Where the Wild Things Are

I have finished my term position in Resolute and am moving further south. OK, further south, much further south than Resolute. After Christmas vacation I am starting a term Student Support position at the middle school in Iqaluit. A school where everybody is in grade 6, 7 & 8. Hmmm. It will seem strange to be in the "big city" after my time in the remote communities. My time is Resolute can only be described as intense. The job was incredibly busy given the size of the school. The implementation of the new Nunavut Eductaion Act is keeping educators in the territory busy. I learned loads and loved going to work every day. It is a tough land and it's hard not to admire the people who were relocated here and managed to forge a community out of such physical and emotional adversity. The threat of polar bears around town is real and certainly kept me alert as I went about my business in the dark and cold. The school was a lovely warm, friendly oasis. I will miss the kids and staff and had a tearful goodbye. Here are some random photos I've been meaning to post for a while now.

The high school girls made and decorated 3 cakes for my goodbye party. Whenever we have a celebration we make enough cake for the whole school

The chair of our District Education Authority made this "Mother Hubbard" parka for my farewell gift. A perfect fit - and she totally guessed the size.
After months looking over my shoulder for the bears that I was sure were stalking me to school every morning, it was fun to pose by the stuffed polar bear at the airport in Resolute as I waited for my flight out at 6:30 am.

A Halloween portrait of one of our high school students - front page of the territorial newspaper!

The very last of the sun before the beginning of the polar night.

A few weeks before the arrival of 24 hour darkness. At noon one day this was in front of me and...

this was behind me.

I will miss those crazy High-Arctic skies.