It's August, and it's snowing.

Parts of the tundra grass turn red and orange for a brief autumn.

Looking for lemmings.

This is what it feels like most days.

But I still love her.

Studentism #9 | what's cool

Me: So, this is how you can check your grades online... [shows student]. Pretty cool, huh?
Student: No.
Me: No? Sure it is. You have an app to check your grades. That's cool.
Student: No, discovering planets is cool.

The bar is set high.

pisuaqtuaq | to take a leisurely walk

The view from my classroom window on a foggy day.

caribou skin on the ground

the lagoon

Quya near the graveyard

Slurp.

qaumaniq | beam of light

10:30 P.M. sunset

11:30 P.M. sunset

Studentism #8 | "a very small place my heart"

Me: "*Joe, you gonna be in the Battle of the Books?"
Joe: "No."
Me: "Please! It would make me so happy."
Joe: "But what about my happiness?"
Me: "Fine then..."
Joe: "Don't be sad. You have a special place in my heart. It's just that it's a very small place."

This is a former student of mine, quite literally addicted to reading and witticisms.

*name changed

Studentism #7 | Tongan Snoring

Today I gave a lesson about hyperbole, and one of the examples I gave was "He snores louder than a freight train."

One of my Tongan students said, "Man, that's like every Tongan house."

Love it.

Not to stereotype, but most of the Tongans in Barrow are big, tall, wide, and extremely happy.

Studentism #6 | teacher's pet

I asked Student A to do something for me and...

Student B: "He is teacher's pet!" 

Student A: "I wouldn't mind being teacher's pet if you fed me regularly. I require two burgers, a sandwich, and three Pepsis."

These kids are so funny! I laugh a lot as a 9th-grade teacher. 

siġmaaq | to have competitive spirit

Life is peachy; life is grand.

So far.

First two days of school were pretty awesome. Seems like a good group of kids.

We started off the school year with a high school block party. Music was jammin', jump rope was swingin'... Kids had a good time. See video below.

Rusty Arctic Coast Trading Post truck. Also called ACTP. 

The first football game of the season was today. I left at half-time, when Barrow Whalers were beating the Valdez Buccaneers 30-something to zero.

These are some Valdez players wearing Barrow Whaler coats. When you're out in the cold, you don't care if you're wearing your enemy's school colors or not.

back in Barrow

One of the frustrating things about getting to Barrow is the fact that what should take two hours to get there usually ends up taking five. The primary reason for this is that a flight from Anchorage to Barrow makes two stops: one in Fairbanks and one in Prudhoe Bay (a.k.a. Deadhorse). People get on and off, just like it was a bus. Unfortunately, this makes traveling long and exhausting, especially with a dog in tow.

But at least when I arrived in Barrow yesterday, it was sunny! Something to be thankful for.

fare thee well, Santa Fe!

A person came up to me on campus yesterday and asked if I would be the subject for her portrait assignment class. It was fun! My hair was crazy. Oh, well.

This is my last week in Santa Fe. Well, for the year. I'll be back next summer.

I would like to take this time to say farewell to...
- hot weather
- spaghetti strap shirts
- my endless number of summer dresses and skirts
- my shorts
- my flip flops

You all have been good friends to me for the past two months. Back to Barrow in six days!