So we don't have any new pictures to post, more on that later, but decided to write about our experiences over the past weekend. We woke up Satruday morning and pretty soon were left without power as the entire community's power went out. It lasted for 2 and a half hours. Since it was morning, we didn't need to find candles, but not having water and heat was hard to get over. At night, we made our way over to the school to setup for the School Christmas party. In the middle of setting up with Tracy (Gr. 8 TA, and a new found friend) the power went out again at 4:30. People started to come to the school because the dinner was supposed to start at 7:00. Some brought food that they were still able to make (potato and macaroni salad). Eventually the principal and director decided to eat whatever food was brought at 9:00 and call it a night. Ironically the power came back on at 8:52.
The power outage did provide a new experience as we learned how resourceful you need to be to survive up here. Within hours of the power being out, the school was already cold (Claire had to get her winter coat) and our teacherage was 15. That night, when playing a game involving presents, many people had purchased comforters or throw blankets. They were the hot ticket items. We learned that day why.
Brings us to a new topic as our thinking about certain life needs and life itself has changed in the last several months. As mentioned, everything up here is in terms of survival. Everything you do is to survive. Not to worry parents, as we have plenty of food and water and will not waste away, but small things like gathering enough containers to hold water, both for drinking and plumbing for when the power goes out. I have taken this last one a little excessive as I am reusing any container deemed large enough (general rule is anything 1L or bigger). Last week I was laughed at because I washed a large ketchup container and filled it with water. When asked why, I reasoned that it would be at least two flushes. After Saturday, people weren't laughing anymore.
Another area of different thinking is in common sayings. We have mentioned this to some people but the term north has a new meaning. Back at home, north generally refers to anything higher than Toronto. Our definition of north now refers to Santa's workshop. As well, the term, "there is nothing to do." You do not understand this until you have experienced a Friday night in Deer Lake or an afternoon without power here. Stuck in the dark with no light/heat/running water creates a boring evening. But even when the power is working there are times when watching paint dry would be a hit. The one store closes at around 6, so there is literally no where to go after that. And with the weather approaching -40, we have stopped our late night walks, or any optional outside time.
A final way in which our attitude has changed is our resourcefulness. With things being so expensive or non-existent we have had to make due for several things. One example involves a rolling pin. We now have one thanks to our Thunder Bay outing, but we didn't at first. Claire was making butter tarts and started kneading the dough. After realizing we didn't have a rolling pin, we looked high and low for anything that would work. I, being a good Dutchman at heart, remembered we had been keeping some recycling and retrieved the inner cardboard roll from the aluminum foil. Worked like a charm. You would be amazed at how many items can be used more than once or could serve two purposes (candy tubs as tupperware and cheese bags as sandwich bags).
Back to the staff dinner, it was quite something. We didn't end up eating until 9:45 at the earliest. The one turkey that arrived cooked (there were four that were supposed to come) had been sitting out for over three hours. The food wasn't anything to write home about (can I still say that, after I had just written about it). What was good to see was the resilience the people have. People kept coming with the food they had been assigned to cook late into the night. A cooked turkey arrived at midnight. Down south many, if not all, people would have not come after the power came back on. After eating everyone played a couple christmas games. We didn't get back home until 2:00 am.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Christmas Festivities in Deer Lake
On Friday, December 9 the community had a Christmas Parade. It was quite different, but something Claire and I are thankful to experience and will never forget. There was no school that day for students. The teachers split into two teams, boys and girls, and dressed up two busses. The girls, being more astute planners, had several meetings weeks before to plan and prepare. On the other hand, the men, being more confident in their ability, decided to wait until the night before to get started. The girls, who ended up as the winners, disguised their bus as a gingerbread house. It was quite good and reflected their hardwork. We, the men, used the school's ATV and trailer to build a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Quite ingenius I know, but apparently the girls were quite upset with us bending the rules (we were ONLY supposed to use the bus).
After the busses were decorated the entire staff went to the Band Office and lined-up with the rest of the floats. In all there were 9 floats. The Band Office built one, health services and several other groups had others. The school had the advantage of having big busses, while the other 7 floats were trucks with Christmas lights or something like that. The parade was supposed to start at 2:00, but of course with this being Native Country it didn't actually start until 3:00. So we sat on the bus, in -30 weather waiting.
Next, the NAPS (local policeman) drove the truck and led us through the community. Everyone, and I mean everyone was lined up outside their houses with grocery bags waiting for us to throw out bags of candy. This event wasn't just for children, as adults, and even the elders were outside in wheelchairs watching and collecting the goodies. It was really something to see the entire community, both young and old, get into the festivities.
The winning girl's float. Now there was no actual prize, rather bragging rights, so the competiveness seemed out of place.
This is the girl's mascot, Crystal. She is the Grade 7 TA and one who we have really connected with.
The men's sleigh is made up of the bus and the ATV/trailer. The bus was the sleigh, with the ATV being th reindeer.
In discussions with students and staff we have learned of some neat Christmas traditions in Deer Lake. Some sound really neat and we are disappointed that we won't be here. The one everyone talks about involves Christmas Eve and is called Mukshey. On Christmas Eve, people go door to door to everyone's house and visit/eat food. It starts at dinner time and goes till the wee hours of the morning. No times or booking, simply walking door to door and spending five-10 minutes visiting with everyone. What makes this even better is the attitude and significance it has to the people.
When we ask the students what they are looking forward to most about Christmas, almost 100% of the time, their answers are the same, Mukshey of course. Their excitement does not lie under the tree but around eating and visiting with elders/cousins/family. Not quite the same attitude as the kids have down south.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Hello everyone,
There is not too much new here. We successfully finished our report cards and had our first set of parent teacher interviews. I will admit I was a little nervous, but everything turned out alright. I can now officially say Report Cards are not my favourite part of the job. They are a lot of work and are very time consuming.
Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of snow and been very cold. In the low spots the snow is about a foot, in other areas it is up to my knees. Greg and I love all our snow gear. It keeps us so warm. Our snowpants are amazing. They are really light weight but they keep us so warm. I am able to keep really warm with all my snow gear on. A lot of people always comment on how I bundle up. Then they comment about what I am going to look like in January and February when it gets really cold.
The Christmas festivities have definitely begun around here. The Northern is all decked out and slowly the school is getting decorated. I am sure we will see a ton of decorations go up this week. Next Friday is the Christmas Parade. The school staff split into two teams and decorate a float (a bus) and drive around town to give out candy (we get a whole day off school for this event). This year the male and female staff are competing against each other. I will post pictures after the parade of our floats.
There are only 19 more days until we come home (12 more teaching days). Please pray that the weather cooperates so that we are able to fly out on Dec. 16th. I am so excited to come home that if we don't fly out on that day I am going to be really disappointed.
Can't wait to see everyone, and join in the holiday festivities at home.
Greg and I on the ice on Saturday morning.
Greg standing on the little lake. The outer edges are frozen but you can see that the middle is not frozen yet.
There is not too much new here. We successfully finished our report cards and had our first set of parent teacher interviews. I will admit I was a little nervous, but everything turned out alright. I can now officially say Report Cards are not my favourite part of the job. They are a lot of work and are very time consuming.
Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of snow and been very cold. In the low spots the snow is about a foot, in other areas it is up to my knees. Greg and I love all our snow gear. It keeps us so warm. Our snowpants are amazing. They are really light weight but they keep us so warm. I am able to keep really warm with all my snow gear on. A lot of people always comment on how I bundle up. Then they comment about what I am going to look like in January and February when it gets really cold.
The Christmas festivities have definitely begun around here. The Northern is all decked out and slowly the school is getting decorated. I am sure we will see a ton of decorations go up this week. Next Friday is the Christmas Parade. The school staff split into two teams and decorate a float (a bus) and drive around town to give out candy (we get a whole day off school for this event). This year the male and female staff are competing against each other. I will post pictures after the parade of our floats.
There are only 19 more days until we come home (12 more teaching days). Please pray that the weather cooperates so that we are able to fly out on Dec. 16th. I am so excited to come home that if we don't fly out on that day I am going to be really disappointed.
Can't wait to see everyone, and join in the holiday festivities at home.
Greg and I on the ice on Saturday morning.
Greg standing on the little lake. The outer edges are frozen but you can see that the middle is not frozen yet.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Cold Weather (And that's saying something)
So, an update of this week and the happenings of Deer Lake. On Monday, report cards are due, so we have been extremely busy this week writing comments and preparing grades. On top of this, Julia has been away, so the students have been a little off, in terms of behaviour. We have actually handled the week pretty well, with regards to the stress. On Tuesday, Claire was feeling a little stressed so we went for a walk at 9:30. It was really nice outside. It was snowing but with no wind, making it a beautiful night. We still haven't seen the northern lights, but apparently the upcoming months is the time to see them. During our walk we put on all our winter gear to see how it will work and we were quite warm. Our snow pants are amazing and the other gear has been good. Special thanks to Lori Thwaites for gearing us up at home.
The weather has drastically changed. The temperature today was -21 Celsius. Quite cold. There isn't a lot of snow right now, maybe 4 inches or so. Apparently, this time last year the lake was already frozen and there was three feet of snow. The wind rips through your clothes and chills in a matter of seconds. The students are still wearing sweaters and pants, no hats or mitts. Most have coughs and attendance has dipped down. Not surprising.
We have been trying to order satellite because the cable has been somewhat disappointing and expensive. We can actually save money and get over 100 more channels by buying it. So we ordered it online and received an email saying a P.O. Box isn't enough of an address to set up the satellite. I emailed him back explaining our unique circumstances and that a P.O. Box is all we have. He still replied that every house has to have a number. I then decided to phone someone at get this dealt with. After holding for 14 minutes, I had a debate regarding that every house has to have a number. In Deer Lake there are trailers that were used by construction workers building the new school five years ago. They have now been turned into homes. As well, people build shacks or sheds with whatever materials they find or can buy and build a home. Some houses in Deer Lake have numbers, but we figure this is just for them.
After talking to R.J., Julia's husband and director of education, said to make some address up. So for those of you following along at home, according to Shaw Direct, our new address is Unit #3 Teacherage, Duck Lane, Deer Lake, ON.
The weather has drastically changed. The temperature today was -21 Celsius. Quite cold. There isn't a lot of snow right now, maybe 4 inches or so. Apparently, this time last year the lake was already frozen and there was three feet of snow. The wind rips through your clothes and chills in a matter of seconds. The students are still wearing sweaters and pants, no hats or mitts. Most have coughs and attendance has dipped down. Not surprising.
We have been trying to order satellite because the cable has been somewhat disappointing and expensive. We can actually save money and get over 100 more channels by buying it. So we ordered it online and received an email saying a P.O. Box isn't enough of an address to set up the satellite. I emailed him back explaining our unique circumstances and that a P.O. Box is all we have. He still replied that every house has to have a number. I then decided to phone someone at get this dealt with. After holding for 14 minutes, I had a debate regarding that every house has to have a number. In Deer Lake there are trailers that were used by construction workers building the new school five years ago. They have now been turned into homes. As well, people build shacks or sheds with whatever materials they find or can buy and build a home. Some houses in Deer Lake have numbers, but we figure this is just for them.
After talking to R.J., Julia's husband and director of education, said to make some address up. So for those of you following along at home, according to Shaw Direct, our new address is Unit #3 Teacherage, Duck Lane, Deer Lake, ON.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Update
So we figured we should provide an update, as it has been some time since the last time. This week we booked our flights home for Christmas. Exciting! It seems more real now that there is a way booked home. We have been warned that our flights are tentative as it depends on the weather. Speaking to another teacher, she is a Native from Kenora and has been in Deer Lake for five years, she informed us that twice she was delayed, one for later in the afternoon and the other for the next day. It will be disappointing to miss our flight, but we are prepared (me a little more than Claire, actually nix that A LOT more than Claire).
We did have an answer to prayer this week. Claire has been feeling really anxious lately, about school and the students and doubting her ability and impact on the students. Being away from our families also did not help her. On Wednesday we had a staff meeting and afterwards, back at our place, Claire had a huge breakdown. During this time, Claire prayed for help. Not 15 minutes there was a knock at the door and it was Julia, our principal. She came in and stayed for over an hour, chatting and providing background stories. There was no reason for her to come and has never done this before. What an answer to prayer!
The week has flown as it is a short week. In lieu of Remembrance Day, our school has tomorrow off. We have report cards to complete and midterms to write for the grade 9s. As well, the Mission Air guy was unable to come last night, so he is flying in tomorrow afternoon. Every payday a man comes in with a ton of groceries and food he sells. The prices are steep, comparible to the Northern, but are fresh. One thing he brings in is fast food. You can buy a Big Mac from MacDonalds for $10. A bucket of 10 piece chicken from KFC for $40 or a Little Ceaser's pizza for $10. You can also fax and order in before an he will bring in anything you want. This week we ordered a head of Broccoli to eat. The Northern has them, but they are pretty disgusting. The tops are already brown.
We are getting pretty excited for Christmas and the new experiences Deer Lake has to offer. We found out that the community has a Christmas parade where the school dresses up two busses and goes through the community handing out candy and food baskets to the elders in the community. The school also puts on a formal dinner and concert for the community. We are looking forward to experiencing their traditions and events involving the community. Last week there was a feast put on by Tikanagon, the child services of the North. We found out some awful truths there about the situation with foster children and the harsh reality of how it works. As an example, there is someone from the community who fosters children and was given a baby boy to look after for a while. She was given his boy, born in another community, and does not know his name, birthdate and any other personal information. All she knows is that for the time being she is to look after this boy. Pretty sad.
All in all our stay here has still been good and we have learned so much. We continue to look forward to the things we have yet to learn.
We did have an answer to prayer this week. Claire has been feeling really anxious lately, about school and the students and doubting her ability and impact on the students. Being away from our families also did not help her. On Wednesday we had a staff meeting and afterwards, back at our place, Claire had a huge breakdown. During this time, Claire prayed for help. Not 15 minutes there was a knock at the door and it was Julia, our principal. She came in and stayed for over an hour, chatting and providing background stories. There was no reason for her to come and has never done this before. What an answer to prayer!
The week has flown as it is a short week. In lieu of Remembrance Day, our school has tomorrow off. We have report cards to complete and midterms to write for the grade 9s. As well, the Mission Air guy was unable to come last night, so he is flying in tomorrow afternoon. Every payday a man comes in with a ton of groceries and food he sells. The prices are steep, comparible to the Northern, but are fresh. One thing he brings in is fast food. You can buy a Big Mac from MacDonalds for $10. A bucket of 10 piece chicken from KFC for $40 or a Little Ceaser's pizza for $10. You can also fax and order in before an he will bring in anything you want. This week we ordered a head of Broccoli to eat. The Northern has them, but they are pretty disgusting. The tops are already brown.
We are getting pretty excited for Christmas and the new experiences Deer Lake has to offer. We found out that the community has a Christmas parade where the school dresses up two busses and goes through the community handing out candy and food baskets to the elders in the community. The school also puts on a formal dinner and concert for the community. We are looking forward to experiencing their traditions and events involving the community. Last week there was a feast put on by Tikanagon, the child services of the North. We found out some awful truths there about the situation with foster children and the harsh reality of how it works. As an example, there is someone from the community who fosters children and was given a baby boy to look after for a while. She was given his boy, born in another community, and does not know his name, birthdate and any other personal information. All she knows is that for the time being she is to look after this boy. Pretty sad.
All in all our stay here has still been good and we have learned so much. We continue to look forward to the things we have yet to learn.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Field Trip to the Dam
Today I took my students on a Visual Arts field trip. The objective of this field trip was for the students to sketch a landscape. They will later have to take this landscape and transfer it into an oil painting. I am really excited to see how their paintings turn out. We went to the Dam and the students had an hour to sketch various landscapes. I really wanted them to paint a piece of their home. The bus ride was about 15 minutes long. The roads are very bumpy due to potholes, so needless to say it was not a smooth ride.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Trick-or-Treat
Well today we had Halloween! Because Halloween is on a Sunday this year, they decided to observe the occasion the day before. It is kind of refreshing and nice that they keep Sunday to be observed as a religious day.
Having Halloween here has definitely put Amanda, Greg and I into culture shock. First off, all the kids go out, and when I say all I mean ALL, even the babies. The adults even go trick or treating. So I don't think we will have enough candy. Greg, Amanda and I have come together to combine our candy, but I still think we will be short.
It is fun seeing the kids come dressed up in their costumes. We have had so many people already. The biggest culture shock to us is that the kids don't even knock when they trick or treat. You turn around and all of a sudden their are people in your house. While Greg goes to the door to give out candy, all Amanda and I can do is laugh, hysterically. It is just something we are not used to.
We have banned Amanda from handing out candy. She gives to much candy out! We wouldn't have enough candy for everyone. Although she probably is giving them what they want. Greg is giving them two candies each and they look at him and give him a look saying "that's it?"
It has been a very interesting experience, with a little culture shock! Well we better get back to handing out candy, and we are playing Wii Sports Resort!
Having Halloween here has definitely put Amanda, Greg and I into culture shock. First off, all the kids go out, and when I say all I mean ALL, even the babies. The adults even go trick or treating. So I don't think we will have enough candy. Greg, Amanda and I have come together to combine our candy, but I still think we will be short.
It is fun seeing the kids come dressed up in their costumes. We have had so many people already. The biggest culture shock to us is that the kids don't even knock when they trick or treat. You turn around and all of a sudden their are people in your house. While Greg goes to the door to give out candy, all Amanda and I can do is laugh, hysterically. It is just something we are not used to.
We have banned Amanda from handing out candy. She gives to much candy out! We wouldn't have enough candy for everyone. Although she probably is giving them what they want. Greg is giving them two candies each and they look at him and give him a look saying "that's it?"
It has been a very interesting experience, with a little culture shock! Well we better get back to handing out candy, and we are playing Wii Sports Resort!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Let It Snow Part 2
Well, we thought it was crazy yesterday when we woke up and it was snowing. However, this morning was even more surprising. When we walked out of the house today we walked into a Winter Wonderland. Welcome to our October Winter Wonderland!!! 
Our house is the third one back.
Our house is the third one back.Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
Greg and I woke up to quite a surprise this morning. When we walked out of the house this morning we discovered it was SNOWING. Although, it has snowed up here already, today was different. Before today the snow had been a mix of rain and snow. Today, however, it was legit SNOW, all on its own!
I always love the first snow fall, but I do eventually get annoyed with it. It snowed all day and didn't stop once. It was a constant stream of snow. It did not accumulate to much, in some areas there was more snow than others. I thought I would just share in our little surprise today.
Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GRANDPA HOTSON!!!!
This is a picture of Greg and I in our backyard with a little bit of snow. It is still snowing in this picture, but you can clearly not tell, it was light.
I always love the first snow fall, but I do eventually get annoyed with it. It snowed all day and didn't stop once. It was a constant stream of snow. It did not accumulate to much, in some areas there was more snow than others. I thought I would just share in our little surprise today.
Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GRANDPA HOTSON!!!!
This is a picture of Greg and I in our backyard with a little bit of snow. It is still snowing in this picture, but you can clearly not tell, it was light.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Gone Fishin'
This week, on Wednesday, we had the opportunity to go with a local teacher and her husband to check their fishing nets. After school we went with Vicky to her house. Her husband met us and off we went. They were surprised that I didn't have a sweater or coat, but I reassured them that I was wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants (I hadn't changed into shorts yet since we went immediately after school).
The boat ride was approx. 20 minutes to their nets. Deer Lake is not one large round body of water. Instead, it has countless islets, bays, rivers and streams that make it one of the large lakes in Northern Ontario. When we finally reach the nets, the waves had become quite large, creating whitecaps and rocking the boat. Since we were already there, they decided to check the nets anyways. They told us that normally with waves that high and rough they wouldn't have gone out.
They have two nets, both 50 feet in length. The nets begin from shore and are tied down 100 feet of shore by a pile of rocks. All in all there were 4 types of fish caught in the nets: walleye, suckerfish, tulapi (or something like that) and jackfish. At one point Claire asked what type of bait they put in their nets. They both looked at her like she had two faces. Vicky informed her that they don't use baits, instead the fish get caught in the nets and cannot get out.
This is a picture of the Nursing Station from the boat, the blue buidling weight a red top and roof.
Claire sitting in the boat.
Of the four species of fish, they only the walleye. They try to give their dog the other 3 types, but even he won't eat it sometimes.
The boat ride was approx. 20 minutes to their nets. Deer Lake is not one large round body of water. Instead, it has countless islets, bays, rivers and streams that make it one of the large lakes in Northern Ontario. When we finally reach the nets, the waves had become quite large, creating whitecaps and rocking the boat. Since we were already there, they decided to check the nets anyways. They told us that normally with waves that high and rough they wouldn't have gone out.
They have two nets, both 50 feet in length. The nets begin from shore and are tied down 100 feet of shore by a pile of rocks. All in all there were 4 types of fish caught in the nets: walleye, suckerfish, tulapi (or something like that) and jackfish. At one point Claire asked what type of bait they put in their nets. They both looked at her like she had two faces. Vicky informed her that they don't use baits, instead the fish get caught in the nets and cannot get out.
This is a picture of the Nursing Station from the boat, the blue buidling weight a red top and roof.
Claire sitting in the boat.
Of the four species of fish, they only the walleye. They try to give their dog the other 3 types, but even he won't eat it sometimes.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Doe a Deer
After our seminar, which ended on Thursday, we went sight seeing around Thunder Bay. Our first stop was the Terry Fox Memorial, which is about 15 minutes outside of Thunder Bay. The memorial was quite something, as it allowed an opportunity to also view the city and an expanse view of Lake Superior. 
A sign indicating the memorial is up ahead. Apparently, Claire decided the light post was also important enough to make it the centre of attention. Really, it was quite a challenge as there are few light posts that line the highway. This must have been the third one we saw over a stretch of 10 km, so to get it at this point was quite a feat.
A nice view of the pathway leading to the memorial. The scenery reminded us more of Thanksgiving down south. Currently in Deer Lake we are waiting for snow as all, or most, of the leaves have already fallen. We really like this picture.
Along with the memorial, was a vista that allowed you to see the city of Thunder Bay and Lake Superior. This picture is of the Sleeping Giant Park, more on this later.
The memorial.
A view of the memorial as we are driving away. Luckily there are no light posts on this stretch of highway.
After the memorial we drove to Kakabeka Falls. This picture is us in front of the falls.
Down below.
A nice view of the boardwalk to one of the scenic lookouts.
This is the car we rented for the week, a Nissan Versa 2010. A very nice car, that we grew to love during the week. It had everything that we weren't used to: air conditioning, power locks, keyless entry, power windows and best of all, a radio. There are no radio stations in Deer Lake, so it was nice to drive while listening to music.
The next day, we went for a drive, with no clear final destination in sight (it was a week of firsts). We made our way down to the lake and found a conservation area next to the lake. This picture is of the Sleeping Giant. Claire had this fascination with this park, trying to get a picture at any opportunity. While at the conservation area we went for a walk on the beach and through the woods. There was a Cub Pack there, which was pretty neat to see.
Claire, gazing at the Sleeping Giant Park, again.
On the way, or drive, we passed this back road and I thought I saw what looked to be a deer. We stopped at the next road and noticed that there were two deer eating grass at the side of the road. We drove slowly up and the deer held their ground. The next sight was surprising, as we found out there were 10-12 deer around this house between these two roads. These deer would walk right up to your window, as the second picture will attest. Talking to another driver, who must have been from the area, we found out that the deer are sort of an attraction in the area. They are fed, although discouraged to do so, by visitors.
A sign indicating the memorial is up ahead. Apparently, Claire decided the light post was also important enough to make it the centre of attention. Really, it was quite a challenge as there are few light posts that line the highway. This must have been the third one we saw over a stretch of 10 km, so to get it at this point was quite a feat.
A nice view of the pathway leading to the memorial. The scenery reminded us more of Thanksgiving down south. Currently in Deer Lake we are waiting for snow as all, or most, of the leaves have already fallen. We really like this picture. 
Along with the memorial, was a vista that allowed you to see the city of Thunder Bay and Lake Superior. This picture is of the Sleeping Giant Park, more on this later.
The memorial.
A view of the memorial as we are driving away. Luckily there are no light posts on this stretch of highway.
After the memorial we drove to Kakabeka Falls. This picture is us in front of the falls.
Down below.
A nice view of the boardwalk to one of the scenic lookouts.
This is the car we rented for the week, a Nissan Versa 2010. A very nice car, that we grew to love during the week. It had everything that we weren't used to: air conditioning, power locks, keyless entry, power windows and best of all, a radio. There are no radio stations in Deer Lake, so it was nice to drive while listening to music.
The next day, we went for a drive, with no clear final destination in sight (it was a week of firsts). We made our way down to the lake and found a conservation area next to the lake. This picture is of the Sleeping Giant. Claire had this fascination with this park, trying to get a picture at any opportunity. While at the conservation area we went for a walk on the beach and through the woods. There was a Cub Pack there, which was pretty neat to see.
Claire, gazing at the Sleeping Giant Park, again.On the way, or drive, we passed this back road and I thought I saw what looked to be a deer. We stopped at the next road and noticed that there were two deer eating grass at the side of the road. We drove slowly up and the deer held their ground. The next sight was surprising, as we found out there were 10-12 deer around this house between these two roads. These deer would walk right up to your window, as the second picture will attest. Talking to another driver, who must have been from the area, we found out that the deer are sort of an attraction in the area. They are fed, although discouraged to do so, by visitors.
This deer was so close his head was inside our car. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, we saw that it had a huge gash under its chin. Disgusting!
Plane Pictures
Here are the pictures that should have been posted with the last post.
A picture of the plane that took us from Deer Lake to Thunder Bay. All in all there were 6 stops, making for a long day and a mild headache. The plane held 13 passengers and could not have been wider than the average car. The one advantage was that the longest flight was only 30 minutes.
A view of Thunder Bay from the sky. We flew into Thunder Bay at 3:20 pm.
This picture and the one that follows is trying to show how close we were to the Airport, but they do not give it any justice. Our hotel, Travelodge on the Airlane, should have been renamed to Travelodge on the Runway. Throughout the day the airplanes would fly overhead, shaking the windows to the brink of shattering. According to Thunder Bay's Airport website, there are 75 planes flying into Thunder Bay on any given day. This number is vastly underestimated, as there must have been over 100 flights just during the day.
A picture of the plane that took us from Deer Lake to Thunder Bay. All in all there were 6 stops, making for a long day and a mild headache. The plane held 13 passengers and could not have been wider than the average car. The one advantage was that the longest flight was only 30 minutes.
A view of Thunder Bay from the sky. We flew into Thunder Bay at 3:20 pm.
This picture and the one that follows is trying to show how close we were to the Airport, but they do not give it any justice. Our hotel, Travelodge on the Airlane, should have been renamed to Travelodge on the Runway. Throughout the day the airplanes would fly overhead, shaking the windows to the brink of shattering. According to Thunder Bay's Airport website, there are 75 planes flying into Thunder Bay on any given day. This number is vastly underestimated, as there must have been over 100 flights just during the day.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thunder Bay
On Monday October 4, Greg and I flew out of Deer Lake for a First Nations Education Conference. We were really excited to fly out (not because we want to leave Deer Lake) because we were going on an adventure and doing things we had never done before. We took a Wasaya plane that seated 16 people. Although this plane sat more people than our Northway flight (what we took to get to Deer Lake) it was far more squishy. However, this was a very exciting flight. We were among the first picked up so we had to travel to multiple other reserves to pick others up. We got to see Sandy Lake, Keewaywin, Pikangikum, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and then finally we made it to Thunder Bay. It was a lot of up and down, and although the up and down part is my favourite part of flying, it was alittle much by the end.
We got off our plane and got all our gear together (which successfully made it to TBay, I guess they lose things sometimes). Greg and I then rented our first car (talk about expensive), we are currently driving a little Nissan Versa around. It is so nice to have a car that we can use anytime we want, to go anywhere.
Our conference was good, we met a lot of people and made a few connections, and the food they served was GREAT! Most of the seminars we attended over the 3 days were good, however there were a few dry ones. We definitely have learned a lot.
Our conference ended yesterday and now we are resting and "vacationing" in Thunder Bay. We have a bit of shopping we want to get down and we need to get groceries. We have so far purchased rubber boats and snow pants, so I think we are Deer Lake ready now. We have also enjoyed eating out and experiencing greasy food again (not that, that is a good thing).
We have 2 full days left here now and we may go see some sights. We do miss Deer Lake though. We really enjoy living there and the way life is. Our first day in TBay we walked into a Walmart and we had to walk out. It was way to busy and there was way to much selection. It is funny how we have only been in Deer Lake for 7 weeks and we feel this way already. It is kinda refreshing to get away from the hectic way of life in Southern Ontario.
We got off our plane and got all our gear together (which successfully made it to TBay, I guess they lose things sometimes). Greg and I then rented our first car (talk about expensive), we are currently driving a little Nissan Versa around. It is so nice to have a car that we can use anytime we want, to go anywhere.
Our conference was good, we met a lot of people and made a few connections, and the food they served was GREAT! Most of the seminars we attended over the 3 days were good, however there were a few dry ones. We definitely have learned a lot.
Our conference ended yesterday and now we are resting and "vacationing" in Thunder Bay. We have a bit of shopping we want to get down and we need to get groceries. We have so far purchased rubber boats and snow pants, so I think we are Deer Lake ready now. We have also enjoyed eating out and experiencing greasy food again (not that, that is a good thing).
We have 2 full days left here now and we may go see some sights. We do miss Deer Lake though. We really enjoy living there and the way life is. Our first day in TBay we walked into a Walmart and we had to walk out. It was way to busy and there was way to much selection. It is funny how we have only been in Deer Lake for 7 weeks and we feel this way already. It is kinda refreshing to get away from the hectic way of life in Southern Ontario.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Fundraising Auction
On Saturday the Grade 8s and 9s held an auction on our local television. The students brought anything they could donate to the station. Claire was the chauffeur, driving the sold items to the peope who won. I was the fortunate person stuck in front of the camera all afternoon. We had a table in front, selling three items at a time. Typically the auction round would last 10 minutes. For three hours I was wealing and dealing, broadcast live to over 800 people.
Need less to say, I will not be attempting a future career in broadcasting. My debut featured some mishaps, which several people would not let me forget. I was in charge of informing the viewers of the current prices, as well as answering the phone when more than one person was calling. One common mistake was the pronounciation of several names. In one particular case I was calling one person Gorba. Over live T.V., I was asking for a Gorba to phone, indicating where she wanted her purchase dropped off. It wasn't until some of the students, who were enjoying my mistake a little too much, noted that the person was actually called Forba. Honest mistake. Another mishap involved my countdown. When the round was finishing, I started my countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 1, SOLD! A viewer soon phoned in, asking if I was really a teacher at the school. The student who answered the phone, without missing a beat, exclaimed, "he is my math teacher too! "
A photo of me in front of the desk. This is just the beginning, but you can sense the fear in my eyes.
Jack of All Trades. Who says a man can't multi-task?
This pretty much sums up the afternoon, me stuck in a room trying to do everything at once. Is that Forba on the phone?
Finally some help has arrived. Taylor (middle) saved me by answering the phones.
Need less to say, I will not be attempting a future career in broadcasting. My debut featured some mishaps, which several people would not let me forget. I was in charge of informing the viewers of the current prices, as well as answering the phone when more than one person was calling. One common mistake was the pronounciation of several names. In one particular case I was calling one person Gorba. Over live T.V., I was asking for a Gorba to phone, indicating where she wanted her purchase dropped off. It wasn't until some of the students, who were enjoying my mistake a little too much, noted that the person was actually called Forba. Honest mistake. Another mishap involved my countdown. When the round was finishing, I started my countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 1, SOLD! A viewer soon phoned in, asking if I was really a teacher at the school. The student who answered the phone, without missing a beat, exclaimed, "he is my math teacher too! "
A photo of me in front of the desk. This is just the beginning, but you can sense the fear in my eyes.
Jack of All Trades. Who says a man can't multi-task?
This pretty much sums up the afternoon, me stuck in a room trying to do everything at once. Is that Forba on the phone?
Finally some help has arrived. Taylor (middle) saved me by answering the phones.
Altogether, we made $672 at the auction. Our fundraising total is already $3000. Pretty amazing since last year at the same time they had raised only $300.
Baseball!
Yesterday, Greg and I decided to get our classes together and play a game of baseball. We have both been focussing on baseball in Phys. Ed., and we thought it would be fun for the classes to play one another. Last year, the grade 8's (then grade 7's) proudly beat the grade 8's (now grade 9's). When we played against each other 2 weeks ago the grade 8's were sure they would beat the grade 9's. Unfortunately, they lost and the grade 9's came out victorious. Due to this bad loss the grade 8's wanted a chance to redeem themselves.
So we tried again. The game started off great and the grade 8's were beating the grade 9's and then all of a sudden the game turned around. The grade 9's began to win. Sadly, the grade 9's came out on top again and won an embarrassing score of 40-20. We had a great game though and the students love playing together. Below are a few pictures of our afternoon!
This is Keesha (grade 9), when Greg began the baseball unit with the grade 9's she couldn't hit the ball and now she hits great. The first time she made contact with the ball, she did so well that the ball came back and hit the pitcher!
Nathan (grade 8) up to bat!
A few of the grade 9's Left to Right - Shadoe, Antonia, Lyndon, Kasenda, Miranda and Keesha. Bertina is in the background.
Miranda and Keesha (grade 9)
Graham (grade 8) up to bat and in mid swing
Huntter(on the left in grade 9) and Joseph on base (grade 8). The school only has one helmet and Joseph likes to wear it (not to protect himself, but just to be cool).
Miranda (grade 9) up to bat.
So we tried again. The game started off great and the grade 8's were beating the grade 9's and then all of a sudden the game turned around. The grade 9's began to win. Sadly, the grade 9's came out on top again and won an embarrassing score of 40-20. We had a great game though and the students love playing together. Below are a few pictures of our afternoon!
This is Keesha (grade 9), when Greg began the baseball unit with the grade 9's she couldn't hit the ball and now she hits great. The first time she made contact with the ball, she did so well that the ball came back and hit the pitcher!
Nathan (grade 8) up to bat!
A few of the grade 9's Left to Right - Shadoe, Antonia, Lyndon, Kasenda, Miranda and Keesha. Bertina is in the background.
Miranda and Keesha (grade 9)
Graham (grade 8) up to bat and in mid swing
Huntter(on the left in grade 9) and Joseph on base (grade 8). The school only has one helmet and Joseph likes to wear it (not to protect himself, but just to be cool).
Miranda (grade 9) up to bat. Sunday, September 26, 2010
Back to the Grind
Well we are back to the grind tomorrow. We have had an awesome week off. It has been relaxing but at the same time we have gotten so much done. The weather this week has been beautiful. Every day since we have gotten here it has rained (and when it rains it pours here). Today it is so warm, that I was breaking a sweat on our walk (I don't sweat either). It feels like a summer day at home, with a warm breeze. I actually have all the windows of the house open and the heat turned off. It is so nice to air out the house and get the fresh air in here. I just thought I would share about the wonderful weather we are having since I am always telling everyone how cold it is here!
OH YAH.... we have been here a month tomorrow! Wow, time flys!
OH YAH.... we have been here a month tomorrow! Wow, time flys!
Day at the Beach
We spent a lot of time this week at school working on long-range plans and course outlines that are due for the principal and the ministry. We both feel good about our grade programs, grabbing a good grasp on the texts and resources. Since we are going to Thunder Bay next week, we needed to plan for the subsitute as well. Unlike subs at home, the T.A.s supervise the class. Meaning we need to provide seatwork/busy work for all five days we will be gone. It has been hard to plan engaging and instructional worksheets for so many periods/days.
This week the school has brought in a speech specialist to work with identified students. She works out of Burlington and it is her first time to Deer Lake. Claire, Amanda and I took her to the dam (rapids) and the beach (the local attractions). While at the rapids we decided to go for a little hike around the corner to see the other side of the lake, and to get a better view of the rapids.
This is a picture of us hiking. If you can see, the leaves have already fallen off the trees. Unlike at home where the leaves turn a variety of colours, in Deer Lake the leaves have all turned into the same yellow. Still nice, but not as beautiful as home.
I decided to show my strength by pushing down a tree that was simply resting on the huge rock. As you can see in this picture, the ground, especially rocks, are covered in different varieties of mosses.
After the rapids we took the visitor to the beach. As the following pictures will attest, it was such a nice day for a ....
The water was freezing but I wanted to swim while I was up here, and the locals have said that it doesn't get warm enough until at least July. So no time like the present. The day was actually beautiful, albeit the high was still only 10-12 degrees. As for the water, it could not have been any warmer than 3 or 4 degrees, close to freezing. Right now, there is frost on the ground in the morning.
This week the school has brought in a speech specialist to work with identified students. She works out of Burlington and it is her first time to Deer Lake. Claire, Amanda and I took her to the dam (rapids) and the beach (the local attractions). While at the rapids we decided to go for a little hike around the corner to see the other side of the lake, and to get a better view of the rapids.
This is a picture of us hiking. If you can see, the leaves have already fallen off the trees. Unlike at home where the leaves turn a variety of colours, in Deer Lake the leaves have all turned into the same yellow. Still nice, but not as beautiful as home.
I decided to show my strength by pushing down a tree that was simply resting on the huge rock. As you can see in this picture, the ground, especially rocks, are covered in different varieties of mosses.
After the rapids we took the visitor to the beach. As the following pictures will attest, it was such a nice day for a ....
The water was freezing but I wanted to swim while I was up here, and the locals have said that it doesn't get warm enough until at least July. So no time like the present. The day was actually beautiful, albeit the high was still only 10-12 degrees. As for the water, it could not have been any warmer than 3 or 4 degrees, close to freezing. Right now, there is frost on the ground in the morning.
Amanda was challenging me to go swimming, thinking there was no way I would actually do it. As many of you know, I don't have a typical inner thermostat. The swim was actually really refreshing.
After I was finished, Claire wanted a picture taken from the view of the water. So I had to go back into the water and take a photo. This is the photo. Notice everyone is wearing pants and sweaters, while I am standing in the near freezing water with drenched shorts and no shirt. Luckily the first picture passed Claire's inspection.
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