Gray-Skied Conclusion

Well, today was the day. I've finished teaching at Nasivvik High School; I've finished practice teaching entirely. It's a feeling that has been a long time coming but will remain difficult to process. But today was a good day, a good goodbye. Still, even when the days are good, endings are tricky things.

But life moves on here in Pond Inlet. We had another overcast day, which meant that the temperature was mild -- comfortable, even, so Brooke and I walked home from the school, taking in the sights of the mountains cloaked in clouds, the stark black of the rock exposed after hours of sunlight. After a pause at our host house, we headed up the hill to visit one of the town's graveyards (photographs and thoughts to follow). As it happens, the graveyard was at the top of a surprisingly long and steep hill but, once we clamboured all the way up, the view was spectacular. I've included a few sample snaps from the walk back from school and then up the hill, as well as a shot of an interesting ice formation. A proper catalogue replete with too many pictures of mountains is to follow! You're welcome.

None of these have been edited except for resizing (dang, friends, these upload speeds!). I wanted to preserve the effect of the light in the sky, the cloud like a filter dampening everything to gray except for those moments when the sun broke through and lit up distant mountains.

Walking back after school.

Down the Very Steep and Very Up hill to Pat and Dave's, iceberg visible in the distance.

Our neighbourhood (that would be Mittamatalik -- the old Pond), huddled by the edge of the water, embraced by sea ice and watched by distant mountains.

Small things, big things.

A spray of ice, a broken sculpture.

And things continue to await me here in Pond Inlet before I head back to Nova Scotia! I've an amauti braid to finish (Workshop Part 2 was very useful and Geela was, as usual, preeminently patient), professional development to... develop, and activities to run for students who now could use a few things to occupy their days.

Also, pictures of mountains and things to share. So many mountains, so much ice, and a fair amount of dog pee in the background (that would be why, faithful readers, that last photo isn't edited; the yellow in the snow becomes far too obvious and detracts from the general feelings of... majesty and awe that I wanted to capture).