Demoralizing news

[Marty Van Diest]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, but it's important to just be aware. Awareness of what is going on around you and humility about your position can keep you safe. Too many people go into sticky situations with either ignorance or hubris and often a combination of both. Either one will get you in trouble.

Remember that you are not only a minority, which is probably a novel situation for you, you are also completely ignorant of an environment and culture that has existed for a long time. This culture and environment is changing very quickly so you can make no assumptions about what is the right thing to do in any particular circumstance. You need to approach each situation not like a savior but like a willing helper. That will go a long ways toward gaining acceptance in the village.

[freezengirl]

Nice article. I think it makes a point of underscoring the earlier comments about the company you keep. In all communities there are people that add to their community and their are people that take away from it. Choose what type of person you want to be known as, be a good neighber, treat people as you want to be treated and should do well.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by warptman

Open your eyes, it's in every town in Alaska!

Actually its in every town in America...

[momofmany926]

Originally Posted by AlienOddity

Sorry for the bummer thread y'all. To make up for it, here's a link to an article talking about some GOOD stuff in Akiak.

[SIZE=3]http://www.thetundradrums.com/article/1010grassroots_gardening_recycling_blooms_in_akiak[/SIZE][SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

Owen showed me pics of the greenhouse, it is up and operational, a real plus for me as I love gardening! Having read that article and hearing first hand reports of life in the village from Owen, I can't wait to get there! They had a spring clean up community picnic a couple of days ago, I guess they clean up the community every spring and then hold this as a celebration of hard work completed. Shelly (the author of the article) and I have been talking some on face book and she is ready to put us to work, we are going berry picking and herb gathering when we arrive in August as well as Salmon fishing. Owen said the people there are extremely friendly and he has really enjoyed getting to know everyone. He has a village mentor that is showing him around, she is taking him to their family fish camp today and showing how the whole process works, he informed me happily, I think, that cutting up the fish was woman's work LOL! I am so excited 5 weeks and 5 days and we will be in Alaska!

[AlienOddity]

Originally Posted by momofmany926
"Owen showed me pics of the greenhouse, it is up and operational, a real plus for me as I love gardening! Having read that article and hearing first hand reports of life in the village from Owen, I can't wait to get there!"


Hey, that's excellent! Erika reported to me 2 days ago that there is going to be a summer festival for the kids in Tuluksak- sounds like great fun! She will also get to see the fish camps and get an idea of how the community works. She attended a church service on Monday that lasted 3 hours! Yikes... I haven't been to church in over a year! I'm also finding my thoughts turning to moving up come next spring- it's odd, but even with the negative vibes we've received these last few days I still find myself drawn to the idea of long summer days and interminable winter nights- kinda matches my personality!!

[momofmany926]

Owen went to the fish camp today, does she have a village mentor? Owen's mentor (she calls him and the other teacher that she is the mentor for her dollar signs LOL)took them to their family fish camp, he tried fish head soup and said it was quite good, also tried some smoked dried Salmon and said that was really good! He says he has eaten more salmon in the last few days then he had previously over his entire life LOL! Like every one says there is negative no matter where, a place is what you make it I believe. We have always gotten along for the most part with our neighbors and we try to become active in some way in our town as well, so hopefully that will go a long ways in making the transition up there easier.