Classroom

Open are to learn and tables for students and then my corner table. Eventually the long desk will have computers on it! I even my own bathroom and sink.
The door to my classroom and the back wall.
The reading corner and my smart board, which is not quite working yet.
My desk and the back wall.
Me in my classroom!

Blue Berry Picking Adventure

The crew of blue berry hunters! We are ready!

We found some wonderful blueberries.


My wonderful bunch. The orange looking berries are called salmon berries. They are delicious with sugar and cream.

Working hard.


It is not easy picking blueberries. You have to really want them.

It was a success.

Unalakleet and Muskox

My and the other new teachers at Brevig, Barnabas and Gregg, walked along the tundra, through the marsh and up the hill to see Muskox. These animals are huge and beautiful. We got about 75 yards away.

The herd consisted of at least 20 muskox. They are hunted by the Native Eskimos but are not shy at all, therefore very easy to kill.

This is part of Brevig and the surrounding area.

For every person who climbs up this hill, they place a rock on the top of this pile of rocks. This pile looked like a person with a few arms and a head.

I have always wanted to get right up to windmills, but there was never the chance in CO. I didn't realize how bit the really were. Can you see me?

This is a river that runs in to the ocean in Unalakleet where the District Office of Bering Strait School District is located and where all the trainings are held.


After training a group of us decided to have a bom-fire down by the ocean and ended up hearing music and roasting marshmallows.

The beach in Unalakleet is made of rocks like in Brevig, but there is also a great deal of sand and huge piles of driftwood that stays along the roadside.

August training is over and school begins in less then a week. There is still a lot to be done in this 1st grade class.

First couple days in Brevig

This is my view from the plane as we flew into Brevig. Everything was so green and breath-taking. The clouds covered the top of the mountains and there were a few rain showers, but I was sitting in the co-pilot seat.

The shore of the ocean can be seen from my duplex and is covered with black rocks, all of which are perfect for skipping. Brevig is located between the ocean and the mountains, both of which is can be seen in the photo.


Fishing is a way of living up here. Almost every native family has a boat and a ATV which they call Honda. It doesn't matter what the maker is, all of them are Hondas. During the summer, families will go and catch salmon, seal, and crab and then dry it and have food to get them through the winter. Not many people work for money in the village, but most receive a check unemployment check or something from the government and then everyone gets a stipend check from Alaska in October every year..

My duplex is located about 100 yards from the school and I have a view of the mountains from my front windows and a view of the ocean from my back windows. I have a "mud room" in the entrance of the duplex which is where all the shoes are kept so they don't track mud into the house, then the second door leads to my house. It is two bedroom, but this is the "master bedroom."

First is the bathroom and then the kitchen and dining room. There is an oven, sink, and microwave, but no dishwasher.

The other way leads to the family room which is the same size as the bathroom, kitchen and dining room combined. It came with all the furniture, which was a blessing.

Anchorage Day 1 and 2

I arrived in Anchorage on time and without any problems. The flight in was beautiful even though it was raining and the clouds covered most of the ground. For the time I am in Anchorage my mission to get food and supplies to last some time in Brevig. It is crazy trying to organize a list of things that I need and things that are wants. Chocolate of course is a need in this situation.

Anchorage is full of many murals that cover the sides of buildings. These are just a few of the ones around town.

The next picture is of the Alaskan mountains. They are covered by the clouds, but are supposedly wonderful.

The last picture is of a building that is reflecting the clouds. I just thought it looked cool.

Random Facts:
-The people are called Native Alaskans, either Indians or Eskimos depending on where you are located.
-Most people buy a cooler and then take their perishable items like meat, cheese, and fresh produce on the plane with them to the bush. I have also decided to take this route. It is expensive to ship produce and perishable items to the Bush from Anchorage.
-Gas is $3.41 a gallon. This is the cheapest I have seen.
I am sure that other things will come up, but for now this is all I can think of.