Mittimatalik!

POND INLET = MITTIMATALK

Due to changing weather patterns and satellite 'issues', our internet has been few and far between aka non-existent! Cross your fingers this sends.

Last week was our Substance Abuse week, where we taught about drugs, alcohol, smoking, and peer pressure. The kids responded very well to these lessons and had a lot of input. We borrowed props for each class from the health centre and we were fortunate enough to have a local health centre nurse, Appia, take part in our smoking lessons. She brought with her healthy and unhealthy pigs lungs to show the kids, demonstrating the differences in inflation between each. National Quit Smoking Day is May 31st and many students are teaming up to either quit by then or quit starting then, which is very exciting! It was nice to have a community member translate as well as relate to the kids and their culture. The kids were very curious about these topics and asked questions ranging from "who invented alcohol?" to "how do you become addicted to alcohol?"

This long weekend we had the pleasure of house/dog sitting for one of the teachers, Julia. We were responsible for 8 sled dogs - including 5 PUPPIES!! We hacked up an entire arctic char everyday with an axe and were constantly walking all of them around town. Although we love staying at Alice's, it was nice to raid Julia's fridge (we were given free range!). We were invited to dinner Sunday night at Donna's (another teacher). We dined with Jay (grade 11 teacher) and Keith, a government employee. She cooked a turkey with all the fixings and it was great to have a chance to talk outside the classroom and about Pond Inlet as a whole.

This week is Sexual Health week, which is always a little hectic as we have to teach with Appia and need letters of permission. Unfortunately, this week is only 2 days, due to teacher training and the long weekend. We are hoping to overflow lessons on to next week if we can find space.

We are very excited to have been invited to the elementary school, Ulaajuk. We hope to sit in on a few classes and participate in their Culture Day on Friday.

Sadly, this morning we recieved some terrible news that 4 boys from the Grade 8 class, went out on the land last night and did not return. Search and Rescue have been sent out and have been searching all day so our thoughts are with them and everyone in the school is waiting for the news. Due to the harsh terrain and unforgiving weather, this happens all to easy up here and this is not the first time this has happened.

Last night we had the privilege of trying some 'country food'! Alice made us a stir-fry of caribou. It tasted a lot like tough steak but it was cool to say we have tried it. We are also trying to fit in by getting the "arctic tan" or raccoon tan, which is the intense sunglasses tan; it is seen as cool and respected up here so we are trying our hardest.

We have also been teaching the kids a couple new games. Last night we played 4 square for 2 hours (who knew it could be entertaining for this long!). With just sand and a ball the kids played all night. The game got more competitive once the boys joined in. Emily reigned as king for quite sometime, while Sarah coined her name as "canoli" (mispronounced Connolly).

After school today, we will be helping Jim out with the girls basketball again. Monday, we will be partaking in a Suicide Workshop with counselors, students and teachers from the school, and some community members.

Sunday was our half-way mark of being in Pond and we realized one month is not enough! We do not want to leave :)

That's all for now,
till next time....
XoXo Glacier Girls