Third week of school done! And "The Other Side!"

Sunset from the school.

I'm going to try to post at least one post per week, probably Friday or Saturday. We do not have internet at our houses yet. Hopefully next week the equipment will be here. The equipment and the guy to install Dish Network are here this weekend, but unfortunately, those of us who live in new teacher housing won't be getting Dish any time soon. The housing is too close to the mountain. :( I am very sad, but I am still glad that I live close to school come winter time!

Last weekend was Labor Day. We had a three day weekend.

It's one of the only Federal Holidays we get off here in the bush. Otherwise we go to school for every holiday, with the exception of 2 days at Thanksgiving, 2 weeks at Christmas, and a week of spring break in March. (Don't tell Breanna, but our spring breaks are at the same time! The same week!)

The week before the long weekend, Shem Rose, our home economics and Yupik teacher at the school, asked me if I would like to go berry picking with her on Sunday. I said of course! Off I went to the IRA (the local government) to get my land use permit signed and approved so I would be officially official.

Sunday morning dawned overcast and looking like rain, but we went anyway. It was an adventure to say the least! We took 2 gallons of extra gas with us in a gas can. We used a whole tank of gas, and then some!

The tundra is beautiful, and amazing, and wonderful! We picked salmon berries, which are tart and kind of like raspberries, but they grow close to the ground and are salmon colored.

There are some roads out to the tundra from Gambell, but most of the way is either on the beach/edge of the rivers or over the tundra itself. Let me tell you, the tundra is not flat by any means! Bumping around on the back of the Honda was not the most comfortable rides, but the view and the fact that I was out of Gambell and on an adventure made up for the fact that my butt was bumping along on the back of the Honda! I am grateful that Shemmy took me out and I got to see "the other side" of St. Lawrence Island.

These are just the photos from my phone, I have more that I'm waiting to upload, and I'll post another post later.

We were further than 12 miles. :)

There are many, many, lakes on St. Lawrence Island.

This is the back side of Gambell Mountain. This is a SANDY! beach. You can see the end of the road to the left on the hill.

The sign at the airport.

Sunrise from my classroom.