Krisanne Landry: Hello Cape Dorset!

After realizing the plane was safe, I enjoyed the rest of the short flight to Cape Dorset. The views were quite amazing, and the landing was perfect. Upon arrival we were greeted by our gracious hosts, Principal and fellow teachers which really set the mood for a warm welcoming in a -26C environment. The airport was about the size of a small Nova Scotian classroom and our luggage was pushed through a giant hole in the wall. It was great because we only had to wait about three minutes from departing the plane to receiving our luggage. Thankfully and kindly our welcoming committee helped us with our extremely heavy luggage, which I have determined some of it might have been pointless to bring.

As our suitcases were loaded into the bus (the Principal kindly used the access a bus to pick us up) we realized he was going to give us a tour of Cape Dorset. Trying to come up with words to describe a place so foreign to my eyes, and so vastly different than where I come from is challenging. The beauty of it alone is breathtaking. Snow covers everything in a thick, crispy layering of pure white that does not seem to suffer the same fate as Nova Scotian snow (how it turns brown along the roadsides and yucky), tips of dark grey rocks protrude through the white snow and give form to the landscape. It truly is amazing to see.

On our tour around we were shown where the infamous polar bears might be seen, but were cautiously warned about going there alone. We were shown the two stores, which were much larger than I had expected and appear to be the place to hang out and we were also shown the different area's of town like the RC, the Valley, Downtown, and I think there is one more but it has slipped my mind. Then I arrived at my hosts house which is not anything like expected. In my head I had imagined something unfamiliar to me, but this looks very similar to townhouses we have lining the streets of Halifax and Bedford. Upon entry to the house I immediately felt welcomed and at home thanks to the effort and kindness of the hosts. I think it must be hard to have someone unknown come and stay with you, but Jess and Katie immediately put any worries I had at ease and made me feel comfortable.

After a lovely dinner and some fun conversations I began to crash fast! I went to bed, slept like a log and woke up refreshed and ready for the first day, and what a day it has been!

The school is literally up a small hill from the house I am staying at and is a quick walk, but I was certainly glad to have my arctic boots, mittens and parka! On our quick walk we even saw a polar bear skin drying on the side of someone's house across from the school! We arrived at the school and walked right in. It's amazing how all schools seem to have the same smell of paper, footwear and the weird smell a photocopier gives off. I was given a tour of the school which to my surprise was comparable, and in some ways much better than the state of some schools in Nova Scotia. As I met staff, got my bearings the bell rang and like a flood of water they came in noisy, excited and eager to see their teachers. Snow pants flew, jackets dropped, mittens were stowed away and the day began.

As the students rolled into the classroom, my impression was that each and every one of them has enthusiasm but that they were for a brief moment timid of the new face standing at their door. After introducing themselves it did not take long before they were eagerly asking me questions which I've promised they have plenty of time to ask. The morning really flew by, partly because I still feel like I'm in a dream, also because it's a school and I've learned days fly by and even more because today was parent teacher day so the students were gone at noon. I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I will get more time to spend with the children and learn more about them.

I'm in a lucky situation up here. I will be working with 2 Master Teachers, one who is focusing on language and the other on all the other subjects. My first impressions of them are great and I am looking so forward to learning as much as I can from them. They seem happy to have Terin and I here and we are certainly happy to be here.

As I sit here writing this entry I'm looking around the class thinking about all the things Nick taught us about Nunavut and the people. I'm pleased to say one of my Master teachers regularly tries to incorporate Inuktitut into his teaching and there are signs that although the education here is very southern, there are definitely lights of hope that teachers in Nunavut are teaching for the students of Nunavut.

View from plane coming into Cape Dorset