooking every meal (or Sammy cooking them) it was HEAVEN! I had a milkshake for dessert and the lady laughed at my smile. It's the small things that make you happy.

Friday we were invited to watch an Eskimo dance at the tribal council. The dance was held to welcome the new and returning teachers. We walked in and there were about 6 drummers with large paddles with blue tarps stretched over them with sticks. I saw some of the ladies that come to the school and went to say hi. They were so excited to see all of us and the fact we had come to join their event. In their culture if you do not have dance fans you are to wear gloves to cover your hands. All of the teachers brought some on the chance we would get to dance also. After a couple songs of the most amazing rhythms and dances I've ever seen they invited us to join. The first couple of songs we tried we werent the best at by any means and catching on was a hard job. Each song means something different and tells a story. Cheryl, our assistant Instructional Leader (principal), would ask one of the elders what they meant and then come tell us. The last song we did we started to catch on. Anna was in front of us so we watched her to teach us the moves. Once she saw we caught on she started dancing and getting crazy. I almost cried from laughing so hard at how much she enjoyed doing this and asked her after if she would teach me her moves. She just laughed and said, " Sarah you are crazy!"

Tomorrow starts a new hopefully more organized week with my kiddos and I can't wait. This week is going to be exciting, because we have early release on Wed (Which is also payday and my BIRTHDAY), early dismissal day on Friday and out on Monday for labor day. The days go by so quick here and just trying to get the most out of every minute at school is tough, but so worth it.

The staff last night had a bonfire and I got to go out into the Yukon again. It was FREEZING to say the least.... I quickly ran back and put my boots back on. The weather has stayed in the forties/fifties for the past two weeks and I am in love. RIght now I would be sitting in the humidity of AR wishing it would get cold. (In a couple of Months I'll be begging for that humidity I bet). The staff is something that I enjoy the most about being out here. They are some of the most unique, crazy individuals I have ever met, but we have become a very dysfunctional functional family. We have a little too much fun, but we deserve it in my mind! They have become some amazing friends to me and I'm so blessed to get to spend the year with them.

Well I'm heading off to my house, because we still don't have internet and it's getting dark outside. Write soon!