Shishmaref Style Wedding

Today was the first wedding in the village since I have been here.

Earlier in the week, John Kokeok asked me if I was going, and I replied with "No, I didn't get invited." Evidently, that was a stupid thing to say. EVERYONE is invited. If it is small and just family, they tell everyone that. Otherwise, you're invited.

The bride and groom are the parents of my little Katie in my class. The wedding was in the church and it was really nice. Beautiful white gown, tuxes, bridesmaids, groomsmen, the whole deal. After the ceremony, we were all invited to go downstairs in the church and have cake. Angie and Daphne (a HS student) made the cake. They have been practicing their fondant roses for months now. It was really beautiful. People couldn't believe that it was a homemade cake. Chairs were lined up, everyone got a napkin and piece of cake, and enjoyed.

Shishmaref has a really interesting tradition. It's called a shiveree. At midnight after the wedding, the whole villages goes to the house of the bride and groom and beats on the walls. Then some of the men go inside and get the groom and they carry him around the house. Then the bride and groom stand on the porch and throw TONS of candy into the crowd. I was not expecting that much candy. Some girls were at my house right before and they asked me for bags for shiveree, and they needed the bags for all the candy! It was really cool.

So, the wedding was really fun!

Colleen is gone until the 16th. She left on Thursday. She and two HS girls are on their way to Copenhagen, Denmark for the UN Global Warming conference. What an amazing experience. I am so excited for her, Meghann, and Janelle. It's sure lonely at home, though!

Thursday we had to cancel both ECE classes. We ran out of stove oil and didn't know it. We got to school Thursday morning and it was freezing! We couldn't keep the kids in there like that. Kate has been out sick and will be for the next month or so, so I went and helped in the kindergarten classroom for most of the day. The store wasn't able to deliver to our building until after 2, but it was warm enough by Friday morning, thank goodness.

That's about it for now!

I leave to come home to Ohio in two weeks!!