A few pictures of Tuk

Its Easter weekend, which means a four day weekend!  Not gonna lie - pretty excited to just chill for a bit.  Its been a hectic past few weeks, I've been up late a lot planning and working on my AQ course as well.

Last night walking home from a friend's place we saw the most amazing display of the northern lights.  It looked as though a humongous glowing green slug was eating the night sky, it stretched from one edge of the horizon, directly over top of us to the other side.

Tonight I went out around 9:30 to let my roommates dogs out and couldn't ignore the beautiful sunset over the Artic Ocean.  I thought I'd take this opportunity to take and post a few pictures. 

 What I wish my kids would do...

What my kids actually do. (jk)

North - again

Hey "all,"

I sometimes wonder if anyone out there actually reads this stuff?  Perhaps I'm just talking to myself.

I've moved... again... why I keep doing this, I actually wonder about sometimes.  In three years I've lived in three remote, fly in communities, teaching not-so-calm kids. Actually, perhaps I can answer that...  The north is like a part of me now - I crave the isolation, the pace of life here.  I love the barren landscapes and the QUIET - the absolute stillness.  When all you can hear is the sound of snow beneath your feet.  When you don't have to worry about what you're going to do on a Friday or Saturday night... it's okay to just stay in and curl up with a good guy and a fire because there is nothing else to do (and what better is there to do that than, anyhow?)  Although, I do miss coffee shops and grabbing pints whenever I please.  Anyway, here I am again - and this time I don't know if I could go much further north if I tried.

Last Tuesday (one week ago!) I drove on the Arctic Ocean (I even passed a sign! It said "Arctic Ocean"... craazy).  I flew from Toronto on Monday, stayed overnight in Edmonton, and then jumping from Yellowknife, to Norman Wells (where I'd get off if I wanted to head to Fort Good Hope) then further north to Inuvik. A pretty uneventful sequence of flights, which I believe is always the best sort of flights.  From there I got a ride on the very wide and beautiful ice road to Tuktoyaktuk, where I am now.

It happened all so quickly.  I applied on a Tuesday, had an interview Wednesday, and on Friday I accepted the position.  A week before I left I had no idea I would be so far away.  Talk about a fast life change.

I'm teaching a grade 2 class with four months left on the school calendar.  The previous teacher had to leave because his wife became ill.  Scott is finishing teacher's college and will soon (as time flies) be joining me here - its hard to wait.  I had to leave Gus behind with my parents who graciously offered to dog-sit.  I had planned to take him a long, but a day before leaving I still couldn't find a house up here that would allow pets indoors (most people chain their dogs up outside).  I miss my boys immensely.  I'm currently staying with a very nice kindergarten teacher and looking for other accommodations come May when Scott is here.

Its been odd jumping into a class with just a quarter of the school year to complete.  The kids have thus far responded very positively to the changes I've made,  adding a lot of structure and routine to their day.  Its a class of mostly boys, so I've had to change some of my teaching strategies.... we do a lot more moving around!  But they are still in grade 2 and they like to sing and dance, they are really good kids.

I've been keeping myself busy with school work and planning, but have also been out a bit.  A teacher I know from my previous job in Kash works here as well, and we've been hanging out which has been great.  Its good to have a friend here.  I;m also going to "fitness" classes 3 times a week, which is some circuit training set up in the gym.  Other then that, I've been working on my additional qualification course, Reading Part II.  I'm hoping to get my Reading Specialist eventually - perhaps it will make me a more desired commodity in the south someday.

That's all for now, Ill post some pictures soon.  To my family and friends, I miss you and love you all.  My phone number remains the same as it was in Peterborough, don't be afraid to call.

Love,
Mrs. Genive
Northern Teacher Extraordinaire

A few more birds on 4" by 4" canvas

Mini Series begins

A rooster.

Oil on canvas, 4" by 4".

A tree frog.

Oil on canvas, 4" by 4".

Learning How to Paint with Oil

 

I've taked up art again, and am attending a few oil painting classes each week.  Here is one of my first projects.

Skiing Program, Winter Carnival and the Winter Road

I haven't forgotten about this bolg, but it seems that we've settled into our weekly routine and not much that is noteworthy has occurred since coming back to Fort Good Hope after the new year.  These past few weeks have held some excitment, however.

Scott and I completed a community coaching course, we are now certified to coach beginning cross country skiiers.  Through a grant for a large sum of money I recieved earlier in the school year, I was able to purchase 14 pairs of skis, boots and poles for the elementary students at Chief T'Selehye.  Scott, myself and a community volunteer have been going out with the kids every Monday and Wednesday this month, and its been a big hit.  We run out of skis each time.  I stay with the little ones (I'm afraid the grade 7s will find out how slow I really am!) but we've been having a good time showing them the basics that Scott and I have just mastered ourselves.  This afternoon we taught them how to climb small slopes, which the kids found challenging, but forgot all about it as they travelled down the downhill... and turned back around for a second go.  Its been pretty rewarding, not only for Scott and I, but for a few of my students in particular.  The weather has been absolutely fantastic, too.  The sun has been shining, no breeze what so ever, each time we've gone out.  Its been pretty fun.  Aparently the best time to ski here is in April - the days are longer and the temperature hovers just below 0.  Look'n forward to it.  Scott and I still go out on our own each weekend, we're discovering new trails all the time.  I actually had an interview with CBC radio based out of Yellowknife about the program, I talked a mile a minute out of nervousness, but its neat that our little project is getting some attention.  Hope it does some kids some good.

"Dead bugs" - learning how to get up!

Scott demonstrates.

This past Friday was also our school's winter carnival that I got up and running, I hope it can become an annual event.  Kids traveled around through different activities all afternoon, including outdoor parachute games, relays and a tug of war, snow related activities in the gym, hot chocolate and a craft.

We also got a great chance to visit Matt and Marie, our friends from university who introduced us to the north, in Coleville Lake.  The small town is about a 3 hours drive (highly dependant on weather and road conditions) north from Fort Good Hope on the winter road.  This was our first trek on the road - its a beautiful stretch!  Some parts are much more travel friendly than others, it made for a bumpy ride at parts, but as we travelled north we passed lakes, mountains, trees...

Its late here, Ill write more about our trip and visit later this week :)
love and miss you all.

Update

Yes Laura, I know its been a while since I've blogged last... so, with you in mind...

Only 10 teaching days until I (fingers crossed!) fly home for Christmas. I'm excited for the next few weeks in school - there's going to be a lot to keep me busy with my kids, including rehersing for their Christmas concert debut, helping cook many feasts, going skating, making and painting murals... and then the long flight home, first to Ottawa to visit with the Robertsons, and then to London to see the my fam for several days. One of my best friends is getting married on New Year's Eve, so there is much to be looking forward to this month!

An October update with a few pictures.  My kids looked super cute in their costumes, and we won a pizza party for best door decoration!

 

No, this isn't a costume (well, some of it used to be....)  This is Scott in all his house husband glory, chopping wood to keep me warm.

This is one of my kids in my quickly made costume (the painting "The Scream").  Most people thought I was a postage stamp.  Oh well, the kids had fun with it.

November was a good month as well.  Our friends from Coleville Lake (a community north of here) braved the trails and freezing temperatures and skidooed to see us over the Remembrance Day long weekend.  The winter road was not completed at the time, so the trail was rough and it took them nearly 6 hours to get here.  They brought along several huge frozen white fish, ground caribou meat, caribou steaks and caribou ribs.  I’d never eaten caribou, and the ribs were so long and huge they barely fit in the oven.  They were amazing.  So are my friends... such a great visit, we are looking forward to hopefully getting up to Coleville sometime in the new year to visit them.

 Matt showed us how to gut-and-cut and fillet a fish. Tonight I successfully filleted one of the huge suckers for a dinner of fish and chips. I’m still getting used to the slimy things, and the smell is terrible – but it is getting easier to cook raw meat the more I practice.

I also celebrated my birthday this month. Scott surprized me with cake, nachos (my favorite!) and the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy DVDs (because I burned through those books quickly). Our good friend Dave came over to help us celebrate. Turning 27 is a tough one to swallow, but I’m in a good place with a great guy and a job I’m grateful for.

Scott's typical hang out.

Dance for Jill

My little sister Jill has been sick for the past year - she's been diagnosed with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, also known as Oscar Weber Rendue.  The disease has been found on my mother's side of the family - and while I am lucky enough to so far be clear of any signs or symptoms - this disease has highly impacted my immediate and extended family.  The disease can affect a number of organs, including the heart, lungs and brain.  Jill's liver has been affected however, and she is now awaiting a liver transplant.

Due to her illness, Jill has been in and out of hospitals in Toronto and London for the past year, and her condition has made it impossible for her to work. Meanwhile, the drug that has helped her is not covered by Ontario's health care plan.  It has typically been used to treat cancer patients, and so it is considered "experimental" to be used to treat HHT.  Jill and our family have had to cover much of her medical costs.

On November 19th, there is a benefit being held for Jill.  Proceeds from the dance will assist Jill with medical costs and loss of income. 

WHAT: "Dance for Jill"


WHERE: 2451 Hamilton Rd. - Masonic Hall in Nilestown.

WHEN: Nov. 19, 2011

TIME: 8pm - 1am

TICKETS: $15 @ the door, they can also be purchased ahead of time.

If you are unable to attend (like me) and would still like to help, please call or send me an email. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who are helping organize and run this wonderful event.

Love,

Geni

October

Hello all,

Not too much is new in Fort Good Hope, but I thought I'd take some time to put up a few pictures.

Scott and I have been cross country skiing a bit: there is a decent trail not two minutes from our house that leads down the beach (a.k.a. "Rabbit Skin River"). Halloween is just a few days away, and I've tried to incorporate the season into everything we do, especially art!

 

Making and baking pumpkin seeds in grade one :)

Paper mache masks in afterschool Art club

Our door decoration entry: Seated Scarecrows! We are definalty contenders!!

The Snow is Here to Stay

Each passing day we lose approximately 15 minutes of sunlight.  I walk to school at 7:45am in the dark, the sun rises around 9:30 and by that time I'm too involved with my little ones to notice.  I'm enjoying the snow, going for walks often, as soon it will be too cold - I'll be walking fast and the layers that will wrap my face in warmth will also probably limit my visability!  It's beautiful here. 

My classroom is functioning well.  Mornings are going smoothly - students know the routines now, we are beginning to learn various strategies for decoding words.  Their favorite things are Raffi songs - the best CD I've ever bought - The Lady with the Alligator Purse, Robert Munsch, and our daily dance to wordwall words.  Somedays I can't believe I get paid to sing and dance with cute kids.... Students go home for lunch for an hour and they come back unfocused, so I'm still trying to keep them as active as possible, with alot of independant activity-based lessons and centers.  Its a work in progress.  I'm lucky to have a great group.  I've also applied and was approved for a grant to run cross country ski events starting in November, I'm looking forward to getting active out of doors afterschool.

Northern Lights and a Sweet Sunrise

Hello all, 

Its a sunny day here in Fort Good Hope.  Scott and I have a fire going, there is bread in the oven, and I'm planning my week, half hour my half hour... it must be Sunday.  Last night we caught a glimpse of the awesome northern lights.  I've yet to master capturing this spectacle on film, but its since become my goal to get one great picture before I leave.  In the meantime, these pcitures do no justice to the wonders we saw last night. 

  

On the Land

Here are a few more pictures of our trip "on the land." As previously stated, Scott, the staff and I were invited by the community to a strip of land 40 minutes north on the Mackenzie River before school started. It was chilly when we arrived, but we quickly (and pretty efficiently, I might add) leveled out the rocky shore to make a space for our pop tents and a canvas tent. We hacked through weeds and also collected pine branches to form a warmer, more cozy layer between the hard ground and our tents. We built a fire and huddled around it for the majority of the 4 days, keeping warm and cooking meals. We helped schuck some fish, ate some fried fish eggs and collected wood - there's tons of drift wood laying around. It was a pretty nice experience, as we met alot of community members and a few of my students.

Cutest boy ever - wanted to help with everything, including carrying logs 10 times his weight back to camp.

Foggy morning on the Mackenzie.

I'll blog again, soon. Miss you all.

In Loving Memory

Some of you may know that my family's dog Ozzy had to be put down a week ago. Ozzy was 9 years old, we got him a few years before I headed off to university.  He was suffering from cancer. He was fine when I left in August for the north, however shortly afterward numerous large tumors began to grow, his energy levels dropped and my dad was left to make a heart breaking decision. I've been thinking about him every day since... its tough knowing I'll never see him again. Ozzy really was the greatest dog.  He never whined or complained, he smiled often, he was a great friend to Frankie and Beans - Jill and Zach's pugs.  He loved to swim and dive for rocks, he loved to chew sticks and go on late evening walks on the golf course.  He'd dive head first into snow banks, he'd roll in every mud puddle.  He'd join my mom's backyard yoga group and do downward dogs with the rest of the yogis.   He'd sit beside dad each morning in the El Camino and wait patiently for dad to finish his coffee... or get his daily dogbit.  Miss you buddy.

Update: September

Hello All,

Thought I'd do an update as its been a while.  Things in Fort Good Hope have been going pretty good.  I feel as though I have my class "in order": it is the fourth week of school, students are reading daily, listening to me and eachother (for the most part), and various routines and procedures are running smooth. I've been doing an art club after school on Tuesdays and already have several regulars. I'm excited to plan some larger projects with the kids as the year progresses... perhaps even a mural or two. Scott has been getting work each week so far at the school as a supply teacher, mostly in the high school end.  He's also in line for a job at the band office but we don't know when that job will be beginning. With help from the vice principal he's also cut and stocked a far amount of wood for us which we hope should last into November when the winter road opens and we can lug some to our place using a skidoo.  I've never had a woodstove before - it is absolutely wonderful to have a fire crackeling in the background, not to mention the heat!  It fills a room like no furnace ever could.  The sun is becoming more scarce at a quick rate (we loose about 20 minutes of sun every 3 days), the leaves are off the trees, we had some snow over the weekend! 

I thought I'd share some pictures of the beautiful historic church that is here.  It sits on the west end of town overlooking the Mackenzie, in the "old end" of what residents call the field (also pictured below).  Its pretty cute from the outside - built and carved by hand - but it is the inside that is absolutely stunning.  My pictures cannot do it justice.  Apparently the Catholic priest who painted the place went on to the land and collected berries to create the paint he used for the borders and some of the murals that cover the walls and ceilings.  To this day they have not been retouched - they remain extremely vibrant. 

The sister gives Scott and I a tour.

"The feild"

Meet my Grade Ones!

They are all so cute! I had a hard time not putting up all of their pictures.

I've successfully made bread! Two Molasses and Oatmeal Loaves.

On my walk to school this morning. Beautiful.