FRIDAY, MAY 1/98
Hey everyone,
I was supposed to go to
Avvajjaq with Paul and his students today, but at about 8:15am I got a call from Trudy, the Elementary School Principal, asking me to substitute for someone. Not wanting to give up any opportunity to make some cash, I said, "Sure!" So... the adventure continues...I don't mind telling you that I was a little nervous, never having done this before. The last time I was with a group of more than 3 children I was working at camp, and that was over a dozen years ago. Well, let me tell you: It wasn't that bad at all. You know, I think that after managing that restaurant ANYTHING is a piece of cake! (No, I am not kidding.) By this afternoon they were eating out of my hand. Well... not exactly, but at least they were all doing the work. I'll tell you why I was a little terrified: On our way down to the classroom, Trudy told me how much money I was going to make, and then added, "You'll earn every penny!" Plus there were reports of yesterday's sub having to call down to the principal's office a half-dozen times.
They were a group of, I'd say, 11 to 14 year olds. Now I don't know if you remember when you were that age and you would get subs, but I do, and we put them through utter hell. One of them used to be soaked with sweat by the time 10am rolled around. Me, not a chance. I'm used to belting out orders and delegating assignments... and most of them were very nice kids. We didn't get much of the assigned work done, only about half --- and I was probably extremely lenient with them as well, but I just couldn't get upset about their little antics --- they just didn't bug me. I'd take the group of them over the spoiled jerks that I used to have to deal with at the Onion any day! And I expected to be shut out by the possible language barrier, but wasn't, and that was great.
I'd been volunteering in the library all week (before today). They lost their librarian a year ago, so the shelves are a little neglected, to say the least. Norma (VERY nice woman, wife of a teacher at the Arctic College here) and I have been getting all of the books in order, as they're put kind of ANYWHERE, right now. You know, for a small community, the library is fantastic! It has a little bit of everything! And I've had a blast re-shelving all of the kids books and junior section, stopping every once in a while to reread an old favourite.
So, today is an absolutely gorgeous day, the sun is shining and it's cooled down to -8 or -9C (which is a good thing, we don't want the snow to melt early, remember? No snow and ice, no travel) but the wind is just HOWLING! So, in a way, I'm kind of glad that I didn't go on that trip to Avvajjaq, because it would have been a little chilly.
Well, Paul's back from the trip and said it was a great day. Maybe we can go out again tomorrow and do some skiing (Paul and I are learning how to skate ski) out there. So... that's the news from Igloolik for the day.
Later, Lynn
P.S. it's midnight now and it's still very light out. No need for streetlamps at this hour!