almost airborne

The house is packed up. My classroom is cleaned, electronics wrapped in plastic, walls are cleared, desks are pushed to one side of the room. My computer is about to be returned and given a clean sweep (re-imaged). I need to make a trash run to the dump with all the junk I"ve accumulated in my house. All of my packed things are hopefully going out on a plane tonight, before I actually leave. It will be waiting for me in Bethel, where I will send it on to EEK.

tonight will be left over pasta, some old re-runs of "Scrubs" and then falling into a peaceful slumber in my sleeping bag. It is always such a rush to finish up at the end of the year. I feel like I've been chasing my tail.

Our site-administrator, TJ, and his wife, the science/math teacher, Kim are also leaving Toksook. The animosity in the village has reached its pinnacle with a couple of people (20 or so) that are dissatisfied with TJ's performance as site administrator. Thus, he is being asked to leave to eliminate any further animosity or possible action against him from the few dissatisfied people in the community. It is really a mess. Most of the community and all of the school staff are very upset that TJ and Kim are leaving Toksook. They will leave a gigantic hole within the school that will be very, very hard to fill. TJ and Kim both got jobs in Napaskiak, which is only 20 miles north of EEK on the Kuskokwim River. It will be nice to stay near them.

I'm definitely going to miss Toksook Bay and the friends that I made here. It's been kind of difficult talking to people and explaining why I'm leaving, but everyone has wished me the best of luck and hopefully a more satisfying teaching position in EEK.

But, come August 11th, we will all be re-united at the district in-service in Bethel. See you all there. Have a great summer!

Dirk and Katja