Break-Up

Alaska skips over spring time. Instead we have break-up, when the ice breaks and everything thaws. It’s that time of the year again, like in the fall, when kids have several days of excused absences due to hunting demands on their subsistence lifestyles. Ptarmigan, crane, and geese are the talk of break-up season, and when you walk through the village, you’ll see birds strung out and hung up on cabins to dry in the sun before they eat them. Since most of the houses are still heated the old fashioned way - by wood - they use the sun to cook most of their food. 

Kids using a sled as a boat for all the melted snow

When I first moved here someone told me if I ever have empty cardboard boxes I don’t need, to put them out on the porch, and they’ll be gone the next morning. It’s sad that they have to use any and everything they can to keep their houses warm during these brutal Alaskan winters. But they’ve lived this way for centuries, and I’ve never heard them complain about it.

Just a few miles from the village, where the river runs into the Bering Sea, there were some beluga whale sightings. Several men from the village took off in that direction to try and harpoon one - can you imagine how long that food would last!? They asked if I wanted some and I said yes! I can now say I’m a fan of eating whale. 

The snow is finally started to melt, which creates small ponds everywhere. It’s fun to watch the kids create their own kind of fun with the ponds - teenagers will risk snow-machining across the water - you have to keep it at 30 mph or you’ll sink - and several have sunk! Kids take the family sled out, find some sticks to use as paddles, and kayak through the water. 

One of the many sets of snow steps in the village.
This was taken back in April.

So there are ponds now, but there are still snow drifts - actually, now it’s slush. It’s a hassle to walk anywhere in it because you sink down to your waist with every step. I can manage, but I felt bad for the other teachers who don’t like to roll around in the snow like me :) So I’ve spent a lot of time shoveling paths from their house to the school, which is quite enjoyable. I’ll make curvy walkways, ramps, and steps in the snow, with walls of snow on either side of you. It’s pretty cool to walk them - even though it will probably all be gone in a few days. 

The sun sets around midnight now, and stays up longer every day. You can see how one might never go to bed, because who wants to feel old, going to sleep when the sun is still out? The kids who are not out hunting are in school trying to stay awake. Or rather, we’re trying to make them stay awake - they don’t mind the least bit crawling up in a corner and sleeping. 

The pre-school had their graduation ceremony yesterday. It was absolutely adorable to see them walk in with their little robes on, holding a fake rose and trying to stay in line. As each of them walked by, Grant announced what each kid wanted to be when they grew up. Here are a few that stuck in my mind: strong, a princess, spider man, barbie, a bingo caller like her mom, and a pilot.

Speaking of graduations, here’s a shout out to my sister Audrey who’s graduating from Baylor University this Saturday! Proud of you Auj! 

One more week here and I’ll be back home in Texas. Thanks for reading-and I hope you have a safe weekend.

esKIMo