Posted on November 18, 2019 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Another beautiful morning in Kangiqsujuaq

 

I’m getting settled in but I’m not settled, if that makes any sense.

I feel at home in Kangiqsujuaq. The local people are warm and friendly. Every time I’m out walking, I get offered a ride on a four wheeler or in a truck. So far, I have turned down the rides because these are my only opportunities to go for a walk. Hopefully people will get used to seeing me pounding the pavement (or tundra!) and understand that it’s just Len out doing his thing.

I took my first stroll to the airport on the weekend. It is a short 5 minute drive from town or, in my case, a 35 minute walk. A similar walk back home to the airport in Halifax would take me six days. It’s uphill all the way but unlike our ancestors who walked uphill both ways to school, the return trip is actually downhill. “And why,” you ask, would I be walking to the airport? You’ve heard the expression “killing two birds with one stone”. The walking part is obvious and, no, I’m not planning on catching the next flight out of town. I love it here.

While I like the local grocery stores (The Coop and the Northern Store) and will patronize them regularly, there are many grocery items that many people order from down south because of the cost. You order on line and the groceries are shipped north. It can take a week or longer (!) to receive your order depending on several factors, not the least of which is the weather. I placed my order last Monday and thought that there might be a chance that it would have arrived. Not today. It didn’t matter. The morning sky was spectacular. It was worth it. I would have even cheerfully walked uphill both ways to witness the wonders of nature that the north provides.

Speaking of air cargo, I still haven’t received my personal belongings from home. They were picked up at my apartment eleven days ago and I was told that it would take time for them to arrive. A few days ago, I decided to get a status report and discovered that my five boxes, containing precious items like clean underwear, were sitting in a warehouse in Dartmouth. I was told that it would be at least another ten days before I might receive them.

One thing I realized from my Camino walk across Spain is that you can live simply out of one backpack. That is essentially what I have been doing since I got here living out of two small carryon bags. I’ll just have to be patient while waiting for my makeup kit!

When packing, I was instructed NOT to put any food items of any description in my personal belongings boxes. I had a few containers of frozen stew that I dearly wanted to take with me. I have this visual of the stew turning into a toxic brew somewhere in Burnside Park. For my new northern friends, this is a warehouse district in Dartmouth.

Winter has set in up here. I find it very invigorating as it reminds me of my childhood. It is cold, the days are sunny and the snow on the ground will stay there for several months. If you’re dressed properly, it’s all good. I have accumulated 75% of what I need. I am anxiously awaiting my new handmade parka with a fur lined hood.

In Nova Scotia, storm day for schools create endless controversy. After 68 years on this planet, I didn’t think that I would ever witness the solution to this perplexing issue. That is, until I came to the north. It’s quite simple, really. There are no storm days, even when the temperature reaches -57; even during a blizzard. True, geography plays a part in the solution in that students all live in relatively close proximity to the school and don’t have to be bussed over icy backroads like Nova Scotia. I have been told that there are only two instances when school is cancelled: a furnace breakdown at the school or a polar bear alert!

The community has a golf course adjacent to the school. It has five holes. The greens are circular and all the same size, with synthetic turf. They are running a bit slow on the stimp meter these days! For non- golfers, a stimp meter measures the speed of a green when putting a ball. My son is an avid golfer although I’m not sure he is so keen to fly north to play 5 holes on the tundra. In my ongoing discussions with him about life in the north he opined, “It might be the only golf course where essential equipment in your golf bag includes your clubs and a shotgun.”

More than one person has suggested that if I plan to stay up here for a while, that I take gun lessons and buy a rifle. They didn’t mention golf lessons!

Have a great week.

 

Posted on November 14, 2019 under Thursday Tidbits with one comment

“Mussel” Beach

 

While I would hardly consider myself a couch potato, I can be as lazy as sin if left to my own devices.

I love to walk. Since I retired four years ago, I have started every day with an 8Km-10Km walk. Since completing the Camino in May, I have also done a weekend walk typically covering 30-35Km. One of my summer walks covered 50Km which I have discovered is my limit! With winter setting in, the long walks will take a hiatus. My winter Sunday afternoons and evenings are usually filled with watching sports and eating sweets.

Now that I am in Northern Quebec, I’m re-evaluating my weekend protocol. For one thing, I don’t have a television… yet.  Streaming movies or sporting events can be challenging as the internet signal is not always strong.

On my first day of school last Thursday, I discovered that there were some active walkers in the school which was music to my ears. The school has an outdoor adventure program. Several students are in training for a five day wilderness expedition to be held in the dead of winter. Temperatures can get into the -50s. On Saturdays, a few staff members and the students go for a long walk and once the snow gets a bit deeper, they will cross country ski. I was invited to join them and eagerly agreed. The good news is that it was a fantastic experience. The bad news is that my winter wardrobe is totally inadequate for the weather conditions in the north.

There are seven lakes separated by patches of tundra that eventually reach a bay. Our walk last Saturday traversed the (mostly!) frozen landscape. It was quite cold and the wind was at our back on the outward journey. The students were in great spirits and the air was filled with laughter and snowballs.

By the time we reached our halfway point, I wasn’t quite frozen but there were hints of rigormortis setting in. To the rescue came V, the young woman who has admirably and professionally led my class at school after the departure of my predecessor. She and her colleague, L, have been showing me the ropes as I adapt to life in the classroom after a considerable absence.

She handed me two small packets of LittleHotties hand warmers which I put inside my gloves. Instant nirvana. Even though the return walk was considerably colder, having warm hands made all the difference. My need for a proper winter coat has moved to the top of my “to do” list. (A local woman has agreed to make me a coat this week. I will model it once it’s done). When we got back to town, I went immediately to the Coop and purchased a pair of proper winter footwear… “Good to -40”!

On Sunday, a handful of the staff went for a long hike, something they do every week when the weather permits. After the previous day’s bone chilling walk, I was going to take a pass until my neighbour graciously loaned me a real winter coat and neck warmer.

We walked around Wakem Bay at low tide and meandered through the mountains and valleys for nearly four hours. The landscape was ever changing and the scenery simply staggering. So was I! My bad knee protested loudly but I was so glad that I went.

Monday was a holiday. I was still waiting for my personal effects to arrive from home so I only had a handful of clothes. In order not to get suspended from school for malodorous attire, I decided to wash everything except my pajamas. My apartment has a brand new Whirlpool wash machine. It is so new that the plastic wrap was still on it when I went to do my laundry. It didn’t come with an instructional booklet but having done laundry my entire adult life, I didn’t think that this would be problematic.

Wrong.

This is not a washing machine that needs a NASA engineer to figure out. I loaded up the machine. I closed the lid and hit the start button. It started to make sounds like R2D2. I couldn’t hear the tub filling with water. That’s when I discovered that the installers hadn’t turned on the hot and cold water taps. I hit the start button and nothing happened. There was a small dribble of water but at the rate it was entering the tub, I would be back in Nova Scotia for Christmas by the time it filled.

The washer and dryer are in the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and pondered my conundrum. I wondered how I would explain to my colleagues and the children in my class the following day why I was wearing pajamas to school.

YouTube! With the warranty card in hand along with the model number, I did a search and found a video which didn’t help one bit. I then went to the trouble shooting section. I should have known after years of computer malfunctions that unplugging the wash machine for a few minutes would do the trick. In addition, I had to open and close the lid of the machine 6 times in 12 minutes in order for the electronics to re-set. Bingo! It worked.

Happily, I was able to return to school on Tuesday wearing clean clothes with my dignity intact.

Have a great weekend.

 

 

Posted on November 11, 2019 under Monday Morning Musings with 3 comments

Inukshuk on the outskirts of Kangiqsujuaq

 

“Who is the teacher and who is the student?”

Good question.

This quote can’t be traced to anyone famous so I’ll claim it as my own. I have always been a fan of lifelong learning. Some people think that this entails taking more courses, reading volumes of books or watching Fox News. Two out of three ain’t bad! I would like to suggest that travel might be the best teacher for those of us a little longer in the tooth. We learn about new countries, new people, and new cultures. We experience firsthand the wonders that the world has to offer. We broaden our horizons and hopefully gain understanding and empathy for those who may experience a much different existence than we do.

I have been in Kangiqsujuaq less than a week and my education is in full swing. Yes, I’m in the classroom teaching a beautiful group of grade 5 and 6 children. Let’s just say they’ve kept me occupied! It will take me a bit of time to adjust to the rigours of teaching, after a long hiatus. I have quickly discovered that being flexible, adaptable and patient will be the keys to my survival. I played my guitar on day one and I know from a lifetime of music that this will be a major lifeline. My class will perform Feliz Navidad at the Christmas concert in Spanish, English and Inuktitut!

One of the blessings of being so far north is that there is no cell service. The one exception is IPhone to IPhone.It is simply joyous to see young people playing and learning without an electronic device controlling their every waking moment. When the students are not in class, they are outdoors playing even on the coldest days of the winter. One of the teachers told me that the temperature dipped to a balmy -57 last winter. I am eagerly (?) anticipating recess duty on days like that. These temperatures will require a serious winter wardrobe upgrade and I hope to engage the services of a local Inuk woman to make me a new coat…. and a warm hat for by bald head!!!

The leadership of the school is strong and I am getting to know the staff, who have been very welcoming and helpful as I get my feet under me. I was invited to a staff potluck last Friday evening. Like the Camino, the reasons for many of the non-indigenous staff coming north, is varied and interesting to hear about. This was a going away party for Audrey, whom I mentioned in last Thursday’s post. https://www.week45.com/thursday-tidbits-200/ She’s heading south to have her first baby. I had my first taste of caribou stew and it was fantastic. I already feel at home with this group.

A special thank you to E and L who work in my class with me. They’ve held my hand (!) and have been incredibly supportive.

On the weekends, some of the staff go hiking. On Saturdays, they walk with students who are preparing for an outdoor survival exercise later in the winter where they will be in the elements for four days. Sundays are staff walking days. They generally go out for a four hour jaunt. I will be an active participant in both hikes. I am told that being in the outdoors is a survival mechanism. This is true regardless of where you live.

Speaking of food, I received my first lesson in sustainability. Beluga whales appear in Wakem Bay in Kangiqsujuaq twice a year and are hunted by the Inuit people. Nothing goes to waste. When the whales are brought to shore, they are immediately processed. Fresh meat is distributed on the spot and whatever is remaining goes into a community freezer. The local people can go there any time for free meat. This is so sensible.

Amidst the cold, I already feel the warmth of the locals. I have been offered countless rides home on the back of their four wheelers.

You have already deduced the answer to the question posited at the beginning of this piece.

I am the student. The people of Kangiqsukujuaq are my teachers.

Have a great week.

P.S. Lest we forget. My heart will be at the cenotaph in Antigonish this morning.