Ok so I am fully prepared to admit that while I was completely unavailable for a while I should have been able to update all my dedicated followers much earlier than today! Sorry Mom!
The past week and a half has been nothing but a learning experience and lucky for you I will fastforward through the boring things so that I don't spread the suffering... for those of you who love me so much that you want even the boring details (MOM) please send a formal request for footnotes.
Step one of this adventure was getting on the plane, and therefore getting up and leaving the house by 3am! I don't recommend this to anyone who is going to be going somewhere they have decided they don't want to anymore. That's basically how I felt that morning up until about...
To make things really interesting that morning my flight from Ottawa to Montreal boarded about ten minutes after we were suppose to be leaving because Air Canada didn't send anyone to check boarding passes. Our pilot was particularly expressive and decided to yell at someone on the phone, barge through the exit door (setting of the alarm in the process) and tell us on board that they "have absolutely no good reason for running late." On the other end I waited half an hour to collect my bag and go to a small building to catch a charter flight to Kuujjuaq with all the other poor souls going to "orientation" for a week.
I'll save you details of the plane to Kuujjuaq because well it was fairly unexciting. There was a bright point to the trip which was stopping in Schefferville because I had a special greeting party who I have definitly missed! Thanks Mel for braving the black flies to come see a girl for twenty minutes, you really made my day!
Upon landing in Kuujjuaq we were greated by the lovely people who we would be staying with and who were leading the orientation. I spent most of the week hearing most of what I was told in teacher's college (which I did pass and was granted a degree for so please don't make me do it again) so the best part of the week was a picnic on friday at the end of the road that leads to nowhere.
I have been in Aupaluk for a week now. It literally has two streets and is in the absolute middle of nowhere. It is the smallest village in Nunavik and the only one to be created by the Inuit, not the government. We are on the Ungava Bay and migration path of the cariboo. My house is right on the bay and since here I have been witness to some beautiful sunsets and a beautiful show of the Northern Lights! We have to order our groceries from "The South" because we only have a small Co-Op but the people here are friendly and I think though it is small Aupaluk may be the type of place that gets into your heart. Right now it is cool but not cold, and the sun shines most days so it is difficult to stay indoors when it is like this! Today a group of us went out onto the land for a picnic. We spent the afternoon taking photos of cariboo and the tundra, eating and lounging around the fire. After all the fresh air I'm certain I will sleep well tonight!
Tomorrow is our first day of school! I am really excited to be in a classroom again, though I am still a little aprehensive about being a primary teacher. I will have 2 grade 3 students, 1 grade 4, 1 grade 5, and 3 grade 6 students all at the same time every day! It will be a whole different challenge from my last teaching assignment but if I can survive Oasis I can do just about anything... right Kim?!!!
Now that things are settled I promise to write more often and give a better discription of what life is like here. Already I think it is an experience that everyone should have! Miss you all very much though!
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