A lot has happened in the past couple months. Since it's now December, I decided the least I could do was update this blog.
In the month of October, I volunteered (a lot), helped plan and execute a community event, met some more Bethel dogs, started to feel settled, and flew to Anchorage.
Much of the volunteering I did in October happened each day at my service site. So, here is an explanation of my service position, as promised:
I spend my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays in service as the Wellness Coordinator at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Kuskokwim Campus. This title translates to: providing daily wellness-based activities for students to opt into, offering academic tutoring 3 days per week, co-advising Student Government, coordinating recycling, helping to plan community events, working to be a person students trust, and making flyers. Lots and lots of flyers.
In the mornings, I usually hang out in my office (that's quite big) planning activities and events for the week. Yes, of course I've decorated the walls with posters & artwork. I head to the dorm in the late morning to spend time and eat lunch with students. I am grateful and lucky that my service site provides meals for me (4 out of the 6 Bethel JVs pack lunches each day). In the afternoon, we set blackfish traps, go berry picking on the tundra, fishing in the river (Yup'ik people of this region call fishing manaq), swim or workout at the fitness center, do an art project, play basketball (this sport is huge here... huge), play board games, go for a scenic drive, become the coffee shop's most loyal customers... the list goes on. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I spend two hours each day tutoring. I tutor in nursing, science, math, writing, and history. I am finding that my service is not about planning successful activities, but growing in relationship with students. I am slowly becoming an expected part of the dorm. If I'm late to lunch or have a day off of service, students say, "Where were you? We've been wondering where you've been." I return the favor often, wondering where they are, what they've been up to, how their days are going.
In October, I helped plan and execute a successful event on Indigenous Peoples Day (or Columbus Day if you're the federal government). The event started with a march along the highway (it's okay, we're in Bethel, the highway isn't very busy) during which community members wore Indigenous clothing and regalia. The march was followed by a native feast in the cultural center consisting of salmon, whitefish, rice, vegetables, akutaq, and assaliaq. As people ate, yuraq groups danced and Native Youth Olympics performed athletic demonstrations. In between acts, elders told stories and shared wisdom. It was a beautiful day.
I also volunteered at Steel Salmon, a prime rib dinner auction that raises money for summer art camps in Bethel. Art programs receive little funding in Bethel, so the camps are something many kids (and parents) look forward to. During the live auction, participants bid on steel art pieces shaped like salmon and ravens (donated by community members who creatively decorate and paint the cutouts). I showed up a little late to volunteer, but quickly filled in for someone who couldn't make it. I anticipated helping out in the kitchen, slicing cakes and preparing desserts, or generally doing something in the shadows. I was surprised to find out that I would be filling in as one of the three people who walk around modeling the auction items. So, there I was, with mud-caked rain boots, jeans, and a messy bun, walking around and showing off every third raven or salmon. The event raised somewhere around $16,000. The below pictures of some of the art pieces might explain this number.
I also celebrated my birthday! My housemates cooked a vegetable dinner (a hot commodity in Bethel) and we sat around the kitchen table hanging out until 2 am. My parents sent some gifts and birthday candles in the mail. It was good fun.
On October 24th, the first snow of the year came. It was only an inch or two. Below are photos of our house, garage, and neighborhood after the snowfall.
Towards the end of October, my housemates and I dressed up as Clue characters for a Halloween costume party. I was Miss Scarlet (I own a lot of red clothes). It was fun wearing makeup for the first time in a few months. Our low-budget costumes really came together. We even worked together to paint our cardboard props (weapons) the night of.
At the same time as our Halloween shenanigans, a program coordinator from JVCNW came to visit Bethel. She stayed with us in our home, visited all our service sites, and generally made sure we didn’t hate our time in Bethel or each other. We like to think that we’re winning JVCNW since we get along and have such a good time together. Obviously we’re joking, because it’s not a contest, but… if it was…
Enjoy these dogs I've encountered throughout the month.
On Halloween, we (the JVs) flew to Anchorage. It was exciting to get out of Bethel. The big city ("big city") was chaotic and busy, and it stressed me out more than I thought it would. 4-lane roads? We don't have those in Bethel. Ubers instead of taxis? Where are we?
We were in Anchorage for five days. The weekend retreat focused on Community and we were together with all four Alaska JV communities: Anchorage, Bethel, Juneau, and Sitka. It was fun to see everyone and talk about how things are going in community, within our houses and locales and at our service sites. Retreat was fun. Most notably, on November 4th, we went to Costco.
The day started out pretty normally; we borrowed a small car from a former JV and fit 11 JVs in it. People stopped to stare as we trickled out of the car outside a coffee shop. It was a much-wanted stop after a tiring weekend and lack of walk-in coffee shops for the past three months. After, we piled back in and drove to Costco. We had previously saved up most of our community money for this trip. We planned that these groceries would help us through the coming five months. See the below photos for reference.
After filling 16 totes with our groceries, we flew back to Bethel.
When we landed, there was a winter storm warning. At least a half-inch of ice covered everything. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. Cars were crashed on the sides of the roads, wheels spun out after stopping, and we took a long time driving what is normally a 10-minute ride home. Then, we lived in abundance (we were mostly excited about bagels).
To sum up October: I began feeling more settled into Bethel life. I got into a rhythm at service, started to meet more people in the community, and continued to grow closer to my housemates. We've really been getting along and sharing lots of laughs, which has helped combat the darkness. In October, the sun was setting around 5:30 or 6 pm and rising at 9:30 am. Surprisingly, the darkness didn't have a huge effect on me. But I know there's lots more to come (as its December 9th, I can vouch).
NPR on Indigenous Peoples Day:
you're the coolest person I know. also, braids on fire in the group retreat pic, I miss you braiding my hair. love you!!!