Dey's Uh, Char-Kabobs, Char Creole, Char Gumbo...

I was invited earlier in the week to go ice-fishing with the 6th grade class today, so after setting the environmental class up with their assignment, I headed out on the land. I could not help but think that going out on the land for a field trip is much cooler than any of my elementary school field trips! Mary Avalak showed me how to jig (the fishing contraptions are called "jiggers") and left me to my fishing hole. Not even five minutes after I had started, I felt something tugging at the end of my line! I pulled up my line quickly, hand after hand, until I dragged out a two foot long Arctic char! I have to admit, I was very proud of my accomplishment. The rest of the day, the adults helping with the field trip told me that I was extremely lucky to have caught one. It was one of only three fish caught that day and the only char caught this week! They recommended that I save some of it to make pipsi (dried char), and that I use the rest to make it cooked, for chowder, barbecued, etc. Later today, as I walked the streets of Cambridge Bay with the dead fish limp in my hands, I could not help but laugh at the fact that this fish could not have been caught by a more ungrateful or at least, unknowledgeable, fisherperson. : )

My char

Unfortunately, my first time at playing Inuit baseball was not so successful. During lunch (which consisted of caribou stew and bannock!), the kids invited me to play the game, which is the same as kickball, except there are only two bases. I quickly discovered that the tricky part of playing is not learning the rules...the tricky part is attempting to run in thick rubber-soled snow boots. When it was my turn, I rather awkwardly kicked the ball and took off towards the base. However, as I was halfway there, the rubber boots became too much for me to handle. With each step, I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper until I face-planted into the snow! Though I was laughing hysterically, the kids were extremely kind to me, saying "good try, Abbey!" : )

The kids hop in the komatik to head back to school

Cameron and Renee and I grabbed dinner together at the Youth Centre barbecue, held in honor of the Youth Centre re-opening. All the kids are very excited that they will have another social venue in town. The new Youth Centre has computers, a foosball table, a pool table, some couches, board and video games and a kitchen. I'm hoping to volunteer a little more with the Youth Centre while I'm here.

Speaking of youth, I have managed in my short time here to pick up some of the latest sayings from the kids. The first is "ohhh, good to know." This is a good one to use when someone says something that you already know. For example, your parent says, "make sure you pick up dinner right after school because the co-op closes at 5." You respond, "ohhh, good to know." My favorite phrase they use is "I lie." One kid, Brent, uses this on me all the time. He'll say, "Abbey, you can't sit here because Tyler is sitting here." Then he'll wryly grin, look up at me sheepishly and say, "I lie."

Brent plays pool at the Youth Centre re-opening

I have noticed that besides the usual "eh" and occasional pronounciation differences, Canadians don't speak that much differently than Americans. However, I have noticed that I have picked up the practice of ending phrases with an upward inflection in my voice, regardless of whether I am asking a question. Sometimes, I hear myself closing my vowels too, although I am trying to retain a little southern drawl