March Madness

This month is known for it’s stormy, blizzardy weather in southwestern Alaska. We’ve been on weather hold on and off – the guys who flew in to work on the technical problems in the school and the water well are stuck here. We’re actually able to watch the district basketball tournament in Bethel via the VTC.

I had a good 23rd birthday! My favorite part was the string of “Happy birthday, Kim!” over the VHF. Speaking of the VHF, the elder women or single women often say “boy scout, boy scout” over the VFH when they need help with something – like packing water or dumping the honey bucket – and someone will go help out. The boy scout recognizes the ladies’ voice since everyone knows everyone, and he goes to help out. It’s interesting how they have their ways of life here!

We were without water yet again for a little over than a week. The distillers were not working properly so we couldn’t use the showers. One day we had to close the restrooms during school – not so good when you had 4 cups of coffee! – and finally went home early. The next few days we just opened the restrooms and just couldn’t flush. We used the toilets like honey buckets. It was bad, but that’s how the natives have it, so I made the best of it! The pipes to the washing machine have been frozen for a couple of weeks now, so none of us can do laundry either. I’m trying not to fret because of the bedbug situation. I haven’t seen another one, but I’d really like to wash my sheets.

Even though it’s frustrating and plain hard sometimes, I’m very thankful I can experience these hardships. I’m not necessarily complaining, because living among the Natives I have no right to complain. We all have to pack water, but at least I don’t have to walk halfway across the village to do it. I don’t have running water and a flushing toilet, but at least at least I don’t have a honey bucket like the Eskimos do. I don’t have cable or internet in the house, but many of them don’t either. I can only have 2 showers a week (when we’re not on water watch), but they don’t take any showers, only steam baths. Every so often I have to sleep on the floor, and they are just thankful to get to go somewhere. I have plenty of room at the house; many Natives live in small shacks with several family members. So whenever I think I have it rough, I remember there is always someone who has it worse than I do and I’m thankful for what I do have.