New Student In Town

life in a village, northern exposures

One of many abandoned cabins.

Crevasses in the Yukon

Temperatures to crack freezing this week! So they say.

Today I introduced a new student to my class. Nia Sunset. Actually, she lives in Istanbul and follows my blog (hi, Nia!). She dreams Alaskan dreams and expressed her wish to be in my class, so we have made her an honorary student of Fort Yukon School. Her first assignment was to write her classmates a letter telling all about herself and her country. And she did!

And today was Nia day – welcome to school, Nia! We read your letter, or the kids did. I started the reading and they stopped me and asked if they could take turns reading it aloud. They loved every word, and we studied the globe and listened to the Turkish music you sent us as we read about the geography and magical history of your country. We also talked about the Wind Horse and your poem. I think they are quite impressed that a writer and poet is interested in their class. Thank you for all your gifts to the students. Everything was a grand hit. Your fellow classmates are already busy thinking what to do in return.

Well, the weather reports are calling for 40 degrees F this week. Wow! Now we’ll see if those forecasters at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) are worth their pay. It definitely feels like it is time for a thaw. I actually cracked a window in our bathroom yesterday just to let in some fresh air. Of course, that was a mistake because by nightfall it was frozen open. Oops. Lucky I brought tools with me to Alaska.

I have to say, I am very excited about seeing the earth again. I keep browsing your blogs and seeing all the wonderful spring photographs and just can’t wait. I know we have crocuses growing wild that pop up just after the snow melts away, and I am sure there will be many other things to photograph, too. Last year I photographed the mud flats and the icebergs along the river and I know I will be going back to see those again, but I want to search for the insects and the buds and the blossoms this year, signs of life. Another friend, Sarah, has inspired me with her wonderful images of her own land awakening this spring.

And the best part of it all? I won’t have to worry about frostbite as I take pictures. “Ah, I think jeans and a tee-shirt are in order for today.” Now there’s a pleasant thought!

29 thoughts on “New Student In Town”

  1. nia is a fabulous lady and such a sharing and warm personality! I am so thrilled that you have involved her and her wonderful gifts in your class. You have lucky students! Best of lcuk with the classes and the coming of spring!

    1. Thank you very much. We are lucky to have her, that is true. And our kids have not completely succumbed to Spring Fever yet, so here is hoping that they continue to focus.

  2. I love the Nia is one of your students!
    We stopped wearing thermals a month ago in the Alps, relief to be wearing a normal set of clothes without the extra layers! And the daffodils are making their appearance too šŸ™‚

    1. Do they grow wild? It must be very beautiful. We are wearing fewer layers now, too. What a relief. Dressing and undressing can be such a chore in winter!

        1. I know I am really eager to smell the earth. I remember last spring when the snow finally left and the ground was damp, the air was rich and earthy.

  3. I am so lucky one… Thanks God and Thank you dear Dave and Thank you my classmate friends… I am excited still… Of course I wished to be there and to hear you and to come face to face… But this is GREAT connection, I can feel myself in Alaska… You are all like a beautiful season SPRING… I wish you all to have a nice day especially during the end of school days… In here spring flowers seem now… There are some festivals, like Tulip festival or Cherry Blossoms,… I wish to catch them and take photographs…

    With my love, nia

  4. Pingback: I am Honored to be a student…. « photographyofnia

    1. Thank you, Steve. I hope nobody minds that my pictures and the text are sometimes unrelated. I really like the second picture, too, although I can’t explain why. Maybe because it shows the deterioration of the river ice.

  7. I absolutely love your photo’s! Really stunning! The snow looks like icing … icing that makes lots of work. hehehe
    Nia is one special lady indeed and it’s awesome that she is part of your school now as well. The kids will enjoy her just as much as we do. šŸ™‚

    1. That’s for sure. Nia is full of energy and enthusiasm and good spirits, a real boost to any class.

      I LOVE the snow here. Texas snow is not beautiful like this. Here, ours is finely textured as though it were the work of an airbrush.

  8. NIa is such a special person, very compassionate and I am sure your class will gain so much memorable experience from an exchange with her and I am so very happy for her, she is so talented.

    1. She is a a perky pick me up. My students and I have been studying maps and satellite photos of Istanbul and can see where she lives. What a beautiful land!

  12. It’s easy to take the weather here for granted. In Minnesota, where I live, just like the rest of the country spring seems to be on the move much faster than normal. I’ve gotten so used to it that I allowed myself to feel grumpy for a while that the next few days are going to see temps “only” in the upper 50s. You must appreciate spring/summer up there even more than we do, having to wait so long for it! That said, your snowy pictures are quite lovely.

    Thanks so much for the plug! I’m very happy you’ve found some inspiration in my pictures and hope that soon you’ll start getting some spring of your own.

    1. 50’s sound really pleasant. Down in Dallas where my mom is the temps are knocking on 80. They say tomorrow is the big day for us, when we break freezing. We may hit 40 degrees F.

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