Changes with the seasons!

Yes. I already blogged today and my friends are waiting for me at the arena, but I have to get this out. 

I'm so happy to be here. 

Oh man, seeing Chris at the Katimavik house was so wonderful.  The children on the street that recognized me, one who's class I was with for one day.  (The crazy kindergarten class who's teacher didn't show up.)  I wished I could speak Cree with this kid, not just today, but I remember the day when he was trying to communicate what another child, Haven was his name, did to him to make him react a certain way.  "I know," I remember saying, " I saw." I remembered his name too- like Xavier Rudd. Without the Rudd... And the little girl riding around on her bike, who was at the pow wow and I saw her a few other times.

A girl with a native background recited a poem at the Katima-house dinner too.  She mentioned living in a big city, not being so great, and that here, the culture is so strong. It was so wonderful to hear some poetry from a youth.  I honestly, wish I knew how to inspire others to do the same, but honestly, I've never even written a poetry slam myself.  Nor have I been around that culture enough to feel able to do so.  I hope I get to hear more from her later.

And it's so nice to see the change of seasons in Chisasibi. There's still piles.  Of sand and dirt now.  (I dont know if you remember the picture with us in our t-shirts, holding our mitten-covered fingers in the air...  well the piles made me think of that.)
I love the beautiful purple flowers, I'll have to find out what they're called and more about them soon.  The buttercups, the lone wild strawberry I picked and ate on the way here (shhh! Don't tell anyone, but it was delicious!)  The vibrant red berries and leaves, and a little grass here and there. 
And the children, they're running around, laughing, saying things in Cree, making their parents smile.
Then I go to meet my friends at the talent show, and she's not there.  So I  ask to enter without paying to find her, and they let me in.  "Mary Monger? They say.  Oh yes, I know her!  No, I haven't seen her."


To see all these kids, remember their names and moments I had with them, to go back to the Katimavik house, see all that they're doing, it just makes me so excited.

There's no way I'll be bored.  This is where I want to be now.

I said it before, and I'll say it again: I love Chisasibi.  For all her beauty, for all her potential. 

Oh yes, and there's SO much going on!  Oh geez, Chris told me everything that's been going on while this group has been here, inviting me to all kinds of stuff and it's really quite exciting! 

Honestly, I have something really quite rare.  I have what most teachers don't have:  all of what Chisasibi offers right at my feet. 
So soon enough, after some effort, it'll be my turn to do everything I can to give back to the place I fell in love with only months away. "Oh man, it feels like so long ago," I said two Chris.  "That was two months ago," he says. 
So much going on!

So yes, all is well ;) And I won't be bored.  (Like I get bored...)