C a m a i

(A Yup'ik greeting, meaning 'what can I do for you?')

Even though the weather was just above freezing (ie. the snow begins to melt & is slushy in spots) Jenny & I headed down to Bethel for the famous Camai dance festival. Yup'ik Eskimo dancers from all over the state join. As well, folks from St. Lawrence Island (near Russia), Hawaii, Arizona, & Mexico came to share different styles of dancing, including Flamingo (Spanish), Hula, modern narrative contemporary. We even had a local tap team from Akula, our neighbors. A friend, Sara, danced with some family from Kotlic also. It was great fun seeing these live performances from such talented, in tune people!

Here is the link so that you can see the Nunapitchuk dancers:
http://www.bethelarts.com/2007/photos/NunapitchukDancers/index.html


Once I figure out how to use this Dell with photos I'll post some.

"}{ere comes the sun..."

Because light is the facination of most humans, both internal & external, I thought I'd post a bit about the lumination in Nunapitchuk, Alaska.

It's not quite the midnight sun yet, but we're quickly approaching. But, it is 9:15 & we have full on twilight. It's supposed to be 12 hours daylight on the Spring Equinox day.


P.S. In case you haven't noticed, I'm just copy-catting the MySpace blog entries... Mostly different audiences. :-)

Juneau calling

For those of you who haven't been to Juneau in the season of snow - you're missing out. Imagine those beautiful 50'+ spruce trees weighted down with wet, fluffy snow. It's still falling now to go along with the unusual snowy summit of this season.

Two students (jr. high & HS) & I arrived Thurs. night. Our trek is for the EDGE (experiential discoveries & geoscience edu.) science fair symposium. The girls were to create a project utilizing the GPS & ArcMap (a GIS system). This is an extension from workshops that we took separately this summer; & it's the finale' (bitter sweet... or is it sweet & bitter ...).


OH! It's St. Patrick's day... }{appy Patrick's to the saint! May your merriness not allow you to be green tomorrow.

OH, NO! That's right, I have carried my faithful laptop of 3 years along for this wonderous ride. Last night & tonight it stays in the abyss, with a blank screen & a full battery. I'm hoping that it's a screen issue & not a HD issue (4000ish iTunes songs await this fate... send the music good vibes). Now I have some 'training weight' for the Greece/Turkey feat this June.

Have I mentioned that it's 3:45am?

Yesterday-ah-la-snow-go-trip

So, was a blizzardy Sunday of No traveling. Yesterday, after the pitter patter of children's feet left my classroom, I shimmied out the door to bolt from school early. Christina's snow machine, shared between her & Richard, awaited our arrival to Bethel. Christina, Shaun, & I debarked at 4:30. 57 minutes & 7 million bumps later... Snow-go retrieved & reved we went to buy groceries, in a real grocery store, where you can actually walk around & touch the goods.

As I lugged my backpack full of goodies to the machine to strap down there stood Sara & Maria (neighbors in the village 2.5 miles away). We had planned to go together on Sunday, but neither of our parties knew the other were going yesterday. We also saw a couple of folks from Quinhagak (a 5 hour trek), who were maddly headed back home. Wow! 1 stop at Subway, 2 foot longs paid for, 1/4 eaten, 5 snow machines ready to go, 7:00 towards home. One the way out I saw a few people from Nunap. who had come in to shop also.

On the way home the sunset was so beautiful with the cresant moon & North star shining; it looked like a painting. Villages look like major cities at night, from 10 miles away on a snow-go, a beacon on the massive tundra.

I love having a snow machine as my main means (well on land) of transportation. Who needs a car?

BOOTED off MySpace

Yes folks, you've read it right. Our school district is booting all of us off MySpace 24/7. As it stands, right now we only have access after 5pm, which has been fine.

So, the only time I'll have access to MySpace is when I'm not milking the district Internet service.

It's been fun...



BTW --- I've started thinking of summer plans. Pops & I may hike in Zion & Bryce Canyon UT May 20-27. Jenny (villigous exodus) & I are going to trek around Greece & Turkey for the month of June. There will be a stop in WI (around the 21st) for a wedding (Sara & Shaun) & to visit Cindy & Keiran in Madison. The end of July beholds my 19th year annual trip to Pawley's Island with Pops side of the family. Then, my first day back at school is August 15th; that's our first meeting anyway. All the inbetween time will be well spent in NC. Yes. Yes, I realize it's only February & I'm planning. :-P

Love the lover,
Carey

P.S. I tried & tried to post this on MySpace.... bleh on filters!