Initiation on the River!

Day 11: Monday August  20, 2012

(I’m publishing these entries about a week late, but I was writing out a detailed list of the events as they took place...I’m just piecing it all together now.)

Monday was a setup kind of a day, with a meeting thrown somewhere in there, and the promise of a “fishing trip” that afternoon (a form of initiation for the new teachers - bonus!). It was a relief to still have ALL DAY Monday and Tuesday to setup my classroom. It’s funny, because upon arriving in Patuanak, I had initially been under the impression that we were teaching on the Monday, so I was very relieved to learn that we didn’t teach until Wednesday.

I picked up Chester and we got into school before 8:30...met the principal for the first official time in the hallway. He seems very nice, just like everyone else! I was expecting the meeting to be at 8:30 but I heard over the intercom that it was moved to 10am. That was fine by me - it meant I could start getting setup. Soon after, we heard that the meeting was moved to 1pm. Okay - so I now had ALL morning to setup. I thought that seemed like a lot of time...but wow, it takes a long time to figure out a classroom. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank SO MANY OF YOU who blessed me with financial gifts or supplies/resources for my classroom - THANK YOU! I feel so fortunate, because this year the supplies to the school were delivered about a week late, so your gifts were extremely valuable to me and to my students.

I could hear the kindergarten teacher across the hall, laughing about something, so I went to check it out and GET THIS: she had come across miniature cowboys and indians! HILARIOUS. We went into the Grade 1 room to show the teacher there - she is married to a man from Patuanak, so they had a fun time plaing with the small figurines (see picture) - these two are SO sweet and helpful - I’ve decided that they are my Saskatchewan version of Uncle Bern and Aunt Janine. (Also, incase any of you are concerned about privacy/confidentiality: I did ask their permission to upload this picture onto my blog!)

I went to use the photocopier for my first time and it felt so funny - they have it setup to require a password to access the photocopier - I felt so...professional? Anyway - I actually managed to photocopy for the first time without asking anyone for help and without messing anything up. What a miracle!

So strange to be writing
"Miss H" in my books...

Throughout the morning, the Grade 1 teacher kept giving me sweet tips...for example, she taught me a magical trick for getting permanent marker off of whiteboards/plastic...I didn’t even have to ask, and she showed me the most strategic way to put paper up as a bulletin board background! People kept coming into my room and checking on me, it was very nice. I drove home at lunchtime to grab some clothes from fishing, we learned that we would be heading out to the boats right after work that day. I got to my house and there were kids playing across the road... “Hey Mrs. H!”
I like hearing that. So cool but also SO weird.

I got back to the school after lunch and we had our 1pm meeting. The principal randomly suggested that we have a potluck and staff volleyball game the next evening (YA, exactly...the one before school starts!). Sure, this sounded like fun and I could really use a good meal...but this was a scary concept in the mind of a procrastinator!
We were handed some financial paperwork stuff and rushed to finish completing it before heading out on the river. It was a stressful time - but I think it’s all figured out and I should be able to get paid now...Sometimes I forget that I am getting paid - but I suppose this is my job now!

We got down to the river and there were two “skiffs” sitting there with the guides patiently waiting beside them. A skiff is just a wooden motorboat, from what I can tell...but apparently I’m supposed to call it a skiff instead of a boat. I was in a skiff with two other female staff; they came because they hadn’t been out on a river tour yet either. It was a BEAUTIFUL day and the river was amazing. I felt so blessed to have been given this opportunity. How many other first year teachers do you know that are exposed to so many rich cultural welcoming experiences?! Ah, it was SO BEAUTIFUL. The two ladies in the boat with me are very sweet and they make me feel very comfortable here - both so helpful and encouraging. We had fun boating through the rapids (CRAZY AWESOME THRILL!)...saw a lot of pelicans, some eagle nests...I probably took over 300 pictures! Unfortunately, the pictures don't allow you to see how intense the rapids really were - so, you'll just have to trust me on this one! ;)

We stopped for a rest near a little waterfall and I picked some wild blueberries. One of the other female staff was informing us all about plants used for medical purposes (someone in her family is a medicine woman) - it was really neat! I learned a little bit of history - about the portage trail built by a priest back in the day, when he was responsible for visiting all of the neighbouring people who used to live along the river, before everyone was concentrated in one town. I also learned on this trip that St. Louis school is a safe place for me to use the name of God! I can say "praise the Lord" in my classroom without losing my job - AWESOME! I was overwhelmed with joy - it seems very normal to the rest of the teachers here...but I am completely shocked. It's not a Catholic school - but my faith is not a problem here. Imagine that! As if the boat tour hadn't already made my day - learning this was year-changing for me!

On the way back to shore, the sun was starting to set and the water seemed more calm...this passage floated into my mind...“He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul...” I FELT SO REFRESHED. It was a very peaceful experience and I felt like napping when I got back! I decided to head back to the school to get a little more organized in my classroom, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the amount of work I had accomplished that morning. 

I was feeling exhausted, my head was so full of new information. I got home and finally did some laundry...the washing machine seems to work well! The dryer? Not so much. Perhaps I was trying to dry too many things at once...I also hung some to dry and that’s always effective!

I drifted off to sleep, the night before my last day of prepping.