So where to start: Thanksgiving! I had a good Thanksgiving, but it was a little weird not having it with my family. Joe and Sandra made a wonderful turkey and were great company, they will be missed greatly next year! I made pumpkin soup, which I wasn't sure would turn out. And actually it turned out and everyone loved it!
After Thanksgiving it was back to school. Things were going alright, but as it was getting closer to break everyone, including the students, was feeling that it was getting time for a break. Marcus was starting to have a hard time at home with his mom heading back to Wales that he was starting to act up at school, his sister Natalie was too. Poor things.
Not only did I have to deal with the rude and bad behaviors of my kids I also had the emotional turmoil of whether or not we were going to be able to fly off the island. First we were told a week before we are suppose to leave that the twin engine helicopter's engine blew up; but they were going to be able to fix it in time. Yeah like they did the last time people were suppose to leave, this didn't look good. Well, they said it was fixed but the construction workers, who were suppose to leave Sunday, were not able to because they didn't get to test it on Saturday due to weather. What a bunch of crap! We came to find out later they didn't even fix it, just told us they did! It was so frustrating!
So then Sandra told us to be ready to leave Tuesday, a day early, but we didn't so I was all ready to and it didn't happen. I'm don't do well with maybe and ifs when it comes to traveling or really anything. Diomede's helping me to deal more with that. Well, Wednesday, when we are suppose to leave, was looking bad weather wise so I was so afraid we wouldn't get off the island until Saturday, which was suck since my flights were scheduled for Friday night.
Long story short we made it off the island on Wednesday! Jori and I spent Thursday in Nome walking around and did a little gift shopping. It was so nice to get off that island! Because as much as I love my job the island was starting to get to me and I really wanted to get to Wisconsin to see my family and friends. So Friday came and I spent the day at Airport Pizza with a bunch of the other teachers, since we were all on the 9 pm flight to Anchorage. It was great to chit chat with some ladies and have 'girl talk'.
Then the excitement started again. From Anchorage I was headed to Portland to change planes, but due to fog I was diverted to Seattle. My first thought is I have a flight leaving for Minneapolis in like 45minutes what's going to happen? First I was told that all connecting flights are being held, then as I was on the phone with Gina to update her I was told I needed to get off the plane. So to make a long story short I had a very nice woman help me get on the next flight to Minneapolis. Also I had to wait for the next flight out of Portland for my bag to reach me, which made it; but I was a little nervous about that. And the funny thing is I landed from Seattle around the same time I would have landed if I was coming from Portland.
Christmas was great! It was so great to see my family, but the only down side was it was a green Christmas, but I'd take that over spending Christmas on Diomede. But I had such a good time home that I was afraid that I wouldn't want to go back to Diomede because of the attitude I left with. I can gladly say that when it was getting closer to the time to leave for Alaska I was feeling more exciting and ready to get back into teaching.
So after a relaxing and good break I come back to a bunch of kids who have gone hay-wire! This week was the most stressful week I have ever experience with kids! I would tell them to stop doing something and they would just keep on doing it until I yelled then they would stop, for like five minutes. I think today was the best day out of them all. The kids were not as crazy, plus I pulled myself together and kicked out the students that were being obnoxious and hitting. Oh yeah so I was hit and scratched before I left and I came back to the same treatment! Well, it's not going to fly this semester and they are seeing that since they have recess that I can take away...
Enough about school, it'll get better because I won't let it be horrible! So yesterday had a wonderful ending to it! I got to see polar bears!!! It was so cool; it was a mama and her two cubs! They were so cute and it was so amazing to see them in their habitat instead of a zoo. Becky's husband called us about ten minutes before school's out to tell us about the polar bear sighting! I was like 'kids get your stuff on; we're going on a field trip to see polar bears!' I have never seen them get dressed that fast ever!
We made it over to the Washeteria and I'm glad that Paco, Becky's husband, had binoculars. It was SO cool! They were such beautiful creatures.
So there's the brief story of before, during, and after Christmas vacation. I hope to be able to write more often, but I don't see that happening since I have a feeling I'll be very busy.
Ice coming in before I left
Sunset before leaving
Starfish on the walkway
Gingerbread Man project for Berlyn
Nome, on the way back to Diomede
Helicopter Ride from Wales to Diomede
Ice with some sea still showing
Check out all the snow that has fallen since I was last here!
South
Middle
North
Jori playing in the snow. We slide down that. It was so much fun!
Shoe covered in snow
LOTS of snow!
The railing to our steps!
Jori's showing how much snow there is!
Steps are made in the snow to get around
First sunset being back
That's the top of a house!
These steps were made throughout the village
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