Thanks for being who you are!

its been a very shocking week for me - not what one expects any time of the year but that is life. Today we buried my mother's first cousin Martha Gregory, who died in an alcohol related death very suddenly. While we were at the burial site we heard that Martha's sister-in-law was very sick and was about to be medivaced in to Bethel for a reason yet unknown to us. Tomorrow we will bury my mother's uncle Nick (Nickoliaq) Askoak, an elder who passed away after suffering a long term sickness. That it is finals week was not a very good addition to these events. Such is life as I know it - full of the unexpected, the expected and the usual obligations of our daily lives. I wanted to say thank you to all of you for the time and effort you put in everything you do. This week has reminded me how important it is to express our gratitude to others while we are able to...

Thank you everyone and Merry Christmas! I am glad I met you all and hope to see you again someday soon.
God Bless you!
Nastasia

Russian Mission ASAA Mixed Six Volleyball Champions!!

The Russian Mission Volleyball team ended a perfect year winning the ASAA Mixed-Six Volleyball championship game against New Halen. This is the third year the Russian Mission team made it to the state tournament and the first time winning a championship title! We are very proud of them! Kenneth Vaska and Nadia Duffy earning all-star recognition.

Russian Mission Volleyball team 2 - 0 in Tournament

Our Team in Anchorage is doing very well - they got a spot in the news last night! My daughter's cousin Kenny Vaska and the others had us cheering and clapping in our living room. The internet made watching a bit blotchy and had us on edge for a few minutes throughout the games. The community has the opportunity to view the games at the gym. This is the third year in a row Russian Mission made it to State! Woo Hoo! All but one of our teachers went to provide additional support for our team.

I just had to mention also about the blog before this - clear up some confusion my shock and cauldron of emotion caused when I was writing. Such a provocative statement to say "a certain criteria of rightness." What I was trying to express was that society in general has a common rigidity of standards that for the most part we strive to live up to. Some are very fortunate to live up to those expectations, but some do not. The stigma that is superimposed as a consequence of not adhering to the standard of living can cause much distress and heartache for many of our youth. The good intentions of these standards are honorable, and such standards are needed as a visual of social "order" to some extent. Growing up, the standard was to live doing what was best for another - as a female member of our society in the Yup'ik tradition I was groomed to be a caregiver: help with chores, learn to provide childcare, learn to cook, attend to elder's needs... but at the same time I was groomed to try to find a career. My standards were very high... My time was at the mixed up time where the standards between Yup'ik tradition and western tradition mixed in the villages. Before the teenage years where this mixture was happening was in boarding schools outside the village. In a large part I believe this is what caused many suicides in times before, because both societies demand such rigid standards on their youth. Needed, but with such a long fall when we slide. Unlike nature where there is only one way a species lives, us humans have a kaleidoscope of living conditions. All I was trying to convey was that in my life I have learned that all I can do is try to live the best way I can and provide what love I have for all those God has given me to love, and deal with what life has given me to live with as best as I can, despite our conditions compared to societies high standards of living.

Trying to find the balance of values and caring

In these last couple of days I have had a major metamorphosis in my personal identity that had me wondering. I went from a single mother of teenage girls who is trying to improve the home conditions and work conditions by earning a teaching degree, to a possible mother of an upcoming baby from a younger sister, and as of yesterday a confirmed grandmother-to-be! Talk about a major "whoa" moment. This made me think of the question of why we think of people, others and ourselves included, a certain way and the more important question WHY do we make the opinions we make based on certain criteria. Confusing? SO TOTALLY confusing!

I looked to myself and my feelings and the changes in my self identity. Okay, first came the shock that what I believed myself to be and where I knew I was heading toward took a serious turn, but to where? How much of what happened was due to my choices away from home? within the home? I gave myself some slack knowing I could never be spread so thinly in either and consider myself doing my job as mother or worker.

Now the other reality was the fact that my daughter was too afraid to tell me until the day before yesterday and her last known period was August 25th. How could I be angry when I was too unnerved at the thought that my child was afraid of me? Given, for a damn good reason, but still the thought of my daughter going into her fourth month of pregnancy without medical care because she is afraid of what I will say to her? I love my children, I try to do whatever I can to make their lives as comfortable as I can because in reality they don't have many of the advantages of living in a mom&pop family. This does not mean they are disadvantaged because we have a great big extended loving and caring family. My thoughts of the baby? I had to have hysterectomy at the age of 33. I love babies. I love my children. I love my nieces and nephews. I love the kids I get to know throughout my life. I heard the heartbeat of the baby about 5 minutes after it was confirmed that my baby was pregnant. I was in awe that a new life was nestled inside there given to us to love. Does the fact that she is so young change that fact? Will I love it less? No. I believe all life is a blessing. So what does that make me? Can we demand of life certain criteria of "rightness"? From my own life I know I cannot. Now what?

I spent yesterday morning calling my mother, my ex-husbands parents, my grandmother, my younger sister and brothers, telling my aunts and all my other family and friends while still in a semi-state of shock. I wanted to be the one to tell them, showing my trust in their support and knowing that this was the new reality in our lives, just as the reality was before that we could not live with my ex. One thing is for certain our new baby...or babies will have a lot of love surrounding them and that is all the reality I can handle right now. I just need to get comfortable to the name grandma...as I grow I am learning that numbers and names are not as old as they seemed as a youngster. 30 wasn't that old and neither is grandma. There is still a lot of love to live out there, and a lot of new things to learn!

A Very Wet n Windy World Out there!

Those NYO kids came this week and swoosh came the wind and warm weather...down went the snow and out came the slush and puddles of water! The wind is still blowing away -harder than usual. So strongly last night it sounded like those special effects in a horror movie. The kids are having fun in the gym...I have not been able to make it down due to my homework...but my girls have a lot of great pictures which unfortunately are on the other computer.

My christmas wish for now is to NOT have to worry about slipping, or about someone falling through the ice...please Lord bring on the cold and let it snow for Christmas!!

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays everyone! I was wanting to post this before the big turkey day but my internet was a bit off that day. I just wanted to say THANK YOU too all of you for being who you are and what you do in life. Winter is here and holiday season is speedily approaching. The decorating bug has bitten but I am refusing to give into it until I get my assignments done. been hard, its had my kids shaking their heads at my anticipation. The snow has been falling, people out fishing and trapping, kids riding and I am still stuck looking into what I first thought was a great computer course. I cannot WAIT until I get my failing grade for that class as long as I do not need to do research on the internet for hours to answer a one sentence question ever again! I am thankful that we have only a few more weeks of THAT class.

On a lighter note I am determined to complete my biology nutrition labwork now that the Thanksgiving feast is over with. :)) I almost started the three day "all you eat" list the day before Thanksgiving. I have a great family, great big family, with some great cooks who go all out during the holidays...writing the selection alone would give a fitness fanatic a heart attack. I couldn't do that to anyone. Its bad enough that I know its not all that healthy, I don't want to calculate just how much. I will try that for my new year resolution. It was a lot better when I was out doing stuff instead of staying home.

Wolves!!

Ohh My GOODNESS! That was all I could say when we got a phone call from my niece that there was an announcement on Sunday night that the people who were "eeling" downriver heard wolves nearby. I was nervous, the men were excited and the kids were both nervous and excited...what a mixture! We are all on the watch for wolves around from all sides. The Grant Air pilot saw some coming up from the trail to Marshall last weekend, some trappers seen some tracks up around Tuckers Slough, and it is common for a lot to be around the tundra flats area between here and Kalskag. My brother was one of the few who went back down to listen to where they were and his descriptions sent chills up my spine. All I can say is I am glad for the excuse not to have my girls staying out after dark. The news does not stop those that happily go ice fishing and setting fish nets under the ice. My brother got a few fresh fish that I hope to have. Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy this fresh falling snow!!

My little nephew bringing smiles

My Nephew turned two in August...we didn't catch the really really want to squeeze him one...but this still makes us smile everytime we watch it...hope it brightens your days. Have a great week.

Proof of human's revolving door of evolution

I don't know how many of you have heard the news of the wolves attacking Marshall's dog teams and the later verification that they were rabid. I do not like to magnify another's negative opinion especially when they themselves broadcast themselves so elequently that there is no need to amplify that negativity. However, when someone speaks of another group of people in such bad taste it makes me wonder about the revolving door of hatred toward others. To be fair I must first direct attention to the online comments in Fairbanks News Miner's article on the wolf attack, and the newsperson radio guy on the 18 year old who testified in congress. I do not know, nor do I want to know who it is that asked if the people here were Eskimos living in the 1800's...that is not the point of this blog. The statement in itself shows that somehow we as a people, as a human race have this progress of evolution where we believe we are past racism and blind derogatory distain toward those that are living differently than ourselves. Something happens in our lives - or in the lives of another place- that trample on our version of honor and integrity, and just like that we are back where we started. I was angered when I heard about what was said, because some people still sterotype others and publish these opinions without realizing how barbaric their remarks are. Yes, we natives have social problems as any other race or people. These are not racial issues they are social, economical and personal choices. It makes me sad to think that with each decline of economical recession these types of negativity only get worse, polarizing civilization...as it has for as long as history was written. When things get tough someone out there has to point a finger to another and say they are to blame.

In my ignorance of childhood it was great to believe for a while that our main goal in life was to do what was best for our family, fellow people and the environment we live in such that when we die, we do not leave a stain for our future generations. Today it sounds like such a fairytale...

So good to hear all of your voices!!

WooHOO!! My ED 330 Presentation is finished! I can almost say "FREEDOM!" from the homework grinding mill. I'm so excited! Wish I weren't so tired! I know I know I know I just can't hide it! Okay back to work. I am feeling much better. Halloween was fun, the candy and gum are making me cringe everytime I see one of our kids hovering over their stashes...like I am not peeking to see what kind of treat I might want. I got another biology midterm to do...but celebrating finished and/or new accomplishments really help fuel ongoing assignments. I still have not totally learned how to be an fix-it-all in the boiler department, but I got the boiler to start by bleeding it. Not totally miss independence but nobody can be. It was so great to hear everyone today - all the presenters have such great projects and pictures...totally awesome!!! Can't wait to see everyone else's

Silent moments of reflection

Maybe it was the news of fires and drought in California and Georgia, maybe it was the weird weather we are having, or the repeated drunkiness of my neighbor's son and his peers...maybe my being tired to the point that all assignments just could not progress... whereever it came from I began to look back. Not in terms of the usual "ok this is done, that is done, I need to check on this." but more like ... reflection on changes of how things got to be the way they are now, remembering my childhood and with it a nostalgic kalidiscope of loved ones who have passed away doing the things I remember them most doing, their visions floating and blending together in a strange dance. My grandpa sitting quietly in church in bench at "his corner," the old man who called me his sister because I was named after her always smiling holding his cane..many memories of childhood ... knowing that for the most part I was protected and cared for. I began to wonder how the memories of my children and the rest of the younger generation will be.

Sometimes I wonder why I get these moods - I cry for no apparent reason, sad and worried - like I am waiting to hear some tragic news. Sometimes I am a little afraid because when accompanied by little squabbles and bouts of negativeness around me that kinda pile together in my life, each seeming more profound than it should be it usually is not a good "sign." Usually not long after I get this sudden sadness I hear of someone else passing away. An elder said in those times a prayer is needed somewhere only one never knows for who or why, so pray. Pray for everyone and everything because although I may not know the who, why or what - God will. I pray that all those I know are in God's protection. God be with you.

Stretching between two traditional obligations

The harder the tribulations, the greater the rewards - right? Isn't that the saying? All I can say is that there better be a great big clean house with well stocked grub, nice patio, a nice boat, motor, snowmachine and all othe machines at the end of my journey! with all the gas, diesel and wood I would ever need.

The need to fulfill kinship and gender roles and all obligations of being who we are is an ingrained unconcious habit when growing up that can affect a lot of ones daily life. Over time when one performs such obligations others expect it out of habit. Unknowingly they can later put pressure upon fulfilling those obligations...maybe knowingly too...either way that push is felt.

LIke the day my grandfather, now 89, comes up to my house and after saying hi as I was in the middle of one of my assignments that was due, patiently sits until I realized that it was his lunch hour, and him being my elder, family member, and visitor I was supposed to have already been in the kitchen making him something to eat, and boiling some water for tea even before he reached a chair to sit on.

Now, the westernized side of my mind is mentally screaming "I don't have time for this right now." and the other side is scolding "how could you think like that?" I have been having those types of contraditions in what I need to do and what I should do, that clash together like two male rams during the rut and a headache to prove it. The mental "you need to choose this because it is the right thing to do" on both sides make me feel just as guilty for choosing the other that there is no winning, no calm reassurance...

I don't know whether to rejoice or cry the fact that the semester is halfway over already. In the meantime my house is messy, my grandpa has yet another appointment that he will refuse to go to unless I escort him, my sister is leaving for AFN and has "no one else to watch the kids" because her husband needs the security of being with her to witness for himself that she will not cheat on him - even she has never cheated or looked at anyone since they started seeing each other. (possibly he is thinking if I did that, she will too "huh?) Oh I won't even go there. There is a belief in karma we follow that restricts my venting at this stage.

I pretty much resigned to the fact that I am getting a failing grade in my CIOS class so that my other classes will do well. I even began to yearn for the times when I just had a job even it payed just enough to get by, yet I was able to do so much for those that expected it and at the end of the day I didn't have anything hanging over my head like a black cloud of unfinished duties glaring at me with disapproval and snapping eyes.

my video attempt to put here...

putting my video here again...i deleted my first try after seeing the other myspace video titles...
undefined Sense of Russian Mission



Add to My Profile | More Videos

wanting to share some smiles

Here are the pictures I wanted to share with you...have a great weekend. My cousin is getting married this weekend so I am burning the midnight oil on my assignments. Happy snowdays to you all - looks like its here to stay huh?

Blogging in the dark

What goes around comes around - The Boss Bruce Springsteen has his hits of my teenage years in itunes..I seen Sad'e on the Today show I think...and I am at my parents house trying not to be too loud since my parents have retired for the night. Its been a long time since I have spent more than a few hurried hours with them and these past two days have been very good for my soul. My youngest two daughters and I came yesterday evening for eye appointments. The eye doctor is at Russian Mission but they don't do contacts on village exams. Dividend time is the only time we can afford the $188 RT ticket and $50 per box contacts for the girls. Also its a great time to get clothes since we got a little extra this year.
Maxine and my dad Alex S. Nick, he works for US Fish and Wildlife
It was Maxine's 17th birthday so we got a cake and my mom made some spaghetti and basically we got ourselves stuffed. I put some of my mom's old classic country on the computer...I am eye-ing my mom's plant clippings to add to the three I have at home.

Just needing to vent

When it rains, it pours! Something that was said to appy to times such as mine. I finally got the CD-R I needed to put start up Boot Camp Beta, only to realize I didn't have a product code number. I bought WIndows XP Servicd pack 2 in 2004 online and got the backup disk. It had the number on the package which has now gone missing. Luckily my neighbor had an extra product code that he was willing to give me. Thank God for good neighbors! If only he did not decide that today was the day he is going to get wood, leaving me hovering near the window in hopes to see him on the street.

My CIOS 110 class (Managing, maintaining and troubleshooting software specializing in Windows XP) still looks like its being flushed down the toilet. The things I need to do are about as comfortable as it would be to jam your hand into the toilet bowl to retrieve what you need to save, clean it up and yourself and see if everything still works good. I spent a few hours updating my laptop to make sure everything is up-tp-date. I spent a whole day trying to download the program (which takes just over 5 hours to download without any outages). I had an outage just after it reached halfway, if not two-thirds of the way. So I started over, only to get "disk failed to burn." I was still optimistic, and with good reason - the dividends are just around the bend and I will finally be able to get a couch.

It must be my time to be through the wringer or mud or whatever dirty rotten smelly part of luck or fate or destiny or cake/bed I made that I now have to eat/sleep in... yea - it felt about as bad as it sounds. The bank called me about the loan I helped my brother get for a snowmachine back in 2003. I am normally really good about telling others that I have enough financial troubles being a single mother of three without adding to it. I had a pretty good credit, bought a 4 wheeler a while back, and was able to help my second-youngest brother with a loan for a computer, which he paid and just had the account in my name. So my second-oldest brother (I have 4 brothers all younger than I, all in a row) comes up to me and says he needs help getting a loan for a snow machine in 2003. "We need it so I can get wood. I will get some for you too if the loan is approved. We will put one dividend down and pay the rest - I am working and my wife is working, but we can't get the loan on our own." Red flags? YES, for me too. I said "I don't think they will let me, I might be going back to college soon." This is where one would see the pleading eye syndrome and hear the words "Just try it, it won't hurt. You won't have to pay anything." Smell trouble heading my way? Big understatement. To make an already long version of my short story I paid. Now the bank is taking my dividend to pay off the rest of my loan. Yea, I cried, I called him. I got excuses. I was asked to call my parents in Bethel to get them to put a for sale sign up to sell his truck (that my parents have been using since June when my brother came for a funeral and stayed.) I am stuck with the remains of a snow machine that guzzles gas and needs more parts, which neither me nor my family has been able to use that no one wants to buy for anywhere close to the money that was taken from my funds.... sad - I don't feel like I have hit rock bottom yet because I still see so many other challenges this semester. I need prayers, I need strength..... At least now for alll y'all out there you can say "I know I have it bad, but not as bad as she does." That will be my silver lining -knowing that no one else has to go through what I am going through. Those brght sides of life sure are shrinking.

First the relief, then the confusion and anitcipation

Hey there! Amazing I am not posting this blog in the middle of the night as my other posts have been! Progress? Yes! I have finally upgraded my computer at home from an old Gateway (bought about 10 years ago by my brother, who sold it to another brother, who gave it to my father, who lent it to me in 2003 when I started taking classes again while working at the school). Now I have a brand spanking new iMac! All I can say is WOOOOWWEEEEEE I am impressed! My daughters are now frowning at me everytime they are home asking, "When will you be done with your homework?" It is cause for a lot of smiles, laughs (they love the photobooth) and some frowns when they are not on the computer. I think I will do another slideshow to show you guys the funny pictures.

Skip - If you don't mind emailing me on the how-to's of installing windows into here - I need it for my CIOS class. If I had windows in my old computer can I use the installation disk for this? I am so confused with the limitations and extentions of programs. I know I used to have the product code with three - I think - different sets of numbers in it that may have gotten lost when i moved back home. Do I need to buy a new package? I don't know where to start and with my class already past the "lets get this started" stage I don't have much time to set this up without lagging too far behind.

This is my first Mac and since I got this my brother has said "yup, I think I am getting me one too." It takes some getting used to but its not as hard to adjust as I thought. In preparation of my internship year I have also invested in a MacBookPro that just came in today. A big thing getting both at once but I think its worth it.

Seeking Brightness and Harmony

As I list and relist my priorities and attempt to rejuvinate my motivation I closed my eyes and pictured a clear blue sky with a bright beam of sunlight warming my face... In one of my moments of doubt I realized one of the reasons why I was able to do so much as a teenager was that I was never told that what I was doing was impossible. I knew things were challenging but I looked at each assignment and duty and knew in my heart I could do a good job - a great job with attention to detail and that was all that mattered. During this past week I have allowed a tiny dent to my consentration and had a moment of stalling, a few cases of computer freeze-ups right in the middle of an elluminate live session, a text book delay that the bookstore "lost," but with the things I could control there is progress. I needed to write it somewhere that I will trust Him to continue to guide my general direction of where I am going and concentrate on the little duties I have in front of me. As long as I have that ray of sunshine in my mind to calm my senses I am good for now. One of these days I will get someone to paint my office into a nice mountainous scene with a blue sky... well back to details.

Correction on Panraven story link and a word of caution when reading articles

First here is my corrected link to Panraven:
http://www.panraven.com/mylife/ViewStory.epage?sp=102707

I would like to caution those that read articles of places or people they are unfamiliar with to see who the author of the article is and have an idea of the level of "marketability" the author is aiming for.
For example there was an Article that Skip references to in his comment on my first blog of today that has a few major misrepresentations that I would like to address: 1. The picture on the top of the set of three pictures is not anywhere near our village or region. 2. Russian Mission has regular scheduled flights by a number of airlines daily into the village - we are not accessible only by charter. 3. Our land is very similar to Fairbanks in the summer - we do not have a lime green carpet of moss and lichen on our land. 4. The Yukon River is not clear blue- it is a big river with a lot of sediment, so it is actually brown. 5. Youth suicide in Russian Mission is not yet a problem in our village. To date we have had two suicides by adults. God willing that will be the only ones. 6. Our village has more than one road.

As in any other research, looking at a variety of sources is necessary to get the gist of what is written. The author was not from Alaska, and the focus of the article was to embellish the projects to get more funding for the grant used.

Subsistence, School and Rain

Good Day to you all, I hope this blog finds you all dry and organized. I say this because the rain outside is really putting a puddle into my enjoyment of our season. It is so soggy out there!! The wind and rain has prevented us from going out to subsist and its put a real damper to my mood. Speaking of subsistence and school Skip has asked us to comment on how the schools relate to it.
Since my childhood the policy of excused and unexcused absences have sort of made full circle. When I was in elementary school in the 1970's we were allowed to go with our families for fall and spring camp, although not many families regularly participated in those migrations by that time. I can remember two or three families that did that every year and a few that decided to go out one year. In the late 70's to early 80's the policy was gradually reduced at a point to less and less absences were allowed. I can remember in the late 90's to today a student is formally allowed up to 5 excused absences over a school year - NOT SPECIFIC TO SUBSISTENCE - but encompassing everything from sickness, medical appointments, family emergencies to subsistence activities. Do not quote me on this because I have been away for about 4 years from my Home School position,and even while working in school this has varied so much that I could not state the current policy without having it in front of me to read. Having said that - the Russian Mission School has for many years reconnected many children to subsistence activities in a very direct manner. Not many schools will actually have class time in a camp setting, or have the students physically help catch fish for the school and community, or many other various subsistence activities.

Regardless of the high technical and modern aspects of our communities we live many many miles away from others and most of our nutritional resources are all around us. Even compared with other villages in the region, our ability to travel to the more urban areas take longer than most. We don't have huge stores with wide varieties of groceries brought to us from all over the world, and even if we did the prices for those products would be very high due in large part to shipping and handling. We can't sit and wait for someone to actually bring those things to us. We do have local stores that offer basic needs - flour, sugar, salt, oil... These are brought to us by airplanes, sent "bypass mail" and the cost of shipping and handling is added to the price you see at the store. Some families order their own groceries, but we do not all rely on this outside source for sustenance.Frankly I don't know of many people who would want to be in that position.

The school recognizes that - and also recognizes that the nutritional value of what we have subsisted on is higher than processed food. Throughout the seasons there is something to gather that is better for ones health than what can be found in the stores. I thank the school for their program, one that does not attempt to ignore or look down on our activities but rather highlight and join in our harvesting and desire to pass the skills and knowledge needed to gather these resources to the younger generation.

For a detailed review of the local school's activities, Google Russian Mission School subsistence. Although I know the basics of what they do, I am not in a position to accurately report what they are doing. I can say that they strive to continue with close consultation and participation of the local community and have a group of elders who come in regularly to help guide the students in their educational studies. Throughout the years this has made the school a part of the community and not a place next to it.

Sense of Russian Mission Movie Project

After hours - maybe DAYS of trying to upload my movie into blogger I called up my neighbor to use his internet service and successfully uploaded the video on myspace after unsuccessfully attempting to upload it into here.

As it is I am just glad to get it in cyberspace as proof that I did do the assignment, even if it doesn't show up here.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=17563140

My Sense Of Place Book Russian Mission

Here is the link to my sense of Russian Mission. I don't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing to focus not on the actual village but what my family and I do in and around the village. I am sorry some of the pictures had low resolution. I did not have the time to go and find better captions of the same shot. I would love to go back and add a lot more chapters and put more detail in later on...who knows - it shows some potential to being a great way to portray what we do here in the "wilderness" of Alaska. Now we can say "See - no IGLOOS, no penguins"

http://www.panraven.com/tellstory/ShareStory.epage?sp=S30524

Here is my Sense of Russian Mission slideshow project. I did not know we had to put titles on the slideshow and do not know how that could be done


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

ok, I got a headache - help

Is it just me? I have been trying to open up the Panraven website and log on to finish up my story and slideshow but I cannot get in. After getting some of my ed 330 homework done, I am now going to get the movie requirement done. I think I better check on the revised requirements on blackboard. I will be taking the two classes we have and human biology and CIOS 110 - which will help a lot in my future associations with computers. :D Goodness knows I need to know more on computers than I do now! In my personal life after some nice days out berry picking, I unexpectedly had to escort my grandpa to Bethel last Wednesday. He was experiencing numbness in his right hand and slight weakness. Being 89 years old and having past chronic heart, lung and other problems the doctors decided that a CAT scan was in order and we found ourselves in Anchorage until yesterday. He is doing well, and I am now determined to at least finish most of the assignments before the other classes get started. My girls are camping in the annual school camping trips but should be back tomorrow. I have saved the floor and sorting out the clothes for them. :P If anyone has any ideas on how I can get into Panraven let me know..thanks. Hope all is well in your areas and enjoy the season!

My first week home

I have been home for a week now and I can't believe how fast time flies!! I know I still need to do school work, yet I have this overwhelming need to feel the wind on my face after our two weeks in class. My girls got some of the housework done, thank goodness...I am so sore from putting away dried fish and going picking but its a good "I did something" kind of soreness. The kind that makes me wish I had my teenage body back - the one that didn't get sore or tired from a little hard work. I got this montra in my head "I WILL do homework, I will ...after I do this first, but I will...I promise." Sad huh? :)) My brothers are going out hunting for moose now and we are trying to harvest some berries now that our fish is packed away. Hope all y'all are having better luck in keeping up with the classwork. Miss talking to you and have a great summer- what is left of it.

Reflections on the Intensive Technology Class Week

Life is all the more exciting when one finds new toys to play with! I was amazed that we learned as much in our intensive technology class as we did in just five days! The movie maker and book maker were my top two new "toys" I can see spending hours upon hours working with. Panraven is such a neat website! I was so wishing I had my pictures at home. I really want the kids to be able to use this website to create their own little books in my classroom once I have a classroom. I doubt they will be as eager to start as I was but I am sure they will be close - and just imagine their enthusiasm when presenting this to their parents and community! I want to make another movie ...heck movie-S-S-S once I get a camera in hand...of the community, my family...the possibilities are endless!!! I feel like a kid with brand spanking new "just-out-of-the-box" toys I never knew I was dreaming of! I enjoyed the powerpoint activities and I am so grateful to learn of the google "plus, minus, quote" thing - that makes searching so much more effective! the blog sites for everyone is a great way to keep in touch. Favorites saver delicious thing is a very useful tool that i am glad to have been introduced to...I am glad to have met everyone during the class and I hope to see you all sometime soon. Its been a great week. The only regret is that I have to wait until Monday to see my family again.

My treasures

Here are my children


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I didn't have many of the pictures I wanted for this

Inspiration and powerpoint in the classroom

Just recently I have been introduced to inspiration, a writing tool that makes the brainstorming and organization of an essay assignment a lot faster than doing things on paper (the old style as some say). The other program powerpoint, which I have known about but have not used as often as I would like, that makes presentation visuals more elegant and fun. I was asked to reflect on these programs from my instructor...I may have anyways here if I was used to putting my thoughts out in cyberspace.

(ok - this first paragraph just blares out the range you may find me in years- I don't mind. For those that do not know I am 36 years old with three teenage kids, a single parent earning my degree sometimes by sheer stubbornness. I believe there should be more teachers out there that want to make a difference in the quality of education in Alaska and strive for it.) OK, no more philosophy - back to the assignment:

I believe that using inspiration is a great tool. For those that despise the formal writing process and oftentimes just write without much organization this program gives a fun method of organization practice and in time skill. One may feel like its not work at all, that it is just play. If one may want to start younger this would be a good visual tool to show the kids how to use bubbles, how to use an outline and how each relates to the other. I would still like the kids to do something on paper. Penmanship is also an important skill.

Powerpoint is a great tool that most presenters use in the screens. One can incorporate personal pictures, charts, and animation to embellish the quality of their presentation and the interest of their audience. I believe it is already well known and is often the standard method of using visuals. The actual creation of powerpoint is fun, yet needs higher thinking skills so the grade level in a student creating his/her own powerpoint presentation would possibly start in the 5th grade. This is wholly dependent on the skills of the actual classroom.

I personally will find ways of using this in the classroom for various activities. I will not make it a totally technology dependent class due to the limited abilities of Rural schools.

Big HELLO from Rural Alaska

Hi My name is Nastasia from Alaska! My tiny spot of the world is Russian Mission, a village of about 300 people on the banks of the lower end of the mighty Yukon River. I am an Alaskan Native, Central Yup'ik. Sadly I myself do not speak the language. This blog is a test, it is only a test...in the event that this was an authentic blog entry ... just playin. In my other blogs I will have a little more information pertaining to who I am and why I chose teaching in Rural Alaska, and some of my struggles of obtaining my degree. Until then...Best wishes to you all and if you have tips on my comments, opinions...I want YOU... to participate and drop a few lines :D