Inuvik - Week 3

Only three more nights until I fly home for four days to visit Rachel and Shane! It has been a quick few weeks up here, but I miss them both so much. I had a good, busy week , doing pre-kindergarten screening for 4 and 5-year-olds before they start school. My role was to test vision and screening, which was a lot of fun. It was also a bit disconcerting, because the majority of the kids (probably about 95%) don't know their alphabet yet. When they enter kindergarten, it's expected that they haven't learned their letters, and are taught them then. I was a bit shocked because not only has Rachel been able to identify hers for over a year (maybe more?) she can even spell her name. So imagine then, me trying to use an eye chart with the letters H, O, T, and V. It's a simplified chart, but most of the time I had to get the child to point to a card he was holding when I pointed to the letter on the wall.

Also, my preceptor had to fly home to Ontario for an emergency, as her mother is not well, so she left quite suddenly on Friday. She felt quite bad, but I have been getting along great with her, so I was sorry to see her go too. The other nurse I have been working with has also just left on vacation, so there are a minimal number of nurses left. I have been paired with a new one, a homecare nurse, so hopefully I will be able to do some new things. As it turns out, this will not be much of a week, because tomorrow is a holiday (and NOTHING is open) and I leave on Wednesday at noon, so I will really only be spending a day with my new preceptor until I return the following week. It's not a big deal, it just feels like I am starting over again.



I have my midterm discussion with my instructor on Tuesday, and a bunch of documents to hand in tomorrow, but I am feeling pretty confident about my skills and how I am doing. My instructor has to evaluate us from Yellowknife, so she relies on what I say, plus what the preceptor says. So far the preceptor had a glowing report for me, so I just have to market myself well in my 15-minute phone call with her.


My photos are all screwy on the blog...I had trouble getting them loaded here, but last night Karianne and I decided to go for a walk at 11pm. It's really hard to fall asleep in the sunshine, and it's quite warm by that time of day. So we walked to the hospital, then followed the highway towards the airport until we came to the end (or beginning) of the Dempster Highway. This highway leads all the way to Alaska. We took a few photos by the big sign.  We also took a picture of ourselves with the Midnight Sun behind us.

Midnight Sun

 Yes, this is a picture of a dead goose. There are four kitchens in the residence and we have become friendly with some of the students downstairs. One lady, Vera, is about 55, and told us one day how she was walking along the highway with her rifle, and bang! Caught herself a goose for dinner. I did know it was goose hunting season, but I didn't realize that she was going to pluck and clean it in her kitchen. She had another one in the communal freezer. It was unusual and kinda neat to meet someone who hunts her own food, even while away at college.

 Otherwise, I've been going to the gym here and there, and taking long walks. The days go by fast, but they are quiet. I miss the lovely chatter of my almost four-year-old. Three more sleeps!