It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Ho ho ho! How goes it over there in Europe (or wherever you are, dearly beloved stalkers!). It has been very snowy here and temperatures have risen to a mild -14. We are expecting a shitload of snow over Christmas, woohooo! So maybe later in the holidays I can go snow shoeing again and explore more of the area.

This month is also flying by like the nineties so let me try and recall what has happened.
In short: Goat Fest was a success as was the student paper, I’ve been chrocheting, walking dogs, and drinking lots of hot chocolate… and also Laura has left and I am leaving for Yellowknife in two days!!! Well. Holy smokes (they say this here a lot). In long: see below for more details!

Dogs
I signed up to be a member of the SPCA but they have not yet gotten back to me. I’d love to walk their dogs, to get myself more comfortable with dogs but also so that I can enjoy some sunlight anf go on nice walks. I didn’t think I would need vitamin D but I’ve been feeling weird so I recently bought chocolate flavoured vitamin D pills, #yolo. Anyway I also want to foster kittens with my housemate Kate so I hope they will get back to me soon. When you are a member you can just go visit and play with the dogs and cats any time. And hug them!

School paper
The first school newspaper has come out and it was very well-received. Since we did not have too many entries in the beginning, Laura and I created a few fake pages, such as the ‘confessions’ page. This page spread lots of gossip and rumours through the school and now several students have asked me if they could please enter a confession in the next paper, lol. Some students have asked me whether we could have a paper every month but I think the next issue will be due in February. I already have entries for it: grade 8’s created myths, a cartoon, and a poem. Yay! Now I hope to also get a few students on board for editing and… printing and folding and stapling, because that took me at least five hours last time.

Goat Fest
Goat fest was yesterday and it was so great to see some students perform, sing, and dance. We raised money for children in Kenya by auction off stockings filled with goodies, which was fun. I am extremely proud of the improv comedy trio, they did great and received lots of compliments at the end. Two teachers almost fell off their chairs laughing during the three headed expert, lol. Also a few students did a Christmas play where all of the teachers were on Santa’s “Naughty list” whilst they’d put themselves on the “Nice” list. Furthermore, grade 11’s Macbeth, with which I had helped, was a lot of fun to watch on a big screen too. This school has so many talented kids, I wish they did more cultural things. Perhaps the improv show will have encouraged a few students to join my improv classes on Wednesdays, we’ll find out after the break.

Holidays
Finally, the Christmas holidays are here. I am quite exhausted and my body has apparently been postponing being ill because I am ill now. K. O. So I think I will stay at home for the rest of the day and skip hockey practise. I hope all of my students have a nice time, it is weird saying happy holidays to kids when you know their family situation is horrible. There is only so much you can do. I have really grown attached to some of the students and the staff here, and even though it is only halfway the year I can already see how hard it will be to say goodbye to this place. Most beaver volunteers are talking of staying another year after this. They are all staying here for Christmas, I am so lucky to have family in Yellowknife! I will spend my merry Christmas there and will fly with Buffalo air. Apparently their plane is taped together so I will definitely take pictures and hopefully survive the trip, lol. I am looking forward to having a fun time in Yellowknife! The Bergmans are awesome!! And for new year’s I will be here in Hay River with the other volunteers and I’ll finally see fireworks for new year’s (the first time in 4 years?). So to all of you reading this, merry Christmas, and have an amazing New Year with champagne, oliebollen, happiness and ho ho ho, please take some of my snow.

-Mathilde.