Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Gone gone gone

Hi Everyone

For those of you who keep looking here for updates.... I am no longer "Living in Cape Dorset" . For family reasons I am now " Living in Miramichi" and I doubt very much I will have a lot of time to to start a new blog.
It was a wonderful experience living in the north, and I will not say I would never return but at this juncture it looks like I will be here in New Brunswick for a while.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

1st Snow Day of the Year

Hi Everyone

I know sometimes people get pretty uptight about teachers. As a matter of fact most people don't hate teachers, they despise them. Long holidays at Christmas, extended vacation at Easter, sessional days, 2 months holidays in the summer, the general public has no appreciation of what they do regardless of whether they are in the north or down south.
When it comes to snow days, it makes the general public's blood boil. People don't take into account that half of the school age children take the bus and the other half walk. The children that take the bus are the elementary students. When the bus is canceled because of road conditions they are given a day off. With the roads in such poor condition, how can we expect the older students to walk to school. One slip and they could be under the wheel of a plow, or dump truck, or another vehicle. The other question is when elementary students can't go to school, who is going to look after them while Mom or Dad is at work? In a lot of cases older brothers and sisters who are in the high school do a fair bit of child care with for their parents when it comes to younger siblings.
Beside that we get way fewer snow days than they do in the south. Last year in NB they had somewhere around 10 or 12. Last year in Cape Dorset we had, zero, nada, zilch, nothing. So what if we get a scattered snow day now and then. At the end of the day it is all for the safety and protection of our students. And as teachers and administrators that should be our #1 priority.

Cheers

Blake

Saturday, October 24, 2009

So Much to Say

Has it ever been a long time since I blogged. I think the last entry was sometime in May. So much has happened since then.
The best thing by far is how far along they have got on the construction. For those of you not aware of this, the Department of Education is in the process of expanding and renovating our school. The project will probably come in at around $20 million dollars by the time it is turned over to us. There has been a few hiccups so far such as late boats, over zealous replacement job supervisors, and plumbing trouble but all in all everything has gone quite well. Kudlik, the general contractor, is doing a fine job and once I got put in my place regarding who I take construction concerns too, things have moved along quite swimmingly.
The project itself was going to be done in 2 major phases. The first was to be the extension which is comprised mostly of a gymnasium and a few classrooms around it. This was to be completed by the end of November and then the construction crew would come back in February and start renovating the existing structure. This was well understood by all involved in June when we were starting our summer break. When I returned in mid-August half the school was torn apart because an over-zealous replacement supervisor came in and started to panic. When all was said and done I now have 5 classrooms with temporary lighting and no flooring because the product has yet to arrive on the sealift. This should begin to be rectified by next week as our last boat is on its way to Cape Dorset. These delays are in no way the fault of the contractor but none the less, Louis, the main job supervisor feels extremely bad about it. He is a very hard working man and does his job quite well. He makes promises based on what other people, like shipping companies, promise him. Because of the late boat there is a possibility that the plumbers will be delayed getting heat to the new part. If this is the case we probably won't get the piece turned over to us until next fall as the plumbing company doesn't want to assume liability if something happens and there is a major freeze up.
All in all though a very fine job and it will look fabulous when it is completed.

The other big news here is water news. The Hamlet has at its disposal normally three water trucks, but early September or late August one burned which left them down to two. This stressed out the delivery system some what but once they got on a schedule everything seemed to be working out fine. Then another water truck broke down and they are now unable to repair it. My sympathies go out to the drivers because they are now working night and day not to catch up but just to keep from falling so far behind. Some people have been without water for days. Eventually they get some. I can't say the same for us here at the school. I could pick up the phone this morning and have 4000 litres delivered in at the most a half an hour. They are extremely good in that regard. This is my fourth year in Cape Dorset and always the big questions everyday were, Did the planes come in? I wonder if so and so got in? Now all these questions have been replaced by, Do you have any water? It really makes me start to think how some of these people in third world countries live. I, personally, have been very lucky as our unit has only run out of water once and only for a half hour or so.
Earlier this week I arrived at school facing the circumstance of not having any water. Because I am the first to arrive I usually put the coffee and tea on. When the staff found out there was no water they wondered how coffee and tea was made, I told them I just went out side and got some snow and melted it. They were none too impressed. These water woes will continue for another week until a new water truck arrives on the sealift.
I will try and put up some pictures of the construction if I get the chance.

Cheers

Friday, May 08, 2009

Grad Fund raiser

Hey Everyone

As promised in my last post, I said I would try to be a more frequent blogger.Last week we had a really successful fund raiser for the graduating class. I the north there is not mucu money set aside by the local DEA's for these events so the responsibility falls onto the shoulders of the staff and grads to raise money for decorations, meals, and other grad stuff. Monetarily the graduation should be fine now. We are just not so sure about the rest of us.

One thing about any local gathering involving staff and the community is there always are lots of laughs and good natured ribbing.

This item provided lots.

Is it a char net or seal net?

Monday, April 27, 2009

Bad Blogger !!!!!

Hey Everyone

This is the longest time I have ever gone between posts. The biggest reason is that I moved into my own place and didn’t bother with internet access,. It really isn’t that inconvenient because I am able to use it whenever I need to at school and not having it at home gives me more time to read. I also don’t find the time as long after Christmas because the days are longer with more beautiful sunshine. I may think differently next year during the long cold days of fall and winter that come upon us prior to Christmas. Two months from today I will be barbequing on my deck back in New Brunswick. I almost have my third year completed in the North and I find the time has really flew.
It will really be nice to get back home to my kids and wife. Speaking of my wife I just got off the phone with her. A little over a year ago she started to run. Working her way up from 1 km to 5 km to 10km. Gradually she has built up her stamina and running longer and longer distances in shorter and shorter periods of time. Today she ran in a 15km race in Grande Digue New Brunswick in a around 1 hour 27 mins. That is pretty phenomenal considering when I watched her run a 5 km last summer she said she was never running any longer distance than that. She truly committed herself to it and the only thing that will bump the running will be her family. In order to come and visit me this past fall she passed up an opportunity to run a race that she had been training many months for. I guess she loves me.
I am also watching with interest the Swine Flu epidemic that has hit the U.S., Canada, and especially Mexico. Because my wife is an Infection Control Nurse this will really take away from her running. I even noticed our fearless Health Minister, who happens to be the MP for Nunavut, on the news tonite telling us not to worry. My wife feels it is something we should all be wary off. Remember to wash your hands everyone.
Our school is also involved with a YMCA student exchange involving students here and students from Toronto. They leave this week and the group from TO arrive the week after. It should be really exciting. There is other big news happening here in Cape Dorset. The next time I blog I should be able to tell you about it.

Cheers

Blake

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Belated Happy New Year

Hey Everyone

It sure has been a long time since I posted anything. But I guess the fact that I was down south for three of those weeks is probably some excuse. When we got back to Cape Dorset we found out that the school froze up. The student washrooms were all seized up so we were late getting them in. The first day for them was Monday so we spent a couple of really long days Thursday and Friday. School seems to fly by and be a lot more fun when you have students present.
The weekend was really quiet here as I was busy unpacking my bags, which thanks to Air Canada, arrived late Friday and I was here since Wednesday. They sure piss me off as they never take responsibility for any of their screw ups. I am in the midst of a pissing contest with them over canceling a flight unilaterally and causing me to spend a night in Ottawa which I never counted on.On the other hand First Air has been ever so helpful and I have a feeling that if Air Canada doesn't cough up, they will. I will keep you posted.
Christmas as all you southern expatriates know is a very busy time when you go back home. It was even more so for me as my mother in law was very ill and her eventual passing on January 1st made it a Not So Happy New Year. I did get to see a ton of people but a funeral home isn't the nicest place in the world. Thanks to all who have expressed their condolences and to all those who are keeping my wife and family in their thoughts.
This event made it harder than ever to return to Cape Dorset on time, but Merita said she would be fine. She will certainly keep herself busy with work and chauffeuring Emily around to her places of work. I hope she doesn't find the time too long and all her many friends keep her busy. I just finished purchasing my ticket to go home for Easter Break and 10 weeks from tonight I will be getting ready to land in Fredericton (weather permitting).
On the lighter side, on the weekend I got into a wrestling match with the toilet and the sewer truck. They beat me miserably. Thankfully it has all been cleaned up and no one is the worse for wear. A very good chuckle after the fact indeed.
Well exams are next week. I better go do some prep for that.

Till later

Blake

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Does Anybody Care????

Hey Everyone

I am not going to be real specific because I might get in trouble but there are few things that really piss me off in the north. I know I have ranted in the past about airlines, the post office, prices at the stores, and other little things that after a few weeks I seem to get over them. This last event may take more than a couple of weeks. The most precious resource we have here in the North, as far as I am concerned, is our youth, and when the powers that be decide that they do not care enough, by their absolute inaction and fail to make decisions based on the best interest of the children, it certainly shows me that they do not care. I am more convinced than ever that the North is not the place for me and I must move to an area where the "care and safety" of children is tantamount.
I will leave it at that.

On another note, while my wife was visiting last week I learned what an etching was. I thought they were a drawing on paper, but the artist actually smooths out the soapstone and draws on it. My wife was extremely taken with the beauty and simplicity of them and has ordered me to gather up a bunch of them to take them home as Christmas gifts.



Speaking of Christmas, 4 weeks from tonite we will be in Iqaluit wending our way home for the holidays.

Cheers for now

Blake