Image Map

September 24, 2013

Without Joshua...

... Newtok isn't the same.

Joshua has now been gone for three days - the longest we've been apart since we have been married! 
Before this, we had spent one night apart right before our going away party so I could stay in my hometown a day longer.

I have talked to him twice by phone.  He doesn't get good cell reception, and to call me, he has to walk up a small mountain to get service. But he is loving moose camp! 

I do not want to spoil any surprises, so hopefully when he gets back, you all can persuade him to write his own blog post about moose hunting! Every time I talk to him, I ask if he is taking pictures.  :)
They had to travel eight, I repeat eight, hours by boat to get where they set up camp.  He is
right by St. Mary's, Pitkas Point, and Pilot Station, Alaska - right along the Yukon River.  He says it is beautiful up there.
He called me last night and said he would hopefully be home tomorrow night or Thursday at the latest. This wife is ready for him to be home! Although, I know how much fun he is having!

So without Joshua here, I have had to dump my own water bucket from under the sink, haul my own water from the school to our house, and empty our tray from the incinolet! It's hard not having a man around the house when I am so used to him doing these chores. 
Let me tell ya.. it takes some muscle in getting that 5 gallon bucket filled with water out from under the sink and making sure not to spill a drop of it!

I do not have many pictures for this post since it is just an update that as of last night my husband is still alive and not eaten by a bear. Although, he did tell me that their camp was right on a bear trail so that was comforting...
The weather is getting much cooler, where there is actual frost on the boardwalk each morning and we have to use our small heater in the house to stay warm. I am a little timid to experience my first Alaskan winter. Last year, Newtok got 17 feet of snow. 17! Apparently, our house was completely covered and you could walk right on the roof.

The past two mornings there have been two gorgeous sunrises.  Apparently, I did not know this, but since it has been the prettiest pink/red color, the weather is supposed to be not that great this afternoon.  



We may not have the mountains or the trees, but this way we have full view of the sky!

My classes are going great.  My students are hilarious as ever.  I'm sure a lot of you read my Facebook status the other day, but it just puts it into perspective on where I really am, so I am going to tell it again.  I was teaching my 6th graders about similes the other day.  I wrote some examples on the board where they had to fill in the comparisons.  One example was, "The test was as easy as ________." One female student raised her hand and said, "as easy as cutting fish!" All the girls in my classroom just shook their heads in silent agreement.

Life in the village is so eye opening that I learn just as much from my students (about many things - not just school related... they are trying to teach my Yupik, but it is not going very well!) as I hope they are from me!

Update: I wrote the beginning of this post this morning before school. I meant to finish it at lunch, but got sidetracked...  At noon this afternoon, it started snowing.  Yes, that is right.  It is September 24.  The first day of fall was September 21.  It is already snowing in Newtok.  Welcome to Alaska! 
I guess everyone was right about the color of the sunrise predicting bad weather!


 This was at the beginning of the snowfall. You can see the first bit of snowflakes!
This is after school.  Notice the white on the ground! It is all slush outside!  There is a lot more snow on the ground than what it looks like in the picture!

Hope everyone is enjoying their beautiful fall day!

1 comment:

  1. Depending on the type of seal, killer whales, sharks and polar bears are all predators of the seal but it is human seal hunters who have been the most dangerous predator in history. Visit to know more

    ReplyDelete